If you are a director - whether it be of a marching band, color guard, dance studio, theatre, or any other performing arts organization - there has probably been a point in time where you had the thought "Should I hire a choreographer?" If you've had that thought, the answer is probably yes. But there are some things that you should do in order to have a successful experience with that choreographer.
1. Have a vision in mind.
With a clear vision, you can move forward with your choreographer and achieve the product that you are most desiring. If you don't have a clear vision yet, it's definitely possible that a choreographer can help you get there, but keep in mind that you need to be very open to communication, and some choreographers consider this a part of their design services any may charge extra for it.
2. Have materials to send.
Knowing how many students you have and what level they are on is a great start to having information to send to your choreographer. Unless you are hiring them for design services as well, most choreographers also require you send them some sort of map of the show design before they can write anything. In marching band, this will be your drill. In winter guard, your staging. In theatre, your blocking. This can often be seen via video or pdf file. You should also send all scores and/or recordings to your music.
3. Know what everyone is wearing.
Again, costuming is usually considered a design service and an extra charge for your choreographer to do that as well. If you are simply choosing costumes from a catalog or you already have them designed, make sure that your choreographer can see pictures (or even better videos!) of the costuming. Dresses lend themselves to very different choreography over pants, and things like sequins, loose fabric, sheer panels, and anything else can come into play.
4. Set deadlines.
Make sure that your deadlines are reasonable. If you have ever written a piece of music, a story, or created something else artful before, keep in mind that choreographing is an art form and it does take some time to create quality work, then deliver it. On the other hand, you don't want your deadline to be the first day of your camp or clinic as some choreographers who are overbooked might put off working on your piece until the last minute if it is a later deadline than other clients.
5. Find a quality choreographer.
It's not always easy to trust what a person says about themselves online. Finding a choreographer with the skill, ability, training, and time can be quite a task. That's why Spintronix is seeking to ease the burden of this part through the Instructor Database. In a simple search, you will be able to see verified certifications, experience, and reviews of a large number of instructors, designers, and choreographers.
We can't wait to see what you and your team puts together in their performance this season. If there is any way that we can help, please contact us!