Improvisational Dance
Notes by Juanita Johns – 06/05
Free your mind, body & soul! It is great idea to learn choreographies – it develops skill, helps you learn how to create your own. But, you can use the basic ideas of choreography to help you with your improv skills. Improv lets you make the moves your own and interpret them to make your own unique style.
One reason I started improvisation is because I felt I looked too stiff (when I saw myself on video). After performing my teachers and own choreography, I eventually felt the need to loosen up and enjoy the music. Part of my problem was shyness and nervousness, and some of it came from worrying about remembering the choreography.
I plan my improv like I start planning a choreography – by listening to the music, then writing down the counts and characteristics (accents, different sounds) of the music. I list these notes along the left side of a sheet of notebook paper. After playing around with the music, I make notes of what moves I thought went well with the music. I might also have a list of moves (maybe new moves I just learned) that I would like to do, and see if they might fit with the music. A rule of thumb is to repeat the chorus. I like to have a variety of both traveling and stationary moves of different body parts; smooth, percussive. Also, if the music is a particular style (Turkish, Egyptian, etc) I keep that in mind. I experiment with where these moves might be, writing them in alongside the music notations. Give it a try – make your notes and test your list. You can still make all or part of these notes permanent to keep them as a choreography. Your improv dance can be loosely choreographed. Don’t forget the mood – happy, introspective, playful, etc. Visualize your dance.
Some of us are better counters; some of us rely on knowing the music cues. Know your music either way! Improv does not usually mean there is no plan whatsoever.
Some ideas:
Use short strings of choreographies, either planned or if they enter your mind while dancing.
Rule of 4 – often a musical pattern is repeated 4 times. Vary a movement or combination by changing direction, double or half-time the speed, or different endings.
If you forget what to do next, go back to the basics – simple moves are fine. For practice, you might experiment with variations of simple moves – how many different ways can do you execute a particular movement? Vertically, horizontally, diagonally, ultra- slow, changing levels, etc.
Troupes can include mini solos within a dance routine.
What is the venue? Do you need traveling moves to cover a large area? Or will you be dancing on a postage stamp? With improv, you can be ready to adapt.
I look at is as a challenge. Although I make notes and plans, become familiar with my music, sometimes things happen – such as they put on the wrong music when it is time for your solo!
