The Ultimate Playlist for Lyrical Dance: Top Tracks to Elevate Your Emotional Performance
Lyrical dance lives in the beautiful, aching space between ballet and contemporary. It’s where technique meets raw, unfiltered emotion, and the music is the heartbeat of every movement. The right song doesn’t just accompany a routine—it breathes life into it, giving dancers a narrative to physicalize and an emotional landscape to explore.
But finding that perfect track? That’s the eternal quest. It needs the right tempo, a compelling build, evocative lyrics, and an emotional core that you can connect with deeply.
Whether you're choreographing for competition, class, or your own soul, we've curated the ultimate playlist of modern and timeless tracks designed to unlock powerful, moving performances. Here are the top tracks to elevate your lyrical dance.
The Power Ballads: Building to an Emotional Crescendo
These songs are built on a foundation of soaring vocals and sweeping instrumentals, perfect for routines that tell a story of struggle, triumph, or profound heartache.
"Gravity" - Sara Bareilles
A lyrical staple for a reason. Its poignant piano and vulnerable lyrics about being pulled back to someone you can't escape create a perfect atmosphere for fluid, weighted movement and emotional release.
"All I Ask" - Adele
Adele’s powerful voice delivers a heart-wrenching plea of a final goodbye. The song’s dramatic build allows for a slow, tender beginning that erupts into a powerful, emotional climax.
"Turning Tables" - Adele
The cyclical piano melody mimics the feeling of a repetitive, toxic argument. It’s ideal for choreography that plays with tension, release, and the feeling of being trapped.
"She Used To Be Mine" - Sara Bareilles
A song of self-reflection and longing for a lost version of oneself. Its narrative quality is a gift for dancers, providing a clear character and emotional journey to embody.
Modern & Cinematic: Atmospheric and Ethereal
This category features songs with lush production, often from film soundtracks or indie artists, that create a specific mood or transport the audience to another world.
"Cornfield Chase" - Hans Zimmer
Pure, undiluted emotion in instrumental form. From the Interstellar soundtrack, this track’s haunting organ melody is perfect for abstract lyrical pieces about time, space, loss, and hope.
"The Night We Met" - Lord Huron
Drenched in nostalgia and regret, this track’s haunting vocals and reverb-soaked guitar provide a dreamlike, melancholic backdrop for routines about memory and lost love.
"Breathe Me" - Sia
A classic that remains potent. Its fragile, pleading opening builds into a powerful, layered finale, ideal for portraying vulnerability finding strength.
"Two Slow Dancers" - Mitski
This song feels like a memory fading. Its slow, simple melody and lyrics about two people trying to recapture the past are perfect for intimate, nuanced partner work or solo.
Uplifting & Hopeful: Finding Light in the Movement
Lyrical dance isn't always about sadness. These tracks focus on themes of resilience, hope, and healing, allowing for brighter, more expansive movement.
"You Say" - Lauren Daigle
A powerful anthem about self-doubt and finding strength in how others see you. Its gospel-inspired build is incredible for routines about overcoming insecurity and embracing worth.
"A Thousand Years" - Christina Perri
A timeless choice for routines about enduring love and devotion. The waltz-like rhythm is beautiful for graceful, flowing movements and elegant turns.
"Flight" - Tristan Eckerson (feat. Maya Belishova)
A stunning, mostly instrumental piece that builds from a soft piano melody into a triumphant, soaring orchestral arrangement. It embodies the feeling of breaking free.
Pro Tip: Don't be afraid to explore covers! A stripped-down acoustic cover or a slowed-down piano version of a pop song can often reveal a hidden emotional depth that makes for incredible lyrical choreography. Artists like Kodaline, Boyce Avenue, and Kina Grannis have fantastic libraries of covers to explore.
Beyond the Playlist: Making the Music Your Own
The best track for you is the one that speaks to your soul. When you hear a song and a story instantly unfolds in your mind, or a movement phrase begs to be created, that’s your sign.
Listen to the lyrics. Understand the story the artist is telling. Then, make it your own. What does "Gravity" mean to you? Is it about a person, a habit, a memory? Your personal connection will always translate into a more authentic and powerful performance.
Ultimately, the ultimate playlist is the one that inspires you to move. Use these suggestions as a launching pad. Discover new artists, listen deeply, and let the music guide your body. The most unforgettable lyrical performances are born from the true, undeniable marriage of movement and song.
Now, go turn up the volume and dance.
