Glowsticking

So I found the following blog on "Glowsticking:" www.glowsticking.com
It is often performed/danced at raves along to electronic music (and of course, with glowsticks in hand). The first post discusses the importance of not promoting glowsticking in high school(s), and the second is just a video showing what glowsticking may look like. The first story in particular is quite interesting because it talks about how spreading the idea of glowsticking in high school(s) will hurt the culture and meaning behind glowsticking. The post also talks about how glowsticking has evolved as an underground dance form (similar to b-boying) and discusses the importance of preserving the "beloved dance and its culture." I'll post the two links below...what do you guys think of glowsticking? Would you consider it to be dance?

http://glowsticking.com/component/content/article/71-glowsticking-culture/106-should-we-spread-glowsticking-in-high-school.html

http://www.glowsticking.com/component/content/article/79-misc/326-new-video-from-east-coast-vets.html

Happy International Dance Day!

International Dance Day Message

Belgian choreographer and dancer, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker:


"I think dance celebrates what makes us human.

When we dance we use, in a very natural way, the mechanics of our body and all our senses to express joy, sadness, the things we care about.

People have always danced to celebrate the crucial moments of life and our bodies carry the memory of all the possible human experiences.

We can dance alone and we can dance together. We can share what makes us the same, what makes us different from each other.

For me dancing is a way of thinking. Through dance we can embody the most abstract ideas and thus reveal what we cannot see, what we cannot name.

Dance is a link between people, connecting heaven and earth.

We carry the world in our bodies.

I think that ultimately each dance is part of a larger whole, a dance that has no beginning, and no end. "



******************

The celebration of International Dance Day started out as an initiative of the International Dance Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) International Theater Institute. It is celebrated every 29th of April around the world by teachers, choreographers, group leaders, journalists, researchers, associations, and other organizations. The date marks the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), the creator of modern ballet.

Every year a message from an outstanding choreographer or dancer is circulated throughout the world. This year, the message was written by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, a Belgian choreographer and dancer and an icon of contemporary dance who views dancing as “a way of thinking” that embodies “the most abstract ideas and thus reveal what we cannot see… Dance is a link between people… we carry the world in our bodies.”

The celebration seeks to draw public attention to the art of dance. Emphasis is given to addressing the “new” public – people who do not follow dance events during the year. Among the usual activities held to mark the observance are special performances, open door classes, public rehearsals, lectures, exhibits, publication of relevant articles in newspapers and magazines, dance evenings, radio and TV programs, street shows, parades, reading a message from a prominent personality in the field of dance, poetry reading or reading a passage from some famous author, and setting up show window displays.

International Dance Day or World Dance Day was created in 1982 to campaign for greater appreciation for dance as an art. Dance companies, dance schools, organizations, and individuals were urged to organize activities addressing an audience larger than their usual ones. They were urged to include general information on the art of dance, its history, its importance to society, and its universal character.

Dance as a form of artistic expression is at the core of every society and culture, along with music and songs. Dance has the power to bring together people of diverse social and cultural backgrounds. It transcends geographical borders, with international performances; dancers and teachers who perform and teach in countries other than their own become valuable mediums for achieving better socio-cultural understanding and tolerance for diversity. The digital age has made it even easier for dance as an art to serve as a vehicle for achieving and preserving unity and peace and providing “a humanist response” to the various problems confronting our global community

Just in Time for the Royal Wedding...

So I found a small gem hidden deep within the sea that is the internet. Prince Charles was filmed attempting to breakdance in a club back in January of this year. You can click here to watch him break it down.

It's only about a minute, but I found it entertaining to know that the Royal Family is into 'staying hip' or something like that.

Also!~

The other day, we studied Flash Mobs and improvisational flash mobbing. We watched the T-Mobile London airport video, well they decided to follow up with a spoof of the Royal Wedding happening tomorrow. Much like the famous JK Wedding with its musical dance introduction, T-Mobile has decided to find some look alike actors to portray William and Kate's wedding if they had done the same. It's really a lot of fun to watch. You can click here to watch that one as well.

Arguably, this technically isn't American culture, but a lot of Americans are paying attention to the Royal Wedding and it's interesting to see how many news platforms are concentrating on the Royal Family right now - calling the wedding the "Wedding of the Century." It's also interesting to see how companies are taking viral videos (I notice particularly with dancing in them) and making their own commercials based off of these as a form of advertising.

ICU World Championship - Team USA Videos

We were talking about cheerleading today and class and the ICU World Championship came up. Thought these videos might be of some interest to you guys after we sparked interest with our awesome videos. Tonight was the opening ceremonies and partner stunt competition, which means, each country can enter under two categories for an individual aspect of competition: coed partner stunt and all-girl partner stunt. Coed is what we watched today- just a guy and a girl. Here is the Team USA coed partner stunt video:

http://varsity.com/event/1436/2011_team_usa_cheer.aspx

All-girl partner stunts consist of 4 girls (2 bases, backspot, flier). Here is the USA all-girl group:

http://varsity.com/event/1436/2011_team_usa_cheer.aspx

Coed won 2nd and all-girl won 1st. The other countries are a lot of fun to watch too!

Beyonce "Move Your Body"

For Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign, Beyonce created a workout video where she teaches dances like how to dougie, the running man and the salsa. The video is set in an extremely casual setting making it seem more approachable for kids to do at home. Take a look and see for yourselves! http://923now.radio.com/2011/04/28/video-beyonce-gets-kids-to-move-their-body-breaks-down-different-dance-styles/

Grease

I re-watched the move Grease this weekend, and it got me thinking how a soundtrack can truly narrate a persons life story. I think it's great how each song within the production truly encapsulates characters and their mood. Do you think that newer musical movies have a similar feel? I don't know that there has been anything quite like Grease in quite some time. What do you think?

Lets Move! Falsh mob

The lets move campaign i gave my presentation in in class, did a flash mob at an elementary school. It was cool to see both concepts combined. Here people were brought together organically through a flash mob

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYP4MgxDV2U&feature=player_embedded

Interview with Cat Deeley from SYTYCD

On May 26, Season 8 of So You Think You Can Dance will premiere on FOX! I couldn't be more excited to start watching the eighth season. Every season pumps out amazing dancers and I can't wait to see who else they will find in the different cities.

I found this interview with Cat Deeley from Buddytv.com: http://www.buddytv.com/articles/so-you-think-you-can-dance/cat-deeley-talks-about-so-you-40103.aspx Take a look! It gives a great preview and lets you into the hosts opinion of the show.

I liked reading her take on the show! I was excited to find out that Mary Murphy will return to the judges table. She's always a great addition to the judge's panel and gives great insight on ballroom dancing.

Do you guys watch So You Think You Can Dance? What do you think of it?

Improv Everywhere

I don't know how many of you have heard of Improv Everywhere, but it is a group that choreographs improv routines (that is somewhat of a paradox, but they plan outings and then people can do whatever they want). Some of the things they have done are really cool and really funny-their website is very entertaining!

