Directing the Stage: A Dance Placement Journey
Discover the journey of creating a dance piece for a society show. This placement allowed me to lead 12 dancers through choreography, music selection, costume design, and lighting, culminating in a successful performance.
Project Overview
- Project title : “Call Your Mom”- Dance Society Annual Show Piece
- Date location:29th March 2026, Capstone Theatre
- Participants: 12 student (mixed ability)
- My role: choreographer, facilitator, creative director
Context and Intention
I chose this song because it helped me process the grief of losing my sister before coming to university. It carries a strong emotional connection for me, and its themes of relationships and connection felt natural to explore through dance.
I wanted the audience to recognise the links between the music and the separate duets, and to reflect on how each relationship on stage expresses connection in different ways.
Setting this piece within the student dance society show was important to me because I have been part of this event since my first year. Creating my own choreography in my third year felt particularly meaningful and nostalgic, as it allowed me to reflect on my journey and growth during my time at university.
Project design and planning
I used a creative and deliberate design and planning strategy for this project. I started by choosing the song because I wanted to explore the emotional themes of connection and relationships as well as its personal meaning. From there, I developed the concept of using separate duets to represent different types of relationships, ensuring each pairing had its own dynamic while still linking back to the overall theme.
In order to design the choreography, I divided the work into sections, marked out the locations of each duet, and considered how transitions would preserve coherence and flow. I also thought about spatial design, emphasising intimate and distant moments between dancers on stage.
Planning rehearsals was crucial, so I set aside time to create movement content, perfect timing, and make sure the dancers grasped the emotional purpose of their parts. When necessary, I modified the choreography to fit the dancers' skills and enhance the narrative's clarity.
In terms of performance design, I considered how the piece would fit within the student dance society presentation, making sure it was both significant and captivating for the audience. In general, I planned to create a coherent performance, a powerful emotional effect, and a clear storyline.
Facilitation and teaching practice
I used the VARK paradigm (Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, Kinaesthetic) to meet the group's diverse learning preferences while guiding this activity. This made it possible for me to modify my teaching methods so that every dancer could successfully interact with the choreography and its emotional purpose.
I demonstrated paths, timing, and interactions between dancers using spatial formations and clear demonstrations for visual learners. In order to convey dynamics and emotional character, auditory learners were assisted by vocal explanation, counts, and descriptive imagery. I used section breakdowns, organised notes, and rehearsal reminders to support learning for read/write learners. Through physical inquiry and repetition, kinaesthetic learners were pushed to embody the dance and develop a deeper connection with the topics.
Using the VARK paradigm affected my feedback delivery as well. Depending on the dancer, I modified my communication style. For instance, I used more specific verbal signals for auditory learners and physical coaching or re-demonstration for kinaesthetic learners. The group's comprehension and performance quality both improved as a result.
Crucially, I found that most dancers benefitted from a variety of learning methods rather than a single preference, even if the VARK model offered a helpful framework. In order to foster an inclusive rehearsal atmosphere that encouraged both technical growth and emotional expression, I employed a mixed teaching method.
Overall, the performance was more unified and engaged as a result of my facilitation's flexibility and knowledge of various learning requirements.
Inclusion, accessibility and impact
In order to make sure that every dancer felt encouraged, appreciated, and capable of giving their best performance, I gave inclusivity and accessibility top priority in this project. In order to foster trust and confidence among the dancers, I established a courteous and open practice space where they felt free to share their thoughts and request modifications.
I modified the choreography as needed to accommodate various skills and capabilities so that every dancer could make a significant contribution without feeling constrained. This inclusive approach allowed each duet to be unique while maintaining the piece's cohesiveness.
These decisions resulted in a more upbeat and encouraging workplace where dancers were more involved and expressive. In the end, this improved the performance's emotional clarity and made it possible for the audience to relate to the themes of connection and relationships on a deeper level.
Reflection and critical thinking
When I think back on this endeavour, my ability to produce a meaningful and emotionally charged piece of dance is one of my greatest abilities. I was able to create a distinct subject of connections and connection because to my personal connection to the music, which was successfully transmitted via the usage of duets. Additionally, I showed excellent organisational and facilitation abilities, especially in modifying my instruction to accommodate various learning preferences and establishing a welcoming atmosphere where dancers felt at ease and encouraged.
I would, however, do better in a few places. I could have given more time for experimentation and dancer feedback earlier in the process, but at times I relied too much on my original ideas.Deeper cooperation and much more diverse movement material may have resulted from this. Furthermore, even though I took spatial design into account, I could have done more to make better use of the performance space and more seamless transitions between portions.
In terms of instruction, I might improve my use of structured feedback and reflection during rehearsals, giving dancers more chances to assess their own development, even if I employed a variety of techniques to assist various learners.
If I were to continue working on this piece, I would concentrate on improving group cohesiveness between duets, honing transitions, and investigating more intricate choreographic patterns. Additionally, I would keep honing my leadership skills by pushing dancers to contribute more creatively from the start.
All things considered, this project has improved my choreographic, facilitation, and reflective practice abilities. Additionally, it has improved my comprehension of how to authentically and captivatingly incorporate personal experiences into a presentation.