Because picking the right track is half the choreography
Look, I've watched a hundred contemporary pieces fall flat because someone picked music that "sounded cool" without thinking about what it actually does to a body in motion. The right song doesn't just accompany your dance — it tells you what the dance wants to be.
Here are ten tracks I keep coming back to, and why they work.
The Ones That Build Slow and Hit Hard
"Breathe Me" by Sia
Yeah, I know — everyone and their mother has choreographed to this. There's a reason. That opening is so fragile it barely exists, and then it just... accumulates. I saw a piece at Jacob's Pillow where the dancer didn't move for the first thirty seconds. Just stood there while the music did all the emotional heavy lifting. When she finally started, the audience was already wrecked. You can't manufacture that kind of tension.
"Experience" by Ludovico Einaudi
Piano-driven, cinematic, and deceptively simple. What makes this track special is its refusal to resolve — it keeps reaching for something just out of grasp. Works beautifully for duets where two people keep almost connecting, then pulling apart. If you're tired of using it, try the Victoria Concert Hall version. Slower, rawer, with audible breathing from the pianist.
"Je te laisserai des mots" by Patrick Watson
Half-whispered French over a music-box melody. It's intimate in a way that feels almost invasive to listen to. One choreographer I know used this for a solo performed in complete silence except for the track — no stage lights, just a single work lamp. The audience leaned forward without realizing it.
When You Need the Floor to Shake
"Run Boy Run" by Woodkid
The drums in this track are relentless. Not in a "let me show you my tricks" way — they're driving somewhere, and your body wants to follow. I've seen this used for ensemble pieces where the group moves like a single organism, all sharp angles and forward momentum. The brass section coming in at the crescendo? That's your moment for the big lift or the unison sequence that makes people's skin prickle.
"Breath of Life" by Florence + The Machine
Florence Welch has a voice that sounds like it was built in a cathedral, and this track uses every inch of that grandeur. The strings swell like something biblical. Fair warning: this song will try to make your choreography bigger than you planned. Let it. Some pieces need to be enormous.
"Iron" by Woodkid
Yes, Woodkid twice. I don't care. The opening horn riff is basically a call to arms. I associate this with strong, grounded movement — weighted, deliberate, powerful without being aggressive. Great for all-male ensembles or any piece about collective strength. The music video's worth watching too, just for visual inspiration.
The Quiet Ones That Sneak Up on You
"To Build a Home" by The Cinematic Orchestra
This one's a slow burn. Piano, strings, and a vocal that sounds like someone singing to themselves in an empty house. The genius is in what it doesn't do — there's no big payoff, no dramatic drop. It just gently opens up, like a hand unclenching. Perfect for pieces about memory, impermanence, or the weight of ordinary moments.
"Skinny Love" by Bon Iver (Birdy cover)
The original Justin Vernon version is raw and broken. Birdy's cover is polished and sad. Both work for contemporary dance, but they give you completely different pieces. Vernon's version wants loose, almost falling-apart movement. Birdy's wants controlled, technically precise work that cracks at the edges. Choose based on what story you're telling.
"Lost It All" by The Black Keys
Bluesy, stripped-back, with a vocal that sounds like it's being sung at 3 AM to nobody in particular. This is a wildcard pick — it doesn't sound like typical contemporary dance music, and that's exactly why it works. Audiences perk up when they hear something unexpected. One of the best competition pieces I ever saw used a Black Keys track, and half the impact was just the surprise of hearing guitars in a contemporary routine.
The One for Your Finale
"Saturn" by Sleeping at Last
"I'd give anything to hear you say it one more time / That the universe was made just to be seen by my eyes." If those lyrics don't make you want to choreograph something about the staggering smallness of being alive, I can't help you. The song builds from near-silience to something absolutely massive, and it earns every single crescendo. Use it for your closing number. Let the lights fade to black while those last piano notes are still ringing.
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You'll notice I didn't include BPM counts or technical breakdowns. That's because the best contemporary music choices aren't made with a metronome — they're made with your gut. Put these on, close your eyes, and see what your body does before your brain catches up. That instinct is worth more than any "Top 10" list.
Including this one.
