Adventures In New York City and House Dance Elements =]

Hey =]

I know some of my posts are late but ya know its done for a good reason or maybe i’m just lazy lol

My trip to New York in one word would be Amazing!!!!
Even though i was there for just one week, i took in a months worth of information and cultural experience .

My overall goal going to New York was was simple to go and experience…………..and experience i did,

Luckily my work with The Smash Bro’z eg. (Trying to raise money for a trip to Las Vegas for a competition) sparked the interest of a man called John Babb who runs the website;

www.experiencemyculture.com

His main interest was my passion for learning and gaining more experiences , so he generously offered to part fund my trip to New York in the hopes i would return with valuable experiences that i can put into practice on my return to the UK

But since i was gonna be in New York around the time of a very well known competition called HDI (House Dance International) I thought i might as well enter that while i was there

So flights booked and i was on my way!
luckily for me the day i arrived in New York was the day of the competition :/ lol Jet Lagged and still giving it my all
Below is the video of my preselection for the Category House Dance at HDI 2010, its only half of it because the memory on my camera was full and i didnt realise but its all good!
Enjoy what little bit i have

I didn’t get through the preselection but still i had fun and it was a worth while experience but next year i feel sorry for the competition :p lol because I’M GONNA COME HARD!!!!!!

Ok battle talk aside as i said before my main goal was to go an experience and luckily for my the friend i was staying with was no other than The Man Himself Byron Cox, a very well know respected dancer who knew his history!!!!

He runs a website called

http://www.housedancer.com/

Which is all about promoting house dance culture! The website is at the forefront of a Company/Group called THDP (The House Dance Project)

The House Dance Project is an effort to share the rich cultural experience associated with Underground Dance Music. The dancers, the DJ and the music together provide a fertile playground for all who genuinely enter the garden. The music and the culture have evolved from its simple beginnings; and the dancer and the dance followed suit. The eccentric dances of the Paradise Garage; the smooth lines of the “Lofters,” and the point of departure at the Sound Factory Bar provided the backdrop to the stylized movement vocabulary known as “house dance.” Throughout the site, we will attempt to educate and illustrate various elements of the culture and hopefully inspire everyone to experience it for him or herself.

Members: Byron Cox, Shannon Mabra, Tone McGregor, Hideki Takahashi, Shuho Chiba, Kentaro Yoshikawa, Suguru Miyata

So already this project was everything i wanted to be about. Preserving the history and culture of a dance style which brings so much to the table.

Many other things that i knew but became consciously aware of while in NYC was the;

5 Element of House Dance

*Jacking
*Skating
*Footwork
*Stomping
*Lofting

Jacking being the foundation for House Dance and finding out that in the late 80′s, Chip E told the world it was “Time to Jack.” Jacking was a term coined in Chicago for waist-centric launch and recovery dance of house. The Jack represents the control factor in house dance, manipulating the energy by gathering it on the snare and releasing it on the high hat.
It is a playful dance that allows for both bold and discreet movement, in both large and small spaces. The dance uses the entire body, not just the feet. Whether fast or slow, on the floor or in the air, lounge or club, the Jack is the foundation.

So much knowledge was so accessible from pretty much anyone involved in the scene, most of my learning came from the nights we was jamming in the clubs or just speaking with people who were around in the era of the House Dance Movement.

I’ve got to say that i well more in love with Lofting!!!!

Following the trend of social dances in New York, the eccentric dances of Paradise Garage formed the basis for the Loft style of the mid 80’s. As the “New Jersey” sound took hold in New York, the loving reinforcement of the music became the catalyst for the dance form. Clothing and environment played a large part in the styles development. Many practitioners opted for formal attire, including dress shoes and slacks. Many of these dancers opted for spins and footwork instead of fast movements or floor work. Others felt the movement should be natural and the clothes should allow the body to freely interact with the music. This group would often wear athletic shoes and gym attire while challenging the limits of their bodies.

The movements are broken into various sets:

• Soft, flowing, movements accentuating the relationship between the members and the music
• Short footwork with emphasis on the innuendo versus raw speed or power
• Large, athletically challenging movements with emphasis on grace and control

Lofting for me had a certain essence about it that made is mesmerizing to watch and do!

Below are some pictures of me training after Byron’s Class In NYC =]

My aim now is to learn as much as i can from my experiences and bring them back and share them with the wider dance community in Birmingham and The UK since this knowledge isn’t widely distributed.

Long Live Street Dance Culture =]