-
Step 1
Identify your audience and the purpose of the choreography. If you are choreographing a routine for a high school dance competition, you are probably going to want a song with energetic beats and a catchy chorus to appeal to a more youthful audience and capture attention immediately to allow the dancers to demonstrate all the technical elements required while still maintaining the entertainment value. You may even want to put together your own mix of songs to take advantage of tongue-in-cheek wordplay opportunities. However, if you are choreographing a routine for a couple's dance class, you will probably want to choose something slower and more melodic to help create a more sensual vibe. Recognizing your audience is essential to picking the appropriate song for your choreography.
-
Step 2
Start exploring songs that will connect them to your choreography. Try listening to a variety of songs from several different genres. Pay attention to the lyrics, beat, melody, and overall mood of the songs. Avoid picking songs that have recently been over-played on radio and in the media. You want a song that will stand out and be as original as your routine. Still, you want the audience to connect with the song, so you probably want to stay away from anything too abstract. Try starting with songs that were hits in another decade for inspiration.
-
Step 3
Consider the emotion and feeling you want to communicate. Obviously you will choose a different kind of song to convey anger than to communicate a love story or feeling of loss. Just be sure the lyrics and melody of the song do not contradict the emotion of the movements in your choreography.
