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There's this moment right before I step onto the stage—the music starts, and suddenly everything else fades away. I've choreographer my way through dozens of routines over the years, but the songs that really stick are the ones that feel like they're dancing with you, not just playing behind you.
Let me share my go-to jazz records. These ones have never let me down.
"Take Five" by Dave Brubeck Quartet
I first heard this in a cramped studio in Chicago during a late-night rehearsal, and something just clicked. That unusual 5/4 time signature forces you to move differently—you can't just fall into your comfortable patterns. Your body has to actually think. There's a kind of cool precision to it that translates beautifully into sharp, syncopated choreography. When I need something that sounds equally at home in a concert hall or a underground club, this is my pick.
"Sing, Sing, Sing" by Benny Goodman
This one is pure energy. The kind of song that makes you want to move before you even realize you're standing up. Those drums kick in and suddenly swing dancing doesn't feel like a nostalgia act—it feels alive. Every time I've dropped this into a routine, the whole room shifts. People can't help but tap their feet. That's the magic of this track.
"So What" by Miles Davis
Miles Davis understood space better than almost any musician who's ever lived. "So What" has these long, unhurried stretches that give you room to breathe as a dancer—no rushing, just floating between the notes. I once built an entire contemporary piece around the pause before that iconic opening. The silence becomes part of the movement too.
"Feeling Good" by Nina Simone
Nina Simone's voice hits different. There's raw power in there—years of lived experience compressed into these vocals. I've used "Feeling Good" for emotional, story-driven pieces where the dancer needs to become the song. The lyrics themselves are about liberation, about finally seeing yourself clearly. That emotional weight gives you something to work with beyond just choreography. It's not background music—it's a collaborator.
"A Night in Tunisia" by Dizzy Gillespie
This track is a workout. Complex doesn't even begin to cover it. The rhythm shifts, the horns tangle around each other, and your footwork has to stay sharp or you'll get lost. I use this when I need to challenge technically demanding choreography—stuff that makes you earn every moment. Not for beginners, but when you want to push yourself into new territory, this is the soundtrack.
"In a Sentimental Mood" by Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
Two legends in their final chapter, creating something achingly beautiful together. This track is for slower routines—those moments where movement becomes almost like speaking. I choreographed a duet to this once about two people remembering their younger years together. The music does half the emotional work for you. You just have to be honest on stage.
"Birdland" by Weather Report
Fusing jazz with funk was revolutionary in the '70s, and this track still sounds ahead of its time. It's groove-based, which means you can lock into a pocket and stay there. Great when you want to mix up your vocabulary—some funk, some jazz, maybe even a little rock. This one gets crowds moving. I've seen it happen live more times than I can count.
"Blue in Green" by Miles Davis
There's sadness in this song—not dramatic, but quietly devastating. It's the kind of piece that works for contemporary work where the emotional arc goes deep. I've used it for competitions where I needed the judges to feel something, not just see technique. The vulnerability in those notes becomes part of your body when you let it.
"Stolen Moments" by Oliver Nelson
This is sophisticated. The arrangements are rich without being cluttered—there are layers to discover every time you listen. I gravitate toward this when I'm building a routine that needs to feel mature, perhaps for a more experienced dancer. There's nothing showy about it; it rewards depth.
"Cantaloupe Island" by Herbie Hancock
And here's the one that just makes you cool. That groove is impossible to resist—you can't help but sway, nod, move a little looser. It's accessible but never generic. The kind of track that works equally well for a solo showing your personality or a group number where everyone's moving together. It's warm. It's inviting. It makes you look like you know something the audience doesn't.
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These tracks have been with me through auditsions, competitions, late-night studio sessions where it was just me and the mirror and whatever song I needed that night. Jazz music has this way of meeting you where you are—which is probably why it's never gone out of style for dancers.
Put one of these on. Start moving. See what happens.
