Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" (circular dance, see choreia) and "γραφή" (writing). A choreographer is one who creates choreographies.
The term choreography first appeared in the American English dictionary in the 1950s. Prior to this, movie credits used various terms to mean choreography, such as "ensembles staged by" and "dances staged by".
Choreography is used in (but not limited to) the fields of cheerleading, cinematography, dance, gymnastics, fashion shows, ice skating, marching band, show choir, theatre, and synchronized swimming.
In dance, choreography is also known as dance composition. Dance compositions are created by applying one or both of these fundamental choreographic techniques:
Choreographic techniques are: mirroring (facing each other and doing the same), retrograde (performing a sequence of moves in reverse order), canon (people performing the same move one after the other), levels (people higher and lower in a dance), shadowing (standing one behind the other and performing the same moves), unison (two or more people doing a range of moves at the same time).
Onika Tanya Maraj (born December 8, 1982), known by her stage name Nicki Minaj ( /mɪˈnɑːʒ/), is a Trinidadian-born American rapper and singer-songwriter. She was born in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago and when she was 5 years of age she moved to the New York City borough of Queens, where she grew up.
After releasing three mixtapes between 2007 and 2009 and being signed to Young Money Entertainment in August 2009, Minaj released her debut album, Pink Friday, in November 2010. It quickly became a commercial success, peaking at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and being certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) a month after its release. She became the first female solo artist to have seven singles on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time. Her second single, "Your Love", reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart, making Minaj the first female artist to top the chart unaccompanied since 2002. She also became the first female artist to be included on MTV's Annual Hottest MC List. Minaj was named the 2011 Rising Star by Billboard. Her second studio album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded was released on April 3, 2012.
Ariana Grande-Butera (born June 26, 1993) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She made her performance debut on Broadway at age 15. Recently, she has gained attention for her role as Cat Valentine on the Nickelodeon sitcom Victorious.
Grande was born and raised in Boca Raton, Florida. She is of Italian descent, half Sicilian, half Abruzzese.
In 2008, Grande played the role of Charlotte in the musical 13 on Broadway, for which she won a National Youth Theatre Association Award. When she joined the musical, Grande left her high school, North Broward Preparatory School, but continued to be enrolled. The school sent materials to her for study with tutors. She played the role of Miriam in the first reading of the forthcoming musical Cuba Libre composed by Desmond Child. Grande teaches music and dance to children in South Africa each year as a member of Broadway in South Africa.
Grande plays the character Cat Valentine on the Nickelodeon television show Victorious, which premiered in March 2010.
Amethyst Amelia Kelly (born June 7, 1990), better known by her stage name Iggy Azalea is an Australian hip hop recording artist signed to Grand Hustle Records. She is perhaps better known for her promotional songs "Two Times", "Pu$$y" and "My World" whose music videos went viral on YouTube. On 27 September 2011, Azalea released her first project, a mixtape titled Ignorant Art, saying she made it "with the intent to make people question and redefine old ideals".
Iggy Azalea was born Amethyst Amelia Kelly in Sydney, Australia but moved with her family to Mullumbimby when she was still a baby, into a house on 12 acres that her father built by hand from mudbricks in New South Wales. Her father was a comic artist and painter and her mother a real estate agent. Azalea says her father "made her look at [art] as a teenager" which has always influenced her life and work.
Azalea began rapping at age 14. Azalea took her stage name from her family's dog while growing up. Before embarking on a solo career, Azalea formed a group with two other girls from her neighborhood: "I was like, I could be the rapper. This could be like TLC. I’ll be Left Eye." Azalea eventually decided to leave the group because the other girls weren’t taking it seriously: "I take everything I do serious. I’m too competitive."
Sean Michael Anderson (born March 25, 1988), better known by his stage name Big Sean, is an American rapper. Big Sean signed with Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music in 2007, and then in 2008 signed with Def Jam Recordings.
Sean Michael Anderson was born in Santa Monica, California, and he moved at two months old to west Detroit (6 Mile and Wyoming) where he was raised by his mother and grandmother. He attended Detroit Waldorf School and graduated from Cass Technical High School with a 3.7 GPA. Big Sean is often heard saying " west side " in his songs; he is referring to the west side of his hometown Detroit, Michigan. In his later years in high school, Sean gained a valuable relationship with Detroit hip hop station WHTD; he would show his rhyming skills on a weekly basis as part of a rap battle contest held by the station.
In 2005, Kanye West was doing a radio interview at 102.7 FM. Hearing about this, Sean headed over to the station to meet West and perform some free-style. Initially Kanye was reluctant to hear the emcee, however he gave Sean 16 bars to rap for him, eventually according to Big Sean "As we get to the entrance of the radio station ... we stopped in the middle of the doorway. He starts looking at me and bobbing his head,". He left a demo-tape as well. Two years later, West finally signed Big Sean to GOOD Music.
[Verse:]
The the'ter, the the'ter
What's happened to the the'ter?
Especially where dancing is concerned
[1st refrain:]
Chaps who did taps aren't tapping anymore
They're doing choreography
Chicks who did kicks aren't kicking anymore
They're doing choreography
Queens with routines
That would stop the show in days that used to be
One and all they're not chancing
What we used to call dancing
Instead of dance, it's choreography
Jakes who did breaks aren't breaking anymore
They're doing choreography
Who did softshoe doesn't do it anymore
They're doing choreography
Heps who did steps
That would stop the show in days that used to be
Through the air they keep flying
Like a duck that is dying
Instead of dance, it's choreography
[As sung in the film:]
The the'ter, the the'ter
What's happened to the the'ter?
Especially where dancing is concerned
Chaps who did taps aren't tapping anymore
They're doing choreography
Chicks who did kicks aren't kicking anymore
They're doing choreography
Heps who did steps
That would stop the show in days that used to be
Through the air they keep flying
Like a duck that is dying
Instead of dance, it's choreography
Well you don't fit in, thank God
But you don't know what you've got
So you try to be like them, but you're not
And you're almost dead
Almost dead
You're almost dead
And I wish I could hang out up in the sky
And be the light to shine you home
So I write another song about the darkness
And how you're not alone
So you try to find a hole
Deep enough to lie in
There's comfort in the cold, I know
When you're almost dead
Almost dead
You're almost dead
And I wish I could hang out up in the sky
And be the light to shine you home
So I write another fucking song about the darkness
And how you're not alone
Choreography. Paint by numbers.
Exchange hollow greetings with someone who'll do the
same.
Smile appropriately for the right kinds of people,
with the right kinds of capital, financial or social.
Craft your character, rehearse your performance.
See which you sells the best and reinforce habits.
Walk to the altar, read from the prompter,
smile for your picture, and clap like a seal.
(chorus)
Is everyone looking at me,
Nodding their heads in approval?
Does this convince you? It never convinced me... it never
convinced me.
Years don't teach anything if you're not listening...
or plugging your ears with bargain priced fantasies that
are cheap to adopt,
but will surely break down right when you need a real
understanding.
Choreography. Don't think critically.
It's all been figured out for you, and nothing means
anything.