One thing they did is an MP3 experiment-they have a large group of people download an MP3 file to any device but they are not allowed to listen to it. At a specific date and time, they are supposed to go to a certain place and press play. It's really cool watching these people interact and dance, especially since not everyone at that place is part of the Improv group!!

What do you think of these kinds of experiments? Is this dance? Is this a type of flash mob?

Here is some information about the event:
http://improveverywhere.com/missions/the-mp3-experiments/

And here is a recent experiment they did:
http://youtu.be/kVuVhcdQs0k

Middle School Dance Club

I went on a job interview this past week for a teaching position in a middle school. Eventually I would also like to coach cheerleading in addition to teaching, but currently in this district they already have a coach, so the principal asked if I would be interested in advising a middle school dance club. Of course I said yes (have to sell yourself!), so I got to thinking what I could do with the kids and possibly talk about if I get the job or in future job interviews. I decided it would be a good idea to ask you guys! What aspects of class did you like or think middle school students would like? Are there any particular forms of dances you think they might enjoying trying out? (Of course dances that are appropriate haha aka probably not Single Ladies for 6th graders) Also, different ways we could perhaps make it a little bit competitive for the kids since it would only be for their school.

Let me know what you guys think!

The Voice

Tonight I watched the premiere of The Voice on NBC. You should all tune into it next week! It was truly amazing. So much talent on one stage. The premise of The Voice is that contestants are selected based on their talent not their looks so every judge is turned around so they can only hear but not see the contestants. As the contestants sing for the judges, if the judges like it they can hit a button and turn around signaling a vote for that singer. I thought this was a wonderful contest! Instead of focusing on if the singer fit the overall look of their style of music or just the fit for a singer, they only listened to their talent and singing ability.

This forced me to think about dancing. Do dance shows on television only look at a dancer's talent? Or are judges forced to take into consider their overall look and body too? I think this could sway a judge's opinion. While it would be impossible for a judge to not look at a dancer while they're dancing, I wonder if dancers who were overweight or not deemed the right look or body should've made a dance show and didn't because of their appearance.

I really like the concept of this show. You should all definitely tune into it next week! While its not a dance show, it's about performance and I think it is wonderful!!!

Check out this clip.... I am obsessed with Jeff who sang God Bless The Broken Road... AMAZING!!

Thanks! http://southomer.com/entertainment/amazing-guy-jeff-sings-god-bless-the-broken-road-the-voice-blind-audition-video-preview-april-26-nbc-1972tv

Happy Feet

I don't know if any of you remember the animated movie that came out a few years ago called, Happy Feet. It's about a waddle of penguins that have a special gift of singing. The main character, Mumble, is unable to sing, but can certainly dance! Mumble is seen as a freak and is ousted by his family, which leads to an adventure of self-discovery. Although the plot line is relatively serious, there are some lighthearted jokes accompanied with song and dance numbers to make the movie enjoyable to people of all ages.

Here's a trailer I found: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAIpBSKJWXM

13th Annual ASIA Night

My friends are on the eboard of the club ASIA, Asian Students in America. They are having their end of the year celebration this Saturday, April 30th at 7PM.

The night will be filled with performances by club members, a dance company, and featured guest artist, the Blue Scholars.

For more details: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/event.php?eid=166490296740739&index=1

Dancing in Malaysia

A dance in Malaysia, called the poco-poco line dance, has just been officially not banned from the country. It is controversial in the mainly Muslim country because it can be associated with cult-like behavior and Christianity. However, the people who dance the poco-poco love it and do it for health reasons such as physical activity. One teacher of the poco-poco said "her students were mainly women who just "love to sweat with poco-poco movements and music." Although, just in case women were reminded to not dress sexy or intermingle with men when dancing.

It was said that the dance was not banned for health reasons, so people can get in their physical activity. I think it's great that the dance was not banned but there are many other ways people can get physical activity. Do you think there was something else at play here?

Here's the whole article.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g1d3jbncUSz2gFqHhxWrUi3LqZkQ?docId=CNG.6f8ae8207a61195cb5fb877a33b5e457.121

Yo Yo Ma and Lil Buck

There is a video going around the Internet of a performance of Yo Yo Ma, the famous cellist, accompanied by a performer dancing what the article calls jookin. Apparently its a hybrid between ballet and hip-hop. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/yo-yo-ma-and-lil-buck-create-a-new-ballet/2011/04/15/AFvmh1jD_blog.html) I found this video amazing. The music and the dance go more hand in hand than anything I've seen in awhile. His dance moves are all about continuous fluidity which goes in tune to the cello. It also raises the question about putting a modern twist on classical dance and music. What do you guys think about the video? Do you forsee more blends between classical and modern movements in the future?

Glee & Britney

Recently there was a post about Britney Spears being well known for her dancing in her younger years. I thought this was cool, Glee recently did a Britney Spears tribute episode and covered many of her classic hits. One song they obviously could not leave out was "Hit Me Baby One More Time" the song that started it all and made her famous. Lea Michele did a solid rendition of the video attempting to incorporate some of the classic dance moments from the video and even having Britney herself make an appearance as the teacher. While Britney may not be as young as she was in her initial video she has solidified herself as not only a pop icon but creator of some amazingly memorable dance moments in music video history. Her videos always had amazing dance numbers and she in her hay day had the best dance moves on MTV.

Here is Lea Michele's version that I found on YouTube matched up next to Britney Spears' original video- how did she do?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5ki5MBtRkA&feature=grec_index

Todays Michael Jackson

During the research I did for my presentation last week about dance in music videos, I began to see the influence that artists in the 70's and 80's have had on todays pop stars such as Chris Brown, Usher, Justin Bieber, etc. The closest connection I came across what between Michael Jackson and Chris Brown. Their dance styles are extremely similar with quick explosive movements that mimic the beat of the song while always keeping their balance and staying in control. Brown often speaks about the influence MJ has had on his career and has been quoted saying " michael jackson is the reason I do music and why I am an entertainer". Brown has taken notes on more then just MJ's dance style. His costuming for his life performances and music videos draw from many themes from MJ's shows and videos. One of my favorite Chris Brown videos is "Gimme That". I didn't realize how similar it was to many of MJ's videos until I did research for this project. Check out how clearly MJ has influenced this video:

Smooth Criminal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWucYbAp8Lk

Gimme That:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yl-5FOZcr0

So You Think You Can Dance: Props

My friend from high school was a competitive dancer and participated in multiple ranges of dance from jazz, to hip hop, to lyrical. She loved So You Think You Can Dance. This was one of her favorite dances, she said it was so amazing they could use a table or even think to and attempt to incorporate it into their dance. It led me to think many of the dances we have learned about had props you hold, clothes you wear, or places where the dances are appropriate. But using the table was very cool and a really unique way to attempt to express their dance. Dancing and then also finding ways to do moves they could never normally do by using and playing with the table was really interesting. Can you think of any other types of props like the table that could be interesting to try and use? I thought about the Britney Spears "Stronger" video with her chair she danced with, the 90's had lots of chair dancing- table dancing never really took off the way dancing with chairs did!

here's the link to the dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFH1moy62VQ&feature=related

Great Football Commercial.

