What music is most often used in Contemporary dance and why

The beauty of contemporary is that you can use practically any music for your rehearsals and performances. This is convenient because you can choose a song that matches your musical preferences.

Some like a fast and active tempo, so they pick a corresponding melody and make the dance energetic. Others are drawn to calmness and regularity, so their dance will be less impulsive and rather "cool." For beginner dancers, their favorite music is best because it helps them open up and motivates them to continue dancing.

Strange as it may sound, experienced dancers use different tracks for rehearsals and performances. This is because most rehearsal time is spent on warm-ups, and to avoid getting tired of the music, it's better to replace it with something more neutral.

Students at dance schools were asked, "Where do you look for music for your contemporary pieces?" They answered that they most often use recommendations from the social network VKontakte, because the service is designed to suggest music based on personal preferences.

Moreover, creative people only need to listen to a few seconds of a composition to understand if it will work for a dance or if they should look for something else.

For warm-ups, rhythm is important in the music; for classes, just background music is needed; but for performances, the character of the composition is essential to allow the dancer to visualize images and later portray them.

To move to specific artists, one choreographer was asked what music he prefers to use in his classes and what his students like. He replied that most often you can hear Moby, Max Richter, Olafur Arnalds, and others at his training sessions. When students ask what song is playing, the choreographer considers it a good sign, because it shows that beginner dancers have an interest in dance and this music motivates them.

Also, Rio Zouk can be used in contemporary. Rio Zouk is an integration of Lambazouk with some other dance forms. Subtypes of Rio Zouk include Neozouk and Soul Zouk, but almost no one dances to these sounds in pure form; usually they are an addition to one of the music forms.

Most often, contemporary music is chosen in the Pop style. Basically, it's a lively, rhythmic, fast melody. The main thing is that it fits the mood and allows movements to be synchronized with the tempo. It's important that the music does not distract the dancer from the performance, but rather complements the dance and helps create proper improvisation.

It's worth considering that a full image is created not only by dance and music, but also by costumes. For example, if the main idea of the dance is unrequited love, then a sad song without words and black costumes work perfectly. If the dance conveys a positive emotion, like love idyll and admiration for one's partner, then the music should be passionate and energetic, and the dancers should be dressed in bright, colorful costumes.

The main task of a dancer is to convey meaning to the audience. After watching the dance, the audience should have no questions. Music is your assistant; with its help, it should be easier to tell a whole story and immerse others in your world.

First, try to learn the basics at home. Find music that conveys your mood. You can also try playing any music and understand what the composer wanted to convey. You can write down your thoughts; this will help you develop your imagination, which you can later use in improvisation.

Even with a little experience in basic movements, it will be easier to ask for advice from teachers at dance schools or professional choreographers.