Use of Music/Sound

Use of Music/Sound

Choosing Music/Sound

  • Selecting appropriate music or sound for a dance piece often forms the starting point of a choreographic process.
  • The choice can be influenced by a multitude of factors including the theme, dance style, audience, and/or dancer’s skills.
  • Considerations should be made about the music’s tempo, rhythm, mood, dynamics, and structure as they can dictate the choreography’s flow and structure.

Musicality

  • Musicality refers to a dancer’s or choreographer’s ability to connect the dance to the music or sound.
  • This includes aspects like dancing to the beat, using accents of music for emphasis, matching dance phrases to musical phrases, and interpreting the mood or feel of the music in the dance.
  • Developing a higher level of musicality can significantly improve the quality and expressiveness of the dance piece.

Creating a Movement-Music Relationship

  • Choreographers manipulate dance elements such as time, energy, and space to create a strong relationship between movement and music.
  • This can be achieved through synchronisation (matching movement with music), highlighting (using movement to emphasise a particular sound or musical motif), or contrast (using movement that is deliberately set against the music).
  • A well-crafted movement-music relationship enhances the audience’s engagement and makes the dance piece more compelling.

Using Silence or Ambient Sound

  • Consider the strategic use of silence or ambient sound for contrast or emphasis.
  • Silence allows the audience to focus solely on the movement, which can accentuate deeply emotive or dramatic parts of the choreography.
  • Ambient sounds, such as environmental or everyday noises, can add a unique layer of meaning and realism to the dance piece.

Rehearsing and Performing with Music/Sound

  • It’s vital to practice the choreography with the chosen music or sound to establish precise timing and rhythmical accuracy.
  • During performance, dancers should continually attune to the music or sound to maintain the established movement-music relationships and to enhance dynamics and expressiveness.
  • Final piece should exhibit an effective use of music or sound, contributing to the overall artistic coherence and aesthetic appeal of the choreography.