I know the trend is the "I'm-going-to-cut-myself-I'm-so-depressed" sound, however, does anyone have suggestions of songs of hope and positivity?

If I hear one more acoustic guitar lamentation about lost love and confusion I'm gonna snap. The sound has been done and done again. They are all beginning to sound exactly the same to me.

Someone have any ideas on beautiful songs that don't make the listener / viewer want to run out and grab a bottle of Prozac?

I don't really want to plunge the depths of the dark unconscious with my preteen dancers.

Something between Disney and death would be nice for this "tween" group.

I'm bored with the current trend.

Sorry for the rant.

Suggestions would be helpful.

Our 12-14 year olds are using the song "Dream in Color" by Bianca Ryan - it's beautiful and really uplifting. I agree "I-want-to-cut-myself" songs are not appropriate for that age group! Other songs we've used have been "Bless the Broken Road" by Melody Crittendon, "Teardrops on My Guitar" by Taylor Swift (kind of sad I guess, "Love Story" might be a more uplifting one), "Go the Distance" from Hercules, "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera

Ohhh THANK YOU!!

I just youtubed Dream in Color...that is EXACTLY what I need.

She has that very soulful, passionate "Joss Stone" sound.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Isn't it beautiful? She's apparently only 13 or 14 years old! Or at least was when the song came out.

^^^ Yes it is and it's just the type of sound that I am most drawn to. It's perfect. Thank you again.

We have used songs by Barlow Girl, Can't take it in by Imogen Heap off the Narnia soundtrack, and the version of Let it Be from Across the Universe.....

Lots of great suggestions have already been offered on this thread - www.dance.net . . .

i_am_me wrote:

I know the trend is the "I'm-going-to-cut-myself-I'm-so-depressed" sound

lol, I know what you mean, one competition that we went to last year each teacher would remove their wooden gravestone only to have the next teacher come on to replace it with their own wooden gravestone all through the teenage lyrical section. It became the joke of the weekend.
I just call it drippy and full of teenage angst! I like my dancers to have a bit more umph to what they do.

ingrid michealson- be ok or everybody
sandi thom- I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair

ingrid michealson- be ok or everybody
sandi thom- I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair

hummingbird wrote:

I just call it drippy and full of teenage angst! I like my dancers to have a bit more umph to what they do.

Exactly, it ends up bordering on melodrama.

Thanks for the suggestions all. Much appreciated.

i_am_me wrote:

Something between Disney and death would be nice for this "tween" group.

That line made me laugh out loud!

I find that when I use melodramatic music, my dancers move as if they are lifeless. I just told them yesterday - "you are sad, not dead!" They still need energy in their movements - maybe one of these songs that's not about death or loss will spark some energy in them!

Great thread!

^^^ Thanks.

I don't have any song suggestions but just wanted to say that I love it whenever you post i_am_me. You have a real gift for entertaining delivery.

terpsidance wrote:

I don't have any song suggestions but just wanted to say that I love it whenever you post i_am_me. You have a real gift for entertaining delivery.

I believe you and I have discussed before that snarky is our favorite brand of humor. If I giggle when I'm typing (and I usually amuse myself while crafting a post) then hopefully I'm making others giggle too.

Owl City is an artist you might want to look into. Their song "Fireflies" just became popular, but they have a lot of other music that's worth looking into. A very light, kinda techno sound to them. Also, OneRepublic has some fairly "upbeat" lyrical songs.

LOVE LOVE LOVE the Dream in Color song, by the way! Used it for lyrical "Rainbow" dance a couple years ago in the recital. So pretty!

^^^^ Nice! Thank you.

This post has helped me A LOT!