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Songs to choreograph to for young children
Ten Music-Finding Strategies for Dancers: 1) In general, it pays to be prepared to be prepared! This means that instead of jumping into "find music" gear whenever you are about to start that new piece or that new semester, start to think of yourself as a constantly-running "music search engine." Develop resources like your own ever-evolving wide-ranging CD or MP3 music 'library,' and keep an ongoing list of music to track down. That way you don't have to do as much leg-work when the deadlines approach. 2) Listen to the radio constantly. You might have to veer off the beaten path to find stuff that is new and inspiring. I listen to public radio a lot, or college radio; somewhat removed from the market-driven forces that are stifling mainstream radio (in my opinion!), both provide possibilities that you just might not have a chance to find elsewhere. You should also listen to stations that offer genres that you might not always choose to listen to otherwise -- jazz, blues, world music, electroacoustic music, etc. Always be ready to jot down names of songs and artists as you do, or go to the station's web-site and access the play-list for the day. 3) Take advantage of places you can listen to CD's for free, and be disciplined about setting aside time for a weekly session to do so. Public libraries are a great place to check out CD's, and typically offer a wide variety of genres. If you are studying academically, your college or university library no doubt has a music section where you can find a wide pool to browse through as well. 4) Quite a few music stores have booths where you can check out featured CD's on a pair of headsets. (Sometimes you can even ask to listen to any CD in the store.) Failing that, request that they play a certain CD you are curious about on the store's system while you are shopping. Be sure to let them know you are a dance teacher; because you are almost guaranteed as a good, returning customer, you'll get better service (and at some stores might even be offered an educator's discount). Most people who work at record stores are very knowledgeable about music, so I encourage you to ask questions like the ones you've submitted here! If the salesperson you ask is not a specialist in that particular genre, I can bet that she or he will be able to find another staff person who is. 5) If you have a cable TV provider like my family has at home, it has a great selection of music features spanning the range from reggae to classical, show tunes to new age (ad infinitum); meanwhile, interesting notes regarding each selection flash on the screen (and a web-site offers further details). I love this feature as it can introduce you painlessly to so many kinds of music. If you can get it, I encourage you to embrace it. 6) Speaking of the web, even in this post-Napster era (and while issues of cyber access and licensing continue to rage), the web remains a great resource for researching music. Many sites offer free samples of tracks, or independent reviews of CD's. I'd start by searching for the particular genre that interests you. 7) Whenever you hear some great music in dance class or at a concert or performance, make sure you come away knowing what it was. Then track down that artist and see what else they have to offer. 8) Everyone has a music geek friend. You know, the one with their walls just lined with CD's (or, yes, albums) -- all meticulously alphabetized and arranged by genre. This person can, and will, go on forever about the most minute detail of each track of each record they own. Use that geekdom to your advantage. Start asking this person for recommendations -- in this case, an earful is an advantage! 9) Consider using original music. Just as everyone has a music geek friend, everyone has someone they know who makes their own music. When I choreograph, I far prefer to work in collaboration with a composer rather than to rely on prerecorded music. That way you can specify the flavor of music you need, then really customize it to your dance as it emerges. If you can have the original music performed live as part of the piece, that can be so much more exciting and dynamic as well. Similarly, if you are teaching class, there's nothing like live accompaniment rather than having to rely on recorded tracks. 10) Research you local music scene. Attend as many concerts by local artists as you can -- and again, sample from a wide variety of genres. Network as you find musical artists whose work you really admire. Many musicians love the chance to work with dance! I hope some of the above strategies will work for each of you! More specifically, regarding music for dance for kids, I consulted some children's dance experts here in the Bay Area. Jill Randall at the Lincoln Center Institute Program at the Julia Morgan Center for the Arts (www.juliamorgan.org) recommends the Music for Little People catalog as a great resource. You can find it at www.mflp.com. Patricia Reedy of Luna Kids Dance (www.lunakidsdance.com) has found that the most effective way to motivate young children to explore movement creatively is to use a wide range of music, particularly "polyrhythmic music from different cultures, no words." One site I found when I searched for "World Music" is EarthBeat! Records: www.earthbeatrecords.com (it's actually the adult-music companion site to Music for Little People -- both are very extensive and well-organized). In terms of show tunes and musicals, I must admit that so far I've had a hard time finding a comprehensive resource site. You might some helpful information at the Show Tunes Review site: www.showtunesreview.homestead.com. But the best first approach for you might be to hit up the free advice at your local music store!
Good luck on finding that perfect piece of music! -- Nicole
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