Now I am sure you saw the title for the blog post and were wondering how possibly this fit into the criteria for a Dance in American Culture blog. However, What is more American than football? For years many NFL players have taken ballet to improve their coordination, smoothness of movement, and to practice the general discipline that ballet requires. This commercial for the NFL entitled "ballet" speaks to this idea. The commercial itself is a super slowed down version of a catch in during an NFL game. It shows the actual grace and athleticism behind the athletes playing this sport as well as obvious places where ballet could truly help their game. Instead of the usual fans screaming, commentary banter, and loud beer commercials this play is set to a slow classical tune and thus perpetuates the ballet image more. Enjoy, I thought it was very interesting and proof dance can help in you all areas of life and sport.

http://www.funnycommercialsworld.com/nfl-commercial-ballet-2455.html

Syracuse Air Guitar champion announced

The standing-room-only crowd at the Red House last night was rocked to its core by electrifying and at times dangerous moves in the First Annual Syracuse Air Guitar Competition. In case you can't wait any longer to hear what happened, let me end your suspense.
http://syracuseairguitar.blogspot.com/

Rowdy Flashmobs...?

Here's an interesting CBS story on Flashmobs: how people utilize technology (such as social media) to organize flash mobs & how they are gradually becoming more dangerous.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPaWx2YbRqc&feature=fvst

Oprah Flashmob

As I mentioned at the end of our presentation today, Oprah did a flashmob on her show to promote her 24th season. The Black Eyed Peas performed a special version of "I Gotta Feeling" and they created the largest flashmob so far. While this is a promotional video for both the Black Eyed Peas and Oprah, it also is for pure entertainment and very entertaining to watch.

Here is the link to video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrvvTVIHYyA

The video is somewhat long because it also includes a documentary that goes behind the scenes into how they choreographed and produced the flash mob!

Enjoy :-)

X Factor

While abroad last semester in London, I became obsessed with the television show the X Factor. The X Factor is a lot like American Idol (it even has Simon Cowell as a judge) but the difference is that a wide range of ages can compete.

There are four judges and each becomes a mentor for a specific group throughout the competition, girls, guys, groups, and over 28. They work with them throughout the week and create a performance to try to win the audience's vote.

The difference between the X Factor and American Idol is that it does not necessarily showcase the people with the most talent, but rather the people who draw the audience in the most. They even have a choreographer on the show that works with the competitors and extras to create a performance.

This goes along with the dicussion we had the other day in class about whether dance is needed. I think that sometimes, having other abilities can trump the fact that you are not the best singer. As long as you have that "X Factor" you can go far.

Simon Cowell is bringing the X Factor to America this fall. It will be interesting to see the difference in talent from the US in comparison to the UK version.
Here are a few examples of the competitors from this past season.

Matt Cardle was the one who won the competition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR6iwgTmvys

Wagner... I have no words for him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq49Gv3wFB0

Cher Lloyd
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiusSaqmapU

Britney Spears

Britney Spears just released the music video for her newest single Till the World Ends. It was very typical of her usual music videos with scandelous outfits and lots of extras dancing. The difference was that Britney barely did any dancing throughout the entire music video. For someone who was known for her dance moves, I think it is strange that she has lost the energy that she used to have. You may get older, but you do not lose your dancing abilties.

A couple days ago, I noticed that she released a second video for Till the World Ends called "Dance Till the World Ends." This second video was supposed to showcase Britney and her dancing abilities. I honestly did not notice much of a difference between the two.

Were you able to see a noticable difference? Do you think Britney still has "it"?

Original: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzU9OrZlKb8
Dance Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3Lqg-46mDo

1989 Article on Music Videos/MTV!

Speaking of trends in music videos and how they have transformed over time, I just found an article on music videos in the NY Times from 1989! Its pretty funny the way the article discusses MTV:

IDEAS & TRENDS; After Music Videos, All the World Has Become a Screen

By JON PARELES
Published: December 10, 1989

MTV probably didn't know its own strength when the cable channel started broadcasting music video clips day and night on Aug. 1, 1981. But as the end of the decade draws near, the fast pace and kaleidoscopic style of music video has ricocheted across popular culture, changing the way people listen to music and leaving its frenetic mark on movies, television, fashion, advertising and even television news.

By packaging unruly rock music for television, music video has brought rock and some of its energy to a wider, mainstream audience. Some musicians, their presence amplified by television, have marshalled listeners to support causes like saving the rain forests or fighting world hunger. At the same time, rock's new visibility has brought attacks from people who hadn't paid attention when the music was just noise on the radio.

MTV, or Music Television, didn't invent music video. The song-length juxtaposition of music and pictures has roots in Walt Disney's ''Fantasia'' and song-and-dance numbers in movie musicals. Rock's visual side was fitfully exploited in movies, from Elvis Presley in ''Jailhouse Rock'' to the Beatles in ''A Hard Day's Night.'' By the late 1970's record companies regularly produced promotional films or videotapes to give musicians exposure beyond their usual touring circuit.

http://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/10/weekinreview/ideas-trends-after-music-videos-all-the-world-has-become-a-screen.html

Clownville Website!

I know it has been a while since we have discussed Krumping and Clowning but I found an entire website dedicated to articles written about both styles of dance. A lot of the articles are dedicated to the movie Rize which is clearly respected in the community of Krumpers and Clowners. Also Tommy the Clown is mentioned in a few article titles. If you're ever interested in looking up articles on these dances this is a good database!

http://clownvillenews.com/clowns-krumping-in-the-news.shtml

Reason for Music Festivals (not in Bangkok)

I thought this article was interesting about the legal action the gov. in Bangkok is taking against women who danced topless during a celebration. Even though it is also illegal in the U.S., it made me think about why we have music festivals here. It is a chance for people to dance however they want (naked, fully clothed, in costume, etc.) and not have anyone say anything about it. Every music festival I've been to, the dancing has been so free and not judged by any member of the crowd. I can't imagine how the gov. in Bangkok would feel about it after reading this.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/19/world/asia/19thai.html?_r=1&ref=dancing

Music Videos, is dancing necessary?

Paula Abdul, 1990s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xweiQukBM_k

Alicia Keys 2001

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urdlvw0SSEc

Cassie 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU46S55d8HE

so we talked about when it is necessary for performers to dance, how music videos have changed and how women are sexuality. I was sitting with my friend listening to pandora and thought i'd look up some of the videos and compare them.

