Since we’ve been spending a bit of time each week focusing on formations, Julia was nice enough to put together a handout on chorus guidelines.  These are things that are important to keep in mind when practicing and during jam time in class, so that you’ll already have them well in hand during the monthly student showcases.

FORM:

Standard:

The chorus should form a shallow semi circle open to the front of the stage or the audience centered around center stage or the center of the active performance area.  Dancers will face stage left (not straight on – they should be at a 45 degree angle or so to the audience).  The chorus should adjust in spacing/length, etc as people come into it and go out of it to maintain this shape (with people evenly spaced) and continue to frame the performance area (or when there is a lack of a clear performance area – frame the dancers that come out to do solos, duets, trios, and quartets).  The leader is the person in front of the chorus (farthest stage left in the standard form).

Alternatives:

The chorus can turn around to face stage right for short periods of time.  To do this, the leader turns around – no cue is needed.  The turn passes down the line until it reaches the end.  Each person in line will do one repetition of the current move facing the previous direction, and then turn and proceed to continue the move in the new direction.  No one should turn until the person directly in front of them turns.  When the chorus is turned completely to stage right, the new leader is the person in front and they may change moves and turn the chorus back around whenever they wish.  Turning the chorus back around follows the same procedure.

The chorus can face the center of the line for short periods of time.  This would start as if the chorus were turning around, but the person just past the center of the line can make the decision not to turn around and continue to face the previous person.  This decision can only be controlled by the person in that position and that person becomes the new chorus leader.  At any point to bring the chorus back pointing one direction, either middle person can turn around and the turn will then pass the rest of the way down the line in that direction.

The chorus can face the audience for short periods of time.  To cue this, the leader of the chorus simply turns to face the front and this passes down the line just as any other turn in chorus.  The leader is the person on the far left (stage left).  To go back to normal facing either side, the leader turns to face that direction and that turn passes down the line.

Important: All turns in Chorus pass down the line one person at a time with each person completing one complete (both sides) repetition of the current move facing the previous direction before turning and passing the turn on to the next person.

MOVES:

Moves in Chorus should be kept relatively simple, and should be chosen to complement both the music and the moves of the formation in center (i.e. not distract from them or clash with them – you are their chorus, not the other way around).  Chorus moves also should not change as often as moves in the center formations.  When choosing moves, keep in mind the amount of space / crowding in the chorus at the time and adjust as necessary (arms may need to be kept small, for example).