What Is A Choreographer

“A prudent question is one half of wisdom.” – Francis Bacon.

What is a Choreographer?

Migration Halls Tech Week for the musical production of 9 to 5 started on May 1. I took the opportunity to drop into the hall to see what all the fuss was about.

One individual caught my eye as he made his expectations known through voice, dance and body expressions. To which the actors paid rapt attention with nodding of heads and mimicked of actions. “Who Is That?” I asked.

“That’s the Choreographer”, the producer replied. That made sense, I heard the term many times before while watching shows with my wife, and so I thought, “What Is A Choreographer.”

A Choreographer creates original dance movements and routines for performances and productions. They also develop different interpretations of existing dances for an individual dancer or group of dancers (chorus).

What are the main responsibilities of a Choreographer?

Create dance routines that work with the music and lyrics of a production or performance.
Read through a script and interprets each song, creating dance sequences to match the song and tell a story through dance.
Sometimes the movement is required as part of a scene or transition. The choreographer can develop a sequence of movements to show this.
Attend rehearsals of dancers and cast members and ensure everyone has a clear understanding of the routine and ensure everyone is at the same level.
Ensure the routine looks suitable to an audience and everyone is in time with each other and the music.
Make sure the movement follows the original interpretation.

What qualifications do I need to be a Choreographer?

Choreographers typically begin their careers as Dancers and study a variety of routines from an early age. While a formal qualification is often unnecessary, some companies and theatrical groups may desire it. In that case, choreography courses are available online, and Community Colleges and Universities offer undergraduate degree courses.

Regardless of your situation, always keep a showreel of your individual work and where your work has been shown, as well as choreography for any previous productions.

What qualifications do I need to be a Choreographer?

Rhythm
Able to follow choreography and create original dance sequences
Time management
Self promotion
Team building and leadership

What does a career in Choreography look like?

Choreographers often begin their careers as Dancers and study from an early age. When they establish a successful dance career, they may then transition into an Assistant Choreographer before becoming a Choreographer. You can study through various workshops and always keep active and updated with the latest trends in the dance world. Some Choreographers work on a freelance basis, and therefore the ability to self-promote is an essential skill.