After 20+ years of choreographing routines — from first-year rec programs to Worlds-level All-Star teams — I've watched thousands of coaches make the same mistake. They design routines that look incredible in the gym. They hit every skill. The music is perfectly synced. The athletes are fired up.
And then they wonder why the scores don't reflect what they're seeing.
Here's the truth: looking good and scoring well are two completely different things. The best routines do both — but they're built score-first, not aesthetics-first. Let me break down how I approach it.
Start With the Score Sheet
Before a single 8-count is written, I open the score sheet for that division. Not to memorize it — to understand the judging priorities. Every division is different. What earns a 9.5 in youth level 2 will look completely different from what earns a 9.5 at Senior Elite.
The Categories That Matter Most
- Stunting — difficulty, technique, and timing all scored separately at most levels
- Tumbling — level-appropriate skills executed with control score better than maxed-out skills done messily
- Performance — often the most overlooked, and often the easiest points to gain
- Transitions — the space between skills is where routines win or lose execution points
Most coaches focus 90% of their energy on the skills and 10% on transitions. Flip that ratio in practice and watch your execution scores climb.
Build to Your Team's Strengths
I've seen coaches try to choreograph the routine they wish they had, not the routine their athletes can execute. A Worlds-level routine performed at 75% looks worse on the score sheet than a mid-level routine hit at 100%.
When I assess a new team, I spend the first hour watching — not choreographing. I want to know:
- What skills does every athlete perform confidently, not just on a good day?
- Where are the natural energy peaks in this group?
- What's the physical layout of this team — who leads, who anchors, who draws the eye?
The routine gets built around those answers. The music gets chosen to amplify what the team already does well — not to cover up what they can't.
The Music Problem Nobody Talks About
Music is the one decision coaches make mostly on vibes. "The team loves this song." "It's hype." "It's trending right now."
None of those are wrong — but they're also not why music should be chosen for a competition routine.
"The music should make the judges feel something at the exact moment your team hits their strongest skills. If the drop doesn't land with your stunt sequence, you're leaving points on the table."
— Jason Tiede, JMT Choreography
Every music decision I make is about timing and energy mapping — where in the routine do you need the crowd, the judges, and the athletes themselves to feel a surge? That's where the drop goes. That's where the key change hits. Everything is intentional.
Clean Beats Difficult Every Time
I'd rather see a level 3 skill hit perfectly five times than a level 5 skill bobbled once. Deductions compound. One missed skill doesn't just cost you that skill's score — it disrupts momentum, execution scores drop, and performance suffers for the next 16 counts.
What This Means in Practice
- Build in a "safety margin" — skills your team can hit even on a tough day, not just at peak form
- Use your highest-difficulty skills in positions of maximum judge attention (opening sequence, final pass)
- If a skill is hit-or-miss in practice, it doesn't belong in competition — period
The bottom line: A championship routine is built backwards from the score sheet, designed around the team's real strengths, and executed with relentless precision. Pretty is a bonus. Scoring is the goal.
If you want a routine built the right way — one that's designed to win, not just impress — that's exactly what JMT Choreography does.