All In 2Getha Now!

Peace Good People!

Once again, welcome to the Funkamentals Cipher! As we explore and incorporate the body mechanics and vocabulary that are used to mark, in part, what is commonly referred to as Black Dance . . . after our 1st meeting . . . we should be super clear that it's not just about moves. That's why in addition to introducing you to some of the technique work in class . . . we also learned a "new" dance: The Cupid Shuffle. I chose this dance because: A) Right now, for many folk, this dance holds a great deal of pleasure, relevance and freshness. B) I love what in many circles are presently called "Soul Line Dances". These types of dances have a beautiful tendency to reveal how Black people enjoy dancin' the same dance together while each dancer doesn't look like a carbon copy of the person(s) dancing next to them. In other words, when we watch folks at the block party, backyard b-b-q, family reunion, club, et cetera doin' "The Hustle", "The Electric Slide", "The Loose Booty", "The L-R Shake", "The Cha-Cha Slide", "The Cupid Shuffle", and the list goes on . . . we observe how the individual voice/body is heard/seen in co-operation with the collective voice/body. These types of dances have a broad participatory spectrum . . . old folk, grown folk and young folk do the thing. Also, you don't have to be a super proficient dancer. SIDE NOTE: The notion of "proficiency" isn't just framed by the execution of the body mechanics . . . it also relates to how you listen to the music, those around you, and how you respond to the overall energy of the moment . . . which in many cases is multi-layered. (WE'LL GO OVER THIS IN CLASS) Now, don't get it twisted . . . some of these ideas are not exclusive to the Nubian community in the U.S. or abroad . . . but remember . . . we're investigating more than "how" the body moving' . . . but "what" the body is doing. You can easily learn "how" to do Black Social dances . . . question is . . . do you know "what" you're doin'? Remind me to share with you my experience in Israel . . . it definitely relates to the "how/what" concept.