All My Party Peoples!!!
So, ya'll wanna learn how to dance? Then let's go! Let's learn how to dance!
Im re-posting this cuz i know some of u need it.
Last Updated: 11-09-02
First off, i know that most of us know how to freestyle dance. Meaning, just moving and shaking your body on beat to the music, and hopefully most of us know how to grind. But what would we do when the more serious dancers step up to the middle and start showing off some REAL dancing? Are we going to try to test our intermediate skill against theirs!? Hell no... We'd get our asses booed!
The Hype
Before u can even dance good in public...u need to have that sense of hype. You need to feel the adrenaline and the rush that comes along with the music. You need to visualize the crowd cheering you on while you perform your well practiced series of moves with confidence. You need to be excited! You need to dance as if nobody is watching, yet while you are impressing the world. You need to be the sh*t. You need to be all that. You need to have the feeling in which you are the Greatest Dancer Ever Lived. Well...you get my point right?
Achieving The Hype
Hopefully the party you step into ain't whack. There should be a few dancers willing to try to step up against you or atleast start to show off. If not, consider yourself exclusive, and wait until there are people worth showing (i've been to a few where only about 3 or 4 people step on the dance floor). Make sure you bring your friends (you need them to Hype you up.) Also, make sure that you're feelin' the music...cuz if not, you can't get Hype (make a request to the DJ if needed.) Once the music starts and people start jumpin' and booties start shakin' and it starts gettin' wild, you need to join them and your friends also. Dance with a few girls, grind with some, do your "freestyle" dancing but just minimally (if you need some help on "grinding" with girls, heres a nice post: http://www.sosuave.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/001237.html). If you try to dance too hard while there's not alot going on, you'll waste too much energy. Finally, after a few songs have finished playing, one of the "Hype" songs will start playing. You'll know its a hype song when everyone starts clapping (meaning its a popular song). Hopefully thats when a group decides to form a "circle" and start showin' off some skill, but if not, make a "circle" with your friends and start there. By now, you should be feelin' the music, you should be loose (from previous dancing), and you should be confident and full of energy... now it's time to dance ;].
** POPULAR TYPES OF DANCING **
- Popping/Locking
- Breakdancing
- House
- Raving
All of these are popular dances (House may be a little outdated though) that you can do during the middle of "The Circle." (My personal favorites are popping, breaking, and shaking.) First, if you weren't the starter of the circle, it's best that you go along with the first type of dancing that the first guy who went up did. It would be kind of weird if everyone was shaking and then u come out of nowhere and just start raving.
I usually put "The Circle" in two categories. The "Showoff" Circle, and the "Battle" Circle.
The Showoff Circle
This seems pretty self-explanatory. The Showoffs...where you show off (doh). Basically, anyone who feels like going up just goes up whenever they went (just dont be rude and try to kick someone off while they're doing something.). Some of the times, when there is alot of skill involved, the crowd gets very hyped and cheers for one person. Another person then comes in to show that he has more to show off than the other. Being successful...the crowd cheers again. The same person who went up before him, goes up again to overcome what the last guy did...and yada yada yada. This is when it turns into a battle. When two people do a dance against eachother to see who is better. This only happens sometimes when one person in the crowd feels he can do better than another person (not a bad thing! this is how YOU should feel!). But anyways...this is a show off circle. ;]. Now to the battles!
The Battle Circle
This is probably to the point where you have to be at your PEAK HYPE in order to be the best (plus a little practice before.) Some battles are pre-planned (for those who are in "clicks" and "crews"). But, lots of them are straight out of hype. This can be really fun, so get ready >;]. This is usually very different from Showoff because the moves should be slightly more enthusiastic and "violent" in a way. Most of the moves you do...you have to try to insult the person you are battling against. The point is to get the crowd to cheer for you and go "ooooh!" when you do a spectacular move against your opponent. Now THAT is HYPE! May the best dancer win (the most creative, the most realistic, and the most hype).
Now that you know how to get Hyped and how to start a circle...and a little bit about whut goes on inside these circles, its time to actually learn the dances ;]. I will only briefly explain each and maybe give a few tips but if you would like, its best you research the rest on your own, for there are websites and books on these dances themselves!
THE MOVES
Make sure you practice these well at home. It's best if you stand in front of the mirror so you know what you're doing. And make sure that you KNOW you look good ;].
