Ghostbusters (No Small Children version)

I came across this short, dancey version of the Ghostbusters theme on the Internet. There is an interesting rhythm involving superimposing a 3+3+3+3+4 over the underlying 4/4; this translates into a hoppy dance move. Here is the music video, since I'm choreographing it, there is no dance video.

The music is by a group called No Small Children, an all-woman group from LA whose members are all schoolteachers by day, none of whom have small children.

Uptown Funk

There are many exerdance versions of this very popular song, but most of them didn't resonate with me. This one did. It's by a fitness choreographer/teacher up in Ottawa, Ontario.

Although I think it looks good just on the two dancers in the video, I think it will look really good with more dancers.

Happy

This is an unusual choreography to this song, but I like it the best of all the ones I looked at, in spite of what looks like an extraordinarily bad haircut on the choreographer/dancer. I really like the way she uses the head, arms, and trunk: the feet are almost an afterthought.

I also like it that the choreography is actually very simple and repetitive, yet to my eyes is never boring.

I'm in control

I'm considering this one. I like some of the fast foot movements and swivels. I think this one will have some difficulties. However, I like how it looks.

I particularly like the use of swivel turns + jump to 2nd.

I don't like it, I love it

There a quite a few versions of this on Youtube. This is the one I like the best, by Shine Dance Fitness.

One of the interesting things about this is that the person who choreographed it also posted a tutorial clip of it. Hopefully, this will make it much easier to learn off the video.

I wish there was something like this for all the exercise dance videos on Youtube!

Emotions

This has some particularly good elements in it. For one thing, it emphasizes loosening the hips quite a  bit. The music has a strong rhythm and the choreography uses that fully. There is also a 32-count improv segment. Basically, I think this will be really fun to dance.

I have this pretty much learned.

One More Sleep (to learn after Thanksgiving)

Normally, I avoid seasonal music, since it's...seasonal. I usually like learning things you can dance all year, which is most music. However, I really like this choreography, and it doesn't look too difficult. So, I'm posting it here so I don't forget to start learning it this Fall.

We probably won't use the part where they bring in a Christmas tree.

Can't Stop This Feeling

Here's another very nice pieces of choreography. There are several group dance versions of this on Youtube, but this is the one I like the best. I like the bounciness of it. It's by a group called Shine dance fitness.

Since there's not really any jumping in this, it could go fairly early in a session.

UPDATE: I've learned this, and can dance it fairly reliably. It's very interesting how important it is to think about coordinating the arms, legs, and trunk in several places in this choreography.

Also, there are some small differences in my version, but I actually prefer them, so I'm keeping them.

Azucar

I haven't started learning this one. I like it because it is so energetic. The actual movements aren't so hard, but doing it fast enough and keeping it up may be interesting. There is also a repeated section where the words of the song call out the movements. It was choreographed and the dance is led by someone named Hector from “Hector Zumba and Dance”.

Adios

I haven't started learning this one, but I think it will be pretty easy. It uses several of the same steps that Brian has used in our class. It is from a group in Netherlands, Saskia's dance school.

UPDATE: Most of the steps are easy, but there are some pretty deep squats at a certain point in the sequence. I've learning all of it, but am having trouble getting the body rolls and squats right.

Tro mako

When I was trying learn some things about the biguine, I came across this video. It is a dance—mostly a fast carnival-style biguine vidé—that was choreographed by a guy named Jean-Claude Lamorandière in Martinique, in the French Antilles. It was intended for people to learn the choreography for a “flashmob” they prepared for a Jazz festival in 2014. Although it is pretty fast, I've started learning it. I think it could be adapted very well for use in a cardio dance session. The only change to consider would be to re-do the section where the dancers leave their positions and dance around the room, then return to their positions.

Another thing about this dance is that it requires sliding the feet quite a bit. Notice what the dancers are wearing on their feet. It may be that some adaptation will be required to make it work with fitness shoes.

Angel

I like this music for a final cool-down sequence. Here is a music video from Sarah McLachlan, the composer:

I'm trying to use some of the ideas from this cool-down sequence from Refitrev (but I don't really like their music as well as I do Angel):

Amélie Colbert

This is music I have basically finished working up a dance sequence to. I'm thinking of it as a gentle warm-up. It's a pop song in a blend of French and Kreol. The dance will be mostly in a biguine (fast-fast-slow) rhythm. This is the music video by the song's composer, Laurent Voulzy:

One Girl Can Change the World

I've learned this dance (although I may no be doing it exactly like the video). I like to use it as the first piece after warmup. It's from Refitrev and Youtube.

The ending of this is unusual in that the odd/even columns of dancers alternate in what they do.

Better When I'm Dancing

I like to do this one at the end of a session, before warming up. It's from Refitrev and Youtube.

The arms are very important in this one. I call this style of arm movement “swan arms”, but a better way to think about it may be “to lead with the wrists”.

Ojos Negros

This is a fast mostly salsa sequence with some jumps. It's also from Refitrev on Youtube. I've learned it, more or less.

This might be nice toward the middle of a session.

50 Ways to Say Goodbye

This is one of my favorite Youtube finds, from Refitrev. It's lots of fun to dance.

I think it could work well toward the end of an exercise section.