Have you ever lost your choreography mojo? For the last 6-8 weeks I've just been in a funk when it comes to new routines. I've thought about it and can boil it down to a few reasons:
1. I was so busy prepping to teach Aqua classes on my teaching vacation, that any time I had for choreography was spent retraining my brain for classes in the pool. It felt like too much information to memorize new songs and my Aqua routines.
2. The recent ZIN volumes have been fine, but have you noticed that I haven't written about the last two like I normally do? The songs were totally OK, but nothing jumped out to me. You know that feeling, where the first time you hear a song and you can already see yourself leading your class to it? I tried to choreograph Las Mamies from ZIN 53 but per reason number 1 above, I just couldn't commit to memorizing the different sections of the song.
3. I'm training for a half marathon in March, and a lot of my workout time is dedicated to running. I love listening to my Zumba music while hitting the pavement (and often accidentally do the arm movements while I'm running!) but I haven't had a ton of time to listen to the same song over and over while working on choreo for it.
Then, something happened.
1. I was so busy prepping to teach Aqua classes on my teaching vacation, that any time I had for choreography was spent retraining my brain for classes in the pool. It felt like too much information to memorize new songs and my Aqua routines.
2. The recent ZIN volumes have been fine, but have you noticed that I haven't written about the last two like I normally do? The songs were totally OK, but nothing jumped out to me. You know that feeling, where the first time you hear a song and you can already see yourself leading your class to it? I tried to choreograph Las Mamies from ZIN 53 but per reason number 1 above, I just couldn't commit to memorizing the different sections of the song.
3. I'm training for a half marathon in March, and a lot of my workout time is dedicated to running. I love listening to my Zumba music while hitting the pavement (and often accidentally do the arm movements while I'm running!) but I haven't had a ton of time to listen to the same song over and over while working on choreo for it.
Then, something happened.
On behalf of #Zumba instructors everywhere, thank you @MarkRonson! #UptownFunk
— Jennifer Lauren (@TheZBeat) February 9, 2015
I had heard people talking about this song so I finally tracked it down online and played it. Yes! This was the beat I was waiting for... a funk to get my out of my funk. I listened to it twice and had my whole routine mapped out.
I feel so much better knowing that I haven't lost my love of choreography, music, and dance. I just needed the right song to get me back in the groove (literally). Now I'm feeling inspired to hit up iTunes and can't wait to get my next ZIN CD.
Have you ever been in a choreo funk? How do you break out of it?
I'll either wait out the funk until something really inspires me, or hit a ZIN Jam session. It would be unfair to the students to give them uninspired choreo.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Rob - sometimes I worry about only having "old" choreo... but my really good stuff that's a few weeks/months old is better than something boring that I made up just because.
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