* * * * * *
- POPPING -
Four of the main things that you will do during popping (plus many more) are the Moonwalk, Armwave, Bodywave, and Twist-O-Flex. This is my favorite to do and probably the most practical. If you can pop, you can dance!
1. THE MOONWALK
Alright, as you stand on your left foot TOES, and slide the Right foot the the right, you will raise yourself up on your RIGHT foot TOES...
Now, putting your left foot FLAT on the ground, PIVOT (in a counter-clockwise direction) on your right toes while dragging your flat left foot towards your right...that move is a cross between a backslide and a sideglide...
What I personally do is, as you are pivoting on your RIGHT toes...slide your left flat foot 'in' towards your right, then push it 'out' away from your right...if you were standing still in one place, it would look like you slid your left foot towards your right, then back out, but what you are REALLY doing is pivoting around, so it gives a way-cooler illusion of movement...
anyhow, after you have slid your left flat foot away, (you should be facing a different direction...how much different it up to you...) raise yourself up on your left toes, and slide your now FLAT right foot towards your left raised foot...again, you are PIVOTING on your left toes, doing the same movements as before...
After this, it's just repetition as long as you want...don't forget to do someting (anything!) with your arms, because if they just stay stationary it looks kinda dorky...
Now maybe you see why you are 'spinning in a circle while spinning in a circle'...I'm not even sure if this is the move everyone is talking about...I was just backsliding one day, and I tried to linke into a slideglide, and then I couldn't stop spinning!
You don't make ALL your turns at 180 degrees, so you face the exact opposite direction...if you did that, then ya, you would just be sliding back and forth along the same damn line...heh, I still think it looks cool though! ANYHOW, after you start the slide, and as you begin to pivot just as you said you do, and you slide the left foot in towards your right which is doing the pivoting and supporting your weight, you only want to pivot ~90 degrees at first...you can vary the degree that you turn later on after you work out the kinks...what you don't want to end up doing is revolving the exact same amount every turn...it loses a lot of it's "fluidity" after a while...
Now, don't forget, as you are pivoting, you are sliding the foot that ISN'T supporting your weight at all times...that is what makes the whole illusion work...
Plus, a BIG-FAT-MOTHERLOAD part of this glide are the arms...while arms are always (IMHO) really really important, for some reason the are ignored during glides...it really doesn't matter what you do with them so long as you are swinging them around, or just passing waves through them, or whatever...I look at is as making them see the "whole" picture of you WHOLE body moving around as if it is floating across the dance-floor instead of the crowd focusing in on your only your feet...
2. THE ARMWAVE
put your arm (right) out to the side
now, bend your fingers down, but not into a fist...point them to the ground
now, bend your wrist down to the ground...
next, pop your elbow up, and at the same time, smooth out your wrist and fingers
now, pop your shoulder up, while pretty much straightening the whole arm...this should have made a "wave" travel from the tips of your fingers to your shoulder...i cant stress how important it is to make sure that u start at your fingers...it is these little technicalities that really make it look good
the wave is in your shoulder, so now that u have popped up the right shoulder, bring both shoulders back, which will pop out your chest...make sure u pop out your chest as far as possible
now, pop the left shoulder up,...both arms should be at your side at this point, with only your left shoulder up...
now, put your left shoulder back down, and kick your left elbow out...technically "up" i guess, because it should be at your side at first...
then, raise up your forearm, keeping your wrist bent down
3. THE BODYWAVE
*first, i think it is easiest to try doing this move in segments, step by step...then make it 'flow' later
stand up straight, lookin at the crowd (or mirror)
next, lift your shoulders, while the rest of you remains pretty straight
now, throw your shoulders back, which will also pop out your chest
now, throw your shoulders forward, which will cave in your chest (hollowing it out)... at the same time, throw your hips/pelvis forwards
now, bring your hips back in, and bend your knees... it should kinda look like you are about to sit on an invisible chair... while bending the knees, you should also raise yourself on your toes
at this point, you should be standing on your toes, with your knees bent, sitting on a chair that isn't there
now, for the way back up...
put your toes flat on the ground, while simultaneously straightening your knees...
after that, jut your hips out again...
then, bring hips back in, and then pop chest out / bring shoulders back
then, just move the shoulders up, while the rest of you is straight
and thats it!
when you are doing it, try and get it so that when you are moving the wave from your head to toes, you are "shrinking"...you should appear shorter than you are... and on coming back up, you should straighten to your full height...it makes it look better with that in mind
push your chest out and hips in as far as possible for maximum phatness
4. THE TWIST-O-FLEX
Isolation is very important in this move! (as in all popping) Keep all parts of the body that aren't moving VERY STILL.
