choreography

American  

[kawr-ee-og-ruh-fee, kohr-] / ˌkɔr iˈɒg rə fi, ˌkoʊr- /

noun

1. the art of composing ballets and other dances and planning and arranging the movements, steps, and patterns of dancers.

2. the technique of representing the various movements in dancing by a system of notation.

3. the arrangement or manipulation of actions leading up to an event.

   the choreography of a surprise birthday party.

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choreography British  

/ ˌkɒrɪəˈɡræfɪk, ˌkɒrɪˈɒɡrəfɪ, kɒˈrɛɡrəfɪ, ˌkɒrəˈɡræfɪk /

noun

1. the composition of dance steps and sequences for ballet and stage dancing

2. the steps and sequences of a ballet or dance

3. the notation representing such steps

4. the art of dancing

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choreography Cultural  

1. The art of arranging dance movements for performance.

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Other Word Forms

• choreographer
  noun
• choreographic
  adjective
• choreographically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of choreography

1780–90; < Greek chore- (stem of choreía chorea ) + -o- + -graphy

Explanation

Use the noun choreography to describe the plan for how dancers will move on a stage during a show, play, or dance. You might particularly love the choreography in the movie West Side Story. You can use the word choreography to mean "dance" or "ballet," but its specific meaning is the notation a choreographer makes on paper as she plans out the complex movements and steps made by dancers. Choreography is particularly important in musical theater, ballet, opera, and dance recitals. The Greek roots of choreography are khoreia, "dance," and graphein, "to write."

Example Sentences

It also puts forward hypotheses about why this belly-brain choreography exists.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

The students rehearse their choreography before a mirror even before class starts, and many of them use rest breaks to ask friends for help to correct their steps.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

Ware's audience expects to dance, with her early material offering an opportunity to catch a breath between the choreography, effervescence and glitz.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Jackson’s image overhaul, meanwhile, came courtesy of the videos accompanying the album, marked by Paula Abdul’s award-winning choreography and infused by Jackson’s pavement-shaking attitude.

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026

She moved with quick, delicate motions like a bird or a dancer, shifting from foot to foot in a silent, complicated shuffle, as if she were practicing choreography.

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee

Related Words

• dance