Developing Authentic Choreography: Beyond the Music

Creating original movement is a fundamental and teachable skill in dance, much like learning to write an effective story or compose music. While the popular trend of mirroring dances (especially on platforms like TikTok) has its place, it's vital for students to cultivate their unique personal movement style.

So how do we guide students past imitation and towards innovation? It can begin with understanding two core approaches to choreography.

1. The Music-First Method (The Common Introduction)

The most common starting point is selecting music and letting the lyrics, beat, and structure inspire the movement. This is often how young dancers are introduced to choreography. It's an effective, often comfortable, basis for experimentation, relying heavily on elements of improvisation tied to the tempo and mood of the track.

2. The Concept-First Method (Developing Creativity)

True creative growth often occurs when students move beyond music as the initial spark. This method begins with an abstract concept: a word, a picture, a poem, or a feeling. Students first generate ideas verbally or on paper, then translate those ideas into movement that is entirely individual and free. This approach removes the constraints of pre-set counts, beats, or a mood dictated by the music, allowing for truly authentic self-expression. The journey to personal style.

I personally was only introduced to structured choreography and improvisation when I began dance studies at 18. Before that, creating to music was the only method I knew. The idea of finding my "own" rhythm and style, free from a musical structure, was initially daunting, as improvisation was a skill I had only used in Drama. However, I quickly learned that choreographing in diverse ways is a learnable skill, where one creative idea feeds the next. It’s about building a versatile toolkit. Integrating Music and Movement.

For me, music remains central to dance. But I've learned that it doesn't always have to be the starting point. This is a powerful lesson for students:

1. Find the Motivation: Identify the story, the feeling, or the core concept first.

2. Improvise and Experiment: Explore movement based on that motivation—without music.

3. Introduce Music: Only then should you experiment with how the movement integrates with a chosen piece of music.

   
   

When these three elements—motivation, movement, and music—come together, the result is often something deeper and truly magical. It’s choreography that moves beyond simple time-keeping and becomes storytelling.-----How do you introduce concept-first choreography to your students? Share your tips in the comments below!

The new Rambert Grades Syllabus teaches exactly this. Emphasis is on the process opposed to the outcome of the choreography, which is encouraging students to find their ‘voice’ and enjoy the creative process. 

Rambert Grades Class