Step 1- Stand up straight, looking forward. Turn your head to one side, and stop.
Step 2- Turn your shoulders and arms to the same side, and stop.
Step 3 (Optional)- Turn your hips, and stop.
Step 4- turn the rest of your body (legs and feet). You should now be facing 90 degrees from where you started.
Make your own variations and be creative. =)
* * * * * *
- BREAKING -
This is the hardest type of dance you will ever do. It is also the most amazing type of dancing, most eye catching, and most breathtaking. You can't even imagine how many props you will get for nice breakdancing...it is better than any of the other dances, and takes the most skill. It's so good, it's even dangerous sometimes!! There are hundreds of different breakdancing moves...but since I can't tell you everything...i'll teach you the basics.
1. TOPROCK
It's a 4-step 4-beat dance. You start out standing with feet together. Then you skip forward with your right leg in front of your left, on it's toe. (beat one, which should be the hard beat) Then you skip backwards on the left foot. (beat two) This is why you went on your toe, because that right foot is gonna be going backwards as soon as it hits, When you skip backwards on the left foot you then go back to the starting position. Then you skip forward with your left foot in front of your right, on it's toe. (beat three, which shuld be the hard beat) Now skip backwards on your right foot back to the starting position. (beat four)
Thats it!! What should your hands be doing? Well the wrists should always be kept loose and dangling. On every hard beat they should go behind your back toward each other. On any other beat after that they can do anything you want, just be sure to keep with the hip-hop attitude. What do I mean by hard beat? Well most hip-hop has a 4 beat basis to it. It has a beat thats low on bass..one that's more treble or percusion than anything else. This low on Bass beat is the hard beat. Then it has another two beats that are low, heavy on the bass beats, followed by another hard beat. What I describe here is basci toprock, remember to make your own style and to travel a lot. Traveling is taking up a lot of room as you dance, this clears room for your sixsteps. Think of creative ways to get from top-rock to six-steps and back.
2. SIXSTEP
For counter-clockwise six-steps, start from a push-up position with your legs spread (this seems kinda silly, but it's the easiest way to explain it, you can start from any position).
1) Lift your RIGHT arm, and move your LEFT leg through so it's in front of your RIGHT leg.
2) Move your RIGHT leg so that your RIGHT foot is BEHIND the LEFT foot (your legs will be crossed LEFT over RIGHT).
3) Move your LEFT foot in a small arc so your legs are uncrossed. At the same time switch your hands (pick the LEFT one up, and put the RIGHT one down.
4) Extend your RIGHT leg and sweep it around (wide) in a counter-clockwise arc so that your LEFT foot ends up covered by your RIGHT knee joint and your RIGHT foot is almost touching your butt (NOTE: Steps 3 and 4 should be done in quick succession).
5) Put your LEFT hand back down on the ground, and move your LEFT leg back to where it was in the push-up position.
6) Move your RIGHT leg back to where it was in the push-up position, and you find yourself back at the beginning. Now, go back to step one, and repeat.
That's it. If you want go clockwise, just reverse all the LEFT/RIGHTs. One more thing, don't try to do this fast at first. Go VERY slow to get the technique down, and then increase your speed gradually. No matter how fast you go, if your footwork is sloppy, it's noticable.
3. BABYFREEZE
It's easy, but it looks damn good!
1) get down into squatting position
2) put your left elbow into your left side
3) put your right elbow on your left knee
4) get on your hands, lift your feet and put your head on the floor
Thatz it!
4. BACKSPIN
They can be done many ways, but this how I do em (counter clockwise). Start sitting on your ass with your legs straight in front of you. Now spread them out a bit and turn your upper body to your left. Take that right leg and rotate and bend it a bit so that your lower leg is off to your right side with the knee is pointing straight ahead. Your sole of your right foot should point exactly to your right. This position is similar to the one you go into to stretch your thigh.
What you do next is lower your upper body down to the ground so that your left shoulder is touching and resting on the floor. Do not do anything with your legs yet. Next, extend that bent right leg and swing it left over your left leg. As it passes over the left leg, bring it up and back around to the right so it makes a big circular arc. As you kick it to the right, kick your left leg to the left in a small clockwise circle and then tuck them both in as the force of your legs rolls you back onto your upper back.
