Don’t Just Stand There, Let’s Get Moving!

Don’t Just Stand There, Let’s Get Moving! Incorporating Movement into YOUR Choir Rehearsal… Dana Lux LA ACDA R & S Show Choir Chair

Can movementhelp your choral program? • Outside the choral world, directors don’t realize what a major role in vocal music choreography has begun to take in the last two decades! • It adds an element of life, personality and spirit to a performance, it makes your concerts visual delights as well as auditory ones, and rounds out the whole picture.

Adding that extra bit of “zest” to your performances…. We, as directors, are suddenly finding ourselves needing to provide more entertainment. We need to try and satisfy an audience more and more and we're thinking that they didn't teach us choreography, publicity and costuming in school.

However, entertainers have filled up audiences for years and sent them home happy… year after year. So let's start applying those professional techniques to our classroom. We need to stop thinking of ourselves as only choral directors and start thinking of ourselves as PRODUCERS!

We're not saying that if you only want to do traditional music with your choirs that it is bad. We're saying that here is an alternative or… here is something to add to your performances in order to have a more broad based choral program.

Take some risk with your repertoire. It's only two or three minutes of your entire program.

The problem…. The problem is learning, how to incorporate movement into the performance without doing it wrong. This area can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be – too much, too little, too inappropriate to the music, you name it, there are so many ways it can go wrong.

Too much… Too much movement can take away from the music.

Too little…. Only having so few movements… remember that it will not be visually interesting.

Too inappropriate… The movement doesn’t fit the style of the music

Some solutions…. Why not use a book resource or prepared DVD for help? Yes, you can! Let’s get started with a few…. John Jacobson • John Jacobson’s Riser Choreography Sally Albrecht • Choral Music in Motion Vol 1 & 2 • That’s Entertainment • Follow Me To the Top • Hooray for Hollywood! • Razamatazz! • In the Spotlight!

John Jacobson • Movement enhances even the simplest of musical settings. • It can bring energy to a dynamic show choir number or simple elegance to a beautiful concert piece without yourchoir ever leaving the risers! • John Jacobson's ideas for staging and choreography on choral risers have been compiled into easy-to-use videos and DVDs for the beginning or veteran choral director. • Covering basic formations, visual effects, and simple gestures that enhance the lyrics, this practical guide will help you incorporate all kinds of staging into your performance.

Sally Albrecht • Each volume contains photos to show you exactly how to add choral movement to your program. • Learn how to utilize upper body movement (not fancy dance steps), facial expressions and staging to make your choral concerts come alive! • She takes you step by step through staging suggestions for the new Alfred Choral Designs titles. Each song is presented in three ways: • 1. Complete performance with Sally facing the camera, mirroring your movements.2. Step by step instructional guide, with explanations and descriptions of each move.3. Exclusive "Double Shot" performance with Sally facing a mirror—you see the movement from behind her and in a mirror!

Accompaniment Resources: • Almost every song that you can find now has an accompaniment CD- ask your music supplier. • You can have a live accompaniment- it can be as small as piano accompaniment or ask your band director if you could incorporate the jazz band or small ensemble and now you have involved more students for success! • If budgets are low, email other choral directors and borrow! They are great resources!

What can they wear…. • You don’t have to have a lot of money to dress them for success. • The “dress” does not have to be an expensive “Show Choir” uniform. • Allow your students to help you “interpret” the dress for that particular piece of music.

It can be simple… • Simple…T-shirt • Simple…Hat • Simple pair of….Sunglasses • Simple instruments…Kazoo’s • Simple…Handkerchief These are only a few suggestions

Live Resources… Example: Do you have a student that has been involved for years in private dance? Example: Do you have a faculty member that has been a former dancer? You can call a dance studio in your area for helping with a song: It might incur a cost, but even for one song, it’s worth it.

You don’t have to sacrifice the sound…. • Most choir directors don’t want to deal with movement - the excuse is “I am sacrificing the sound.” • This may be a cover-up for your own inadequacy. • A Show Choir works just like any other choir in a regular choral program. The music comes first before any movement is placed!

A great recruitment tool… • Your program will shine at “Open House” with one simple choreographed number! • Your choir can have a featured number at the school pep rally. Why not get your group in front of the entire school this way? • Christmas time and Nursing Homes • Community Outdoor Festivals throughout the year….and on & on….

I am available… • Dana Lux(LA ACDA R & S Show Choir Chair) McKinley Middle Academic Magnet Visual & Performing Arts School Choral Director dlux@ebrpss.k12.la.us mustangchoral@gmail.com (225) 937-4985 cell

Costume Resources on the Net: • Southeastern Apparel • Formal Fashions • Stage Accent • Rivars (custom apparel) • Show Choir Buzz • Your local Thrift Store • Your local Community Theatre-costume rentals • The Dollar Store …..and so much more!

Uplift your students to new heights! As choral directors, is our motive to include and uplift every student? Enabling students to understand and perform the elements of music and movement and teaching them to respect each other’s individuality is a prize that can never be summed up by a trophy.

Music + Movement = success & smiles! You don’t have to compete in a Show Choir competition to incorporate music and movement with your choir! They aren’t for every group. Using good rehearsed choral music and incorporating movement just adds that extra ingredient for a motivated group, excited about themselves and others around them! Taken from the Choral Advocate Vol. 45, no. 7

Don’t Just Stand There, Let’s Get Moving!