Practice 1

So I need to start practicing my leading again.   It's been awhile since I've practiced with the intent to learn new things to lead.

So.  I will pick one balboa move and one Lindy move to work on this week.

Lindy first!!!!


First thing about this video.. is that it is one of my favourite performances.  Those swivels at 1:57 on are just the funnest thing.   Frida is one of my favourite follows.  I love her style.

Anyway, the move comes at 1:00 where he does an almost but not quite sugar push to prep for a quick turn into an awesome dip.  It's just so smooth.  I love it.

As for balboa.


Max is one of my all time favourite dancers.  He is so damn good; and he's good at so much.  Lindy, West Coast, Balboa, Jitterbug. Much more I'm sure.  Anyway, here he is doing balboa smooth as ever that cocky bastard.   I want to learn a couple since the first is more a styling.

The first moment comes at the beginning about 00:14 seconds in, he does a throw-out into a catch and than brings her around to do a couple paddle turns.  I just love this, it's so smooth, and easy enough to do.

Next I want to learn what comes at about 34 seconds in, he does a throw-out into a texas-tommy into whatever its called where you continue the spin around your back and over your head into a catch into swivels.  Just fantastic.

He goes on to do much more amazing things and I will probably come back to this to learn more.  (I mean look at moment 1:12!)  Following that must be amaaazing.

If I could dance with Max, I would be soooooo happy.

Anyway, that's it for my late night Lindy fix.

-Corbett

2.0: Journal Entry 1, Part 1

A quarter or so of the semester has gone by already.  Here is the first of two entries to catch myself up to speed.

Preface:
     I was looking at what possible courses I could take for this semester, so many of which I didn't really want to take, when I tried to remember the classes I actually did enjoy during my time in college.  I could only come up with a few.  The several dance classes that I took when I was away for school in Colorado; Contact Improvisation 1 & 2 and Dance Technique into Improvisation.  Those classes (DTiI especially) were the most enjoyable classes I have ever taken.  It was always something special to go to class.

     At the time, I almost decided to stay in Colorado for the rest of my college career to major in the BFA program.  The joy movement brought into my life was almost too much for me to resist.  Almost.  Unfortunately  due to the ever present need for money.  I decided that it was not financially feasible to stay in Colorado for school, and so at the end of my third semester, I had to come home.

     After coming home I had somehow forgot about the idea of becoming a Fine Arts major, and focused again on more traditionally academic studies.  As luck would have it however, a friend showed me a video that changed my life.  (Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown 2006 should you be interested, also shown below.)

     After watching/obsessing/replaying a million times that video, I knew that I had to learn to do the things they were doing.  I did a quick Google search and found the only place on the island that danced Lindy Hop and decided to show up for their Thursday night dance.

     That was almost 2 years, a crazy dance weekend, at least 27 classes, and 100 social dances ago.   Now, I am a decent Lindy Hop/Balboa dancer with aspirations of teaching and being competitive.  I need so much more practice, but it has become such a large part of who I am, that I can't imagine my life without it. 

/end Detour

     Now with dance becoming a larger and larger part of my life, I want to explore ever more the realm of movement.  So I decided to take this class with intentions of broadening the breadth and depth of my understanding, vocabulary, and overall awareness of what is possible. 

Alas, it is late.
I shall continue later,
-Corbett