When it comes to formations, many teams like to keep it safe. The typical, easy formations are usually boring lines and boxes. Although it’s easier to make these formations perfect, it is dull and unappealing to the audience.
Audiences like to see teams take risks. That includes using new and interesting formations. Go ahead, brainstorm. Here are some tips for formations:
Find something that takes up the entire floor. If you are performing in a gym, utilize the entire space. Although it is good to stay tight and close together, move away from each other every once in awhile. It creates contrast and makes the performance more interesting.
Don’t play it safe. The easy formations may look nice, but aren’t very impressive. Take a risk by doing something new. Instead of a box formation, try something with harder with curves. Of course, if I offered any suggestions, then the formations wouldn’t be unique to you. Try to make formations that express your team, the music, and the dance. Spend some time drawing formations on paper.
Make formations mathematically workable. Before you start working on a formation, make sure it’s possible to even do it. Work out the spacing in between people beforehand. Once you begin working with the team, there should be little confusion. Making formations “mathematically workable” means that no rules of geometry are violated. This may sound ridiculous, but I have had this problem once. The formation was supposed to be four lines, forming a square. Someone decided that the spacing between people horizontally, vertically, and diagonally should be an arm span. As you could predict, the diagonal spacing was in fact not supposed to be the same as the horizontal and vertical spacings. This is one example of violating Pythagoras’s Theorem.
Let everyone contribute. Tell all the team members to draw their own formations. You might get some great ideas!
Watch and learn. If you are thoughtless on what formations to create, watch another team and look at the formations. Don’t steal a formation, but modify it and make if your own.
Most importantly, be creative and take some risks.
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