Photoshoot! - Hard werk... stay tuned for the website and the photos.

Last night my co-werkers and I had to do a photoshoot. Here are some behind the scene shots (Sorry for the low quality. They were taken with my cell phone):

 

 

 

 

Today's thoughts during class...

 

YAAAAY I'm proud of myself!

After too many days of not practicing I went to "Studie 13" and took a really nice and entertaining Waacking class taught by miss Diana (Werkaholics). Unfortunately, it was only for one hour and I was pumped for more dancing :D
 So while continuing practicing at Flow Dance Academy yesterday and I was very inspired by the breakdancers there - btw the funk music that they played did not really let my creativity go in other directions - I decided to practice some footwork. It was mainly sixstep both ways and threestep and it lead me to my first bruise!! (besides my black and blue knees)

YCB anniversary battle

Friday dec. 4th was the day of the Young City Bandits' 2 vs 2 breakdance battle. My very good friend and former roommate, Anna G, had asked me if I wanted to compete with her and being a non-breakdancer I was scared to death by the thought of participating but I was actually a bit intrigued by the offer. The day before the battle I realized that I would only embarrass myself and I would not do Anna any justice being her teammate in the battle so I had to turn her offer down. Luckily, we met our Swedish bgirl friend, Dragana, who is much more competent in the field of breakdancing. She and Anna entered the competition in the last minute and did an amazing job! They almost made it to the semi-finals.

Dr. Hefo and Anna G

Dragana and Anna G

more reflections on dance

The practice spot.

I'm 2 1/2 years into freestyle dancing (prior to that I took dance classes 1-3 times a week since the age of 8) and now I realize how important it is to be able to master both freestyle and choreography. After 2 weeks of intense dance classes I feel very insecure in doing routines and choreography. This has also affected my freestyle, so much so that I feel that I have come to a dancer's block, so to speak.

I used to be confident and felt at home at the practice place and now I have come to a point where I am self- conscious at all times and cannot express myself as I wish to. Maybe I am plateauing and this is what I interpret as a block. There's no development as such. I am surrounded by inspiring dancers at all times and I am privileged to have a place to practice. Yet, endless steps, moves and styles will never be adequate if I can't find it in myself to just do it. Correction: to just feel it.
I will do it - if I can't I will try, but if I don't feel it - then it isn't dancing.

My conclusion for now will be that dancing cannot be summarized. It can hardly be described because it is personal and individual. I do not disagree with the previous post but a lot of dancers are performers and are part of shows and for them it is vital that they have the skill to learn a choreography. For me at least, both choreography and freestyle are equally important.

reflections on dance

This post is written by a contributing writer whose name will remain undisclosed.

Having reflected on dancing in general as of late, but having only practically dealt with three or four different styles (the "s" word, I swore I wouldn't use that), I can logically deduct the following statements. As a disclaimer I will state that I represent just one small voice out of millions.

• Rhythm permeates everything, from the first heartbeat audible to the unborn child to the cyclical life and death of a galaxy. Let the dance emerge, and dismiss any feeling of having to censor yourself. It is basic evolution - your dance will be expressed if you let it. Any patch of dirt will be inhabited by a plant sooner or later, unless someone is to tear it from the ground.
  

• If you have learned thousands of combinations and have worked endless hours on your body language, but haven't mastered basic social dancing at a level which your non-dancing friends or the crowd around you can follow, you have not gotten your time or money's worth. The simple task of conveying music does not lie in technicality alone.
  

•  Choreography, especially in the jaded world of "HipHop dance", is a useful tool to be applied in performances, shows and the like. It should not be considered a mandatory part of mastering the dance. There seems to be no solid argumentation that choreographing steps and moves can stimulate individual forms of expression in students. This mentality is NOT opposed to routines, sequences, drills, or systematizing your material. The task of choreographing one's body in time and space, if practiced in a dance class however, is apparently meant for the instant gratification of the student only. It does not foster the structured and highly organized beauty of an emergent system.  Emergence is the way complex systems and patterns arise out of a multiplicity of relatively simple interactions. Proper technique seems to lead the student on a path towards realization of self, a path that lets one investigate the core resources of the individual.

More uninformed ranting will follow.