In the last month I’ve been talking to several friends who are
finding themselves trying muddle through the waters of choreographing with
limited studio time. As an independent choreographer, I am very sympathetic. It
took me a long time to master the art of efficiency, and now that I have found
my footing in time management (though I have many other ways to grow still) I
want to share my findings!
I know that no artist wants to sit and have friend lecture
them on how to hone their craft (it’s demeaning) so I created this post to
express how I have learned to make art on a budget. I encourage you to take
what you want from it, but these are the guidelines I follow as an independent
freelancer.
These guidelines are simply the ways I have found to be
efficient when creating a concert dance work 3-8 minutes in length. My own
aesthetic values and preferences will come into play, but mainly I have simply
focused on time management in rehearsal.
1. Have a goal and WRITE IT DOWN
Holding in my hand a tangible object that
is telling me what I want to express keeps me on task. I don’t just think of a
goal and let it guide me. I write it down and force myself to stay focused. If
my goal morphs- I delete and rewrite. I keep in mind that the longer the goal
the longer my dance will need to be. I usually use a sentence-length goal for a
piece 5-8 minutes in length.
2. Come prepared
Before I get in the studio with any of the
dancers, I start in the studio alone.
a.
I generate anywhere from 1-3 minutes of material
(for a 5-8 minute dance). I videotape or write down the phrases I come up with
so they won’t elude me when I get to the studio.
b.
I plan a structure. I may not exactly stick to
it but I know approximately where I am trying to go with my piece.
c.
I plan what I need to do with the dancers that I
cannot do alone. Generating lifts, intertwining phrases, juxtaposing different
tempos….I plan in advance WHAT I will do in each rehearsal. I may change track
in rehearsal, or find a better way, but I always have a to-do list.
d.
I plan too much. I always aim to have extra
material. I don’t like to get caught without anything planned. Sometimes I have
to think on the spot. But I always come over-prepared so I can move on if we’re
working quickly, or skip a section if I need more distance from it.
3.
Don’t be afraid to erase.
It’s hard for me to do, but I try not to
worry about what the dancers are thinking, or if they spent 15 minutes wrecking
their bodies for a lift that isn’t pleasing me. Change is good. If something
needs to go- I cut it. It’s better to make big edits early on rather than later
once choreographer and dancers are accustomed to the movement. The dancers will
ultimately prefer being a part of a dance that is coherent.
4.
The power of video
When you only have an hour a week with
busy, overworked dancers, reviewing the material can take half of a rehearsal.
I always videotape at the end of each rehearsal. Providing the dancers with a
copy of this video via a private You Tube link or email link means that they
have no excuse to come to rehearsal without first reviewing. Even just brushing
up their memories on the train watching on a smart phone can help jog memories
of details. I don’t always do this in my rehearsals but the director of
Renegade Dance Architects introduced me to this way of helping dancers review
before rehearsal and as a dancer I believe it’s
genius! As a choreographer, however,
I always watch the rehearsal video at home. This way I can get space and
distance and really sit down and think about what I want to do with the
material already generated without the pressure of wasting valuable studio time
while I think on the spot. It allows me to make more fully realized decisions
about the choreography and the piece as a whole.
5.
FINISH THE DANCE
Even if it’s not perfect, I finish the damn
dance! Cleaning the dancers can be done once I’m totally happy with the
structure and feel. If I spend too much time editing and cleaning early on it
will feel frustrating and scary if I need to delete a section or make major
changes once the piece is completed. I ensure the dancers are comfortable
enough in the movement, and that it will ultimately look good on them, then I move
on. I leave time to finesse the movement at the end, and even if I run out of
time, my dancers are always professional enough to pull it together without
much cleaning help from me.
6.
Leave time to edit and clean
Finishing the dance early provides me ample
time to make changes. Sometimes these changes make ALL the difference in a
dance. Small changes in tempo, intention, or a simple arm gesture can change the
entire meaning of a section. I leave time to make these aesthetic changes-
small edits can change a piece from good to phenomenal. Once I’m happy with the
piece, I still have time to clean the dancers and give everyone time to get the
finished work in their body.
--
You may have noted, I try to avoid thinking
on the spot. Some choreographers make great snap decisions, as do I at times,
but sometimes I’m tired or distracted. My on-the-spot decisions may be less
informed and less complete than a decision made at home watching a rehearsal
video. The most important thing I do is plan for those days when my mind is
sluggish, or overhyped.
I hope it comes across that I’m not claiming
my choreography fits into your aesthetic value, or is interesting or unique. I
have a lot to learn, but I want to share what I have learned so far. And
hopefully anyone struggling with the challenges of making quality work in just
a couple hours a week can take something from my discoveries. I truly believe
that as a community we need to bond together to make better work and raise the
quality of dance across the board to bring more people into our elusive world. And
so, I hope that by sharing I am helping this process.
I must not, under any circumstances, succumb and watch Before Sunrise this week. I feel the urge tickling my neck, itching my imagination, begging me to revisit the film I've secretly hidden in the archives of my brain as the favorite movie I'll never mention as such.
