A Blythe Coach

Alphabet Superset Creative Challenge Recap 2023-2024: Learning from Filming 26 Micro Video Choreos on TikTok A-Z

In the first week of July, I completed my Alphabet Superset, publishing my “Z” micro video choreo to TikTok!

Campbell Walker, aka Struthless, launched the creative challenge in 2023, and in order to cover one 26 letters in the English Alphabet per week (with breaks included but in the end not sufficient), it has continued well into 2024.

For many of the participants I’ve seen, and including Walker himself, the challenge is still in progress.

Overall a valuable and interesting project, there are a number inspiring experiences and lessons learned in the process which I will share in this reflection.

Tip my hat and take a bow, my Alphabet Superset is complete!

The Alphabet Superset Challenge

The time was ripe for a new creative challenge, and this one crossed my path synchronistically, offering lots of structures of support for all artists and creators regardless of medium or experience level, it promised a rampantly productive time.

I posted my participation announcement blog, Creative Next Steps: Alphabet Superset Challenge – My Entrée to TikTok Dance (or whatever media you so choose) during A-Week, Monday the 4th of September and included Walker’s invitation video and links to his supportive resources.

Making art together in real time was powerful, but keep in mind that you can also begin anytime.

Going in, I knew this challenge would be a big commitment and that I’d need a lot of accountability, flexibility, and creativity to complete it.

I also announced my intention to do the Superset in this video on Instagram and assembled my resources and supplies.

UPDATE: Alphabet Superset Choreo Compilation with YouTube music (copyright ok)

My 2023-4 Alphabet Superset

Having set out with what I thought was a relatively modest, “easy” and manageable concept for my superset, it was still no easy feat to come up with so many differently-themed works.

Though they are small, imperfect sketches, a lot of thought went into each one and I grew so much in the process.

Here’s what I declared for my own Alphabet Superset Project and Process:

  • Brainstorming concept, ideas, music on dry erase board, in morning pages, digitally in Evernote and on social media, in the dance studio and everywhere
  • Record 10-20 Second Weekly Small Space/Site-Specific Video Micro-Choreographies each to the theme of a letter of the English Alphabet
  • Share to TikTok (@blythelydancing), add music, further share to Instagram and Facebook, eventually YouTube (all @ablythecoach) as a playful form of accountability and to build community with other creators within the project.
“A” mind-map brainstorm, a nice big dry-erase board facilitated the work

Brainstorming & Free-Association

Dry erase board, Evernote, daily journaling and morning pages, email newsletter, other creators on social media… all helped me come up with and bounce ideas around, stay present and motivated.

I simply used iPhone to record the dances, a little stand to hold it up, and tried out various dance shoes and socks, outfits, backgrounds, angles, locations and frames and surfaces, techniques and styles.

Ballet being my “home base” for dance, a couple Books also supported my creative process:

Musical Inspiration and Accompaniment

Choosing music for the tracks was fun, overwhelming, and difficult! I took inspiration from even more songs and pieces of music than I could ultimately use in the finished product. Old and new, from classical ballet to modern jazz, contemporary, electronic, and more.

At first, I recorded with music playing from another device as I am accustomed to in the studio, theatre, and at home. But on TikTok, things work differently. After one or two micro video choreos, I got in the rhythm of recording in silence, a possible track or rhythm in my head only, then to be edited with music from the collection on TikTok.

I found that this helps drive views to the videos, depending on if the song chosen is trending, but am still confused as to the legality of sampling the music in this way. Initially assuming that everything listed on TikTok is “available” for such use, I later found that the clips might be muted or blocked depending on the music choice. Lots more to discover!