First was Paula abdul, the performer who cares more about showing off which is seen in her video, especially since it is with a cartoon rabbit. Then we have Alicia Keys whose video focuses on her and her ability to belt out a song. The video does relate to the song, but dancing isn't a part of it. Finally we have a new video by a relatively new artists, Cassie. Though her video does have sexualized dancing. I think it's more informative to look at the low budget of the video. It has only one set, no commercial props or people. It focus on her.

Dance for Fame

since our projects are due this week, i was thinking about my project on America's Best DAnce Crew and the Jabbawockeez so I decided to look at youtube videos of them and found this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuonbvrbGtg

its from the a World Dance competition. Jabbawockeez did not compete, but they were the celebrity guest. It's crazy that they could go from a competition background and because of one show, they went from competing to getting paid to perform at the competitions they tried to win the year before. It just goes to show you the worldwide appeal of MTV and dance in general.

I Love Janelle Monae!

So yesterday in class we discussed the importance of challenging gender roles in music videos, and my mind immediately jumped to Janelle Monae. Granted, I've had an obsession with the R&B/nu-soul/hip hop/rock/classical/pop singer for a good year now, so I was going to post her music videos on here anyway. Because, all feminist criticism aside, this girl can dance!

But, as refreshing as her voice, talent, and moves are, it's even more refreshing to see an artist who focuses on the music as her main selling point--not her body. Instead of the typical sexualized clothing seen in pop, Monae's signature look is a full tuxedo and gravity-defying hairdo. She considers it her "uniform", but also stresses its importance as a message. As Monae says herself, "I feel like I have a responsibility to my community and other young girls to help redefine what it looks like to be a woman. I don't believe in men's wear or women's wear. I just like what I like."

You can see the look in her video for "Tightrope", a kickin' upbeat soul jammer. Since this is a dance class, LOOK AT THAT DANCING! Monae demonstrates what "tipping on the tightrope" is all about, and while it's not necessarily a dance everyone can follow (somewhere between a moonwalk-esque glide and the stanky leg), I dare you not to move to this. I also love how the video itself is about the power of dance as a form of rebellion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwnefUaKCbc

Next is her video for "Cold War." We were talking in class about low budget music videos, and this would be one of them: it's all a single shot of Monae looking straight at the camera, lip synching the tune. What I love here is that Monae demonstrates the difference between intimacy and sexuality: before the song starts, we see her take off her cape and face the camera bare-shouldered, which she remains for the rest of the song. But the move isn't seductive; it's vulnerable. In fact, I found it somewhat uncomfortable to watch the video the first time because of the way she relentlessly LOOKS at you as she sings. Over the course of three minutes, she messes up her lip synching, laughs, grimaces, and ultimately ends up crying to the camera, all of which adds to the vulnerability that the opening undressing suggests. Such a simple visual forces you to listen to the lyrics, which are powerful enough. Who here hasn't at one time been able to relate to the declaration, "I was made to believe there's something wrong with me"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqmORiHNtN4&feature=relmfu

Have I plugged this artist enough?! Listen to her album "The Archandroid." You'll be sold.

Music Videos

I mentioned this video in class today; it is called "Less is More" by C-Mon & Kypski. It's a really creative idea and a low-budget project. Like I said today, fans sent in clips of them doing various movements, and the band tied together all of the fan clips (with some footage of the band members) in order to produce the video. Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkWUPRwT6YI

Also, since we were on the topic of dance & camera techniques in music videos, it reminded me of one of my personal favorite videos of all time: "Reptilia" by The Strokes. It is definitely not a dance video, but I think it's really neat and interesting simply because of the way it was shot. Check it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8-tXG8KrWs

Do you think videos such as this ("Reptilia") have the same effect/are as intriguing as a lot of the "typical" dance videos that we see today (i.e. Lady Gaga, Britney Spears)?

No Body Segments

After today's speaker in class, I went back to watch some music videos of the artists I'm listening to at the moment.

I want to focus on the artist Dev and her video for the song "Booty Bounce." Ironically, there's no booty bouncing in the video. I did notice that her full body is seen throughout the video and it's quickly cut with fast shots of her head/face, which humanizes her. There is no focus on her other body parts. Even the guys in the video are shown as a full body shot. All of the outfits Dev wears aren't suggestive. They just show off her eclectic style. She's doing her own thing and only talks to the camera in her close-up shots, but I don't think she's seducing the viewers by any means.

Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDfUjM-vygI Warning: Your eyes may get dizzy.

With Dance, Anybody is a Rock Star!

My friend showed me this clip a while back, and I thought it was appropriate to bring up in light of Syracuse's Air Guitar Week! Now, granted, this clip isn't strictly air guitar, but tell me this isn't what the tradition of jamming to nonexistent musical instruments is all about! Captured on the jumbotron at a Celtics game, this fan ROCKS OUT to Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer," traversing stadium aisles and engaging fans with a determined rock star swagger. Most spectators are only too happy to respond with some enthusiastic movements of their own.

So, yeah, it's an impromptu performance at a basketball game, but it's a performance nonetheless. Much like our in-class air guitar heroes, this guy has to do a lot more than just dance to Bon Jovi for the crowd's attention. He has to put his own personality into it, and nothing says personality like hugging a random spectator and then passionately pumping a fist or two in the air for emphasis. Forget playing the air guitar; this guy's going straight for the rock star persona! He's got it in my book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmiS0RNNp28

DWTS Nicole Scherzinger fair or not?

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20420920,00.html

This link I found after researching how people felt about her competing on the show to begin with. A previous blog post discussed if keeping mediocre dancers on for laughs or public appeal was somehow jeopardizing the quality or integrity of the competition. Which, I actually do think is unfair and the best dancer should win and stay on over dancers who are not as talented. However, I also think allowing professional and trained dancers to compete makes it an unfair playing field. Nicole's career in the music industry for the Pussycat Dolls involved days and hours of dance rehearsal, while most of the people competing have zero dance experience. Their rehearsals focus primarily on teaching them how to follow steps, take direction, and learn these new dances. One of her fellow competitors says in the article, they "there were moments you couldn't tell her apart from the professional dancers." Is this kind of contestant fair? Does it also diminish the integrity of the competition for the competitors who are genuinely attempting to try something new and learn and foreign form of expression?

Flash Mob

Another post discussed a flash mob they had seen on youtube, it reminded me of the recent flash mob on Modern Family. I think its a great representation of the kind of people who could benefit from this type of dance in their every day lives! Mitchell doesn't normally let loose or express himself as much as most people, and this was an outlet for him to express himself and indirectly express his love for Cam through dance! Here is a link for the clip from the show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77O6IrDYBBI

Air Guitar Week!

An excellent opportunity to practice your dance and improvisation skills is coming to you this week.

