When choreographers have a vision, it’s rarely about the steps alone. It’s about the work as a whole—the concept, the story, the emotion, and most importantly, what they hope the movement will make the audience feel.
That is what has the power to touch people. Not simply the moving bodies onstage, but the essence and spirit behind those bodies.
The same is true when choreography is being set on young dancers.
Without proper guidance and explanation throughout the rehearsal process, dancers can easily become focused on one thing: the steps. They learn the choreography, memorize the counts, perfect the shapes, and execute the movement. But somewhere along the way, the nuances, transitions, breath, and intention that make a piece feel effortless, fluid, and cohesive can get lost.
And that distinction matters.
Dance today is filled with incredible athleticism. Pieces can sometimes resemble gymnastics floor routines, packed with acro elements, tricks, turns, and seemingly impossible feats. There is no denying the skill and discipline required to execute these movements.
But here’s the question we need to keep asking our dancers:
What will the audience remember?
They may remember an extraordinary trick or a breathtaking moment. But they are far more likely to remember how the piece made them feel.
They won’t necessarily walk away talking about the five right-side tilts you executed perfectly. They’ll remember the dancer who made them hold their breath. The moment that gave them chills. The story they connected with. The emotion they could feel from the stage.
Young dancers can easily fall into the habit of putting execution before artistry. But the two should never be competing with one another.
Technique gives a dancer the tools. Artistry teaches them how to use those tools.
The combination is what makes a dancer—and ultimately a piece—unstoppable.
Every good dance teacher understands the difference between wanting to “see” the choreography and wanting to “see” the dancer.
When we watch a dancer, we shouldn’t simply see the choreography being performed. We should see them moving through it. We should see their breath, their dimension, their emotions, their dynamics, their characterization, their intention, their individuality, and their soul.
So, the next time you are setting a piece on your dancers, take a moment to really watch how they are approaching it.
Are they simply executing the steps, albeit flawlessly?
Or are they beginning to understand how to move through the movement?
Are they connecting one moment to the next? Are they breathing? Are they listening to the music? Are they telling the story? Are they making choices? Are they allowing the movement to live inside of them rather than simply placing their bodies into the choreography?
That is where the magic happens.
When young dancers begin to understand that dance is more than getting the steps right—and combine that understanding with strong technique, discipline, passion, and artistry—they begin to transcend the choreography.
And that is when we stop simply watching dancers perform.
That is when we start to see artists.
Good luck,
See you in the dance studio,
Jess
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