Warning: the following message is a rant about using worn-out songs for dance routines. If you want to use the same-old-same-old songs for your dance routines, stop reading now because I may offend you. (I originally wrote this message as a follow up to conversation about overdone songs on DanceMom.com)
<rant starts now>
There are absolutely NO excuses for using the same, tired out old songs over and over and over again. Dance is a living art form. Music is a living art form. Dance is an art form based on the foundation of music. Can an exceptional dancer overcome a tired-out song? Yes, of course. But why put that kind of a burden on the dancer?
In general, if you are going to use tried-and-true songs, it’s better to give them to the youngsters, because everything is new to them, classics are classics for a reason, and it’s very cute to have little kids performing songs that were written before they were born. But once you get past that 7 or 8 year old range, it’s time to give your dancers FRESH, INTERESTING material to work with.
I’m very proud of the character music remix called Pixie Hollow that I created for my girlfriend who is the assistant director at a first-class dance studio. She wanted a fresh, new music track that was based on a Tinkerbell theme, and Pixie Hollow is the result. You’ve NEVER heard music quite like this before. When parents, judges, and an audience hears something new and original like this, they sit up and take notice, and know that they are in for a dance number that is refreshingly new and different. This routine and performance is something that these dancers and their parents will never forget. At Headliners, Pixie Hollow was even invited to go on to the US Dance Team Finals at their Nationals.
Even when you are using tried-and-true classics and standards for music, there is no excuse not to use FRESH versions of them. Cover songs are often better than the originals, and will certainly be more exciting and more interesting to the judges AND audience than something they’ve already heard three million times. I’ll follow up this message with many examples of FRESH covers of the dance classics.
We’re trying to generate excitement, enthusiasm, even PASSION for dance in these youngsters. When it comes time to perform, you want the audience (which includes, fellow studio dancers) to be excited for the performance! You are hurting your chances at generating that excitement when you use music that puts the audience to sleep because they’ve heard it many times before. You are keeping your audience on its toes when you use music that NEW, FRESH and DIFFERENT.
You wouldn’t DREAM of putting dancers on stage in costumes that are ragged, torn, threadbare, tattered or stained. Why would you put them on stage with music that is ragged, torn, threadbare, tattered, and played to death when there is a universe of new songs itching to be performed? Who’s with me on this?
</end rant>
Okay, time for me to get off my soapbox now. You might be able to tell that I’m passionate about music, and passionate about delivering THE BEST MUSIC POSSIBLE to dancers. If you or your studio is ready for first-class music, I am ready to deliver.
To find some great cover versions of classic dance songs, check out Fresh Alternatives 1 and Fresh Alternatives 2. For some completely fresh songs for your next routine, we have them here: Jazz | Tap | Lyrical | Contemporary | Musical Theater | Kid Friendly Hip Hop