You should roll as high as possible on your back. If you find yourself spinning off onto your right side or your left side after a rotation or two, try altering the amount you have your legs on that side tucked in. Eg. If you are spinning onto your right side, try not to tuck the right leg so much and tuck the left one a bit more. You can work this into your sixstep at step one. Extend your left leg like normal, but then let yourself fall on it and then kick the right leg over and around like described above.
IF YOU CAN DO 3 ROUNDS A BACKSPIN YOU HAVN'T MASTERED IT!!! YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO 8 AND MANY MORE!
5. HAND POSES
Okay...i decided to add some hand poses cuz they're really easy to do and they're nice to see. If u know how to do a two-handed hand stand and can stay up for a long time, then u have a good chance of easily learning how to do a hand pose. The important thing is to constantly practice ur two-handed stand and try to stay in that position with ur legs in the air. The longer u can stay like that, the better. Once you're comfortable with two hands (probably about 20 - 30 seconds in the air), try with one hand. There are two ways i know of to get into a one handed pose. The second way is the way i do it.
- First Way: Get into a two-handed hand stand and then take one of your hands off the ground (leaving the hand you're comfortable to stand on with on the ground). Once you're in that position, place your legs, the hand in the air, and your head in some sort of locked position to create a pose. It takes practice, and making the pose yourself is part of the creativity of the one-handed pose.
- Second Way: With the opposite hand that you're going to stand on, jump to the ground kicking your legs in the air and standing on it with one hand but just for a few moments. Quickly switch hands and then do your pose. Doing this gives momentum for you to kick into a locked position faster than the first way, and plus i think it looks nicer. I personally also find it easier to do than the first way.
* * * * * *
- HOUSE -
House is more of a freestyle type dance...and is very rare (my least favorite). It includes alot of jumping, floating, running around and all that sh*t. Sorry to say that i can't say alot about this topic, so i'll have to give you all a website to go to: http://www.shaddapanddance.com <-- A crew of good house dancers. Go there if you're interested!!
I'll have more on this later when i Update.
* * * * * *
- RAVING -
Now I'm just not the type of person to be raving, but raving is damned popular. I'll ask my friend to type up a piece that teaches a few moves or whatever, but as for me trying to teach you guys...nooo thanks. (you can look it up and give me some info to add here if you wish ^_^).
* * * * * *
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** A Few Pointers **
+ Don't be afraid to dance AT ALL. The worse thing u can ever do at a dance is sit there and watch other girls dance and have fun while ur there worrying about what u'll look like.
+ Don't be afraid to dance with a girl. Syncmaster's post explains it all. Just go up to a girl and do it.
+ Practice dancing only IF U WANT THAT RECOGNITION as a good dancer. Some people just want to go to the floor and have fun. As for me, the stuff I put on this post is for those who want to be showoffs on the dancefloor and get all the attention.
+ Learn how to dance to all kinds of music. Hip hop songs are GREAT to dance to. But what about salsa? How about raving to some techno? Of course... you MUST know how to slow dance. Learn how to dance to everything! Not only does it show ur confidence, its so attractive to the ladies.
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[Updates]
11-09-02: added "a few pointers" and a move in the breakdancing area, "hand poses".
Well yeah...there ya go. *whew*
I know it's not alot, but like i said, Dancing is such a broad subject, that you'll have to do most of the research individually. I'll be sure (no doubt) to update this again sometime, so keep it on the lookout. But other than that...
Good luck dancing and have fun!!
~1~
oOh Nasty
[This message has been edited by oOh Nasty (edited 11-09-2002).]
So, ya'll wanna learn how to dance? Then let's go! Let's learn how to dance!
Im re-posting this cuz i know some of u need it.
Last Updated: 11-09-02
First off, i know that most of us know how to freestyle dance. Meaning, just moving and shaking your body on beat to the music, and hopefully most of us know how to grind. But what would we do when the more serious dancers step up to the middle and start showing off some REAL dancing? Are we going to try to test our intermediate skill against theirs!? Hell no... We'd get our asses booed!
