How to Make a Dance Routine

Have you ever wanted to create a really great dance routine, but have never been sure about how to do it best? Well, these easy tips will help conquer fear and embarrassment, and if you follow these steps and you'll have a great number in no time!

Steps
1. Pick a song. The song all depends on what type of dance you're preforming. Make sure you can move along to the beat just fine and know you can create moves to. If you're a ballet dancer, pick soft, slow music, as to being a hip hop dancer, you'll probably need very fast paced pop music.

2. Find out who you're dancing with if you are dancing with anyone. You'll need to coordinate dance moves with them, whether it's a duet or a group dance. Make sure you plan rehearsal time for you and your partner.

3. Once you agree on the perfect song, divide the lyrics to the song into small groups of words. If the song has no lyrics, 10-20 second parts will work.

4. Think of some dance moves you can do and make them fit the lyrics and beat. Start by breaking up the lyrics into sets of four to eight lines, depending on the tempo of the song. Assign a few "moves" for each set. Make sure to end each set with a move that the next set of moves can easily flow from. Don't make your dance match exactly with the words (for example for "fire", don't act like fire).
When it comes to the chorus or the refrain, attempt at making the moves a bit more complicated. Since a song normally repeats two or three times, it's best to create more impressive moves for this part. It'll wow the audience. Do similar moves for each chorus but not the same moves. Although if you do repeat it the audience will like it but not as much.

5. Create dance moves to go with each of the musical segments that you have created. Try to make it so that the moves go with the beat of the music and/or express the lyrics.

6. If you are dancing with a group of friends or are teaching a class, be sure that everyone knows the moves to one part before moving on.

7. Practice! The saying practice makes perfect isn't exactly true. In dance, it's more like practice makes better, and eventually better makes perfect. Make sure everyone knows each part and has it down, knows the movement on each part. Schedule different times to practice and make sure you know it and it looks good before you show it.

8. Get other people's opinions. Show your parents and friends and have them comment and critique you.

9. When you are performing your finished routine, find a way to coordinate your outfits (e.g. wearing red t-shirts and black pants).

10. Make sure when you perform, you have a huge smile on your face. Enjoy the feeling of everyone watching you, and also enjoy the feeling of doing what you love.

Article by wikiHow