Thread: My choreography stinks....what now?

Ok, maybe it doesn't really stink. But I feel like it does. I have a show coming up and am choreographing a cane piece to Luxor Baladna (yes, I know, everyone and their brother's dog does this piece eventually).

So, I like the song, have been listening to it, getting excited, start thinking of all the cool moves and where they go, thinking how awesome it's gonna be and then.....

I practice my rough choreo in a large mirrored studio and realize it sucks. I look stupid! The song is stupid! My cane skills are stupid! Worse, I'm psyching myself into choreography-block.

Anyone else ever choreograph something and then hate it? How do you get over that hump? Bhuz, help me to learn to love again. ..cr.:

You're lucky it's such a well-known song. Try listening to a different version for a while. It might get your creativity going again. :)

Could it be that you are just bored of it from practicing it oo much for the show? thats happened to me before, the same thoughts! Then I attributed it to the rehearsal!
Get through the show put it away for a while and return to it. You'll bring a fresh new life to it!
xoxo,
-NJ

YESSSS!!!!

We had another thread just a few months ago on this very topic -- turns out MOST of us wind up hating our choreography, questioning our choice of music, etc. in the days right before a show.

I think you have to push through it. Sleep, let it rest, then pick it up again. Maybe you'll want to tweak a few bits of it, but most likely you're just suffering from a sort of burnout.

OR if it's the first time you've done it in front of big mirrors (or on video) you might be suffering from the realization that 'I don't look the same as the *perfect* dancer in my head.' If that's what's bugging you, keep the choreo and work on your technique -- doing the whole dance with an open ribcage, big bouncy Saidi attitude and a mischeivious-little-sister grin.

big bouncy Saidi attitude and a mischeivious-little-sister grin

Hey thats me!!! Except I do it with an outrageous Grandma grin!

Get that little image of V****** out of your head saying that the dance looks stupid. While Dante or Kafka never much liked Luxor Baladna (Kafka is working on a rendition of Mashaal, of which I wholly approve) perhaps sleeping on it a bit will help get you out of your head, sweety. Possible to video yourself and look at it objectively?

If you're really stuck, can you seek out a private lesson with a teacher whose style you admire? Her critique might help you alter the sections that bug you.

Maybe watch other choreos to this song on youtube.

You mentioned practicing with mirrors. I find mirrors to be useful for things like checking out and refining how a move, combination or posture looks. They're also useful for practicing synchronized choreography with a partner or group. But I've learned not to practice solo dances with mirrors. I can't dance naturally while I'm watching myself at the same time. It feels very awkward . . . and then I look bad to myself, my dance is stupid, my dancing sucks, I don't know why I ever thought I could dance, and all those thought and feelings like you're describing. Ditch those mirrors and just dance. If you have to dance in a studio with a mirror wall, place your imaginary audience on the opposite side of the room.
Rosette

Originally Posted by Lauren_

'I don't look the same as the *perfect* dancer in my head.'

Lauren, get out of my brain! That's definitely it - in my mind's eye, I look much different.

Thanks for the advice, everyone, and I'm glad I'm not alone. I'm off to look up that older thread. I've put the dance away for a bit and am taking a break for a day or two. I think I've become so bored that I'm losing that fun Saidi attitude that first attracted me to doing this piece.

Well as I learned from the Artist's way. Don't judge your own work!!! Just produce, some will be good, some will be bad and some will be fantastic! But it better to produce bad work than to produce nothing at all. Thats how we learn and improve.

Originally Posted by phillyraqs

Lauren, get out of my brain!

..l;,..l;,..l;, Funny, I think 80% of our brains are shared, ya know?

do you have a camcorder or webcam? film yourself; it'll give you a better idea of what it really looks like...I can't always see myself in the mirror when I perform and find the time spent in front of a camera is really useful. Another thing I do is forget about choreo for a 1/2 hour or so and just improv to the song. Make a point to do new movements in your improv...this, combined with listening to different versions, watching other dancers on youtube, helps to clear a mental block for me

Originally Posted by lilya

If you're really stuck, can you seek out a private lesson with a teacher whose style you admire? Her critique might help you alter the sections that bug you.

I second what Lilya said. That has helped me w/ choreo pieces.