“You gotta have style and learn to be original” ~Boogie Down Productions (My Philosophy)
From the Africanist standpoint, movement may emanate from any part of the body, and two or more centers may operate simultaneously… Africanist movement is polyrhythmic (Dixon Gottschild 333)
Okay . . . so, you saw Wreckin’ Shop. This documentary set people on blaze all across the world . . . and the fire is still burning. In addition, you got the opp to watch exclusive footage of LA’s “urban” dance scene(s) with a featured segment on The Soul Brothers thanks to the phenomenal hiphopographical film documentation of my brother Frankie D. Each clip is full of folk “gettin’ busy”, “cuttin’ loose” . . . improvising . . . Freestylin’, etc.
For a quick minute, let’s look at Freestylin’/Improvisation as a choreographic process.
In Reading Dancing, Susan L. Foster lays out a blueprint for choreographic meaning.
(1) the frame----the way the dance sets itself apart as a unique event;
(2) the mode of representation---the way the dance refers to the world;
(3) the style---the way the dance achieves an individual identity in the world and its genre;
(4) the vocabulary---the basic units or “moves” from which the dance is made;
(5) the syntax---the rules governing the selection and combination of moves.
In relation to this blueprint, Foster describes choreography as "a sketching out of strategies and techniques . . . choreography designed for a specific cultural and historical moment." (Foster 1986)
From my perspective(s), Improvisation/Freestyling is an act of surrender/trust/lettin' go/manifesting/calling/responding/sharing/receiving. It’s a revelation, wherein I can both expose and cover myself simultaneously. It’s an embodied scream and hush, it’s a play with what’s visible and invisible . . . it’s an engagement in which I declare and affirm that “I AM” in the NOW. In the kNOW . . . I AM actively embodying the present in respect to time and timelessness . . . I AM actively embodying the present, the gift of life, love, joy, pain and a long list of other words that describe the way I perceive and interpret information (external and internal) about particular sensations that my body/bodies (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, soul) are experiencing. I AM be-coming a presence that activates/cultivates a multi-layered/multi-sensory understanding of who/what/where/why I AM and who I AM with.
Contemporary Afro-American dances are frequently a recycled version of dances performed in pervious generations, some dating back to preemancipation and a few traceable to Africa (Hazzard-Gordon 429).
So, what’cha thinkin’? Bring it to the cipher.
17 comments:
I noticed that the people dancing had movements that were similar to those we associate with what has been called "release" technique. There were similarities in the inversions performed, the improvisational nature of the dancing, and the use of 'site specific' spaces. I especially enjoyed the use of pointe work using gym shoes, the display of piroettes and attitude poses in some of the dances as well. By combining the two styles of dance so well, it made it clear to me that what these dancers were performing was dance as respectable and worthy of recognition as other forms of concert dance.
With watching this video, it made the characteristics of the hip hop world clearer for me. Much of what was shown related to what we learn and are faced with every day at the OSU Department of Dance. It was quite exciting to recognize a few of the movements we've learned in class, but at the same time see them performed on other bodies. I really appreciated that no movement was ever "wrong," and that every person had their own style. A few of the dancers continuously mentioned that appearance means a lot; it affects the way you perceive yourself, the way others perceive you, and mostly the way you dance. This is something I will continue to take with me as I move forward in my dance career.
The commercial hip hop we often see in the media usually has heavy accents, and the movement looks punctuated or staccato. I loved the movements in this video that were totally languid, that showed the dynamic range within this form. There was one guy in particular with a black t-shirt and khakis around minute 4 that struck me. I replayed that segment over and over. I was surprised to see that those clips took place in a dance studio, showing that placing hip hop in designated "dance spaces" goes back farther than I would have imagined. This video in general also made me consider the hypochondria rampant in the concert dance world, with so many of us fretting about dancing on un-sprung floors and worrying about properly tracking our knees over our toes. These cats demonstrate that the body is capable of great things, sometimes in spite of the way we treat it.
Hip Hop is...
A celebration of what is good in life. A distraction from what is bad.
Identity that gives empowerment.
Community... Fluidity
Status and status symbols
People who have been on the outside racially and economically, are on the inside of hip hop. All those other people who can get you down on the outside of hip hop, they don't live here.
There is not much of a difference between socializing and social action when the interest of an entire community is at stake.
Learning hip hop as a white male, am I on the inside or outside of this form? I'm contributing to a sense of empowerment, or diluting something that was special, almost sacred within the black community?
