A Choreographer's Handbook

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

On choreography: "Choreography is a negotiation with the patterns your body is thinking"

On rules: "Try breaking the rules on a need to break the rules basis"

A Choreographer's Handbook invites the reader to investigate how and why to make a dance performance. In an inspiring and unusually empowering sequence of stories, ideas and paradoxes, internationally renowned dancer, choreographer and teacher Jonathan Burrows explains how it's possible to navigate a course through this complex process.

It is a stunning reflection on a personal practice and professional journey, and draws upon five years' of workshop discussions, led by Burrows.

Burrows' open and honest prose gives the reader access to a range of exercises, meditations, principles and ideas on choreography that allow artists and dance-makers to find their own aesthetic process.

It is a book for anyone interested in making performance, at whatever level and in whichever style.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Preface (p. xi)
• Dancing Principles (p. 1)
• Material (p. 5)
• Habits (p. 7)
• Repetition (p. 8)
• Repetition (p. 11)
• Repetition (p. 13)
• Improvisation
• Cut and paste
• Choreography (p. 24)
• Form (p. 28)
• Exploration
• Risk (p. 29)
• Subject
• Inspiration
• Stealing
• Familiar movement
• Choreography
• Referencing other sources
• Self-expression (p. 30)
• Contract
• Performance space
• Language
• Choreography (p. 37)
• Breaking the rules (p. 41)
• Research
• How and what?
• Dramaturgy
• Theory
• Curiosity (p. 43)
• Interview
• Unfinished business
• Questions
• Principles (p. 49)
• Financial limitations
• Studios
• Funding applications (p. 51)
• Preparation
• Rehearsal schedule
• Heaviness (p. 54)
• Collaboration
• Audience (p. 58)
• Originality
• Paradox (p. 61)
• Technique
• Parrot on your shoulder
• Authenticity
• Daily practice
• Dancing
• Style
• Fiddling (p. 66)
• Virtuosity (p. 76)
• Hoarding
• Beginnings (p. 78)
• Endings (p. 81)
• Keeping it going
• Pacing (p. 83)
• Dub reggae
• Rate of change
• Simple material
• Desperation (p. 87)
• Stillness and silence
• Fear of being boring (p. 91)
• Minimal and maximal (p. 93)
• Does it work?
• Showings
• Mentoring (p. 95)
• Other bodies
• States (p. 99)
• Distracting the self
• Paradox
• Choreography
• Performance
• Electric guitars (p. 102)
• Predictable and unpredictable
• Expectation (p. 107)
• Narrative
• Ballet
• Continuity (p. 109)
• Continuity
• Sectional pieces
• Material
• Make six things
• Choreography
• Flow
• Relation (p. 113)
• Relation
• Solos, duos, trios, quartets
• Ideas (p. 119)
• Relation
• Time
• Rhythm (p. 123)
• Time (p. 128)
• Abstract dance (p. 135)
• Counterpoint
• Formal elements
• Difference (p. 138)
• Scores
• Studios
• Improvisation (p. 141)
• Chance
• Empty hands
• Gamut of movements
• Limitations
• Laborious work
• Philosophy (p. 152)
• Place or space? (p. 157)
• Audience
• Facing the front
• Confrontation
• Humour
• Failure (p. 159)
• Audience (p. 165)
• Performance
• Principles (p. 168)
• The marketplace
• Earning a living
• Administrating the work
• Commissions (p. 172)
• Music
• Collaboration
• Silence (p. 180)
• Text (p. 185)
• Lighting
• Technicians
• Collaboration
• Costumes
• Shoes or no shoes?
• Set design
• Nudity (p. 188)
• Titles (p. 196)
• Filming
• History
• Collaboration
• Mirrors
• Human-scale (p. 198)
• Hierarchies
• Dancer or choreographer?
• In it or out of it?
• Who owns what? (p. 204)
• How can I simplify all of this? (p. 208)
• Forget all this (p. 209)
• Bibliography (p. 210)
• Thanks (p. 213)
• Biography of the author (p. 216)
• Index (p. 217)