Thursday, April 21: come to a free screening of the film Air Guitar Nation with the star, Björn Türöque, who will be on hand to answer your questions. Critics raved about this 2007 film, calling it "hilarious" (Variety), "a riff-roaring experience" (BBC), " a sort of Buddhist singularity" (Salon.com), and "tough to resist" (New York Times). Watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea32R_2jSxg
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: SU Campus, HBC building, Gifford Auditorium

Friday, April 22: Syracuse's first annual Air Guitar Competition! Winners will take home fabulous prizes (provided by the makers of Air Guitar Nation and Syracuse's own Sound Garden) and the top finisher gains a spot on the US Air Guitar Regional Championship in Boston. Björn Türöque, also known as author and musician Dan Crane, will host and celebrity judges will officiate. Competitors will have to throw all their creativity and love for music into a one-minute performance judged on technique, stage presence, and airness to win the coveted first place title.
Entrance is free.
Time: 8 PM (doors at 7:30)
Competitors: arrive at 7 PM
Location: The Red House

Competitors: Space is limited!! Pre-register by email to salsasydney AT gmail DOT com and bring your 1-minute songs on CD.
Rules and more information on competitive air guitar: http://www.usairguitar.com/rules/

Dan Crane/Björn Türöque is known as "The Ryan Seacrest of Air Guitar" for his hosting of air guitar competitions around the country as well as the world championships held annually in Oulu, Finland. He also writes for the New York Times and is the author of To Air is Human (Riverhead, 2006). Get to know Dan here: http://www.dancrane.com/Site/Who.html

Dance for Good

I read an article on CNN recently about a UK organization that is spreading ballet to young children in one of Kenya's worst slums. I thought this was a great way to show how dance can be used for a good cause. Have you heard about any other organizations like Anno's Africa that are using arts education to help disadvantaged individuals?

Check out the article and video here: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/04/13/kenya.ballet.mathare/

The Ugly Dance

This past weekend, I "stumbled upon" this website where you can upload your picture and then choose what you want you legs and arms to do. It's actually very fun trying to make up a dance to the music playing. You can also use people already created if you do not want to upload your picture.

I think the most amusing part of this website is that most people dance like this at parties, obviously not to the same extent. But there rarely is an organized style of dancing.

http://theuglydance.com/

Enjoy!

Kirstie Alley Falls On 'Dancing With the Stars' During Rumba

I'm sure most of you have heard about the Kirstie Alley fall on Dancing with the Stars, but if you haven't, here is a link where you can read more about it and watch the actual video from the episode:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/05/kirstie-alley-falls-dancing-with-the-stars-_n_844916.html

We have talked in class about whether or not watchers vote to keep people on the show because of their dancing abilities or because of their star status, and this one instance shows me that in a lot of cases it's for the crowd appeal. Kirstie is still on the show, and although the fall was said not to be her fault, many show watchers report they like the added comedy people like Alley and Wendy Williams bring. Do you think this hurts the credibility of the ballroom dancer they are matched with? i.e. do you think it makes them look bad?

Starting a Flashmob

I came across this video from a music festival-everyone was hanging around and one guy gets up and starts dancing. All of sudden, another person joins him, and by the end everyone is jumping up and down in a huge group! This reminded me of an informal flash mob. Typically, flash mobs are choreographed for a specific attention/purpose. This video seemed to be everyone dancing purely for fun.

At what point do we consider this dance? Do you think it is a type of flash mob? In the beginning, it seems the guy is different because he is jumping up and down by himself. At what point does it become "cool" to join in and dance with everyone else? How does this work?!

Actors and their Dance Doubles

So I watched Footloose as my dance movie for class, and it sure brought back some fond memories--I was in a theatrical production of it for high school and own the soundtrack on vinyl! And I would imagine that most people are familiar with the movie in some way, if not with the actual plot at least the chart-topping music and, of course that much-spoofed dance scene of Kevin Bacon in the warehouse.

(Speaking of which, here's the original, coupled with two favorite parodies of mine):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CutniaAW8XI&feature=fvsr

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMjgSkfQPSY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RalDsFionzU&feature=related

Alright, so after that distraction, I looked up the making of that dance scene and realized Bacon had four individual dancers performing specific parts of it for him. I'm not necessarily surprised, as most actors cannot pull of the more complicated dance moves with the short amount of training they get. But it got me curious and I started searching for other "feigned" dance sequences in movies. The famous Jennifer Beals sequence in Flashdance comes to mind, and, even recently, Nathalie Portman's double in Black Swan has been contesting she did more shots in the film than she got credit for.

Which leads me to ask, does it bug you if you know an actor does not do all of his/her dance moves? Conversely, are you more impressed by a dance movie when the actor featured in it does 100% of the moves? Does this create a stronger perception of authenticity, and should it? (After all, just about anything can be accomplished with clever film editing--double or no double). Do you think dance doubles should get more of the spotlight than they do--especially when they're the ones performing these classic dance scenes? Or are they simply delegated to the status of a stunt double behind the scenes--a demanding, yet pretty thankless, job?

Dancing Animals?!

So we've talked a lot about viral dance clips on the web, but so far they all seem to feature humans! We know how popular dance videos are. And we know how popular clips of cute animals are. And that got me thinking: are there any neat videos out there featuring dancing animals? Or are we only attracted to dance when we're the ones doing it?

Somebody out there has got have some videos for me. I've got one to start off with: the dubstep bird. This parakeet gets down more than most humans I know; I guess grimy bass is dug by man and beast alike.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXNFSCMgMhM

Project

I know that Sami already posted the link to our YouTube video but I just wanted to reiterate how much we would appreciate everyone watching the clip and commenting. We are researching how viral videos spread and we're hoping that this one will go viral.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWfhXfdPR5Q

The Conqueror of the Dance Floor

Ever since I was 5 years old, I've been a huge fan of John Travolta. If I didn't feel like watching a Disney movie when I was litte, then I would usually choose either Grease or Look Who's Talking? to watch. I just love John Travolta. He's probably my second favorite male actor+dancer combo, Patrick Swayze being #1.

So last night, while I was watching Wild Hogs, a scene inspired me to write about him.

For those who don't know, John Travolta is quite a dancer. He's probably most famous for his dancing in Saturday Night Fever and Grease. However, I noticed that in most of the movies he has starred in, he has had at least one dance scene.

