elementary choreography guidelines
There are several videos below with great tips for your elementary dancers.
Always keep in mind that your choreography onstage is not the time to showcase new tricks or extensions. Use choreography that looks good on your dancers and they can master. We don’t need to be “trying” to do an illusion in the middle of our dance.
Call your steps using the same terminology each week!
CHOREOGRAPHY FOR MULTI-LEVELS
Many of our recreational classes will have several different levels in one class. You may have some who are now doing a clean double pirrouette, while others are still struggling with one. Choreograph to showcase both. Do a lot of group work with recreational dancers. Ex: If you have a group who can’t really carry the stage by themselves, have part of the class doing one section and the others doing separate poses or group work at the same time. It’s a nice distraction when they aren’t quite advanced enough to look clean.
Use groups, one line in the back doing choreography while the lower level dances in front of them. The more movement on the stage the better when you have multi-levels in one class performing together.
Another example:
The step is “ballchange battement, step prepare, pirouette, land like a soldier.” Some girls can do it – some girls cannot do it. Here’s a solution (without making it obvious). Create 2-3 groups: Group A does something like “touch my knees, windmill arm over, reverse and shake.” Group B does the actual step. Group C does floor work (which could be just drop to belly and kick legs behind you with cutesy face.
Regardless of what the choreography notes say – YOU make it work for YOUR class.
Add groups, choreography where you need to!
ELEMENTARY TURNS
They can do it and turn picking the correct foot up! Here’s how!
Alot of times with elementary students, we just teach them to turn - and we’re just glad they get the turn when it is supposed to happen in the choreography. Even the most inexperienced dancer can learn to pick up the correct foot - and turn the right way. Whether it is perfect technique on releve…probably not. But remember it’s a recreational class. Also, remember parents (unless they used to be a dancer) - look at the waist and up. That’s why you should focus so much on arms and fingers. It makes all the difference for a clean recreational dance.
Here is a great example of how to make arms clean in elementary choreography!
Here are some options of how to land elementary turns cleanly!
elementary ARMS WHILE TURNING
Often, our elementary students have a hard time keeping their arms up by their shoulders during pirouettes.
Here is a great example video of how to practice with them!
Be sure all of your students are picking up the correct foot, turning the correct direction and have arms up by shoulders. There is no excuse for a child to turn the wrong way in the June show after having dance class for 9 months!
Please use these tutorials to help you teach them and be successful onstage!
Many times, this age group can’t have strong arms yet, simplify and put
hands on hip, etc.
ELEMENTARY LEAPS
No leaps across the stage one at a time. It takes up too much time for them to go one at a time - and quite frankly, it’s boring.
Generally, no leaps at all for elementary age students, they are not skilled enough to properly do leaps and have them look good. I would stay away from them unless you have some unusually talented recreational dancers.
ELEMENTARY LYRICAL AND/OR JAZZ FLOOR WORK
How to stand up from floor work neatly!
When dancers get up from the floor from a lyrical drop/roll or jazz, please be sure they stand up with arms down by side neatly. I call it “Grandma Get Up” when they push up with arms flowing everywhere. We don’t want to get off the floor like a “Grandma!”
Here is an example of what is should (and shouldn’t) look like!
CHANGING ROWS
When changing rows, everyone should turn to the RIGHT when they turn to go back to next row. You have to hound this in, but it can be done, and it will make the entire dance look cleaner. Change rows over and over during the water break and stop when they turn the wrong way and start over.
No fan kicks, extensions, illusions, tricks
Fan Kicks: Just don’t do it. Recreational dancers cannot do a clean fan kick. Just say no!
Only do a battement in a dance if the dancers can seriously do them with a straight leg. Substitute with a passe.
If you are doing an illusion or extension with elementary recreational dancers - please be sure it looks neat and clean. On stage is not the time to practice and learn tricks.
LYRICAL TIGHTS FOR PERFORMANCES
Teach your lyrical students how to properly roll their lyrical tights for performance. No footies hanging out!
If you work on this with them, they will be sure it is correct backstage before they go on! Mom’s won’t know to do this.
This photo is a great example!
BLACK OUT’S
Please tell your dancers to hold their arms out in front of them when entering and exiting the stage in a blackout.
It’s important to really work on this prior to the stage. We’ve had a broken nose collision in the dark – we don’t need that to happen again!
no critiques in class by peers
When you let half the class watch, they are not allowed to give critiques. You are the only instructor in that room. If you must have them each say something, you can ask them to tell them to give one positive comment!
Remember for those that are not in the show – encourage them to keep learning.
“A big part to a dancer’s training is being able to learn and retain choreography; regardless of if they perform it onstage.”
Give those not performing placement, corrections, and encouragement just as you would a dancer who is performing!
ABSOLUTE NO NO’S FOR ELEMENTARY CHOREOGRAPHY:
No leaps across the stage.
No fan kicks. Only battements when everyone can do them cleanly.
No extensions if they cannot do so with straight legs.
No pirouettes if they can’t turn the correct way, keep arms up by shoulders, and cannot pick up the correct foot.
No ballet preps for turns in jazz class. All of your jazz turns should be prepped as shown in this video.