After watching Wreckin Shop and the various other supplementary videos I began to think a lot about community in dance. There is something about just coming together to dance that is so powerful. I truly enjoyed seeing how all these people danced themselves and that that was all that mattered. On top of that its open to anyone and everyone of all ages who just love to dance and utilize their freedom of expression. Also I love that it is not about having a perfect technique, while there may be codified movements everyone is given their liberties among the movements and seeing that was so exciting.
In addition, I absolutely love seeing people Krump. There is something about the movement that is so invigorating and freeing. You can truly see people coming together as a community just let out their feelings, thoughts and ideas in powerful way. Battles also remind me so much of capoiera in addition to a healthy way of “fighting” and letting out our deep frustrations in a sense. This creates a healthy environment for people to release and come together. It is so powerful to watch.
I also began to think about this idea of “site specific” dancing in watching these movies. Hip Hop arises from the people in their element, on their front porches, on sidewalks, basketball quarts and in medians between fast racing cars, but also in studio settings and in presentational settings. In thinking about this idea of site-specific when it comes to modern, I almost wonder if it is like we go out to search these areas and find out how we can relate to these spaces. But with hip-hop it just comes from there. And it is so exciting. I love seeing how the people utilized every thing around them, the stairs, the banisters and even the barres in the dance studio.
What struck me most in this video was the celebratory nature surrounding hip-hop dance. Hip-hop is a dance form that is meant to celebrate the Africanist culture. I really appreciated how hip-hop was not just a dance for these people, but rather something that united them as a culture. As dancers, I think this is something we all need to tune in to more. We can become so caught up in learning the movement itself that we forget about the expression and celebration that drives this dance form. A variety of styles were present in this video. Each dancer brought their own flavor to the movement and really stood out from one another. For these people, hip-hop is a way to identify themselves. I need to keep reminding myself of this in class in order to establish my unique style and apply it to everything we do. I especially enjoyed watching the young people dance. It was great to see how much they have learned and absorbed in such a short time and how they have already used that information to create their own groove and style.
This video simply showed how Hip Hop is a lifestyle, a celebration and a work of beauty to the urban community. This movement started in the streets and will forever reflect the everyday struggles and general day to day activities. I enjoyed watching this film because it had a realistic feel to it in the sense of having a purpose to move ones body. Meaning not for show but for ones own personal reasons. Simply walking off of the porch and using their entire body to create movement that was so fluid within their bodies. Also using outside scenery such as trees to connect with their movement as well. As the video went on I noticed how almost every movement had no "ending" it was as if they could dance forever. Watching the kid look as if he was stumbling on a step but bouncing out of it and creating another step proved to me how "beasty" if I can use that word to describe how CRAZY these dudes were. I overall had a sense of community watching them dance and that is always a beautiful thing to watch.
It is inspiring to see people dancing to dance. They use it as a way to express themselves and portray emotion. Most of the dancers in the clips viewed were not aspiring to be professional dancers. They were dancing because it is what they love and it is what they know. There is no correct way to dance. Each dancer that was featured in the video, was featured due to their individuality. They were not choosen to be a part of the documentary because of their accurate execution of each step.
I recognized many of our funkamental steps and concepts throughout the documentary. The section about krumping really demonstrated the power of the cipher. Community has an impact of the dance through teaching, judging, and performing.
The hip hop community is a lifestyle for many people. It's how some think, dance, perform, etc...
While watching the videos on Friday I was drawn into the intense self-awareness of these dancers, on both a physical and psychological level. After our midterm last Wed. and the discussion of style and character I've been paying close attention to when these embodied performances read and when they fall short. You need to really know yourself in order control and have fun with how you present yourself in the world. In "Wreckin' Shop", it was clear that these people engaged in play, including call and response and freestyling on a daily basis that carried over into all areas of "performance" and communication in their lives. You can't fake that ease. Regardless of the situations life provided for them, there was a universal commitment to finding the joy in being alive that was evident not only while dancing, but also in the routines of daily living. Following in the Africanist tradition of blurring the sacred and secular, everything was a dance. This made me think about the postmodern choreographers from the sixties that spent years of their careers trying to recreate what had naturally been occurring in these urban communities, but they did not embody the "aesthetic of cool" as we saw demonstrated by the performers in "Wreckin' Shop". These early postmodern dancers feigned coolness by withdrawing character and codified style from their performances, which gave way to a new performance style in itself that is still employed in concert dance today, but is rarely seen as related to Africanist aesthetics. That being said, the film really made me think about when the dance/performance ends when in different community contexts.
