Choreography

Choreography is the art of making dance.

A person makes these moves. This person is called a choreographer. They can plan every step. Or they can let dancers make up moves. This is called improvisation.

Dancers can move in many ways. They can move at the same time. They can also move one after the other. Some moves are fast and some are slow. This art makes beautiful shows for us to see.

Choreography is the art of making movement.

A person who does this is a choreographer. They design how bodies move in space. They also think about time and energy. This art is often used for dance.

A choreographer can use two main ways to work. One way is called improvisation. In this way, the choreographer gives simple rules. Then the dancers make up their own moves. The other way is called planned choreography. Here, the choreographer tells the dancers every single move.

There are many ways to move together. Dancers can use unison to move at once. They can use canon to move one after another. Some dancers might use mirroring to do the same moves. They can also use levels to be high or low. Choreography is not just for dance. It is used in cheerleading and ice skating. It is even used in video games. People use these skills to make amazing shows.

Choreography is the art of designing movement for physical bodies.

A person who creates these patterns is called a choreographer. They decide how bodies move through space and time. They also think about the energy used in each motion. This art helps tell a story or show a feeling. It can be very literal or quite abstract. Choreography is most often seen in beautiful dance performances.

There are two main ways to build a dance. The first way is called improvisation. In this method, the choreographer gives a score. A score is a set of simple rules for the dancers. Dancers then use these rules to make up their own moves. The second way is called planned choreography. In this style, the choreographer dictates every single detail. The dancers follow the exact motion and form provided. This leaves very little room for personal choices.

The history of this art goes back a long time. The word comes from Greek words meaning "dance-writing."

One early record is the Catalan manuscript of Cervera from 1496. In Renaissance Italy, dance masters taught social dances. Later, French court dances were made in artistic patterns. In the 1700s, the word began to mean composing dance. Jean-Georges Noverre was a famous master during that era. He helped turn dance into a theatrical art form.

Many famous people have shaped how we dance today. Michel Fokine and Isadora Duncan helped start modern dance.

They liked more natural ways of moving. Other greats include George Balanchine and Martha Graham. Alvin Ailey used many styles like jazz and ballet. There are even big contests for these skills. The International Choreographic Competition Hannover is the longest-running one. It is held in Germany and has many rules. Entrants must be under 40 and trained professionally.

Choreography is used in many places besides the stage. You can see it in cheerleading and ice skating. It is also used in synchronized swimming and gymnastics. Even video game production uses these ideas of movement.

Sometimes, people even argue about who owns a dance. A dancer named Kyle Hanagami once sued Epic Games. He said his moves were used in the game Fortnite. The court decided those specific moves could not be copyrighted. This shows how much people care about original movement.

Choreography is the specialized art of designing sequences of movement for physical bodies.

A choreographer creates these patterns by specifying how motion and form interact. This process is known as choreographing. In the context of dance, it is often called dance composition. Choreographers must organize movement within three dimensions of space and a fourth dimension of time. They also manage the energy and capabilities of the human body. This art can express specific emotions or exist in a non-literal, abstract way.

To create a dance, a choreographer uses various underlying techniques for multiple dancers. One method is mirroring, where dancers face each other and perform identical moves. Another is retrograde, which involves performing a sequence of motions in reverse order. In a canon, dancers perform the same move one after another. They might also use different levels, where some dancers are positioned higher or lower than others. Shadowing occurs when dancers stand one behind the other performing the same moves. Finally, unison involves two or more people performing a range of moves at the exact same time.

There are two fundamental methods for designing these dances. The first is improvisation, which relies on a score. A score is a set of generalized directives or guidelines rather than exact steps. For example, a score might tell one dancer to withdraw from another. The second dancer would then be directed to avoid that withdrawal. This method allows for wide latitude in personal interpretation. The second method is planned choreography. In this approach, the choreographer dictates motion and form in great detail. This leaves little to no opportunity for the dancer to exercise personal interpretation.

The history of choreography is deeply connected to the written word. The term comes from the Greek words "choreia," meaning circular dance, and "graphia," meaning writing. This literally translates to "dance-writing." One of the earliest documents containing choreographic signs is the Catalan manuscript of Cervera from 1496. In Renaissance Italy, dance masters created movements for social dances. By the 17th and 18th centuries, social dance became separated from theatrical performances. During this era, the word choreography referred to the written record of dances, known as dance notation.

As time progressed, the meaning of choreography shifted toward the composition of dance performances. In the late 18th century, Jean-Georges Noverre became a well-known master who arranged dance as a theatrical art. Other influential figures included Gasparo Angiolini and Charles Didelot. In the 19th century, ballet developed its own specific vocabulary. Famous romantic ballet choreographers included Marius Petipa and Jules Perrot. The modern dance movement later introduced a more naturalistic style. This was led by figures like Isadora Duncan and Michel Fokine.

Many influential choreographers have shaped different styles of dance throughout history. George Balanchine and Sir Frederick Ashton were major figures in classical or abstract dance. Martha Graham and Jerome Robbins were known for creating representational works. Alvin Ailey was a significant African-American dancer and activist. His work spanned many styles, including jazz, ballet, and modern dance. Today, choreography is not limited to the stage. It is used in cheerleading, synchronized swimming, gymnastics, and even video game production.

Because choreography is a creative work, it can be protected by law. Section 102(a)(4) of the U.S. Copyright Act protects choreographic works created after January 1, 1978. To be protected, the work must be fixed in a tangible medium of expression. It must be a coherent arrangement of related dance movements. However, ordinary motor activities or commonplace social dances may not qualify for protection. A recent legal case involved choreographer Kyle Hanagami and the company Epic Games. Hanagami claimed that the game Fortnite copied his choreography. The court ultimately dismissed the claims, ruling that a short, four-beat sequence was not protectable under copyright law.

Global recognition of choreographic skill often happens through intense competitions. The International Choreographic Competition Hannover in Germany is the longest-running competition in the world. It is organized by the Ballett Gesellschaft Hannover e.V. and has been held in collaboration with the Tanja Liedtke Foundation since 2008. To enter, participants must be professionally trained and under 40 years of age. Many other international competitions exist, such as the Beijing International Ballet and Choreography Competition in China. These events celebrate the immense skill and discipline required by this art form.