Music Advice

[TinyDancer109]

In December, I will be doing a showcase with my dance studio.

According to my instructor, the theme is "R&B (Rythm & Blues)"

Now, to me, R&B and Rythm & Blues are 2 different types of music...

However, I have to find SOMETHING to choreograph a dance to in order to perform at the showcase.

Does anybody have any song suggestions to fit this theme thati can do either rythm or ballroom to?

Thanks.

[White Chacha]

I don't have a specific suggestion, but maybe something in a swing?

[mamboqueen]

One of my fave foxtrots....this is just one version, there is probably an actual "ballroom tempo" version out there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IQKZTPFVAM

[hustleNflow]

What type of dances do you do? Latin? Rhythm? Standard? Smooth? Nightclub? Or is this more of a freestyle? I guess I'm just kinda confused as to what your instructor wants you to do...does he want you to dance ballroom to R&B music? Or does he want your dancing to have a more bluesy feel?

Without knowing any specifics, here are some suggestions...

Chante Moore "Old School Love" - a great bolero, more of a modern R&B song

Eva Cassidy "Wade in the Water" - a slow, sexy West Coast Swing, more classic blues

Maxwell "Whenever Wherever Whatever" - another great bolero, modern R&Bish

Al Green "Ain't No Sunshine" - a bluesy rumba

Alicia Keys "If I Ain't Got You" - R&B-style waltz


Is any of this fitting his description? If you give me a better idea of what you need, I can probably give you better suggestions :-P

[chita229]

huh i guess i think of r&b as being the updated more current version of blues music - but thats just my opinion - i dont know for sure. pick a dance - I have tons of ideas - too many to list. Would you like something more bluesy or more current R&B?

[TinyDancer109]

Thanks for the suggestions, they sound great...

As to the type of dance my instructor wants, I am unsure myself... The theme of our studio's showcase is "R&B (aka Rythm & Blues)"... We are having an outside choreographer come into the studio for the showcase, so my instructor told me to start brainstorming on music... I also think of the more modern hip hop music when i think R&B, but I am unsure if that is included in the theme genre, haha... i think he would like to do one Rythm dance and one smooth dance to perform that night.

[TinyDancer109]

Ok, got it straightened out...

the theme is RYTHM AND BLUES

[2totango]

Do you get to pick which dances you are to do? I'd say any Carolina beach music would be very R&B....let me know if you are interested.

[suburbaknght]

"Misery," by Pink. It's a very bluesy waltz that has the benefit of not being as saturated in the ballroom community as "If I Ain't Got You."

[Indiana_Jay]

Anyone who feels uncertain of what R&B is should go rent the Blues Brothers movie (the original -- I've never seen the poorly reviewed 2000 sequel) or go to your local library and borrow one of the Blues Brothers CDs!

[Indiana_Jay]

"Misery," by Pink. It's a very bluesy waltz that has the benefit of not being as saturated in the ballroom community as "If I Ain't Got You."

Thanks for that, SK -- I've just added it to my library. BTW, at 32 measures per minute, it's just a touch quick for a ballroom slow waltz (which usually runs 28 - 30), which might explain why it hasn't been overplayed in ballroom events.

[Joe]

Anyone who feels uncertain of what R&B is should go rent the Blues Brothers movie (the original -- I've never seen the poorly reviewed 2000 sequel) or go to your local library and borrow one of the Blues Brothers CDs!
So they can listen to BOTH kinds of music? ;)

[White Chacha]

mmmm... Country AND Western ;-)