"Wreckin' Shop" was an extremely honest portrayal of hip hop was for these guys in Brooklyn in the early 90s. For this specific group of people, I would define "hip hop" as an extension of themselves, encompassing individual, group, and larger cultural elements into once amazing form. The guys in the film moved with such ease and confidence. Also, there was an undeniable sense of family and togetherness within the group. It is clear that dance was part of their daily vocabulary and expression.
In terms of the movement, I noticed various internal and external points of initiation, syncopation/in the body, level changes, and a wide range ployrhythms in tempo, from stillness to quick moves and everything in between.
One question I have after viewing the clips is about women and hip hop dance. What are the gendered implications of hip hop? How has women's involvement changed since the early 90s? I noticed more women in the other clips, but still far less women than men. In what social spaces would we see more women than men hip hop dancers? Just a thought!
While watching "Wreckin Shop"on Friday I noticed a few characteristics of all of the dancers in the video. There was a playfulness when they were dancing and battling each other, although it was very clear how seriously they took themselves.
They also seemed to have a generous spirit; learning together, feeding off of their mutual energy and teaching proteges.
Watching Pandora Tut was really amazing for me. It was refreshing to see a girl so skilled dancing cleanly, and without having to have a "feminine" quality or dance in a sexual manner.
First off, let me start by saying that they killed me when Das EFX came on. We definitely need to play that whole album in class. I appreciated the quote that was used with the video about originality and style/cool. I find that so important in the hip-hop community as well as other communities extending from Africa. Everyone presented showed themselves, rather than someone else. It wasn't about moves or how to execute them. The were beasts because the repped themselves first. Fast forward a few decades, and we find that originality has fallen by the wayside as "moves" take center stage. Even in the voguing community, it becomes a "how can I do that 360 into a dip" instead of "who am I when I am voguing". This is why I mess with Brooklyn, because in so many ways it was the birthplace of "East Coast Cool" (sorry BX). The crews shown here added to the legacy by actually contributing something new, fresh, and unique.
what really hit me was the moment they were talking about the club where people would get cut. They were talking about how these were the best clubs to go to, that they were experiencing the golden age of hip hop, and equally (but later on) that they were victim to "the low life syndrome." All of this emphasized even more the importance (and reason) for hip hop to be as immediate as it is. This is not a dance form taken without commitment. When each of the dancers in the video were dancing, there was no holding back. Knees would twist, backs would bend, intricate waves would ripple. While I watched the people and noticed their commitment to the movement, I realized that while they were dancing there were little to no boundaries. Not one dancer seemed timid or unsure, or as if the energy wasn't quite going through their entire body. This was especially true with the Krumping we watched. Every moment they moved was where their attention was, and they embraced it as fully as was possible for them. I might say that was because many of these cats were in the ghetto, and knew life could end prematurely...but more importantly (and maybe more accurately) these people are a group who know/feel/live the importance of being in the now, and always working to embrace individuality with more abandon.
In "Wreckin Shop" I noticed the people were dancing through everyday movements and experiences such as walking, and drinking on a park bench. The movement style is passed onto other generations through observation and applying the movement. I liked the quotes that "its like a Mike Tyson boxing combination," as well as "What you see is what you get" in regards to the dancing. In the other film I liked the quote, "You have to have style you got to be original." The films about crumping showed the emotional and community attachment to the dancing, and proved that there was more to it than just painting your face and battling. The movies were enjoyable to watch and really showed the development of what we refer to as "hip hop" street dancing today.
I think it is completely awesome how one dance such as the "Cat Daddy" can be transformed is many different ways. I think this relates to the topic of improvisation and freestyle. Someone may create these social dances but no one says it has to look a certain way or look exactly like the person next to you. The "movements" and "steps" are provided but there is freedom to play, explore, and experiment with our own personal style. These dances are tools to discover the way we move and our "delicious" movement that feel good. Although we have freedom to play with these particular dance styles, just like any other dance genre there is a technique within the improvising. You can see in the house dance documentary that this style of dance looks a lot different then today, but there are very very similar aesthetics, steps, and FUNK! So even though this dance is continually changing there are elements integrated into these dances that are pulled from the roots in which it was create. Gosh, I love dance.
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