choreography

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Choreography (literally "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" (circular dance, see chorea) and "γραφή" (writing), also known as "dance composition"), is the art of making structures in which movement occurs. The term composition may also refer to the navigation or connection of these movement structures. The resulting movement structure may also be referred to as the choreography. People who create choreographies are called choreographers.

Origin

The term choreography first appeared in the American English dictionary in the 1950s.^[1] Prior to this, movie credits normally stated "Ensembles Staged by",^[2] "Dances",^[3] "Dance Director",^[4] "Dances Staged by",^[5] "Musical Numbers Directed by",^[6] or "Musical Numbers Staged and Directed by"^[7]. Choreographers often improvise to find what works best musically.

Settings

Although used mainly for dance, choreography is also used in many sports like:

• Stage combat (action or fight choreography)
• Gymnastics
• Ice skating
• Cheerleading
• Show Choirs
• Marching bands
• Cinematography
• Synchronized swimming
• Synchronized skating

And many other activities involving human movement.

Language and notation

Choreographic techniques

One choreographic technique is improvisation while another is the imposition of steps created by the choreographer and learned by the dancer. In the choreographic technique of improvisation, a choreographer will usually give the dancers a score around which to improvise. For example, a score may be for one dancer to pull away from another dancer who wants to stay connected, or it may be to create an 8-count phrase that includes a jump, a shuffle, a slide, and a fall. Improvisational scores are usually created with room for a dancer's interpreteation.

In the choreographic technique of steps imposed on a dancer, a choreographer will usually have created, or may even create spontaneously, steps that s/he expects the dancer to mimick.

Often, dance compositions are created using a combination of the two above techniques.

Improvisation

• Dance improvisation
• Contact improvisation
• Body mapping

See also

References

Further reading

• Blom, L, A. and Tarin Chaplin, L. (1989) The Intimate Act of Choreography. Dance Books. ISBN 0-8229-5342-0
• Ellfeldt, L. (1998) A Primer for Choreographers . Waveland Press. ISBN 0-88133-350-6
• Minton, S, C. (1997) Choreography: A Basic Approach Using Improvisation. Human Kinetics . ISBN 0-88011-529-7
• Tufnell, M. and Vaughan, D. (1999) Body Space Image : Notes Toward Improvisation and Performance. Princeton Book Co. ISBN 1-85273-041-2
• Smith-Autard, J, M. (2000) Dance Composition. Routledge. ISBN 0-87830-118-6

External links

Dance portal

• Choreography a dance web site about choreography and the performing arts
• BBC Blast Find out how to become a choreographer with BBC Blast.
• Choreograph.net is an online forum about the emerging aesthetics of choreography
• choreography Website
• About-creativity.com An interview with choreographer Natalie Marrone, 4/6/07
• Latin American Dance blog
• McDonald Selznick Associates