Choreography is like the decision-making process that we use in life. Are you going to jump off that bridge or are you just going to let life pass you by? Everyday we are choreographing our lives, making choices, and carving our own paths. In choreographing a life we learn various lessons along the way. In addition to movement, decision-making processes, and principles of dance we learn about about authority, relationships, our bodies, and ourselves. As any experienced choreographer should know...nothing is ever perfect, but through the errors we make in choreographing a dance (or a life) we can discover aspects that we may have missed or overlooked and choose to make different decisions in the future. These corrections open new doors and move us toward new possibilities.
Everyone has their own way of choreographing, making decisions, and dealing with challenges. When it comes to my own choreography and I make a decision about a something I try it out or try to explain to someone what I'm thinking. There have been times where I loved the product at the time, but then look back and wonder what the heck I was thinking. However, that's all a part of growing as a person and a choreographer of dance and life.
What to do if you're in a choreographing RUT:
Ask for Help.
This can be one of the simplest answers to a choreography rut. Many times we have ideas in our minds, but need that reassurance that we should go for it especially if it's something out of our norm. Just ask someone for help. The only question that is a dumb one is the one inside your head that you don't ask!
Come back to it.
Sometimes the best way to figure it out is to move on and save it for later. We usually find the answers this way...or at least I do. Where was your mind when you were trying to make choreographic decisions? Were you focused on too many things at once creating an overwhelming feeling of stress? Sometimes if we just take a break we can see the missing pieces when we come back and look at it.
Use different music.
I told one of my Dance girls if they are stuck and can't choreograph to a piece of music to use something that moves them, something that gets their creative juices flowing again. It can actually be more fun that way too! It's cool seeing how movement can be manipulated and the emotions can be changed just through music choice.
Get inspired.
Sometimes we need a little inspiration. We need something that helps spark us again, something that lights the fire in choreographing and not giving up. This could be talking to someone that's been in the same situation, listening to good music, going on a day trip, reading something in a magazine (Like Chris Linnares article!).
Take a dance class.
The BEST solution to relieving stress and getting creative again. It's always good taking classes from people that have a different style than you're used to. It helps you to be open to trying new things and constantly changing and evolving with the world of dance.
XOXO
