It’s Not a Choreographer’s Job to Make a Piece Come to Life

One of the biggest misconceptions in the dance world is that a choreographer is solely responsible for how a piece lives and breathes on stage. The truth? We aren’t.

As choreographers, we usually have a limited amount of time to step into a studio, create a piece, and set the vision. Our role is to set clear expectations, be specific with details, and give dancers the blueprint of how the movement should look and feel. We bring the map—but we’re not the ones traveling the road week after week.

Once we leave, the responsibility shifts. It becomes the job of the studio owner, the teachers, and most importantly, the dancers to bring the piece to life. You are the ones in charge of how the choreography is ultimately presented on stage.

The Frustration of Watered-Down Work

I’ll be honest (and I know this might ruffle some feathers): one of the most upsetting things for a choreographer is to see their work watered down beyond recognition. Yes, things will always need to be tweaked or adjusted as the season goes on. That’s normal. But when artistry and creativity are stripped away for the sake of “cleaning” or “looking like a team,” the dancers lose out on something far greater than precision.

Watering down doesn’t benefit the kids. It takes away the very challenge that could have fueled them to grow. Instead of settling for what feels safe, we should be pushing them to be uncomfortable, to rise to the occasion, to tap into performance and imagination. That’s how dancers truly evolve.

Find What Fuels Them

As leaders in the studio, your job is to figure out what sparks your dancers’ artistry. Maybe it’s a story, a picture, a prop, or simply reminding them that they are allowed to be expressive humans, not just dancers with perfect technique. It’s not about every toenail being in the exact right place—it’s about the dancers embodying the art in a way that feels alive and authentic.

Give them permission to struggle. To wrestle with movement that feels foreign. To grow into choreography that pushes them beyond what’s easy. Of course, this should always be within reason, but discomfort is often the soil where artistry blooms.

The Takeaway

A choreographer gives you the seed, but it’s your responsibility to water it, nurture it, and help it bloom on stage. Don’t strip it back until it’s unrecognizable. Instead, elevate it. Challenge your dancers. Remind them they’re artists first, technicians second.

Because at the end of the day, choreography doesn’t come to life because of the steps—it comes to life because of the people who choose to own it.