In Grease, the big moment was "You're the One that I Want" at the end of the movie when Travolta and Olivia Newton-John performed however; I think Travolta's biggest dance scene would be during the school dance, when he dances with Cha Cha, gaining the whole schools attention. Here's a link to it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQWGxA54AoE&feature=related

I've already discussed the line dancing disco Travolta does in Saturday Night Fever but here's a link to that too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m9ZP_tTtLc

In Look Who's Talking Too? Travolta does an Elvis Presley impersonation through his dancing. It's a really fun scene to watch. It's cool to see how Travolta interprets Elvis' moves and mimics them. That scene can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYHCW8RMu_g&feature=related

In Michael, Travolta's dancing turns him into a ladies man. The dancing in this scene kind of reminds me of the dancing you'd see in one of those Coyote Ugly bars, but that's irrelevant. It seems like a in-the-moment kind of dance when Travolta is alone, very improvised. Anyways, here's that scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SivKzsZOf_o

Pulp Fiction is a rather random movie for there to be a dance scene in. I wouldn't have expected it and give kudos to the writers for finding a place to put a dance scene in. In this scene, Travolta and Uma Thurman perform in a dance competition, doing their own rendition of the Twist and adding some of their own fun moves to it. Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLZl6R7JGCc

Finally, the scene that started it all for this blog post. In class, we talked about how it isn't uncommon for people of the same gender to dance together. I don't think it's strange at all. I dance with my friends all the time. John Travolta has taught me that dancing with someone of the same gender can make a dance easier to learn. There's less tension and awkwardness that way, or at least that's how it is with me. In Wild Hogs, Travolta's character "teaches" William Macy's character how to dance so he can impress a girl. The dance being taught is the Lindy. It can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkpFeLlhX4

I just thought that it was interesting how John Travolta alway seems to have a dance in many of his movies. It's kind of like his trademark. I also think it's cool how many of his dances seem kind of old-fashioned, with the Twist, the Lindy, disco...It was an entertaining subject to do research on.

Estonian Complextro

I fall in love with anew EDM artist every month. Currently i'm obssessed with this 20 year old estonian kid who is reshaping the electro dance genre with his "complextro" style. He goes by the name Mord Fustang, seriously. His style takes typical electro house rhythms and beats and replaces them with 20 different synthetic sounds that make an extremely complex drop. A few other artists, like skrillex and wolfgang gartner have done similar type styles, but Mords style is by far the funkiest and absolutely moves the listener. I find Mord an interesting case in terms of dance for two reasons: First off, his perspective on what makes people move is extremely progressive. The sounds that he builds for his drops get at the core elements of typical dance music instruments - low basses, a pulsating kick, and unforgettable melodies. Also, I think it is incredible that a kid of his age, from such an obscure part of the world can think up a style this complex that still connects with mainstream electro listeners. I feel like it totally redefines the concept of unity behind dance when someone from a completely different part of the world can create something that my friends fall in love with. Anyway, if this interests you, please take listen:

http://soundcloud.com/mordfustang/lick-the-rainbow

Make It or Break It

Brittany and I recently watched an episode of Make it or Break it, and while the show is actually about gymnastics, I found the recent subject matter of eating disorders to be quite relevant. It is an issue that plagues both the gymnastic and dance world, as appearance seems to be such an essential or is thought to be an essentail aspect of the sport. The episode did a great job at explaining the severity of a truly serious issue, and I think it is something that all people involved in these kinds of activities should be aware of.

If you haven't seen it the show is on ABC Family, and you can check out clips on their website.

Disco

In my article for the reading report, it discussed how some studios implement "discos" during international ballroom dancing classes. This was to pull away from the rules and regulations of ballroom dancing and to allow people not who may not be as comfortable dancing the opportunity to loosen up and dance. The author explained a "blurring of lines between dance and exercise" during these 30 minute periods where people would sometimes just run in place to the music. That pushed an image into my head of people at house parties who when a song comes on and they don't really know how to dance to it, they just kind of flail to the music. I'll admit, I've fallen victim to running in place and moving my arms while casually dancing. Why do you think people resort back to random movements when they do not know how to dance to the music? Instead of trying to legitimately dance, people just flail and constitute that as a form of dance.

Help with Research

Hi guys! For our internet research project, Lauren, Amanda, and I are all doing songs that teach you how to dance. We already have a list put together of songs that we could think of like the Cha Cha Slide, the Ketchup Song, the Twist, etc. We also have a list of songs that people know the dance to like Single Ladies and Soulja Boy. We were told to ask the masses on their ideas of songs that teach you how to dance and were wondering if you guys had any other songs that we could add to our list! Thanks for your help!

Relay For Life and Dance

So last night, I attended Relay for Life and my friend and I were in charge of DJing the music in between showcased events. We were asked to play popular, upbeat tunes that everyone could recognize, which led to a lot of Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry mix sets. But, I found the biggest responses we got from the relay crowd (who were in no way obligated to dance or even acknowledge the stuff we were playing) were from those tunes that already had a dance built into it: the obligatory "Cha Cha Slide", the popular "Teach Me How to Dougie" (which I had somehow avoided until last night) and the irresistible "Cupid's Shuffle" (which got the biggest response of them all!).

I found it to be a great example of how dance unifies; more people were inclined to dance to a song that had a common and relatable set of instructions to it. In this way, dancers were participating in a culture that was widely understood by the people around them. More dancers were willing to "get low" when Flo Rida commanded them to than when Fergie boasted about her "boom boom pow."

Also, there was an hour long Zumba session that was one of the most widely-participated activities of the night (though, I might add, it was mostly girls. Kudos to the guys out there who weren't afraid to get a work out!). One of the sound guys remarked to me how the activity just looked like one giant line dance to him. This reminded me of how broad (and potentially vague) Zumba can be. Obviously, in this case, the movements were not as intricate so more people could partake in dancing. Do you think this is what makes a dance like "Cupid's Shuffle" popular? Can you think of any "complicated" dances that have been taken up by the general public?

Dance Scene Premieres Tonight

Tune into the Dance Scene tonight at 10:30 PM. Laurieann Gibson, celebrity choreographer, has her own television show where she mentors aspiring dancers looking to gain careers in dance. I am sure this will be extremely entertaining. Gibson has been a choreographer on So You Think You Can Dance and currently runs Lady Gagas productions. I am really excited to see the show tonight!

Read this little preview: http://www.examiner.com/tv-in-national/laurieann-gibson-talks-new-show-the-dance-scene-lady-gaga-video and try and watch the show tonight! I bet it will be a hit!

See you all next week!

UDA/NDA Nationals

Today the Universal Dance Association (UDA) college national competition was televised on ESPN, and being on the cheer team, thereby associated with the Universal Cheerleading Association (UCA), I got sucked into watching for awhile! There are two main associations for cheer and dance (and many smaller ones). UCA/UDA is one, and NCA/NDA is the second most popular. The National Cheer/Dance Association actually just hosted their college nationals this past week, so overall these organizations have been in the media a lot lately. (Also note they are televised on ESPN, a sports network) We talked a little bit about the elements of competitive college dance, but I encourage anyone interested to check out http://varsity.com where you can find more details and a large variety of dance videos from schools all over the country. The performances are all extremely crowd appealing, especially when it comes to costumes, music, themes, make up and choreography, all things we have talked about in class. Another fun idea is to watch a few videos, rate them yourself, and then look up their actual scores. It gets interesting to see how the judges view the dance in comparison to that of the average person. Have fun!

