How to Make Dance Reference Videos

J-Pop and K-Pop dances are unique in that most people learn choreography from videos. There are a number of things you can do to make these videos easier to learn from.

1. How to Download Videos

It is pretty easy to find ways to download videos from YouTube. If you Google “download YouTube video”, several sites will come up. I personally use this site but any of them will work.

For Nico Nico, it is a little more complicated. You used to be able to download a video using its source code, but that method unfortunately no longer works. A website that I have used that works is this site.

2. How to Mirror Dance Videos

When learning a new dance, you have to flip the reference video horizontally, or mirror it. This is because following along with an un-mirrored video will make you learn the dance in reverse. For example, if someone lifts their left arm, because they are facing you, it will be on the right side. Mirroring the video will make sure that you lift your left arm when they lift their left arm.

You can do this in earlier versions of Windows Moviemaker for free (later versions make you pay for a Pro version). Go to the Visual Effects tab, hit the drop down arrow, and scroll down to horizontal mirror. Another option is to use an online site like FlipVideo.

3. How to Slow Dances Down

Slowing a dance down makes it much easier to learn. You can learn a dance on .75x (or for faster dances .5x) and then slowly speed it up so that your moves are precise. YouTube has a built-in speed function. You can upload a video privately and use it to practice. You can also use programs to create a slowed down video file. In Moviemaker under video tools, click edit and change the video’s speed. There are also various websites you can use online like Change Video Speed.

4. How to Make Formation Videos for a Group

"Formations" is a term for where each member of a group is on the stage during a dance. This isn’t necessary for experienced groups but for newer dance groups I recommend using a program to create a formation video in order to make learning formations easier. You can then put it in the corner of the choreography video for easy reference. Here is a tutorial on animating in Camtasia (it's super easy I promise). Here is an example of a video I made for Love Notes when we were babies:

I use a program called Camtasia for this. It’s pretty easy to use, and I am NOT endorsing pirating but I have heard that there are several cracks online. Any simple animation program will work. The nice thing about making a video is that you can clarify transitions. For example, when there is a formation change, if members cross paths you can clarify who goes in front of the other.

5. How to Reference and Compile Multiple Sources

It’s always good to look at multiple sources when learning a dance. Look at live versions, official PVs, and other people’s covers in case there are any mistakes or unclear moves. Live versions are also really good for checking hand positions because there are close up shots. You can even edit the videos onto one screen to use when practicing using Camtasia; just click and drag multiple videos onto the screen and line them up in the timeline. Here is an example of a video I made using this:

Message me on Instagram if you have any other tips or if you have any questions!