Ballet Routine

[MissRandall]

I watch so many videos and I'm constantly amazed with some of the stuff people come up with... Everything from the music to the actual break down of the routine.

I would really like to know how some of you come up with musical selections.

Then how you start puting together your routine.

For me, I find, that I just hear a song and will immediately picture doing certain things at certain points in the music. I just kind of "wing" the rest.

I think I could really improve on creating my routines and hope that other peoples input will help me do that.

Thanks!

[Penny Lingenfelter]

Hi, for me it depends on what I need the routine for as to how much I choreograph it. Some of my routines every move is choregraphed on paper, stick practiced and practiced and video taped outside. That was usually the case with competition.

When I wing a routine and just listen to it over and over and over and over and over again, I picture in my mind what I am doing, use my hands and arms to practice. This only works so far. I have to remember that my kite isn't always capapble of doing the moves at that speed.

When I stick practice, I take my kite outside and see how many turns/pivots across the ground or sky I can do to a certain piece of music. Then when I stick practice at home it gives me a base of what I can really do. Example; four pivots with my stick across the tv screen is my limit.

Some of my routines are written down with color coded Right and Left spins.

Some people like to have every step choreographed and some like to leave it a little more freelance and only hit certain major points in the music. I've seen others listen to their music and scribble down what they want to do.

Keeping a list of what moves you'd like to show, so you remember to try and put everything you can in them is a good idea too.

One of my first routintes was choreograped in the hot tub the night before by my mom and I and it came a close 2nd to 1st.

Sometimes routines are so practiced you don't feel the magic in them and wonder if free flying wouldn't show more soul. Once I asked head judge, Eric Forsburg, if it wouldn't be better to fly freefly and less per rote. He told me know, keep choreographing.

Indoors, you not only choregraph your kite, but also the use of your floor. Another fun aspect of kiteflying.

Best Breezes,

Penny

[John Barresi]

Heh, I'm not much use on this one... I make up every routine I fly, as I go.

In all my years of flying, if I'd had to do the same routine more than a dozen times... I'd have gotten sick of it.

So, I make it all up... 100% soul flying.

[LeighB]

Heh, I'm not much use on this one... I make up every routine I fly, as I go.

In all my years of flying, if I'd had to do the same routine more than a dozen times... I'd have gotten sick of it.

So, I make it all up... 100% soul flying.

dude! that makes everything you fly so much more freakin' impressive!

[John Barresi]

Thanks Leigh... It should be said that I give up a certain degree of consistancy without having a game plan, and it takes a lot more something (right mood, for example) in order to choregraph and plan your way through a routine while it's happening.

[ant man]

i agree john makeing up your own routines is way better it does get boreing doint the same thing over and over again

[MissRandall]

Heh, I'm not much use on this one... I make up every routine I fly, as I go.

In all my years of flying, if I'd had to do the same routine more than a dozen times... I'd have gotten sick of it.

So, I make it all up... 100% soul flying.

I'm even more impressed!

So how do you come up with your musical selections! For instance, I love the song "Red Warrior" but I would have never come across it unless I watched your routine that you flew to it.

How do you find your music?

[John F]

I have been using a tool for making up the choreography. It is free software called Audacity. The source is http://audacity.sourceforge.net/. This lets you cut and paste and edit a music file and save it for mp3 or cd. What is really a nice feature is you can add text notes to the wave form of the music. So you can listen to the music and when you get to point where you should do something you can add a note (" axle"). That text is saved with the music file. Now you can come back to the music listen again and edit the text to change the choreography.

I found it particularly helpful as a beginner and it was easy enough that it makes you want to plan your routine. Another great feature is that you can then export the text to Word or Excel or whatever and print out a crib sheet to take to the practice field.

This is a very big help for someone who is not musical like me and it satisfies my need to engineer.

[MissRandall]

I have been using a tool for making up the choreography. It is free software called Audacity. The source is http://audacity.sourceforge.net/. This lets you cut and paste and edit a music file and save it for mp3 or cd. What is really a nice feature is you can add text notes to the wave form of the music. So you can listen to the music and when you get to point where you should do something you can add a note (" axle"). That text is saved with the music file. Now you can come back to the music listen again and edit the text to change the choreography.

I found it particularly helpful as a beginner and it was easy enough that it makes you want to plan your routine. Another great feature is that you can then export the text to Word or Excel or whatever and print out a crib sheet to take to the practice field.

This is a very big help for someone who is not musical like me and it satisfies my need to engineer.

How is this different from Garage Band? So the text form is only when you listen to the music in Audacity?

[John Barresi]

How do you find your music?

If you can step on a dance floor and shake it without a plan, you can fly the same... I LOVE mystery ballet, because it forces me to open up to the music and let it move me.

I generally get all the new soundtracks that come from action/thriller/adventure movies, and listen close to whatever I might have on (CD, radio).

Sometimes, there will be a song I've heard 1000's of times, then one day... I finally understand a way to fly with it, something clicks.

[MissRandall]

How do you find your music?

If you can step on a dance floor and shake it without a plan, you can fly the same... I LOVE mystery ballet, because it forces me to open up to the music and let it move me.

I generally get all the new soundtracks that come from action/thriller/adventure movies, and listen close to whatever I might have on (CD, radio).

Sometimes, there will be a song I've heard 1000's of times, then one day... I finally understand a way to fly with it, something clicks.

Thanks John! I don't get out on the dance floor much anymore but I get what your saying.

Now I have visions of you on the dance floor shaking it to "Dueling Banjo's" or "The Looney Toon Theme"

[Penny Lingenfelter]

John says he doesn't dance. But he does in his mind, you can tell.

I'm not very computer literate, but maybe I'll try that free music edit program. I could put notes like, pivot, smile, pull your stomach in. lol

Then I wouldn't need a coach!

John's right, flying with soul is excellent, but the downfall is the inconsistency's. The transitions. He's been flying long enough to make it look easy, but most of us would show our weakest spots there.

BB Penny

[John Barresi]

Well said Penny.

My weaker spots show too, just not as often perhaps.

[John F]

How is this different from Garage Band? So the text form is only when you listen to the music in Audacity?

I don't know Garage Band. You do not hear the text. You can insert the text on a lable line as you listen. What I do is put my choreography in on the lable line and then as I relisten to the music I can see what moves I planned and picture the kite routine and make changes until I am satisfied. The cool thing is the text is coordinated with the music so if you plan a move on cymbal clash you will see that move at that point in the music.

Then the next thing is when you have got something that can be exported and printed to take to the field.

It also has timing but I don't find that useful.

[monkey]

How is this different from Garage Band? So the text form is only when you listen to the music in Audacity?

Audacity and Garage Band are very similiar in what they do. I prefer Garage Band, its a little more intuitive, but, limited to Macs.

[MissRandall]

How is this different from Garage Band? So the text form is only when you listen to the music in Audacity?

Audacity and Garage Band are very similiar in what they do. I prefer Garage Band, its a little more intuitive, but, limited to Macs.

Thanks for the information Monkey!

Since I'm familiar with Garage Band... and I'm a Mac user... Well, I'm sure you can do the math.