Foundations of Choreography

Choreography: Definition and Core Concepts What Is Choreography? Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements performed by physical bodies. The term refers both to the creative process of developing movement and to the finished choreographic work itself—the specific sequence of movements designed for performance. When someone creates a choreography, they are said to be "choreographing." While choreography can technically apply to any designed movement sequence, the term most commonly refers to dance choreography, which is the primary focus here. In its most basic form, choreography answers a fundamental question: What movements should be performed, in what order, and how should they be executed? How Choreography Is Expressed One important aspect of choreography is how it's communicated and preserved. In dance, choreography can be expressed through dance notation—a written system that records movement sequences using special symbols and marks. Dance notation allows choreographers to document their work in a permanent, reproducible form, similar to how musical notation records music. This is essential because unlike music or theater scripts, movement doesn't naturally leave a written record. The terms choreography and dance composition are used interchangeably in dance practice. Both refer to the same fundamental activity: the deliberate design of movement for performance. Key Elements of Choreographic Design When choreographers create movement, they work with four fundamental dimensions of human movement: Space: Where movement occurs (on stage, in patterns, at different levels) Shape: The body's form and configuration during movement Time: The rhythm, speed, and duration of movements Energy: The quality and intensity with which movements are performed These four elements—often remembered as SSTE—provide the choreographer's toolkit for expressing ideas through the body. Choreography typically operates within an emotional or non-literal context, meaning that movements often suggest moods, feelings, or abstract ideas rather than literally depicting everyday actions. For example, a choreographed movement phrase might convey despair or joy without the dancers literally acting out a specific scenario. Movement Languages and Stylistic Sources Contemporary choreography draws movement vocabulary from diverse sources: Ballet (classical technique and formal movement) Contemporary dance (fluid, grounded movement) Jazz (syncopated, rhythmic movement) Hip-hop dance (angular, percussive movement) Folk dance (culturally rooted movement patterns) Religious dance (spiritually motivated movement) Pedestrian movement (everyday, non-trained movement) A choreographer might use movement from a single style or blend elements from multiple styles to create a unique movement vocabulary. This diversity reflects how modern choreography has become increasingly experimental and inclusive. The Choreographic Process Creating choreography typically involves several key principles: Improvisation plays an important role in developing innovative movement ideas. Rather than planning every movement in advance, choreographers often experiment through movement exploration, discovering new possibilities through physical trial and error. Compositional aspects give structure to the choreography. These include: Organic unity: Movements feel connected and intentional, forming a coherent whole Repetition: Movements or phrases are repeated to create familiarity and emphasis Theme and variation: A movement phrase is introduced and then modified or developed in new ways Rhythmic or non-rhythmic articulation: Movement may follow a clear beat or deliberately ignore rhythm These compositional tools help choreographers shape raw movement ideas into finished artistic works. Concert dance is the typical intended context. Choreography is usually created to be performed on stage before an audience, rather than for social dancing or other contexts. <extrainfo> Historical Context and Development Understanding the evolution of choreographic practice provides useful context for the field. Modern dance revolutionized choreography by introducing more naturalistic styles compared to the rigid formality of classical ballet. Early modern choreographers rejected some conventions of traditional ballet, seeking more authentic human movement. Key figures in this development included: Isadora Duncan: Pioneered natural movement and improvisation as valid choreographic approaches Michel Fokine: Bridged classical and modern approaches Martha Graham: Developed a distinctive movement technique centered on contraction and release George Balanchine: Created a new approach to ballet choreography emphasizing speed and musicality Merce Cunningham: Separated movement from music, treating them as independent artistic elements Sir Frederick Ashton, Leonide Massine, and Jerome Robbins: Each contributed distinctive approaches to choreographic style Contemporary choreography continues to evolve. Artists like Alvin Ailey exemplified the modern approach by working across multiple dance styles—ballet, jazz, modern dance, and theater—creating work that crossed traditional boundaries. This interdisciplinary approach has become increasingly common in contemporary choreography. </extrainfo>