Thread by @JiminUncut

[Thread]

What does freestyle vs choreography mean when it comes to a dancer like Jimin expressing himself on stage? How do the different mediums affect the message he conveys to the audience? #JIMIN @BTS_twt

When a dancer freestyles, the most important guide they have to their movements is the music. The dancer uses the music that is playing, interprets it and expresses it to the best of their ability with their body. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

They have to listen to the counts and match the rhythm and flow of their dance to the music. They try to express what the music means to them in the moment, whether it is joyful, cocky, sorrowful, aggressive, etc. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

Freestyle dance requires quick thinking, a bank of moves and great musicality. To have the most impact, you have to have an ear for the music and be able to switch from fast to slow, hard-hitting to soft, all while maintaining the emotion or message you want to convey. #JIMIN

Choreographed dance, on the other hand, means the dance routine is fit to the selected music beforehand, practiced and then performed. The choreography could be done by the dancer themselves or an outside professional. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

Now, whoever the choreographer is, they have the option to either fit choreography to a piece of music they like or find a song that matches a theme or message they want to tell through their choreography. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

cr. Mighty Jimin

Modern dancers put a lot of emphasis on expressing emotionality through dance. The message or theme of the dance is the most important and they will often start with that and then find a piece of music to match. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

When the dancer is choreographing their own piece, they can decide the story they want to tell through their dance. When they are dancing a piece choreographed by someone else, however, it is their job to understand the choreographer’s intentions and relay them to the audience.

Think of the dancer as an actor, the choreographer as a director/screenwriter and the choreography as a script. The dancer can interpret the choreography on their own to a certain degree, but they have to follow the choreographer’s vision. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

A good dancer can elevate the choreography given to them, just as a good actor can elevate a script. They can often adlib small moves and tap into their emotions in a way that connects to the audience. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

cr. Peach Jelly

Now, BTS’s situation is interesting because different people choreograph their dances, but their music is created by them themselves. So the choreographer is trying to convey THEIR message with the dance. This means BTS can immediately relate to the theme or message. #JIMIN

Which means going up on stage is a matter of getting in touch with their original intention of the song. The purpose, the meaning, the emotional connection. #JIMIN once said in an interview that it wasn’t just about dancing to the tone, but connecting with his feelings on stage.

Since the choreo is ultimately designed for them, it also means that BTS has more freedom in how to showcase the moves. There is more flexibility for adlibs and they often make adjustments to the base choreography to suit their individual styles. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

At the end of the day, both freestyle and choreography are beautiful ways a dancer can tell a story and connect to an audience. An advantage of freestyle is that it has no limits - you are free to express yourself however you wish in the moment and it all comes from you. #JIMIN

An advantage of choreography is that it gives you a blueprint to work with, a set story to tell, and you can enhance it with personal technique and other dancers to make a masterpiece. #JIMIN @BTS_twt