Improv Vs. Choreo – Which do you choose?
Today, I was involved in a conversation on the venerable social media giant FaceBook. The question of the day, “Are you an improv style dancer or do you prefer choreography?”
Chreo Vs. Improv
Like most things in life, the answer is “Depends.” In the video above, it would be nearly impossible for the elegant and graceful Shoshanna to perform a set choreography. Live music with a band requires the trust in your skills, have the speed to respond to tempo changes, idiosyncratic arrangements, and even unexpected shifts into different songs.
Choreography is great when you are working with a group of people and want to achieve a high level of synchronization. Working with recorded music helps groups stay together and on beat.
Different Approaches for Different Situations
So my answer is a resounding both! New dancers often focus one one modality over another. Experienced performing dancers face a variety of different performance scenarios. One week you might dance on a standard stage. The next performance might be in round, a typical scenario at large weddings. But there is also an infinite variety of facility layouts in restaurant, cafe, and bar scenarios.
One of the key skills that separates the student from the teacher, the social dancer from the professional, is the knowledge base to quickly take stock of the performance situations. Where is the audience situated? What are the paths to enter and exit? Given the layout, what are the places to pause for one-on-one interaction with a VIP or patron with a special event like a birthday or anniversary.
Combonography
Okay, I get it, that’s isn’t really a word. But it catches the essence of my own personal approach when I have the opportunity to dance. As an older more experienced dancer, I have favorite combos that I know are comfortable, safe, and also as distinctive and show-stopping as I achieve in this season of dance.
Hybrid Dances: Choreography + Improv
As a long-time instructor I have crafted performance pieces for a variety of dancers and groups. Over the arc of my career, I’ve come to the conclusion that to be a successful performing dancer, it’s important to have a full arsenal of approaches. One approach is to craft dances to recorded music that include choreographed pieces, like a chorus for instance, and spaces for improv.
Including passages, verses or bridges for open improv allows for spontaneity and flexibility to interact with the audience. It also creates time for moving through spaces between tables, up and down off stages and platforms. It’s also time you can take to adjust to larger facilities, or smaller more intimate venues that might need subtle adjustments.
No matter where you have the opportunity to dance this year, I hope that these concepts give you food for thought and inspiration!
Happy costuming and dance,
Dawn Devine ~ Davina,
Feb., 2025
PS: Here’s a blast from the past with the 2019 lineup of my troupe Swirl, demonstrating a hybrid dance with choreographed portions with individual improv sections.