It's that spooky time of year! Time to plan your Halloween dance classes. I've put together a list of 20+ unique Halloween songs to give you inspiration for your classes in October and Halloween choreography. If you'd like even more ideas for Halloween songs, you should also check out my post "15 Fun Halloween Dance Songs" that I wrote a few years ago. I love this jazzy, soulful song originally sung by Donovan. Lana Del Ray brings a modern sound to it and it is great for an older jazz or contemporary class. 2.The Halloween CD by Craig Wingrove This album is perfect for planning your October ballet classes! 3.My Family (from the Addams Family Motion Picture) Hip hop dancers of all ages would enjoy dancing to this song from the new Addams Family movie. 4.Skeletone by Caspar Babypants (mention Them Bones) Caspar Babypants has a very large collection of songs for young children. This particular song definitely has a spooky feel with a skeleton theme and a bit of The Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg. Them Bones is another Babypants song that is great for Halloween. 5.Monster Methuselah by Mary Lambert Mary Lambert is also a great artist for young children. Kids will like this song because of the repeating chorus that would be easy to choreograph some fun hand gestures or simple choreography to. 6.Spooky Halloween by John Maxim (mention The Witch & Her Cat) This song, along with John Maxim's The Witch and Her Cat are perfect for a little Halloween fun in a pre-ballet class. 7.Castin' My Spell by Johnny Otis I happen to love Johnny Otis and his boppy 50s sound. If you like that too, this song would be a lot of fun for a jazz class. 8.Spooky Walk by Jacob Johnson This is a great song for preschoolers! As you go on a spooky walk, you see a tiger, an alligator, and a bear. You could use simple actions for each of the creatures you come across on your spooky walk or let the children improvise. There are no YouTube videos of the song, but it can be found on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Spooky-Walk/dp/B01MXRS21K or on Spotify or Apple Music. 9.Ghostbusters (version for Frappe) by Nate Fifield If you teach ballet and you have not checked out Nate Fifield's albums, you need to. This song is perfect for a Halloween ballet class. 10.Do You Know How Pumpkins Grow? by the Kiboomers Another great song for a preschool dance class. It could be fun to bring in real pumpkins for the children to dance around. 11.Ghosts by On An On This is a dynamic, yet steady and somewhat ambient song that would be great for an older contemporary class. 12.Dance-A-Story "Enchanted Toy Store" by Richard Maddock This song is perfect for guided improvisation for young children. It is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Story-Enchanted-Toy-Store/dp/B01EH2GMTY. It is also available on Spotify and Apple Music. 13.Witchy Woman by the Eagles This is a great 70s rock song with some twang by the Eagles. I also love the cover done by the Hollies. 14.Bats by Daniel Ingram (from My Little Pony) This song from My Little Pony would be fun for a Preschool or young elementary school age tap or jazz dance class. 15.Batty Bat (From Sesame Street) I used to dance with this song when I was a young child! Your dance students will love this classic Sesame Street Song. You could even bring towels for scarves for the students to use as their "wings". 16.Monsters Under the Bed by Dylan Cartlidge I can see this unique, high energy song being used for an older hip hop or jazz class. 17.Do the Skeleton Scat! by the Wiggles Little kids love the Wiggles! Their songs are easy to dance to! This is perfect for a tap class. 18.We are Monsters by Mr. Eric & Mr. Michael This song would be great for any kind of stomps or marches in young childrens class. This song is great for teaching children to stay on the beat of the music. It could also be fun for improvisation. 19.Heffalumps and Woozles (From Winnie the Pooh) Have fun doing a Halloween Combination to this classic from Winnie the Pooh! 20. I Put A Spell On You by Screamin' Jay Hawkins I personally love the energy that Screamin' Jay Hawkins brings to this song. This would be awesome for an older jazz class. Or, if the older sound isn't your thing, try this newer version by Annie Lennox. 21.Grim Grinning Ghosts by VoicePlay Last, but not least, I love this fun version of the Disneyland classic from the Haunted Mansion! I plan to use it for some Halloween tap choreography.
What Halloween songs do you love to dance to? Let me know in the comments!