The Hype
Before u can even dance good in public...u need to have that sense of hype. You need to feel the adrenaline and the rush that comes along with the music. You need to visualize the crowd cheering you on while you perform your well practiced series of moves with confidence. You need to be excited! You need to dance as if nobody is watching, yet while you are impressing the world. You need to be the sh*t. You need to be all that. You need to have the feeling in which you are the Greatest Dancer Ever Lived. Well...you get my point right?
Achieving The Hype
Hopefully the party you step into ain't whack. There should be a few dancers willing to try to step up against you or atleast start to show off. If not, consider yourself exclusive, and wait until there are people worth showing (i've been to a few where only about 3 or 4 people step on the dance floor). Make sure you bring your friends (you need them to Hype you up.) Also, make sure that you're feelin' the music...cuz if not, you can't get Hype (make a request to the DJ if needed.) Once the music starts and people start jumpin' and booties start shakin' and it starts gettin' wild, you need to join them and your friends also. Dance with a few girls, grind with some, do your "freestyle" dancing but just minimally (if you need some help on "grinding" with girls, heres a nice post: http://www.sosuave.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/001237.html). If you try to dance too hard while there's not alot going on, you'll waste too much energy. Finally, after a few songs have finished playing, one of the "Hype" songs will start playing. You'll know its a hype song when everyone starts clapping (meaning its a popular song). Hopefully thats when a group decides to form a "circle" and start showin' off some skill, but if not, make a "circle" with your friends and start there. By now, you should be feelin' the music, you should be loose (from previous dancing), and you should be confident and full of energy... now it's time to dance ;].
** POPULAR TYPES OF DANCING **
- Popping/Locking
- Breakdancing
- House
- Raving
All of these are popular dances (House may be a little outdated though) that you can do during the middle of "The Circle." (My personal favorites are popping, breaking, and shaking.) First, if you weren't the starter of the circle, it's best that you go along with the first type of dancing that the first guy who went up did. It would be kind of weird if everyone was shaking and then u come out of nowhere and just start raving.
I usually put "The Circle" in two categories. The "Showoff" Circle, and the "Battle" Circle.
The Showoff Circle
This seems pretty self-explanatory. The Showoffs...where you show off (doh). Basically, anyone who feels like going up just goes up whenever they went (just dont be rude and try to kick someone off while they're doing something.). Some of the times, when there is alot of skill involved, the crowd gets very hyped and cheers for one person. Another person then comes in to show that he has more to show off than the other. Being successful...the crowd cheers again. The same person who went up before him, goes up again to overcome what the last guy did...and yada yada yada. This is when it turns into a battle. When two people do a dance against eachother to see who is better. This only happens sometimes when one person in the crowd feels he can do better than another person (not a bad thing! this is how YOU should feel!). But anyways...this is a show off circle. ;]. Now to the battles!
The Battle Circle
This is probably to the point where you have to be at your PEAK HYPE in order to be the best (plus a little practice before.) Some battles are pre-planned (for those who are in "clicks" and "crews"). But, lots of them are straight out of hype. This can be really fun, so get ready >;]. This is usually very different from Showoff because the moves should be slightly more enthusiastic and "violent" in a way. Most of the moves you do...you have to try to insult the person you are battling against. The point is to get the crowd to cheer for you and go "ooooh!" when you do a spectacular move against your opponent. Now THAT is HYPE! May the best dancer win (the most creative, the most realistic, and the most hype).
Now that you know how to get Hyped and how to start a circle...and a little bit about whut goes on inside these circles, its time to actually learn the dances ;]. I will only briefly explain each and maybe give a few tips but if you would like, its best you research the rest on your own, for there are websites and books on these dances themselves!
THE MOVES
Make sure you practice these well at home. It's best if you stand in front of the mirror so you know what you're doing. And make sure that you KNOW you look good ;].
* * * * * *
- POPPING -
Four of the main things that you will do during popping (plus many more) are the Moonwalk, Armwave, Bodywave, and Twist-O-Flex. This is my favorite to do and probably the most practical. If you can pop, you can dance!
1. THE MOONWALK
Alright, as you stand on your left foot TOES, and slide the Right foot the the right, you will raise yourself up on your RIGHT foot TOES...
Now, putting your left foot FLAT on the ground, PIVOT (in a counter-clockwise direction) on your right toes while dragging your flat left foot towards your right...that move is a cross between a backslide and a sideglide...
