Broadway Choreographer’s Breakdown of Steps
· Dance is 'behavior magnified' - i.e. exaggerated walk and gait
· - All movement must have intention - reason why, include in character work, like the woman trying to scurry surreptitiously to the bathroom
· - Choreographer must give emotional intention for every move
· - All dance can be reduced to 17 basic steps (foot work - having mostly to do with weight shifts)
1. / Step / includes change of weight from one foot to the other2. / Brush / with ball or heel, no change of weight
3. / Tap / touch, no change of weight
4. / Toe / touch toe only
5. / Hop / one foot, no weight change
6. / Jump / or leap, changing weight
7. / Skip / a step and hop
8. / Kick / low, high, flick, straight or bent
9. / Ball Change / to re-instigate weight on same foot
10. / Jazz Square / my version of box step or walk a diamond
11. / Pas de Bourée / back, step side, step side
12. / Grapevine / hora step, back, side, front, side, all facing front
13. / Chassé / side skip, chase or gallop in 3, also hitchee-koo
14. / Pivot Turns / usually 180º
15. / Three step turn / 360º, no cross
16. / Soutenu turn / cross & spin 360º, requires momentum
17. / Pirouette / turn like soutenu, but one foot lifted to knee
18. / Sway / not really a step, on two feet, lean one way, then the other
Suggestions
· -Not all dance has to be facing front, try facing central character, or singer
· -Use lyrics to add arms and character of piece
· -Styles of dance are the expression, i.e. ballet, hip hop, jazz -