A phrase is the fundamental unit of choreography — a sequence of movements that has a beginning, middle, and end. Build your movement vocabulary phrase by phrase. Name them so you can call them in rehearsal.
Counts
musical timing mapper & 8-count builder
Every move lives at a specific count. Dancers count in 8s. The 1 is the first beat of each phrase. The AND counts are the half-beats between. Knowing exactly where every movement lands in the music is what separates professional from amateur.
1
Beat 1 of Phrase 1
COUNTING REFERENCE
Standard 8-count: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8
With half-counts: 1 · a1 · 2 · a2 · 3 · a3 · 4 · a4 · 5 · a5 · 6 · a6 · 7 · a7 · 8 · a8
Or with &: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 &
MUSIC MATH
4/4 time = 4 beats per bar
2 bars = 1 eight-count
4 bars = 2 eight-counts = 1 standard phrase
8 bars = 4 eight-counts = 1 full verse or chorus (common)
32 bars = 16 eight-counts = full song section
TEMPO GUIDE
Slow ballad: 60–80 BPM
Mid-tempo R&B: 80–100 BPM
Dance pop: 120–130 BPM
Fast hip hop: 140–160 BPM
Show
set list · running order · show structure
The show is the whole. Every piece connects to every other piece. The opening has to establish everything the audience will believe for two hours. The closing has to land so hard they cannot move. Everything in between is earned.
Company
dancer roster · casting · understudy tracking
Spacing
stage formation & spatial layout planner
Spacing is how the choreographer uses the full stage. Every formation is a visual composition. The audience sees geometry before they see movement. Design the picture first.
Proscenium
Thrust
Arena
Tap canvas to place dancers · Tap existing dancer to remove
Dancer label
Lead
Corps
Feature
Rehearsal
call sheet & rehearsal schedule
The call sheet is the contract between the choreographer and the company. It tells every dancer exactly when they are needed, what they are working, and what to have ready. Respect for the company starts with a clear call sheet.
Body
health · conditioning · injury tracking · recovery
The body is the instrument. There is no backup instrument. Every professional dancer's career ends with their body. The difference between a 10-year career and a 25-year career is often how you managed this tool.
Today's Conditioning Check-In
Injury Log
Professional Body Reference
WARMUP PROTOCOL (minimum 20 minutes before any physical work)
5 min — Light cardio (walk, light jog, jump rope)
5 min — Joint mobility (ankles, knees, hips, spine, shoulders)
5 min — Dynamic stretching (leg swings, hip circles, arm circles)
5 min — Style-specific warmup (isolation sequences for hip hop, pliés for ballet, etc.)
Never — stretch cold muscles. Never skip warmup under time pressure.
COOL-DOWN (minimum 10 minutes after physical work)
5 min — Light movement, walking down from intensity
5 min — Static stretching, hold each stretch 30–60 seconds
Hydrate — within 20 minutes of finishing
INJURY PREVENTION — THE NON-NEGOTIABLES
Sleep: 8–9 hours minimum during rehearsal periods
Hydration: 3–4 liters per day during intense rehearsal
Nutrition: Do not cut calories during rehearsal. The body needs fuel to repair.
Cross-training: Swimming and Pilates are the dancer's best friends
Rest days: One full rest day per week minimum. Two during peak load.
THE RULE: Pain is information. Ignore it and it becomes injury. Ignore injury and it becomes surgery.
Journal
artist's private practice & performance notebook
The journal is private. What you discover about your body, your artistry, your relationship to the music, the moments that break through in rehearsal and the ones that collapse — this is the record of a career. The greatest dancers kept notes. Their notes are priceless.