Although Neil Schwartz has had the pleasure of working with artists like ASTR and Bosco and has choreographed performances and industrials for “Good Morning America” and Sephora, it’s teaching that really drives his passion for dance. In his regular street jazz classes at Broadway Dance Center in New York City and master classes around the world, he believes one of the most important things he can do as a teacher is challenge his students musically and emotionally. “I always tell them they have to look beyond the ‘5, 6, 7, 8,’” he says. “People today are getting too caught up in the steps instead of the feelings that should be coming across with their performance.”
Schwartz sets aside time once a week to research music, and he usually knows within seconds if he has found a song he wants to use for choreography. “I search through music blogs, the iTunes library and SoundCloud to discover new music,” he says. “I’m a huge movie buff, so each piece that I create, I picture what it would be like if I set it as a short video or film.” DT
Artist: ASTR
Song: “Activate Me”
“I’ve been listening to their music for years, and I was fortunate enough to have had the honor of choreographing for these artists. I love to use their music for everything from a warm-up to setting pieces and choreography. This song has an electronic dance vibe to it. It’s one that I can put on repeat and never get tired of. I really strive for musicality and performance in my classes, and this song is a perfect fit.”
Artist: J*Davey
Song: “Strong Anticipation”
“I’m a huge J*Davey fan and have been for quite some time. There’s something about their music and artistry that sets them apart in so many ways. This song is a mixture of soul, R&B, dance and electronic music, and it’s a mix that really inspires my musicality.”
Artist: Bosco
Song: “Gold Ghost”
“This is another artist I’ve had the pleasure of working with. I consider Bosco a breath of fresh air. Her music is extremely soulful, and it reminds me of ’90s R&B—a genre I’m a huge fan of. It took me 10 seconds of listening to this to know that I had to use it for a class combo. It’s the type of song you can get totally lost in.”
Artist: SWV
Song: “#MCE”
“This song is very catchy, especially for a ’90s R&B fan like me. I’ve been listening and dancing to SWV since I was about 7—I grew up to this music—so it was no surprise that I want to choreograph to it now. I used this song for my first class of 2016, and the energy it brought into the classroom was nothing short of amazing.”
Artist: The Internet
Song: “Get Away”
“It took less than five seconds for this particular song to catch my attention. It’s a beautiful mix of neo soul, hip hop and R&B and was by far one of my favorite songs of 2015. At first, I used it for warm-up, but I’m considering using it for a class combination now.”
Photo by Shar Adrias, courtesy of Schwartz
