3 Ways to Make Choreographing a Heck of a Lot Easier

Choreographing can be an extremely rewarding process, but it doesn't necessarily come easy. It takes an abundance of late nights, strategic layouts, and a ton of imagination. Like many art forms, it tends to be a very personal activity. No dancer choreographs quite the same, and each individual has their own ways of doing things. It takes a while to find out which methods work for you personally, and copying someone else's methods may not necessarily click with your brain. If you are just dabbling into the world of choreographing, or you want some tips on freshening up your own methods, here are three things that never fail to make choreographing a lot less daunting for me. After all, choreographing should be a joyful and artistic process -- something that awes and inspires.

I have tried so many times to write down choreography the traditional way -- in a notebook. Despite my many, many efforts, my mind could not find a way to write down formations and transitions. I would continuously cross out attempts and rewrite them, not being able to visualize the traffic pattern and whether or not dancers would be able to get to their spots.

Instead, I began to use an online program called Miro, a digital whiteboard with various tools and collaborative abilities that allowed me to easily move shapes and markers around to discover working pathways and formations. As someone who prefers to work with bodies in a room as opposed to pen and paper, this program is a lifesaver because I am able to make markers for each dancer, move them around, and easily put them back if I change my mind. This tool also comes in handy if you are working on a piece with another choreographer, as it allows you to collaborate and leave notes for each other in a shared space.

When we first start choreographing, it is not uncommon to feel stuck. We are pushing ourselves to come up with movement right on the spot,  but movement should be natural, not forced. If you are feeling this way, oftentimes the best thing to do is turn on the song and start dancing. See where your body takes you, how it responds naturally to the music. You'll be surprised how many different avenues you may come across. Whatever phase of choreographing you are in, keep it freeing, not rigid.

Choreographing a whole dance yourself can feel daunting. If the fear of going through this process alone is weighing on you, don't dismiss the idea of teaming up with another dancer. Like many art forms, putting heads together can help create better ideas and may bring about options you wouldn't have thought of on your own.

In my senior year of college, I had a lot on my plate, and I didn't think I would have time to choreograph a whole dance on my own. Instead of not choreographing at all, I ended up partnering with another dancer on the company to bring my vision to life. And I can wholeheartedly say that dance would not have turned out anywhere near as well as it did without the help of my good friend, Meg. That dance is living proof that collaboration works. Try it for yourself sometime!

Choreographing is one of the great artistic experiences for dancers, but it doesn't always come easy. It's not meant to come easy. But by following these three strategies, and working on finding your own choreographic style, you'll be able to bring your vision to life and share your creativity with the world.