Unit 26 - Choreographing dance

Thursday 1^st February

Tonight I was having a dance lesson with Emily as we were starting to work on the tap piece which we will be in the end of year show.

We have decided to go with the song ‘Happy' as this song portrays the right emotion for the point in the play at which this dance will come. However, if we find the song too hard to choreograph to when we start, we can always change it to something else.

I didn’t really need to do much of a warmup because I had just taken a contemporary dance class right before this session so my body was already warm. However, I did carry out a few small exercises just to make sure that my ankles were fully warmed up.

I have taken tap lessons before and have completed up to and including grade 4. However, this does not mean anything to Emily because she is American and the examination system is a lot different there. Therefore we just spent some time going through some steps so she could assess my current ability. She also taught me some new steps such as a Cincinnati which I have never come across before but I soon got the hand of it.

We then moved on to some choreography. We have split the routine up into different sections so that it is easier to choreograph and learn. The first section goes includes shuffle hop down, shuffle hop down, shuffle ball change step, double chug. Heal step step, heal step step, flap heal, flap heal. 
The original plan was to have this at quite a slow pace but I felt like it wasn't quick enough so I sped up the choreography a bit. This now worked a lot better with the music. This sequence was then followed by a turning step which then went into single and double paradiddles. I did also try this next bit of choreography in the same speed as the first section but I wasn't able to keep up with it so I slowed it down a little. 
I decided to keep the choreography for the chorus quite simple in terms of the amount of steps there are. The main rhythm that I repeat through the chorus is 'step clap clap clap' which is then followed by a move of my choice. I decided to put in some moves which I like and am good at such as pullbacks wings and paddle turns. 
During the next verse, I repeat the sequence that I have choreographed for the first verse and this then leads back into the chorus. After the second chorus, I go into a different sequence. This sequence features cramp rolls, paradiddles and pickups. This sequence is repeated twice and then it goes back into the chorus.
I really like this routine and think that it will really fit with the storyline of the performance. I have now choreographed the whole routine but I am really struggling to keep going through the whole song. Therefore I need to work on my stamina in time for the show to ensure that I can dance the whole way through the song.