Music Essay Example: Cherish by Madonna

Choreography entails motion and form; it is the coordinated movement of the body which generally entails moving parts of the body or the whole body in general. Choreography works typically alongside music and most of the times, the choreography applied is usually telling a story about the music it is being played against. The following essay thus focuses on the music video Cherish by Madonna and analyses the choreography.

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To begin with, the first thing that stands out is the flow. How the large figures move in slow motion and in their masculine form and the waves that are running back and forth carries me through the video. Several attributes come together to bring some sense of unity. From the athletic movement of mermen and also Madonna, the foam from the ocean and to the figure's hair, they all come together to make a person understand the message of the song and the particular verse.

In addition to that, there is continuity throughout the video as some parameters remain constant across all shots. The shots have been carefully organized such that one movement leads to another move and into the next scene. The changes synchronize with the music and as an observer one gets swayed into the story that the choreography is telling. The choreographer has paid particular attention in the transition from one scene to another so that the observer gets to fully understand the message of the song and the purpose of the choreography (Vernallis 160).

Furthermore, the artist tells a story from the beginning of the song. This story shows the image that is chronologically arranged to make sense from the start. The choreography helps a significant milestone in understanding the message of the song. The choreography in the video also shows the undulating musical lines. For example, how the highest pitch of her voice in the first verse is coordinated by a crested merman bringing more emphasis to the tone used in that verse.

The harmony of the song is also directly linked to the choreography of the music. It emphasizes a smooth tone, and the coordinated choreography also plays along the same sound. Madonna and the merman move gracefully in between the verses as the mood of the song continues to shift which carries my attention more rooted into the song wanting to see what happens in the next scene of the music video.

The objective of many artists when they decide to do choreography in their songs is to ensure that as much as the song is speaking for itself, the movement in the video is also enhancing the story and emphasis of the music. The video has been able to achieve that, especially set in a luring mood and scenery. The artist leaves no second guessing to the audience listening to the song as the message is thoroughly and communicated.

Another artist who has used the features applied by Madonna in her video is Michael Jackson in his video rock with you. There is an emphasis on the form in the video, and also the application of repetition is his rendition which shows the similarities between the two videos. Anyone watching this video is swept away from the scene to scene and how much they pay close attention to the details.

In conclusion, the choreography movement in video helps me understand the importance of repetition in a song as some moves have been repeated throughout the video. These moves are meant to serve the purpose of understanding the meaning of the song a little better. Furthermore, the video is very entertaining, and her message has been received clearly.

Works Cited

Vernallis, Carol. "The aesthetics of music video: an analysis of Madonna's 'Cherish.'" Popular music 17.2 (1998): 153-185.