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Children inherently love to play and be creative. Young kids love to dance freely to music. However, I have seen many dancers with years of training behind them who can pick up choreography quickly, yet have a hard time improvising. Why is that? Perhaps sometimes as teachers we focus so much on telling our students what to do that we forget to teach them (or allow them) to have their own voice in their movement. It is so important that we give young dancers the opportunity to improvise, move freely, and use their imaginations in dance class. This helps them to become better improvisers, problem solvers, and communicators. As artists, we should never lose our ability to play. Whether you teach modern dance, creative dance, or ballet, I think you will find this list helpful. I have compiled a list of 10 artists who have created albums that will help you help your young students improvise and be creative! Some of their songs would be great for modern combinations or ballet exercises at the barre, across the floor, or in center as well. Check them out below: 1. Andrew Holdsworth Andrew Holdsworth's music really is perfect for preschool dance classes. Most of the songs create a scene such as "At the Zoo" or "Outer Space". Some of the tracks, like the one above, help guide the dancers through playing simple improv games that teach musicality. You can find all three volumes of the Adventures in Pre-School Dance series here at preschooldance.com. 2. John Maxim I appreciate John Maxim's use of different instruments in his albums to creative different types of energy in his music. There is a mix of keyboard, percussion, horns, etc which makes this album unique from many others of its type that only use piano. Stepping into Creative Movement and Dance Stepping into Creative Movement and Dance No.2 3. Panda Panda! You can get the Black and White EP and the Cherry Blossoms album by Panda Panda! for free on Noistrade! I seriously love these albums and have used them many times for guided improvisation. AND THEY ARE FREE. Go download them and give this artist some love. 4. Rob Thaller Rob Thaller has many compositions for ballet, but I especially love these two albums for creative work and improvisation. Music for the Young Ballet Class even includes includes accompaniment for improv games. Recital Music for Ballet and Creative Dance Music for the Young Ballet Class 5. Richard Maddock Kids will especially like the "Dance-A-Story" tracks on Richard Maddock's albums as they are so fun and will easily inspire young imaginations! Music for Movement and Imaginations Music for Movement and Imaginations Volume 2 6. Craig Wingrove Craig Wingrove has a very large collection of compositions for ballet, but these albums are my favorite for young children's improvisation. The song that I featured above will help children explore the concept of tempo. Musical Gems XVI Creative Movement for Pre - Ballet Class Musical Gems III for Ballet Class 7. Erik Geddes Erik Geddis has another very fun album of piano accompaniment for creative dance with different inspirations for each song. One favorite of mine is the "Maple Leaf Freeze Dance" at the end of his album because we all know that children love freeze dance! Music for Creative Dance I 8. Man in a Shed Man in a Shed offers a very unique take on creative dance music that is great for dancers both young and old. I like that he often begins with organic sounds and then builds upon them in his compositions. Music for Choreography & Creative Work Music for Choreography & Creative Work, Vol. 2 9. Chris Cawthray Perhaps I love this album so much because it reminds me of my college days where I was able to dance with live percussionists in my modern technique classes. If you are look for percussion accompaniment, this is a great choice! Move - Music for Creative Movement + Modern Dance 10. Jon Scoville I may have saved the best for last! Jon Scoville is Faculty Emeritus in the school of dance at the University of Utah. He taught and accompanied many of my classes and I have learned so much about music and dance from him. Here is a short clip that was used as a performance promo featuring one of his compositions. Jon has composed MANY albums for dance and you can buy them online at http://www.albertsbicycle.com/.
