becoming a contemporary choreographer?
I have noticed that there are quite a few choreographers who are not amazing dancers. Is it necessary to be a really talented and well-trained dancer/performer to be a contemporary choreographer?
Obviously you need to be able to demonstrate the movements, which I can do, but isn't the role of the dancer to take the choreography, perfect it and take direction? So is it really necessary for the choreographer to be super flexible and be able to do an endless string of pirouettes? I don't think it is and choreography is something i am really interested in and love, but I am NOT a born dancer. I am really average in dance, but I am really creative and have great ideas and visions.
I think it is a nice challenge for dancers to have to take more verbal than physical direction. Do you agree?
I think the problem I will have is that perhaps people will not take me seriously as I am not that trained. What I love about choreographing is that I can take my own choreography and have other dancers do it justice, which I would not be able to do with my own body!
Comments
While you are correct in terms of just how well you have to dance, opportunity is hard to get especially for women in terms of a career as a choreographer. Most get opportunity by having had a career first as a professional dancer. The exception would be if you had a lot of money. What I do suggest is to go to a good university/conservatory BFA dance program. Choreography is always included as part of the training. You will have to have solid ballet and modern dance skills in order to get into a good program. While some choreographers are not quite as gifted dancers as the dancers they use. they still need to be strong dancers, You need to be able to physically show what you want even if you are not as expert at it as your dancers.
*It is only in competition and recital recreational dance that you see endless strings of pirouettes. In concert contemporary dance, you rarely see that, as it isn't all about tricks and flash.
It is harder to have a career as a choreographer than it is to have a career as a professional dancer. For a choreographer with poor dancing skills that makes the task even harder. Especially if you are a woman as they are not taken as seriously as choreographers in the dance world unless they have had major dance careers with few exceptions.
Sure!. Yes!