As part of our project, we were asked to learn a new skill which we could demonstrate in our final project. The skill I chose was to enhance my choreographing, especially in the dance genre Hip Hop/ Street. I ventured into light break dancing/ b-boying, trying to learn how to pop & lock. I have been watching quite a lot of videos especially from 'Expert Village' to learn about some of the factors that would help me when I am choreographing my own dances. Below are a few of the clips that allowed me to gain further knowledge about Choreographing. The moves are performed and taught by Bullet Proof, a choreographer from L.A.
This video made me take into account that listening to the music deeply and in detail would help me to understand the style and pace of the dance, as well as giving me ideas about what moves/actions I could include in my routine that would link with the song, for example as he pointed out constantly in this video, the 'glitter'. Music is obviously a crucial part of the dance, where you cannot really have a dance at all without music to it, and staying on count and catching the beat of the song creates a huge part of the choreography as it completely changes the impact and effect the dance has on the audience watching it.
He also taught a range of different hip hop moves that you could use in your routine. The first of these are 'Isolation' moves where you isolate one part of your body (letting it stay still/ frozen), while the rest of your body moves.
An example of isolation being used in choreography is in Korean Pop Group 'MBLAQ's performance of their song 'Try'. Here the shoulders are isolated (not moving), while the arms are moving down and the head is moving side to side, as they take a step to their right and left at the same time. The performance is below and the isolation move starts at 0:44 where the chorus of the song starts.
Below he teaches the body roll/ waves which is a very popular hip hop dance move in b-boying crews and for various R'n'B & Hip Hop singers such as Chris Brown, T-Pain etc.
Like the video above, again a wave is taught, but this time it's on an incline and angle, adding dimension to your choreography to look much more interesting and filled with variety.
He then teaches how to combine two or more moves to start adding on to your process of creating a routine. In this specific video he teaches both the simple arm wave and moonwalk moves and performs them both at the same time, letting the dance gain more of a texture and layered look, as opposed to the boring effect it would have on the viewers when either one is just done on their own.
He also talked about actions that would create an illusion to the audience, here the move being the head slide.
Then another important tip to variate what body parts you use. Don't let all the attention stay at the arms or head etc. Variety is key to keep your audience focused and interested, as opposed to them watching the first 5 minutes and walking out the door. Here he shows how to move your legs too so that your dance is very in motion with your whole body, instead of isolating the legs. Like in the video below, even if the legs are doing little, at least there is something happening with them.
There were many other actions, moves and techniques taught in his videos on the 'Expert Village' Youtube Channel and official site. I have learnt how to use a range of moves one by one to build on a routine and ensure that my whole body is being included in the choreography to it's full extent. When I am choreographing, I can keep this in mind for my dancers so our dance show is successful and the best we can make it.
This video made me take into account that listening to the music deeply and in detail would help me to understand the style and pace of the dance, as well as giving me ideas about what moves/actions I could include in my routine that would link with the song, for example as he pointed out constantly in this video, the 'glitter'. Music is obviously a crucial part of the dance, where you cannot really have a dance at all without music to it, and staying on count and catching the beat of the song creates a huge part of the choreography as it completely changes the impact and effect the dance has on the audience watching it.
He also taught a range of different hip hop moves that you could use in your routine. The first of these are 'Isolation' moves where you isolate one part of your body (letting it stay still/ frozen), while the rest of your body moves.
An example of isolation being used in choreography is in Korean Pop Group 'MBLAQ's performance of their song 'Try'. Here the shoulders are isolated (not moving), while the arms are moving down and the head is moving side to side, as they take a step to their right and left at the same time. The performance is below and the isolation move starts at 0:44 where the chorus of the song starts.
Below he teaches the body roll/ waves which is a very popular hip hop dance move in b-boying crews and for various R'n'B & Hip Hop singers such as Chris Brown, T-Pain etc.
Like the video above, again a wave is taught, but this time it's on an incline and angle, adding dimension to your choreography to look much more interesting and filled with variety.
He then teaches how to combine two or more moves to start adding on to your process of creating a routine. In this specific video he teaches both the simple arm wave and moonwalk moves and performs them both at the same time, letting the dance gain more of a texture and layered look, as opposed to the boring effect it would have on the viewers when either one is just done on their own.
He also talked about actions that would create an illusion to the audience, here the move being the head slide.
Then another important tip to variate what body parts you use. Don't let all the attention stay at the arms or head etc. Variety is key to keep your audience focused and interested, as opposed to them watching the first 5 minutes and walking out the door. Here he shows how to move your legs too so that your dance is very in motion with your whole body, instead of isolating the legs. Like in the video below, even if the legs are doing little, at least there is something happening with them.
There were many other actions, moves and techniques taught in his videos on the 'Expert Village' Youtube Channel and official site. I have learnt how to use a range of moves one by one to build on a routine and ensure that my whole body is being included in the choreography to it's full extent. When I am choreographing, I can keep this in mind for my dancers so our dance show is successful and the best we can make it.
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