What music do you use for children's creative dance and improvisation? Please share your favorites with us in the comments below! Maybe it's just me, but I find that a lot of ballet teachers, including myself, tend to find a couple of ballet class albums they really like and then use them over and over and over... There is something to be said for knowing the music like the back of your hand and being able to whip out a barre, center, or across the floor combination quickly. It can really be a time saver! BUT it can also to fun to mix it up every now and then. It is especially fun for the students to hear "ballet renditions" of songs that they are familiar with. This past year, I have really challenged myself to use new music in my ballet classes. I've enjoyed the challenge of finding fun, new ballet albums and my students have enjoyed it too. There is a lot more out there than I realized! I am going to share 8 artists with you whose ballet albums I am really excited about! I will post one video example from YouTube of their work, and then links where you find their full albums 1. Nate Fifield I have started using Nate Fifield's ballet albums regularly, and I am so excited for his recently released Pop Hits for Ballet Class Volume Four! I also love movie soundtracks, so I think his Hollywood Hits for Ballet Class albums are really fun. Check out his albums below. Pop Hits for Ballet Class Vol. 1 Pop Hits for Ballet Class Vol. 2 Pop Hits for Ballet Class Vol. 3 Pop Hits for Ballet Class Vol. 4 Hollywood Hits for Ballet Class Vol. 1 Hollywood Hits for Ballet Class Vol. 2 2.Lisa Harris I personally feel like some of Lisa Harris's albums are classic. Many of my ballet teachers used her music when I was growing up and I have been using them since I began teaching as well. Her albums usually do a great job of mixing traditional and contemporary songs, all while being very easy to follow for each exercise. I have always loved her Micky's Kiss album, which features several Disney songs along with other fun tunes. Her Album from 2015 titled, Let's Dance, is also one of my favorites. She has MANY wonderful ballet albums and you can find them all here. 3. Andrew Holdsworth Andrew Holdsworth has a lot of fun themed ballet albums. He has albums with songs from the 80s and 60s. He has some albums he calls An Alternative Ballet Class where he takes songs from traditional ballets and changes them up. He also has albums of pop songs re-imagined for ballet. I've listed some of my favorites below: Songs from the 60s Reimagined for Ballet Class Songs From the 80s Reimagined for Ballet Class Pop Reimagined for Ballet Class Vol 1 Pop Reimagined for Ballet Class Vol 2 An Alternative Ballet Class Vol 1 An Alternative Ballet Class Vol 2 4. Christopher N Hobson Chrstopher N Hobson also has MANY wonderful ballet albums including Songs From the Stage and Screen, Musical Theatre Hits, and 8 volumes of Modern Ballet Studio Melodies. Find them all here. 5. Soren Bebe The above version of Hallelujah is from Soren Bebe's Music for Ballet & Contemporary Classes, which is beautiful. However, my favorite album of Bebe's is Jazz Songs for Ballet Class and Tap Dance. It's a fun mix of genres with many well-known songs. And because I teach both tap and ballet, this is an obvious album to look into because it's two for one! 6. Craig Wingrove Ok, Craig Wingrove seriously has made so much ballet music! I had a hard time picking which video to post because there is just. so. much. But, the song above is really pretty! And he has ballet albums for just about everything: technique class, recitals, young dancers, repertoire, pointe class, creative movement, holidays, and more! Take a look at all of his albums here. 7. Rob Thaller Rob Thaller's Music for Ballet Class - The Fun Class really is fun and unique because it features all kinds of different instruments! Don't get me wrong, I love the piano, but sometimes variety is a breath of fresh air and it can give your dancers a new burst of energy. I also like his albums Jazz Music for Ballet and Music for the Young Ballet Class.
8. Modern Ballet Class Series Well, I was unable to find a YouTube Video for these albums, probably because there is no one specific person listed as the artist, but they are fun nonetheless! Ballet Goes Pop Vol 1 Ballet Goes 90s Pop Vol 1 Well, that's a lot of ballet music! Hopefully that helps in your search for new music to spice up your class. What are your favorite ballet albums? Let me know in the comments below! Recently, I got a message from a reader, Zoe: Hi! I'm teaching a VERY basic Jazz class to 8-10 year-olds! I was looking for a clean, upbeat, and possibly christian song to choreograph for our final recital. If you could give me a few ides, that would be awesome! Zoe Finding upbeat and CLEAN music can be rough... Especially if you are trying to avoid the Top 40 songs that everyone else is playing. I'd love to help! Here are some suggestions. 1. Smile Big by Leftover Cuties I'll admit that this is a song I've used more than once. I've maybe choreographed to this song 3 times...it's that good. And I don't get sick of it! This song has so much character and is great for little ones or beginners because the lyrics themselves remind the dancers to perform and smile big! 2. All of Me by Tanlines I use this song a lot for warm-up, but the steady beat and catchy chorus make it great for beginning choreography as well. 3. That Beep by Architecture in Helsinki This catchy song is sure to put you in a good mood! This is also a good choice for warm-up for younger dancers because it is exciting, yet not too fast. 4. Boomerang by Lucy Schwartz I've shared this song before, but it is worth sharing again! This is another song that I have used multiple times for choreography and I don't get sick of it. I've used both for jazz and tap choreography. 5. Bop 'til You Drop by the Nylons This song makes me want to dance! And I promise it will make young kids want to dance too. Get ready to boogie! 6. Hound Dog by Elvis Presley I personally love using classic oldies for choreography. They are familiar songs, but still fresh because they are not currently overplayed. You can't go wrong with Elvis and poodle skirts. 7. Papa Loves Mambo by Perry Como Speaking of classics, I LOVE this song. This is another song that is exciting, while not being too fast for littles to keep up. 8. Brighten it Up by Matt Stansberry & the Romance This is a hand-clapping, soulful song that will have you singing along and tapping your toes. 9. Jump in the Line by Harry Belafonte This song makes me think of bright tropical colored costumes! With Fringe. Lots of fringe. 10. New Shoes by Paolo Nutini Put your dancers in some colorful Chuck Taylors and boom, you have an adorable concept.
