Partnering steps for dancers

by Alice
(Baltimore)

Hi! I'm a senior in high school, and I've been dancing thirteen years. I am choreographing a contemporary dance with a few other girls to "Shake it Out" by Florence+the Machine. I was wondering if I could have a bit of help with some ideas for partnering steps for two girls, instead of a guy and a girl. Something not overly-dangerous would probably be preferred. Thanks!

Comments for Partnering steps for dancers

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Sep 24, 2013

Maria's reply
by: Maria

Dear Alice,

Partnering in dance is always determined by creating moves of relationship. There are many ways in which two dancers can relate through their moves. For example:

- Touching

- Grabbing

- Carrying

- Etc...

Through those actions, you can also activate the flow of movement or vary it, from one dancer to another. For example:

- Pushing the other

- Stopping the other

- Leading the other

There's also the possibility of relating through movement without contact. You can achieve that by applying different strategies. For example:

- Establishing indirect contact by looking to each other (no matter what the choreography is)

- Mirroring movement

- Creating dialogues (one moves while the other waits and then change roles)

Those possibilities can be applied to any choreography you already have for your single dancers. The task is to experiment with them and adapt what you have to any new moves that come out.

Give it a try...

Warm regards,

Maria

Sep 25, 2013

Thanks!
by: Alice

Thanks for this! I feel like we were stuck in this guy-girl mindset where everything is sensual and has some sort of love meaning...and didn't really think, 'Ah, yes, this can also be a conversation'. Thank you so much!

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