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Thursday, January 21, 2010

Night of Broadway in Song

Hey cast members. As choreographer I thought you guys should view these videos and incorporate some of what I have to say into the dances in our show. Enjoy the videos.

First up is Steppin to the Bad Side. Notice the commitment to the sharp movement. Commitment to the movement is key.

Next, we have Beat Out That Rhythm on A Drum. The dance is pandemonium, but it has to be organized. Notice how no one in the scene is just standing there. Every action has a purpose. Every pose a purpose. So when you move, and when you stand, move and stand with a purpose. React accordingly to each other as well.

Here is one that's not from Broadway or Musicals. It's Solange and The Supremes in this mash-up of I Decided and Come See About Me. This is more for our own Dreamgirls, but all can learn from this also. There's very little movement to what Solange and The Supremes do, but what hey do is very sharp and very lady like. Even The Supremes and all they're doing in this song is bouncing. Also, smile and be into it.

Martin Short and Bernadette Peters in a performance from The Goodbye Girl. The main thing to notice in this is the easy movement that both of the performers are given. Again, the main thing to remember is the commitment to a movement. Just do it, and do it with style.

This dance is mainly for the Ease on Down the Road cast. The movement I gave you is very basic, but as the dancers and singers in this piece, add your own personal style to it. These dancers were given very basic moves and what they added to it is their own personal energetic style. Energy energy is key as well.

This is another one for the Dreamgirls. Beyonce is Miss Bootylicious. This girl cannot dance without shaking her money maker. In Dreamgirls, she is very restrained, but that doesn't mean she doesn't exude energy. This dance is very energetic and sexy and she's just in one spot.

This one is for all the soloists. Center stage is the most powerful spot on the stage for obvious reasons. Notice how Colleen Sexton commands your attention. Notice how she stands and walks with a purpose. The trick to this is to make everything internal. You can feel the song, because she's feeling the song. She's going deep into herself and finding a connection and letting that drive the movement of how she performs the song with the movement given to her.

This is the dance that made me want to be a dancer. Rich Man's Frug from Sweet Charity. The movement is very stylized and isolated. The standing is very stylized. This dance should be studied mostly to be utilized during Beat Out That Rhythm and Hallelujah Baby. 

Another one for my little Dreamgirls. Notice how the girls move as a unit. You're a group, so move as one. Notice also how the steps and turns are very elegant and funky. I think Chelsea does this best.

A lot of the movement from Beat Out That Rhythm was borrowed from this piece. Notice the placement of the arms and how they "walk/dance." Again, take note of how the background is always aware of the foreground.  Also notice how the dancers change from one new spot to another. They walk with a stylized purpose.

Ricki Lake is not a dancer, but she had to play one in Hairspray. And she had to be better than most of the cast. Notice in this scene the spunk she injects into the given movement. Invoke that same spunk into some of your movement.

"We are the muses..." Caliope says during the opening song of Disney's Hercules. I was trying so hard to not put this in because it's animated, but I did study these girls to put some of the songs together. Notice again how they work as a unit.


And finally, my favorite. Christina Applegate in Sweet Charity. Now who here knew she could sing and dance? I didn't. Anyways, sharp movement, commitment to movement, and what a voice. When it comes down to it, it's all about trust. It's about not judging what we give you, and just doing it. You can't judge it, especially not anymore. It's for the audience now and all we can do is try our best. So get on that stage, and just do it and do it how we taught you how to do it.

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