I couldn't find many upbeat Christian songs for kids that I loved for choreography, but I will keep listening and make another post if I find some! What song would you love to use for a kids jazz class? Tell me in the comments below!
This song gets me pumped! It's like big band meets electronic hip hop. And Angela McCluskey's voice is sort of reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald. So much love. 2. Sunset by Panda Panda! I was so excited to hear that Panda Panda released a second album! I use his first release, The Black and White EP, in class all the time! This album, Cherry Blossoms, did not disappoint! Panda Panda's mix of electronic and acoustic music along with the occasional clip of recorded text is the perfect background for improvisation or dance workshopping. I've used it for student choreography as well. You can get the album free (legally!) from Noisetrade here! (I promise Noisetrade doesn't pay me or anything. I just love them!) 3. Tell Me There's a Garden by Jospeh I've been loving and using Joseph's music for a while now, and I've featured them before, but I've noticed that they've gotten a lot of attention lately for their song White Flag. These sisters definitely deserve the attention! Their harmonies are so unreal! But while White Flag is a good song, it's not nearly as good as many of their other songs, in my opinion. So, I just had to share this one with you. I used this song last year for some contemporary modern choreography I set on my dance company at school. This song means a lot to me and I hope you'll love it too! 4. The Gene Sequence by Barclay Crenshaw I came across this song recently and thought it was so cool! With it's unique electronic sound and hip hop beat, it's just like a mysterious cacophony of goodness. 5. Let the Games Begin by Aloe Blacc This past winter, the concert at my school was titled, "Let the Games Begin". The students created choreography inspired by games. We had a good variety with everything from Twister, to football, to the Quiet Game. This song from the Race soundtrack was the perfect finale song for our concert. 6.Colors by Verite I used this song in my set warm-up this year and my students seemed to really like it. The is an electronic pop song with a strong beat and echoing female vocals. 7.Liv and Leo by Danny Black Danny Black is Dan Schwartz, the guitarist of one of my favorite bands, Good Old War. He came out with a solo album earlier this year titled, Adventure Soundtrack. Not only is this album the perfect background for all of your outdoor adventures, it is also the perfect pick for your next piece of choreography! Each song on the album has a very different sound as he uses both acoustic and electric guitar. I used this particular song for choreography in my last concert. Dan is an excellent musician and you won't want to miss hearing this one! 8. Built for this Time (The Hidden Memoir EP version) by Zayde Wolf I originally found another version of this song, which has a beat more constant throughout the song, but I actually like this version better. This dramatic song could definitely make for some epic choreography! Also, does this music video make anyone else laugh? The little boy is just so cute with his angry face, haha. 9. Hunger of the Pine by Alt-J You may have heard other tracks by Alt-J like Breezeblocks and Left Hand Free, which are both great songs, but you may not have heard this slower, more eerie side of their music. It's definitely interesting! Give it a listen! 10. The Raven's Song by Aaron Embry This is a sweet little song with piano and vocals. Like the lyrics say, "It's short, but it's strong." It's from the Soundtrack of Wish I Was Here, which I've never seen, actually. This is the only recording of the song I can find too. But...I kind of like the roughness of the recording. It makes it seem kind of sentimental, like listening to an old record. It's a pretty song.
Well, that's it for now. Let me know if you like these, end up using any of them, or need more recommendations! Recently, I received from a message from Katy, a Dancer's Music Resource reader. She said, I am writing to see if you have any equally awesome suggestions for lyrical songs for younger dancers (9-12ish). I love giving them pieces they can relate to, songs about childhood, friendships, etc... I just can't (and wouldn't want to) ask them to relate to songs about heartbreak or sadness. Do you have any song suggestions for light, happy, lyrical, appropriate for younger children? I can completely relate. When I choreograph for younger dancers, I can't bring myself to choose songs that are sad, angry, angsty, or talk about adult problems. Those kinds of songs are very popular when it comes to lyrical dance. But when kids are young, they don't need that. I agree with Katy, let's give these kids songs they can relate to. Even more, let's give them songs that inspire, help and uplift them in a world that can easily drag you down. I mean honestly, it doesn't matter what age you are - we could all use a little hope and positivity right now, couldn't we? So, here are a few songs that I think would be appropriate for lyrical or contemporary choreography for dancers of any age. 1. If Then by General Ghost This song is about trying new things and not being afraid of failure. I've seen a lot about the importance of failure going around on social media lately in articles, videos, etc. and I agree that it's an important topic. We can't let the fear of failure keep us from reaching our full potential. Failure can teach us a lot if we pick ourselves back up, learn from our mistakes, and keep moving forward. I used this song a couple years ago for a junior division contemporary piece and I love the energy of it. 2. Be Still by the Killers Ok, so I've featured this song before....but it's just so perfect I had to do it again. This past year, I used this song for choreography I did for a junior competition team. Before teaching them the choreography, I discussed the meaning of the piece with them; It's about rising up and staying true to yourself no matter what life brings us. Later, I found out that one of the girls on the team had a serious health condition, needed surgery, and wasn't able to compete. The team dedicated this piece to her. Though I was heartbroken because of what this girl and her team had to go through, I was so happy that my piece was able to inspire these young girls and motivate them to keep going. Last I heard, the young dancer was recovering and excited to dance again. 3. Lifted Away by Joseph Alright, so obviously this is a live video performance, but you can find the recorded version of this song for free on Noisetrade. I've used this song for choreography as well and loved it. It's about not worrying and breaking free from the things that keep you down. These ladies have beautiful harmony. I hope you love it as much as I do. 4. We're Going to be Friends (cover) by Jack Johnson If you're looking for the perfect sweet & innocent friendship song for kids, here you go. This song is originally by the White Stripes. I actually really love the original, but I've found that many dance teachers prefer the Jack Johnson version for their young classes, so that's the one I went with... But they're both great, take your pick. 5. Diggin in the Sand by Josh Rouse This song is just cute, lighthearted and upbeat. How adorable would a beach themed dance be? 6. The Weight of Living Pt. 1 by Bastille Similarly to "Lifted Away," this song is about letting go of things that bring you down in life. So many of these songs are great for choreography because dancers can relate them to the different challenges that they face individually whether that's depression, illness, family problems, or anything else. 7. Let it Be by the Beatles This a classic, not much needs to be said here.... One of my all time favorite songs full of hope. 8.Next to Me by Sleeping at Last I LOVE this song. My husband and I are childhood friends and this song played during our wedding slideshow. (Awwwww. I know, right?) Anyway, it's kind of a love song...Kind of. But it is also about the innocence of youth. It would be so precious for a group of young dancers. 9. Little Balloon by Jenny and Tyler This is such a sweet song. And how cute would it be to use balloons in your choreography? 10. Hang On by Guster I'm going to finish this list with another general, hopeful statement, "Just hang on." This song is mellow, but meaningful with just enough dynamic to make a beautiful piece.
Well, what do you think? Do you have any other songs you've loved using for younger dancers? Please share! (And Katy, I hope that helped!) Happy choreographing!
