On the Record with Karl Mundt
Boston choreographer, dance team consultant Karl Mundt felt the energy and excitement of the International Cheer Union World Championships beginning with the opening ceremony.
That excitement in Orlando, FL, became shared elation when Team USA (The University of Cincinnati) took the gold April 24 with a jazz routine Mundt choreographed for the Cheerdance Jazz division.
This event ushers in a new era in world dance competition, a preliminary venture to test the waters and hopefully introduce dance team competition to the Olympics. Team USA swept the competition earning gold in six divisions: Cheerdance jazz, hip-hop, freestyle, all girl premier, coed premier and coed partner stunt divisions.
From the get-go, it was “all good,” Mundt said right after the Team USA victory. “The opening ceremony was incredible… It was one of the most special events of my life, and I think this competition is going to grow a great deal in the years to come. I feel so honored to be part of the inaugural championship.”
Mundt seems comfortable accepting new challenges. Each step along the way to his current position as a premier choreographer-consultant for high school and collegiate dance teams, he turned a page and opened a new door.
He says he fell into dance first through competitive gymnastics and through dance classes started instead of P.E. at Roosevelt High School for the Performing Arts in Fresno, CA. Then he began choreographing, while still dancing, over 15 years ago just out of his teens and founded The Dance Factory in Eugene, OR, because he was there and saw a need.
Now, Mundt says, he continues to open new doors through an innovative dance philosophy developed over the years with mentors who inspired him, taught him to have fun through his art, and challenged him to mentor others. But, he tells the story of his journey best in his own words:
As a young dancer, did you have a teacher who really impacted you, gave you a passion for dance? How?
Yes: Sue Sampson-Dalena, the owner/artistic director of The Dance Studio of Fresno in Fresno, CA. First of all, she was just really encouraging. But along with that, she had very high expectations, and she would bring in great guest teachers, take us to Los Angeles for class. I was just very lucky to have her as my first teacher because it sort of set the stage for the kind of work ethic and expectations that I had in those early years as a dancer.
What do you remember feeling about some of your first experiences as a performer?
I remember those first moments: auditioning. I could not have been more nervous for that. I was just so exposed and nervous, and all of the things that go along with that – stage fright backstage getting ready to go on. But I remember, once I got over the initial jitters, the feeling was just pure joy. Being able to connect to an audience and just do what you love on a stage. I just remember that as one of the best feelings in the world. There are times when I miss that, being on the other side. As a choreographer and a teacher, I love that I can see other dancers have that same feeling.
How has dance team competition changed since you began?
I was one of the first people who choreographed at the collegiate level to just one song. I did a more lyrical piece. Since then definitely things have changed. I was happy to be a part of that transition.
Is there a boundary between studio dance and dance teams?
The two worlds are definitely more meshed together now. If you see a top dance team piece and compare that to what you are seeing in the studio world, there is really not that big of a difference. They are very closely tied together.
As a consultant, what do you tell teams about the path to success for dance teams when they decide they want to compete at a national or international level? Where should they begin to focus their energy to build a championship dance team?
First, you need to figure out your goals, your mission. Those things need to be said early on. Then, everyone needs to be on board. It is going to take a lot of hours of preparation: physical conditioning, building stamina, building core strength, flexibility and balance. Regardless of the style, you need to make it look effortless. You have to bring that studio training to the gym. Some of the most successful programs I have been involved in require their teams to take a ballet class twice a week. They have a Pilates instructor come in, or they incorporate some of those philosophies into their training. Because no matter how good your choreography is, it is only as good as the people performing.
What about mental preparation, focus, teamwork?
I use the term mental toughness. The mental preparation is important in the training process because when you get to Nationals you will see teams that are amazing at school with friends and family, but when they get to competition they get really nervous. And sometimes those nerves can get the best of them.
How can you prepare a student to overcome this nervous tension?
I try to create situations that create butterflies in the stomach. You put one student on the spot, or you create scenarios that elicit nervous responses where the adrenaline starts pumping. The goal is to improve and learn ways to handle those nerves.
2009 Worlds Team USA Jazz
How do you find “star quality” and make the most of it?
I think that for me that is a challenge, but that is also another thing that keeps me interested and wanting to continue doing this work. I think that everyone has it in them at some level. We all have it. As a choreographer and a teacher, pulling that out is part of the fun, part of the challenge. I think that ultimately it comes down to the dancer feeling secure. To let that shine through, you have to allow yourself to be vulnerable. You have to let students know it is OK to take risks, be vulnerable and to make mistakes. That is the only way the true essence can shine through.
When you agree to serve as a choreographer for a dance team, where do you begin?
Always for me, it is the music. It always starts with the music. Generally I will just listen to it over and over again before I start the choreography.
How does the choreography begin?
I will write down things: concepts, where they are on the stage at a particular moment, ideas that are the skeleton or outline of the piece. I will also do individual movement. Generally, however, I am a choreographer who creates on the team. I don’t come in with the whole routine completed at all. The dancers are very much a part of the process of creating. Sometimes you are inspired because you are in the moment. I need the feedback, and I need to be motivated by the dancers. At some level I think I need the pressure to become fully engaged.
How do you build the “wow factor” or the “ah ha moment” in your choreography?
You look at dance as a journey. You don’t want to just throw out all these things in an overload. You have to pace it. There are times when I will think of a concept that could be one of those moments, and then there are just times when it just comes.
How were you involved with the University of Cincinnati dance team in preparation for the International Cheer Union World Championship?
I started the dance season with the team in September choreographing the jazz routine they competed at the championship and worked on technique. I went back in the winter for a few days as well to help with their training. Additionally, I was in regular contact with the team's coach, Lisa Spears, to see how things were progressing. Lisa sent me flip videos of the team as well so that I could offer comments and suggestions.
Can you tell me what the results of the Championship competition mean for future U.S. dance teams who want to compete on this level?
At this time we truly are the leaders in the industry. I do, however, see a lot of potential in other nations and believe it will become much more competitive in the coming years. As far as future U.S. teams go, I am not sure how that selection process will be decided as of now.
How can readers contact you, learn more about you and what you do with dance teams, see your choreography, and read about your mission for your company?
Check out Karl Mundt’s Web site at: http://innovatedance.com/
Go online to view the World Championship in multimedia: http://www.varsity.com/event/1199/icu.aspx
Learn more about The University of Cincinnati and the World Championship: http://gobearcats.cstv.com/sports/c-dance/spec-rel/020609aab.html