Dancing for a Cause

Many of you, if not most of you, know that last night, Syracuse hosted Relay for Life in the Carrier Dome from 6 p.m. to 4:30 this morning. The Relay was a fundraiser that benefits cancer research. A large number of students gathered in the Dome for the cause.

The night consisted of a lot of entertainment. DanceWorks and Orange Pulse dance groups both performed, and if I'm not much mistaken, the SU Dance Team and possibly SU cheerleaders may have also performed in the beginning (not positive about those last two though). Other groups like the Step Team and a tap group also performed. Two Zumba instructors came in around 1 a.m. and led a hour-long Zumba workout. It was quite an active and enjoyable night.

In class, we talk a lot about how dance builds community. I know that through my own experiences with dance, but last night, I was given a refresher in the idea. I watched all these groups perform, dancing different styles, with different people, wearing different things. However, they were all united. How? By participating in the same event, for the same purpose, to reach the same goal. They were all there to show support for a great cause, raise money and fight against cancer.

Thinking about the different dance groups performing for the same cause made me realize that last night, for the first time in my college career, I felt as if Syracuse had become a close-knit community. Almost like a family. For the first time, I could dance alongside people who usually ignore me when they pass me on the Quad. I didn't feel inferior when someone danced better than I did, nor did I feel superior when someone didn't dance so well. I felt equal to everyone. I could laugh and smile and joke with people who I would never speak to otherwise. I felt connected to every person I was in the Dome with. It made me respect and love this school so much more because for those 10.5 hours, we were all able to put our differences aside and join together to help a good cause. It was a great feeling and an even greater night.

Relay wasn't entirely dance-based, but I'm sure dance-related fundraisers create a similar feeling. If you know this by experience, please share and compare!

And as an added note, we ended up raising $165,753.04. It was quite a successful evening.

You Better Work

So we talked about house music the other day and how studying club dance can be difficult when so much of it is based on improv. Additionally, there are so many dances that can be done to EDM (Electronic Dance Music) that it can be hard to keep track of what's what (the same can be said for electronic dance genres themselves).

Here's one specific house dance I want to bring to light: voguing. Drawing influence from New York's drag ballroom scene, this style of dance developed as house was imported to New York from Chicago. It's a dance that integrates model-like poses with seamless footwork and sharp, dramatic arm movements. Much like the freeze is a highly-esteemed move in b-boying, striking a pose is the central focus of voguing. Also like b-boying, voguing is usually done in competition, with each voguer trying to out-pose their opponent.

Check out this video, where two dancers are attempting to do just that. Not only are their moves extremely smooth, but I'm loving that jackin' slice of old school house music!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1eSFxSQaDg

Evolution of Dance

This is just a funny viral vid that I found of this comedian taking us through the evolution of dance. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMH0bHeiRNg

Dance Movies

I was recently shown this video that includes clips from numerous dancing videos to the Footloose soundtrack. Since we're going to look at popular dance movies, I thought this fit perfectly!

Here's the clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYL3j27sSH8

Besides having the clips cut very well so they look choreographed to Footloose, this video reminded me that dancing appears all the time in popular culture. Dances have appeared in movies for decades, and they are commonly the most remembered sections and the music becomes popular that everyone can sing to. I've never really thought before how important dance is to American society; people love watching it for its entertainment value and idolize and try to imitate famous dancers and famous dancing scenes. This has probably contributed to the numerous parodies now found on YouTube as everyone wants to be popular.

What are your thoughts on this? Enjoy the video :-)

Appearance and Trends in the Media

So, this is what I would have said in class today had a been able to speak (sore throat.. Sorry!). We were talking about appearance and trending, and I thought what Christina said made a lot of sense. Shows like Dancing with the Stars try out what they think people will like, and then create focus groups to see their actual reactions. Shows will change the way they present themselves purely for ratings, and usually that means going with the latest trends, i.e. tanning, to make certain people or dances feel more authentic. It doesn’t mean it is actually authentic, it just means we have to REALIZE that it is not authentic, meaning, we have to give credit to our education system! (Yes, yes, it’s my major)

So this is a clip I used with my students to show the difference in time periods between the 1700s absolutism/Enlightenment in Europe and in the U.S. today. The two main characters are clearly upper class as you can see by the services provided for them and how they dress. And what is funny is that you can see the man changing the shades of his hair and skin to make his skin look lighter because that is what was in during that time period. It doesn’t mean all people changed their skin tones, just like all people do not tan or use tanning products, but a lot of the time if you can afford it (in whatever time period) you follow the trend and attempt to fit in/be more authentic to your culture. Like I said, maybe in couple hundred years people will change their skin tones to look purple.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GBhKrwdqjo

DanceSport & Latin American dance

Thanks for a stimulating discussion today! It was so stimulating, in fact, that we didn't really have time to look at any videos. So here are a few for your viewing pleasure.

On the topic of rumba, compare this Dancing With the Stars version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=118aPwAz984
With this Cuban version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adFl-JhVFkA

And compare this Dancing With the Stars tango performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfYMGkYS5aw
with this Argentine tango (improvised): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izYKLYTaL3Y
Or a stage version of Argentine tango: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbPZpbQzfW8

In DanceSport, however, tango is NOT in the "Latin" category.

Also I have a recommendation of a film about ballroom dance that might usefully be compared with DWS. Like DWS, it tells a story about personal transformation, but for a very different group of people. If you're interested, watch Mad Hot Ballroom!

Dance Photography

After seeing Katie's post about a dance blog following a dance photographer, I decided to research another dance photographer. The one I've found is Lois Greenfield, a photographer who uses dance to showcase their expression and the beauty of the human body. The dancers not only create shapes, but make full expressions with their bodies. Take a look through and see if you can make impressions on how these dances would change if you saw them performed in real life?

http://www.loisgreenfield.com/dance/featured/614/center-dance-collective_1.html

Ballerina Project

I found this really interesting article online about a photographer, Dane Shitagi, who started a 10 year project called the Ballerina Project. I had never heard about it so decided to look into it. I turns out that his blog (http://ballerinaproject.tumblr.com/) has become an online sensation, gaining a lot of attention and a dedicated following. He has developed this project around shooting ballerina's against urban backdrops on NYC. Not only are the photos brilliant in my opinion but Dane brings up a lot of interesting opinions about the dance world in the article (see link below). He does not view his photos as trying to show dance through photos. Rather, his focus remains on telling a different point of view of the dancers.

"I don't think of what I'm doing as dance photography," Mr. Shitagi said. "You can't experience a glass of wine by looking at a picture of it; I think the same way about dance. I want to get them out of conventional settings to make the photograph more about them, their dreams, what they want to express."

At the end of the article, he also mentions the stereotypes that surround the dancing world and how media images, like Black Swan, perpetuate these stereotypes.