1. In Ruins by Fol Chen Okay, first let me address the creepy voice at the beginning... I have no idea what he is saying. If you figure it out and it is disturbing or something, please let me know. But, regardless, I like the dynamics and fun accents in this song. The layers of instruments and vocals give a choreographer a lot to work with. 2. Jazz Baby by Carol Channing from Thoroughly Modern Millie If you're looking for a sassy, musical theater style jazz song, this might be the one for you. It's not very fast (until the energetic instrumental break about 2 minutes in), but it's full of attitude and character. 3. Birds Fly Away by Theresa Andersson I don't know about you, but these drums make me want to dance! This is a happy and upbeat song that would be a lot of fun to dance to. 4. Shot at the Night by the Killers Because it's on Vevo, I can't post the official music video on my blog, but if you haven't seen it you should watch it here because it's pretty cute. :) This would be a slower jazz dance, but I think it has a lot of potential. It has a cool 1980's feel to it. 5. Moneygrabber by Fitz and the Tantrums I like that Fitz and the Tantrums' music has an old school Motown feel, especially this song. You may have heard some of their more recent songs on the radio like The Walker and Out of My League. 6. I'm Shakin cover by Jack White (Originally by Little Willie John) Once again, Jack White has taken a great song and boosted it to the next level. This song is super groovy and will definitely make you want to move. One challenge this song poses, however - it may be hard for beginning dancers to count. This is not like your average pop song. You can't just count it in sets of 8 over and over. When I count this song, I switch from sets of 8 counts to sets of 10 and sets of 6 throughout. Listen to it and count it, you'll see what I mean. You'll have to have dancers that can remember the different lengths of each musical phrase. It could be challenging, but awesome! 7. Ballroom Blitz by Sweet As you can probably tell, I like old music and I don't hesitate in using it my choreography. This 70's song is fast and a lot of fun. I've used this song for a competition jazz piece and it did very well. I would use it again! 8. The Fox by Niki and the Dove Unlike most of the other songs on this post, this not exactly a happy or perky song, but it's electronic, indie, and cool. If you're wanting to do more of an intense jazz dance, this may be your choice. 9. How You Like Me Now by the Heavy Go ahead, try to listen to this song without dancing. If you like this, also check out their songs What Makes a Good Man and Same Ol'. You've got lots of good options with these guys. 10. Just My Type by Saint Motel From the very beginning, this song is just plain catchy. You'll be singing it all day and you won't even be mad about it. I used this song for an audition dance last year for my dance company. Later in the year, my dancers still remembered the song and wanted to use it again. We didn't, but it's so good that we could have!
Well, there you go. 10 jazz dance songs! Hopefully this helps in your search. Keep dancing! -Haley Choreography by Haley Israelsen Nelson. Photo Credit: Benjamin Allen Dynamics are essential. Maybe it's just me, but I get really disappointed when I hear a song that begins with great choreographic potential, but then ends up being monotonous, repetitive, and just...boring. Don't get me wrong, monotonous, ambient songs have their place in choreography, but usually I prefer a song that takes the listener on some kind of journey. I love songs that tell a story - they capture your intrigue in the beginning, build to an epic climax, and then resolve at the end. These are the kinds of songs I want to feature today. Songs that build dynamically! So if you're like me and hate sifting through lots of songs with no dynamic flavor, keep scrolling and enjoy! 1. My Body is a Cage by Arcade Fire It doesn't get much more epic than this organ and drums combo. When I first listened to this song, I thought it might fall into a repetitive slump as many electronic pop songs do. But, I was pleasantly surprised! The ending is intense and attention grabbing. Make sure to listen to the whole song. 3. Rise by Josh Garrels Josh Garrels. Once again, he is a Christian artist, but not your average Christian artist. This song builds beautifully. If you are choreographing in a venue where you can use his music, do it. 4. Love is Blindness cover by Jack White (originally by U2) If you've seen the recent Great Gatsby movie or even the trailer, you may recognize this song. Jack White gives this U2 song a dynamic rock kick. 5. Conditions by Jesse Morrow I choreographed and taught a contemporary combination to this song a couple years ago and it was a hit. I love his voice against the simple piano chords. The song builds in energy at about 2:20. I would also recommend his song Can't You See. Check that out if you like his sound. 6. Arrival of the Birds and Transformation by the Cinematic Orchestra If you are looking for a song that tells a story, movie soundtracks are a wonderful place to look. These songs are from Disneynature's documentary The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos. I like what this YouTube video did; it combined two similar songs from the soundtrack to make a longer piece. I suppose you could do that or use either of the separately. The Cinematic Orchestra did a beautiful job with this soundtrack. If you are a part of the dance community, my guess is that you've heard their song To Build a Home, which is also beautiful, but is used a lot. Anyway, I picture ballet piece when I hear this song. What do you think? 7. Sea Fog by Keane Ok, I'll admit, I've had a soft spot for Keane's sound for a long time. There's just something calming yet exciting about this song. This would make for a captivating lyrical or contemporary piece. 8. Try a Little Tenderness by Otis Redding Ready for some 60's music to change things up? I thought so! Alright, I just love Otis Redding's voice because it is raw and real and he makes you believe what he's saying! The climax of this song gets me every time. Really, please, someone choreograph a dance to this song! I don't care what style it is, this just has to happen. Also, if you haven't seen the clip from Pretty in Pink featuring this song, please watch it now here. This is the best part of the whole movie. It's sure to give you some movement inspiration... 9. It's Around You by ANR The cool and quirky song builds nicely and won't leave your audience bored. I've choreographed to this song and it was a lot of fun to dance to. 10. Amsterdam by Coldplay Coldplay. Yep. This song is from their 2002 album which also included many other favorites of mine such as The Scientist and Green Eyes. The climax at around 3:57 is still amazing!
Well, there you have it. 10 songs that are sure to bring a dynamic climax to your choreography! Do you have other song ideas? Let me know; I'd love to hear them!
Here are my top 10 favorite songs to use for dance improvisation: 1. So Long Lonesome by Explosions in the Sky I was introduced to this group by some colleagues of mine in college. I remember watching an improvisation to this song and being blown away. It has been a favorite of mine ever since. It builds beautifully and seems to turn any phrase of movement into a story. 2. Water From the Same Source by Rachel's I first improvised to this song during a class I took while I was in high school and it had a big impact on me. I remember feeling a sort of magical connection with the dancers I was improvising with. I didn't know dancing could be like this! I continue to use this song hoping it will bring the magic to others. Plus, it's a great song to use to get dancers out of 4/4 time (which is all many of them know) and into waltz time. 3. Sleepless by Flume feat. Jezzabell Doran Honestly, I just think this song is groovy and fun. Many of my students seems to think so too. I've noticed that many of my students in the public school system listen to mostly hip hop, rap, and pop songs. They have a hard time relating to lots of my music, but they relate to this song because of it's electronic, studio sound and the strong beat. This is a great song to start with in the process of slowly introducing my students to new sounds and then progressively getting further and further from what they are used to. 4. Escape (Piano Theme) by Phillip Glass I sincerely hope you've heard of Philip Glass. If you haven't, take some time and research his brilliance. He's an accomplished composer who has written music for many venues including several film scores that you may be familiar with. This is the piano version of a song he wrote for the film, The Hours. I've never seen the film, but this song is beautiful. It's repetitive and somewhat somber, but keeps me interested. 5. Stupid Fambaloo by Matmos I like to use this song just to get students to react to the different sounds and textures. It's a great way to play with energy qualities. Be prepared for some laughs from some students who are new to the whole improv thing...use this one wisely. (For those of you who are wondering like I am... I have no idea what the picture on the album art is. At first glance I thought it was something that it isn't... It's probably just abstract art and I shouldn't be analyzing it so much, but I can't help it. I'll just look away now.) 6. Awaken Me by Panda Panda! I just really enjoy the atmosphere of music by Panda Panda! I love how this artist uses various sound clips of spoken word and sound effects mixed with beats and ambient melodies. It all ends up sounding so happy and positive too, almost childlike; it's amazing. 7. Music Box Opera by Delerium This song has a lot of energy qualities to play with: smooth and sharp, percussive and sustained, electronic and acoustic. Overall, it has a very ethereal feel. 8. Year of the Boar by Sufjan Stevens Ok, so I'll admit, personally this is not one of my favorite songs of all time. BUT, I love putting songs like this into my improv playlists because it forces dancers to do something different. I like to play an improv game that is similar to freeze dance where I play songs with different energy qualities and they have to change their energy to match each different song. I love when they have listened to several smooth, melodic songs previously and then all the sudden this song comes on. It's so jarring at first they don't know what to do! But then, if their self-consciousness doesn't get the better of them, they actually start trying raw movement: stomping, shaking, kicking, punching. They stop trying to look pretty and just start reacting to the sound. It's refreshing and can help them broaden their movement vocabulary. 9. Era of Secrecy by John Dragonetti Honestly, songs from movie soundtracks are great to dance to. Here's a movie you may not have heard of: a Documentary about Aaron Swartz called, The Internet's Own Boy. Once again, I'm guilty of not seeing the movie. (I'm not a huge movie person these days, guys. But, apparently the whole movie is on The Documentary Network's YouTube channel here if you are interested.) The worst part about this soundtrack by John Dragonetti is that most of the tracks are fairly short. But seriously, great music. 10. The Ash is in Our Clothes by Sleeping at Last This is not the first time I've featured a song by Sleeping at Last and it probably won't be the last. He just has a way with music... I find this song really relaxing, yet it is driving and motivates me to move at the same time. An improvisational treat.