Two music playlists developed from the project:

2023-2024 Alphabet Superset Playlist
Alphabet Superset 2023-2024 Music Tracks Playlist on YouTube has all 26 songs I used
ABC Choreo Music Ideas Playlist
ABC Choreo Music Ideas Music Playlist on YouTube includes many more dancey tracks

Purpose of Participation Achieved

Although dance is my specialty, this format is outside of my comfort zone, so I wanted to use the motivation and shared risk-taking joie de vivre to propel me to continue to be a learner in the form, along with my students. I experimented with TikTok for the first time, explored what’s possible with the vertical/portrait smart phone video orientation, as well as size-, location-, and viewpoint-specific choreography, and popular music.

Got more current on today’s dances, while also working to define my own artistic voice.

What I Learned Participating

Taking part in a structured creative challenge is full of juicy potential and Walker provided some really fun and helpful worksheets as well as his own videos on YouTube for support along the way. I really appreciate that!

Using the hashtags generated positive community and there are a few new artists I follow and glean inspiration from due to the challenge.

It paid off to have many structures of support set up, such as my Bullet Journal, Dry-Erase Board, Morning Pages Notebook, stationery supplies, using a variety of settings to inspire movement, leaning on my Real-Life Community and Online Community (IG, TT, Email Newsletter subscribers…).

I learned a lot about TikTok, but still have more to discover. In particular, I encapsulated choreographic ideas into a very short format.

Also needed to work with which music clips are available on TikTok and how to edit them along with the videos themselves.

Camera angles, a small space/frame of vision, whether to record with a fixed camera or cameraperson, lighting, perspective and other film techniques came into play. Endless possibilities here even within such a “limited” structure.

Tried out a few limited effects on TikTok (such as in “K“), but that is another rabbit hole to jump down as well. Nonetheless found it interesting to see what was more popular and less so and how trends affect creative choices on the platform.

Grew as a dancer and choreographer seeing my defaults and habits, favorite go-to shapes and steps, as well as incorporating a variety of different techniques, styles, and steps as we moved through the alphabet. Embracing and expanding my style.

Participating in such a long-term creative project also helped me get comfortable with full transparency, letting go of perfectionism and releasing imperfect sketches and drafts and ideas and receiving feedback along the way.

It is important to take breaks, celebrate progress and completion.

Finally, I reinforced what I discovered participating in creative challenges in the past: it really supports my growth as an artist and educator and I will continue to participate in and create such structures in the future!

Created a collection in my Bullet Journal to plot, plan, brainstorm, celebrate

26 Micro Choreo Videos

I edited a compilation of all of the micro video choreos together in the YouTube video below. Sorry if the sound and/or video are blocked at some points or altogether in some locations. Though I learned a lot participating in the challenge, I still don’t understand copyright law when it comes to sampling music on various online platforms.

This video and my creation of these micro video choreographies are for fun and educational purposes only and result in no profit to me.

Considering re-editing the dance compilation with YouTube music in order that it can be freely seen, could also be fascinating to see what impact that has on the experience of the choreographies…

Alphabet Superset Choreography Compilation – 26 Micro Choreo Videos on YouTube

Here are each of my individual Alphabet Superset submissions originally posted on TikTok (and subsequently to IG & FB), as well as a few resources related to the letters that surfaced along the way:

A

Announcing my “A” week Alphabet Superset challenge micro video Choreo on TikTok! To the tune of “All I Need” by AIR.

B

“B” bouncing ballet by bricks Micro Video Choreo to the tune of “Boogie Chillen‘” by John Lee Hooker.

Ballet slippers and bricks in this photo from the making of “B”

C

“Collide”-ing with a church for “C”

D

D is for a “Drop it Like it’s Hot” developpe by a door.

E

“E” is for Enveloppe ecarte, an Echappe escape, Elancer, Emboite, and entrelace at an enchanted entrance/exit to “Everything has an end, even sadness” by Kaki King.

F

Floating, fondu-melting, flipping and falling at Fort X in my micro video Choreo for “F” to Janelle Monae’s “Float”

Screenshot of floating into fondu at Fort X in a site-specific “F” choreography

G

Gliding through a giant gate (The Eigelstein in Cologne) for “G” micro video choreo to “Ghosts” by Florence + The Machine.

