Choreography

Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements and their arrangement in time and space for performance. It involves selecting steps or gestures, determining their order, timing, spatial pathways, and how dancers interact with music, lighting, and scenery. The term comes from Greek choreia (dance) and graphein (to write), reflecting the idea of writing movement as a sequence.

Choreography has roots in ritual performances and court dances, but the concept has broadened with modern and contemporary dance. In the 20th century, choreographers expanded beyond traditional ballet to embrace experimental movement, emphasizing individual choreographic voice and collaboration with dancers, designers, and composers. Notable figures include Isadora Duncan, Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham, and Pina Bausch, who each expanded the range of movement and stage ideas.

To notate or analyze movement, several systems exist. Labanotation and Benesh Movement Notation encode movement in symbolic scores; others use motif notation or video documentation. Notation aims to preserve and communicate choreography beyond live rehearsal, though many works are transmitted through performance and instruction rather than written records.

Choreographic practice employs devices such as motifs and their development, repetition and variation, contrast, form and structure, and spatial design. Improvisation can be a source for material, later refined through rehearsal. Directors and choreographers coordinate with composers, designers, and technicians to realize the work in performance.

Choreography is used in traditional dance companies, contemporary ensembles, theatre productions, figure skating, acrobatics, and media such as film and television. In education, students study choreography as part of dance, theatre, or arts programs, learning movement technique, composition, and stagecraft. Advances in technology, including video analysis and motion capture, influence modern practice.