Well, there you have it. 10 great songs to improv to...or choreograph to or just listen to for that matter. What songs do you love to improv to? Let me know, I'd love to add to my playlists! Hopefully I will post several more lists of great music for dance before the baby comes in September. After that, I have a feeling life will be a lot more busy and posting will work it's way down the priority list once again. (Let me know what kind of music/dance you want to hear about!) But hey, being a parent...that's life's grandest form of improvisation, right? Jumping right in, even though you don't completely know what you are doing. Trying your best, learning as you go. Some of it will be messy and awkward and just hard to watch...but overall it will be mostly amazing and beautiful. I'm excited for the journey. It's officially arrived - the week of Halloween! Dance teachers everywhere will be doing fun Halloween inspired classes this week. This time of year is so fun for students. I still remember when I was in school and my ballet teacher taught us barre exercises to Halloween music during the month of October. We had a blast and it made a great impression on me. Over my years of teaching, I've realized that finding new Halloween music can be hard. Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and Ray Parker Jr's "Ghostbusters" are always go-to choices, but after you've heard them over and over, sometimes you just need something new and the students do too. I've compiled a list of 15 Halloween songs I've used or plan to use. Some are traditional, while others are more obscure. Hopefully this will help all teachers looking for spooky new music. Maybe you're just looking for songs to add to your Halloween party playlist? This is for you as well! 1. This is Halloween by Danny Elfman from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas In all honesty, this movie has always terrified me...but this song makes for great Halloween choreography. 2. Sally's Song by Fiona Apple (also from The Nightmare Before Christmas) Though I'm not a fan of the movie, I really enjoy this song. As a senior in high school, I choreographed a solo to this song that I used in auditions for several university dance programs as well as my senior solo at my studio. 3. The Monster Mash by Bobbby "Boris" Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers Check out this awesome clip with Dick Clark on American Bandstand! This song will always be a Halloween freeze dance classic. 4. Purple People Eater by Sheb Wooley This song is great for young kids because it lends itself perfectly to actions. Also, they think the silly voices are HILARIOUS. 5. The Addams Family Theme Short and sweet...or should I say short and spooky? This year I'm choreographing a combo en pointe to this song. 6. Rama Lama (Bang Bang) by Roisin Murphy I have no idea what she is actually singing about, but this song just sounds Halloweeny, doesn't it? If you don't agree, surely Wade Robson's choreography to this song on So You Think You Can Dance will change your mind. I've taught a combo to this song in many teen jazz classes and it's always a hit. 7. Walking with a Ghost by Tegan & Sara This song has a great tempo for warm-up and conditioning. 8. Walking with a Ghost by KADEBOSTANY No, this is not a Tegan and Sara cover. (Though, if you want one of those, check out this one by The White Stripes). This is a much different song that just happens to have the same title. I'd describe it as a mix of piano, tango, Adele, rap, and a horn section. Intrigued? 9. Ghost in My House by Lucy Schwartz Click here to see my post featuring this song and more of Lucy Schwatz's music. 10. The Ghost Inside by Broken Bells While we are on the topic of ghosts, why not throw in this groovy song? 11. Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon They'll be howling with this one. 12. The X-Files Theme Believe it or not, I've seen some great choreography to this song! 13. Disney's Grim Grinning Ghosts This song may or may not have scared me as I watched it on the Disneyland Sing-Along VHS as a child. 14. Love Potion Number 9 by the Clovers Why do so many of the good Halloween songs come from the 50s? 15. Double Trouble by John Williams from Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban Who doesn't love Harry Potter? This beautifully spooky song would be prefect for a Halloween ballet class!
What are your favorite Halloween songs? Feel free to share! I hope you all have a safe and happy Halloween. Keep dancing! Haley |
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