Check out the article and his blog. What are your thoughts?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703712504576245050167123440.html

Air Guitar

So I know we briefly started to discuss air guitar in today's class & will continue that discussion on Thursday. Air guitar was a huge deal at my high school - it was an annual event that took place during the spring, people had to buy tickets to attend, and the school would sell air guitar DVD's which included all the acts from that year's event. A lot of the acts created some really cool, funny, and entertaining performances. Some copied dance moves directly from already existing music videos, while others made up their own choreography. Those these are slightly different from the clip we watched today, here are a couple links to some air guitar performances from my high school. The first was during my junior year, it's to N*Sync's "Dirty Pop" and actually won first place that year. The second is a bunch of my friends dancing to Aqua's "Dr. Jones" during the following year's event. Enjoy!

Dirty Pop:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkJgfM6VQWg

Dr. Jones:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGgSH2m90ZY&feature=related

The Evolution of Social Dancing

After a recent newsfeed update on Facebook, I have been wondering about just how much social dance has evolved and changed through the years. I've been really thinking about just how different social dance is now compared to how it was even in our parent's or our grandparent's generation.

It all started on Sunday night, when the newsfeed on my Facebook blew up with pictures from the weekend college parties. The pictures ranged from group shots, to posed shots, to shots taken during the night. Some of the action shots showed the dancing that took place at these parties. I don't think I need to describe the dancing, but I will say that a lot of today's dancing consists largely of grinding. This is not just in the college setting either. School dances in both middle school and high school consist of grinding and full contact dancing. It's gotten to the point where my teachers in high school, and family members with younger children are left speechless at the things they see and hear about when they are told about how people dance these days.

When my grandparents were young, swing was the thing. They loved to swing dance. The energy and the movement made it fun for them. The different steps and variations always kept it interesting. It was mostly partner-dancing, holding on to one another to dance with and maintaining a frame. However, they could also dance alone if, for some reason, they weren't able to find a partner. There was also slow dancing, mostly using the box step, for the more romantic moments. It's funny, because during the '50s, some variations to swing dancing, especially dancing influenced by Rock 'n' Roll, were considered rebellious.

During my parents' teenage years, dance was more freestyle-based. The beat and the rhythm influenced the movements. Partner dancing didn't necessarily mean you had to hold on to your partner. My mom told me she frequently danced with a group of friends, or if she had someone to dance with, she would dance facing him but they didn't often hold onto each other, especially if the beat was faster. Slower songs brought about slow dancing which consisted holding on to someone while dancing in a circle. How someone danced depended on the beat of the music.

Through my years of middle and high school, I did all kinds of social dancing. One of my best friends knows how to swing dance, so he frequently took me out on the floor to swing dance no matter what kind of song was playing. I remember dancing to "Time of My Life" with another friend of mine, to imitate Johnny and Baby from Dirty Dancing (though we only did the step where when I stepped back, my friend stepped forward and vice versa). I also was one of the first to jump onto the floor when the electric slide, the Cotton-Eyed Joe, YMCA, or any other popular group dance came on the stereo. I slow danced at times. I danced with friends. I also danced alone. I guess I was a mix of both my parents and my grandparents.

Then there's today, where dancing consists of grinding, or jumping around, or moving your hips from side to side while lowering your body to the floor, or simply holding on to someone's neck to dance in a circle with. It's not such much about foot movement, or much movement at all. Movement of the hips is emphasized, and the rest of the body follows. Modern social dance is quite different from the dance days of the waltz, swing dancing, and even dances of the 80s.

My question is, why do you think today's dancing has become so sexualized? Or if you don't think that, how would you describe modern social dancing? What do you think has influenced such a dramatic change in social dance within the last 60 years? What has strong influence over how we dance today?

I don't think this post is very offensive or upsetting, but just in case, I'm sorry if I offend or upset anyone. That was not my intention. The thought has been in my head for a while so I wanted to see what everyone else had to say about the subject.

One Man YMCA

While discussing some of the popular dances in queer club settings, I thought of a half time performance I've seen at basketball games.

This is Christopher, who does a one man performance, complete with props, of the Village People performing YMCA. It's funny and entertaining. I know it was one of my family's favorite halftime performances at professional NBA game while I was growing up.

What is your opinion of this? Is it considered dance? Is it promoting the same messages in the YMCA and making them acceptable or is it a mockery?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2pNpQ1bbBA

Looking forward to hearing your opinions!

Electronic dance music / dance moves

Today we talked about queer club culture and the improvisation of dance to electronic music. But of course, electronic dance music is enjoyed by many other groups of people as well.

Learn some moves here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOUjDE-Uugc

And check out what Hasan Baba is up to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR_VhfxAnXU

Air Guitar Events April 21-22

Hi folks,

Competitors are starting to sign up for the big Syracuse air guitar competition! Might you be next??? It's another way to have a participatory dancelike experience this semester. Here's some PR...

http://blog.syracuse.com/entertainment/2011/04/air_guitarists_wanted_for_comp.html

http://insidesu.syr.edu/2011/04/05/first-syracuse-air-guitar-competition-will-be-april-22/

Learn A College Dance From A College Cheerleader

Hey Everyone,

Kim, Brittany and I made a video we are hoping will go viral for our class project. Check it out and spread it to all of your friends. The video shows Brittany teaching a very popular college cheer dance. She shows the dance once and then breaks it down by eight count. Feel free to leave any comments you might have, we are very interested in your feedback.

Here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWfhXfdPR5Q

See you all later on today!

The Impossible Dance

I really enjoyed this weeks required reading, Impossible Dance: Club culture and queer world-making by Fiona Buckland. Buckland discussed the history of disco, DJs, and clubs to our culture. In addition, she described the outlet these clubs gave to gay men in the 1970s and 1980s.

House music was first discovered after the Warehouse dance club in Chicago. The music is more beat heavy than garage and incorporated rhythm and vocals to the composition. DJs at clubs played this music. Suddenly, DJs and remixes became more popular than recording stars. Slowly, house music was phased out and singles such as the YMCA and Macho Man provided an outlet and meaning that gay men could understand and align themselves with.

I didn't know that clubs were such an outlet for homosexual men. This was a very interesting article. I look forward to discussing the rest of the article in class tomorrow!

The European Dougie

I had a foreign exchange student from belgium living with me and my family during my senior year of high school. He introduced me to many things including waffles, David Guetta, and this sweet dance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2keyIEof038

I'd say this is the equivalent of "the dougie" in Belgium. Everyone knows the dance style and most can perform it. If you look at the related videos you will see many other tutorials or home videos of people performing "tecktonik" with their own twist. Thought this would be fun to pass along...

T Mobile Flash Mob

After spending a few days meeting with commercial production companies over spring break, I was shown the commercial below. It is an example of a dance flash mob used in advertising. How do you think incorporating dancing into advertising has affected the way that dance evolves? I think that when advertising gets involved that it does have an affect on the way people dance and the publicity around dancing. I think this helps to make dances more public and people more aware of dance cultures and styles. Can you think of any other flash mobs that have been used in advertising before?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQM