We all know that dancing and music are good for the soul, but there are studies about listening to new music and a new way of grooving & moving. Listening to new music and freestyling/learning new choreography can activate multiple areas in the brain (stimulate the brain’s memory along with information processing centers; rewire the dopamine system).

Let’s take this for example. There’s that song that you can’t seem to get out of your head. Plus, whenever you hear it, you get that feeling of excitement when it’s randomly on or someone quotes the lyrics to that song or tune. At first, it’s all great, but the more you hear it over and over, it can’t be too repetitive to the point you don’t want to hear it again...until you hear your next new jam.

That is the same way with dance, especially with freestyling or doing improv. We (as dancers and choreographers) have our go-to moves or motifs. We have worked on it/practiced that move or phrase to the point we are confident in. There’s a point that we get stuck on that certain move(s) or repeat the same phrase. It can be annoying and lead us to a block. I see this a lot with dancers, including myself, repeating a move or gesture that is stereotypical or repetitive. It’s either to a certain style of song or not expanding their range in movement & musicality. It’s like a dancer dancing to a POPULAR song that all choreographers have used (or used on social media) and automatically using the same moves that the other dancer did before or after.

Like listening to a new song, the dancer and/or choreographer must step out of their comfort zone and explore a different move, gesture, or rhythm to be free from that block or feeling like a robot. It will feel odd at first, but that awakens the brain and body. We never stop learning and moving! Plus, from the creative/artistic perspective, it brings something original to the stage and/or screen.

As quoted by Albert Einstein, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results”. There is nothing wrong going over that move/step, unless if you find some way to improve or refine it. Same way with listening to your jam more than once. You can either put it off for

a quite some time and listen to it again a little bit later in the future (distance makes the heart grow fonder). If you try and/or listen to something new, we get more engaged and alive, even smarter.

I will explain more about the importance of freestyling/improv in another blog, but I have put together a list of songs to add to your playlists (dance class/piece, freestyle jam, workout session, road trip tunes). Some of the songs featured are probably new to you or have heard of them a long time ago but revisiting them.

Rapha Conrad’s Top 5 Songs October 2024:

1. We Pray by Coldplay (feat. Little Simz, Burna Boy. Elyanna, & TINI)

2. Heal by Sleeping At Last

3. Let’s Go Back by Jungle

4. Interdimensional by Cosmo Sheldrake

5. Shipibo Icaro (Part Three) by Natureboy Flako

Whether it’s the very first time or the first time in a while you’ve heard these songs, they will for sure boost your mood and creativity! Be on the lookout for my Top 5 songs for November 2024.