How to Make a Dance Solo

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parts

1Planning the Solo

2Choreographing the Dance

3Completing Your Dance Solo

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Expert Q&A

Tips and Warnings

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References

The beauty of a dance solo is in the opportunity to highlight your greatest strengths as a dancer. Whether you are a technically trained dancer or simply enjoy entertaining others through movement, a dance solo gives you a chance to capture an audience's attention. To create a solo, begin by planning out things such as music, movement type, and practice time. Then, choreograph your entire solo and practice it until you feel confident enough to perform it in front of an audience.

Steps

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Planning the Solo

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   Adjust the solo to your intended audience. Your dance solo should be geared towards your audience. For example, if you're auditioning for a highly technical dance company, the goal of your dance solo may be to present your advanced technical ability. On the other hand, a dance solo for a community event may be geared solely towards entertaining others. The music and movement needs to reflect the aim of your solo.

   • For example, if you choreograph a fun and easy solo, it might not be the best choice to perform for an audition that requires displaying your technical ability.
   • If you choreograph and highly technical and difficult solo, it might not be appreciated as much by an audience that is just looking to be entertained and doesn’t have knowledge about the technicalities of dance.
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   Choose your form of dance. For example, choose a ballet, jazz, modern, or tap routine. Some choreographic pieces are intended to dazzle through high-energy movements. Others dancers are meant to move others through awe-inspiring gracefulness. With the goal of your solo in mind, consider the type of dance and movement that would be beftyou’re your dance ability and audience.

   • If you’ve never had ballet training, but want a slower, awe-inspiring routine, you may want to try modern or contemporary dance.
   • If you want a fun, high-energy solo, go for tap, jazz, or hip hop.
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   Select appropriate music. When auditioning for a traditional ballet company, select classical music or a piece that you would commonly dance to in your ballet classes. If you will perform the dance solo at a social or community event, choose music that will appeal to audience members. Try to pick a song that you would enjoy listening and dancing to.

   • Some contemporary dances are performed to recitation of words, or in the case of a step dance, you would create your own music through clapping and stomping.
4. 
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   Plan practice time. Choreographing and then practicing a dance solo will take time and effort. Set aside an amount of time to work on your routine. You can practice for an hour five days or just a few days a week. Begin working on your routine early enough so that you will feel comfortable with your solo by performance time.

   • Beginning your solo a couple of months ahead of performance time is ideal.
5. 
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   Designate a place to practice. The best place to practice is at a dance studio. If you are a member of a dance studio, ask if you can use the space for practice time. Some studios will allow you to rent the space for practice even if you aren’t a member. Practicing in a place with clean, hard floors is okay if you don’t have a studio available to you.

   • You should only practice on vinyl or hardwood floors if you are dancing in pointe shoes.
   • If you’re not dancing in a studio space, make sure the floor will not damage your dancing shoes.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Choreographing the Dance

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   Improvise to the song a few times. Play your chosen song. While it’s playing, get up and dance. Don’t plan out the moves you’re doing. Repeat this a few times. During the improvisation, you will likely repeat some steps that can be added to your final choreography.
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   Decide how you will enter the stage. Depending on the theme of your dance piece, you may leap onto stage when the music starts. Alternatively, you might stand on center stage and begin to dance as the lights come up and the music starts. Pick a start that works with your performance and the mood of the dance.
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   Film yourself or write down the steps as you choreograph. It’s hard to remember every great idea you had as you choreograph. An easy way to remember what you’ve done is to film yourself as you choreograph. Or, you can write each movement down.
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   Showcase your strengths and technical abilities. After the introduction, choreograph the dance up until the ending. Highlight your technical abilities while you choreograph. Each dancer has specific strengths. Some are highly flexible. Others are extremely strong. Some dancers have a combination of these qualities and more. Use the middle section of your dance solo to highlight your technical strengths, without taking away from the main theme of your dance piece.
5. 
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   Incorporate turns in your solo. Turns look impressive in dance, and with practice, they can be learned fairly easily. To do a basic turn (pirouette), start with your left foot in front of you and your right foot behind you. You can keep your feet facing forward for a jazz turn, or turn your feet out in opposite directions for a ballet turn. Put your right arm out straight in front of you, and put your left arm out straight to the side. Bend your legs, and then in one motion, bring your right foot up to your knee, bring your arms in so that they form a circle, and turn.

   • Once you’ve mastered one turn, try to do double or triple turns.
   • Try to turn in the other direction, or another type of turn, like a fouette turn.
6. 
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   Choreograph leaps into your solo. Leaps are fairly simple and can be used multiple times throughout your dance routine. Start by putting your right foot in front of you and then chasse (keep your right foot forward and skip). Then step your left foot in front and extend your right leg and leap off the ground. Put your arms up, or put one arm in front of you and the other arm out straight out straight to the side.

