Six ways to Dance

I. It Don't Mean a Thing!

II. Glancing

III. Seven Can Samba

IV. Waltzing/Floating

V. Not too Smooth

VI. Tango!

Instrumentation: Soprano Saxophone and Piano

Duration: 18'00

Premiere: February 16, 2018 in Hankinson Rehearsal Hall, University of Michigan

Performers: Jeff Siegfried, Soprano Saxophone, and Karalyn Schubring, Piano

Program Note: Six Ways to Dance was inspired by the few, frankly embarrassing experiences I have had in social dance settings. Although my ineptitude as a dancer tends to limit what is possible for my partner and I to accomplish during any given dance, I love the thrill of experiencing the music in real time, being pulled through the rhythms with nothing to hold onto but the basic steps I just learned in an intro class and a vague sense of trust in my partner, who is often a total stranger.

My inexperience often leads to my own hesitation, thereby limiting the potential of the dance, but I have found that there is something strangely charming about these awkward instances of miscommunication. They allow for the successful moments to feel even more rewarding.

I attempted to capture the spirit of several popular dance styles, while infusing them with the moments of confusion and joy I experience whenever I find myself on a dance floor. This piece is for the people who decide that enjoying the music is far more important than fully knowing the steps.

Six Ways to Dance was written for Jeff Siegfried in the fall of 2017.