DIY Dressage to Music

[tatty_v]

One of our local venues is putting on a Christmas dressage to music event at the end of December and I’m thinking about having a go (always wanted to!) Me and my fellow livery are going to try the pairs class.

It’s more relaxed than usual, fancy dress is required and no requirements for your floor plan bar that it’s in a 20x60 arena and mustn’t be longer than 5 minutes.

We’ve got our theme and fancy dress sorted, so it’s down to me to do the music and the floor plan. I’d like to do a medley so we can do walk, trot and canter. I’ve been recommended the free download audacity to mix the track but it looks fairly complex! Does anyone have experience with this/another programme they could recommend?

Also, any tips on choreography/floor plan would be most welcome!

 

[Mari]

Sitting trot looks better than rising .

 

[milliepops]

Sitting trot looks better than rising .

Only if the horse goes better in sitting trot.

What sort of level are you at, OP?

 

[ester]

audacity is really simple to use, promise, once you get into it

 

[humblepie]

I used audacity and I’m hopeless with such things. Did take me a while but got good comments for it.

 

[tatty_v]

I’m novice/elementary but my partner is Intro/prelim and as we’re doing it as a pair so I’m keeping it simple! So far I’m thinking:

- some intricate circles/bow tie shapes in walk to start (practised these the other day and the mirroring was quite effective)
- trot work to include 4 loop serpentine (crossing paths across the centre line)
- canter work to be quite basic and limited - perhaps down long side, turn onto long diagonal and then trot before X, repeat
- ending with one or two walk movements to mirror the beginning.

Sounds like I need to man up and figure out audacity!

 

[ester]

It was a few years ago but I managed to teach two very computer illiterate friends to use it and they made their own. Just takes a bit of perseverance to work out what does what and how to get it lined up.
Also worth noting that you can change the speed of tracks to get them more 'perfect' but not too much because you loose quality. Easy to do fade in/fade outs and select the bits you need. I don't have it on this PC as would take a couple of screenshots but I bet someone has done some youtube vids so that would be my starting point.

I think it is easier to pas de deux rather than 'pair' - ergo RC pairs require you to be together for the majority of the time.

Mostly enjoy it .

 

[tatty_v]

Sounds promising, I hadn’t thought of a you tube video on the music mixing so that’s a great idea, thank you.

The class is a pas de deux so I have assumed that means we don’t need to stick to each other’s side and instead can mirror movements on the opposite sides of the school etc. Hope that’s right!

 

[ester]

I use youtube for loads of computer issues/things I forget how to do.

Yes that's right

 

[Mari]

If you’re doing pairs 80% needs to be side by side. Having ridden & judged pairs dressage sitting trot looks better & more together than both rising out of sync.

 

[Mari]

Check the rules!

 

[ester]

She said it was pas de deux NOT pairs.

 

[Mari]

Which is why I said check the rules.

 

[ester]

As in she should double check again if it is pairs or a pas de deux, as it being a pas de deux is pretty self explanatory no? Your comment still doesn't really make sense in the context of the other replies.

Regardless of any rules it also depends on the judges, I have done pairs, which was supposed to be pairs not pas de deux, in the rules and judges gave the win to a pas de deux. Mostly it is just supposed to be fun though, Christmas spirit and all .

 

[QueenT]

Two ladies at my yard are rehearsing some lovely moves: F.ex walk on opposite lead, at C halt, one does rein back, the other steps forward, so they follow each other, but head to tail. Trot serpentine, meet at X, walk before corner, repeat halt-rein back/forward at A. Also opposite canter 20 m circles, into the diagonal, transition to trot when meet at X 😁