H

Cleaned the hall here at home, then recorded this “H” micro video choreo to Blackpink’s “How You Like That.”

I

Intimate Intuitive Improv In a window to The Weekend’s “In the Night” for my “I” micro video choreo.

J

Jumping, Jiving, Jazz-walking “J” micro video choreo under a jungle gym to “Jealousy” by FKA twigs, my 10th contribution to the #alphabetsuperset

K

Kicking around to “Kelly Watch the Stars” by AIR in the Kitchen for “K.”

L

Lounging luscious legs to “Lady” by Modjo in “L.” At home on Hawai’i island I would do it on the Lanai, but in Cologne it’s the Living Room…

M

“M” Merry-Go-Round “Mirlitons” Manege at a Christmas Market in Cologne.

N

“Nelken Line” meets “Norwegian Wood” meets “The Nutcracker” and the nape of the neck in “N.”

O

“Only You” open and oppositional “O” micro video choreo.

P

Promenade in the Park to “Padam Padam” for “P.” Because “pas” means “step,” “petit” means “small,” and “porter” means “to carry” in French, there are MANY relevant ballet movements here, as well as gestures and steps from other forms.

Q

Quick and queer quatre “Q” to “Quick” by Caleb Gordon.

R

Rhine riverside renverse “Rush” for “R.”

“R” rush at the rising river Rhine screenshot

S

“Sexy Boy” soutenu, sauté, seconde, saut de basque, six step for #alphabetsuperset “S.”

T

Time goes by at Tanzschule Tanzraum tendu tombe turning “T” micro video choreo to the tune of “Hung Up” by Madonna.

U

“Unbelievable” underground umbrella undercurves #alphabetsuperset “U.”

“V” on the vamp of my pointe shoes for the first time in very long while

V

Very tall valiantly getting on the vamp of the old pointe shoes in my #alphabetsupersetchallenge “V” micro video choreo, to the tune of Black Violin’s “Virtuoso.”

W

A waltz (actually our beginner attempt at a Tango waltz) by the water to “Water” for “W.”

X

“X” marks the spot for this #alphabetsuperset micro video choreo at Fort X in Cologne to “Intro” by The xx.

Screenshot from my “X” micro video choreo at Fort X in Cologne

Y

Its not a Yacht, but I was over Yonder in Amsterdam, falling around doing Yoga, rising and sinking like a Yo-Yo to “Yellow” by Coldplay on a houseboat for “Y.”

Z

Zig-zag Zen by the Zug 🚃 for “Z” to Billy Joel’s “Zanzibar” in my final #alphabetsuperset micro video choreo.

Completed Bullet Journal Collection Spread for my Alphabet Superset 2023-4

Questions for Reflection

  • What creative project are you itching to try?
  • Which internal and external resources will you rely on in order to succeed?
  • How can I support you in taking the leap into your greatness?

Resources for further Exploration

Charming Chosen Challenges – creative ways to try out or jumpstart a habit
Creative Challenges are a great way to experience prolific artistic output
Haiku Poetry Challenge 2021- What I learned writing 365 Poems in a year
What I learned from writing a daily Haiku poem in 2021
Writing True Stories to Reflect and Connect – Camp NaNoWriMo Recap
My experience writing memoir stories for Camp NaNoWriMo 2023
Let’s Write! Camp NaNoWriMo & Creative Structure
Blog announcement of my participation in Camp NaNoWriMo July 2023
5 Ways to Get Down Daily – how to build a habit of creative dance
Get Down Daily Dance Challenge is an online creativity challenge

Feel free to reach out to me via email or on Instagram​ @ablythecoac​​h​, I’d love to hear what you’re creating and I’m grateful we’re connected.

Blythe Stephens, MFA & Bliss Catalyst
she/her or they/them
A Blythe Coach: ablythecoach.com @ablythecoach

helping multi-passionate creatives

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