How do you pick a song when you choreograph a dance ?

Question:

How do you pick a song when you choreograph a dance ?

If you know any good songs to do a modern or lyrica dance to tell me.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Is this for a competition or a performance?

Then go for a song with emotion. Don't be afraid of obscure or non-mainstream artists, and pop is generally a very, very, VERY bad choice. (No Sexyback ;) )

Did I mention that pop is a bad choice?

If the song is for a solo, then having a steady beat throughout the song is not necessarily a requirement. Find a song that has movement, with emotional highs and subtle lows. I did a piece using "Sonnet XI Unrealities" by Bjork, and as it is a capella and had definite emotions running through it, as it was originally a poem by E. E. Cummings. That piece received a perfect score (1st ever given) for that particular circuit.

I've found that jazzy/blues pieces also make great songs to work with as the tempo is just right and the music won't overpower the beauty of the dance.

Also, cutting a song to meet the required length is not recommended, unless you have the technology to do so properly. It doesn't matter how wonderful your dance is if the song is poorly put together. Find a shorter song, or if you have the equipment, edit the song and keep the verses you like or add to the intro, cut out whole chunks, or whatever you need, just make sure it all blends smoothly.

Again, the most important thing is to pick a song that you can emotionally identify with. Even if the audience has no technical knowledge of dance, they can tell when your whole heart and soul have been put into it.

Feel free to contact me if you have any more questions, or need help picking a song.
On the other hand, don't be afraid of rock if you can find a mellower or classic piece. I correographed an ensemble to "Voodoo" by Godsmack, and also recieved a perfect score for that. (Again, the first ever given.)