   • You can bend both legs and extend them straight once you reach full height, or you can keep your legs straight as you leap.
   • If you get stuck in a spot, leap!
7. 
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   Avoid over-choreographing if you have limited technical skills. If you don’t have a lot of dance training, don’t try too many new things in your dance routine. It’s okay to repeat steps you already know several times throughout the dance. For example, if you are great at leaping, leap several times with your arms in different positions. Or, if you enjoy doing kicks, kick your legs in different directions and use different arm positions throughout the dance.
8. 
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   Use the dance space effectively. Perform your most impressive movements in center stage so they can easily be seen. Avoid performing movements that cannot be seen, such as lying down on a stage that is not elevated. If you are performing on a large stage, use as much of the space as possible.

   • Take advantage of dramatic changes in the music. Incorporate movements that take you off of the ground in leaps, take you to the floor and back to center stage.
   • To keep the audience's attention, avoid excessive stillness and stagnation in a solo, unless it is done deliberately to convey a story or concept.
9. 
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   Decide how you will conclude your dance solo. You might end in a dynamic pose on the last beat of the music. Or, you might want the music to end as your graceful movements gradually stop. You could also dance off the stage as the music fades. Choose an ending that best aligns with the rest of your choreography.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Completing Your Dance Solo

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   Practice your dance solo. In a group dance, if you forget the movements, you can follow others. In a dance solo, you don't have this luxury. Repeated rehearsal will help you memorize the dance solo and increase the fluidity and expressiveness of your movements. Practice your completed choreography as much as possible.

   • Practice makes perfect is a saying for a reason, but you shouldn’t practice so much that you exhaust yourself.
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   Ask for feedback. If your dance isn’t right for the occasion, you'll want to know. Make sure you have at least two people to preview your dance to. Ask them to give you constructive criticism after you’ve performed for them. Ideally, ask someone who is knowledgeable about dance. If that isn’t an option, ask a friend or family member.
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   Choose a costume that is fitting for your solo. Typically, you will need to have a costume when you perform. Pick a costume that reflects the movement and mood of your solo. For example, a short, bright red dress with sequins is probably not the best costume for a sad and slow ballet dance. A flowing, light-colored dress, however, would be great for that type of dance.
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   Perform your completed solo. Your performance date is the time to show off all of your hard work. Do not stress about the performance. Dancing the solo will come to you naturally if you’ve practiced it often. Performing is the time to relax and enjoy. Your audience will enjoy your dance if you enjoy it.
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Expert Q&A

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• Question

  How do I calm my nerves before a dance?

  

  Dariusz Horvath-Krol
  Professional Ballroom Dancer & Dance Instructor

  Dariusz Horvath-Krol is a Professional Ballroom Dancer and Dance Instructor based in New York. With more than 20 years of dance experience, he specializes in ballroom dancing, hip-hop, funk, and ballet. He has also spent the last seven years performing and working with Dancing With The Stars professionals. Dariusz has received full bronze, full silver, and gold awards from The Dance Vision International Dance Association.

  

  Dariusz Horvath-Krol

  Professional Ballroom Dancer & Dance Instructor

  Expert Answer

  Know that you will be nervous when you're performing, as that is totally normal. That said, focus on your breathing: slow deep breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.

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• Question

  How do you prepare for a solo dance?

  

  Dariusz Horvath-Krol
  Professional Ballroom Dancer & Dance Instructor

  Dariusz Horvath-Krol is a Professional Ballroom Dancer and Dance Instructor based in New York. With more than 20 years of dance experience, he specializes in ballroom dancing, hip-hop, funk, and ballet. He has also spent the last seven years performing and working with Dancing With The Stars professionals. Dariusz has received full bronze, full silver, and gold awards from The Dance Vision International Dance Association.

  

  Dariusz Horvath-Krol

  Professional Ballroom Dancer & Dance Instructor

  Expert Answer

  Learn a routine, and practice it over and over and over again, always recording to be able to give yourself feedback.

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  Thank you for your feedback.
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• Question

  What are some good dance moves to add to a lyrical dance solo?

  

  Community Answer

  A knee drop is a good one, but also dangerous tilts, extensions, and splits are good in a lyrical solo.

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Tips

• Take inspiration from other dancers, but do not copy them.
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• If you forget the moves in a solo, make it up as you go along.
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• Consider your outfit. Your outfit can do a lot for what you are going for. If the dance is sad, wear blues or purples. If it’s happy or joyful, wear yellows and oranges. Consider your hairstyle, too. You can stick with a bun, but spice it up a bit, like adding a braid around the edge or a pin. Make sure everything goes with your solo, not just “I like this, lets add it”.
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Warnings

• If you feel that you are injured, do not continue practicing until you’ve consulted a doctor.
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