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!
3 Comments
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 |
HaleyDancer. Teacher. Choreographer. Music Collector. Resource. Archives
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