What I personally do is, as you are pivoting on your RIGHT toes...slide your left flat foot 'in' towards your right, then push it 'out' away from your right...if you were standing still in one place, it would look like you slid your left foot towards your right, then back out, but what you are REALLY doing is pivoting around, so it gives a way-cooler illusion of movement...
anyhow, after you have slid your left flat foot away, (you should be facing a different direction...how much different it up to you...) raise yourself up on your left toes, and slide your now FLAT right foot towards your left raised foot...again, you are PIVOTING on your left toes, doing the same movements as before...
After this, it's just repetition as long as you want...don't forget to do someting (anything!) with your arms, because if they just stay stationary it looks kinda dorky...
Now maybe you see why you are 'spinning in a circle while spinning in a circle'...I'm not even sure if this is the move everyone is talking about...I was just backsliding one day, and I tried to linke into a slideglide, and then I couldn't stop spinning!
You don't make ALL your turns at 180 degrees, so you face the exact opposite direction...if you did that, then ya, you would just be sliding back and forth along the same damn line...heh, I still think it looks cool though! ANYHOW, after you start the slide, and as you begin to pivot just as you said you do, and you slide the left foot in towards your right which is doing the pivoting and supporting your weight, you only want to pivot ~90 degrees at first...you can vary the degree that you turn later on after you work out the kinks...what you don't want to end up doing is revolving the exact same amount every turn...it loses a lot of it's "fluidity" after a while...
Now, don't forget, as you are pivoting, you are sliding the foot that ISN'T supporting your weight at all times...that is what makes the whole illusion work...
Plus, a BIG-FAT-MOTHERLOAD part of this glide are the arms...while arms are always (IMHO) really really important, for some reason the are ignored during glides...it really doesn't matter what you do with them so long as you are swinging them around, or just passing waves through them, or whatever...I look at is as making them see the "whole" picture of you WHOLE body moving around as if it is floating across the dance-floor instead of the crowd focusing in on your only your feet...
2. THE ARMWAVE
put your arm (right) out to the side
now, bend your fingers down, but not into a fist...point them to the ground
now, bend your wrist down to the ground...
next, pop your elbow up, and at the same time, smooth out your wrist and fingers
now, pop your shoulder up, while pretty much straightening the whole arm...this should have made a "wave" travel from the tips of your fingers to your shoulder...i cant stress how important it is to make sure that u start at your fingers...it is these little technicalities that really make it look good
the wave is in your shoulder, so now that u have popped up the right shoulder, bring both shoulders back, which will pop out your chest...make sure u pop out your chest as far as possible
now, pop the left shoulder up,...both arms should be at your side at this point, with only your left shoulder up...
now, put your left shoulder back down, and kick your left elbow out...technically "up" i guess, because it should be at your side at first...
then, raise up your forearm, keeping your wrist bent down
3. THE BODYWAVE
*first, i think it is easiest to try doing this move in segments, step by step...then make it 'flow' later
stand up straight, lookin at the crowd (or mirror)
next, lift your shoulders, while the rest of you remains pretty straight
now, throw your shoulders back, which will also pop out your chest
now, throw your shoulders forward, which will cave in your chest (hollowing it out)... at the same time, throw your hips/pelvis forwards
now, bring your hips back in, and bend your knees... it should kinda look like you are about to sit on an invisible chair... while bending the knees, you should also raise yourself on your toes
at this point, you should be standing on your toes, with your knees bent, sitting on a chair that isn't there
now, for the way back up...
put your toes flat on the ground, while simultaneously straightening your knees...
after that, jut your hips out again...
then, bring hips back in, and then pop chest out / bring shoulders back
then, just move the shoulders up, while the rest of you is straight
and thats it!
when you are doing it, try and get it so that when you are moving the wave from your head to toes, you are "shrinking"...you should appear shorter than you are... and on coming back up, you should straighten to your full height...it makes it look better with that in mind
push your chest out and hips in as far as possible for maximum phatness
4. THE TWIST-O-FLEX
Isolation is very important in this move! (as in all popping) Keep all parts of the body that aren't moving VERY STILL.
Step 1- Stand up straight, looking forward. Turn your head to one side, and stop.
Step 2- Turn your shoulders and arms to the same side, and stop.
Step 3 (Optional)- Turn your hips, and stop.
Step 4- turn the rest of your body (legs and feet). You should now be facing 90 degrees from where you started.
Make your own variations and be creative. =)
* * * * * *
- BREAKING -
This is the hardest type of dance you will ever do. It is also the most amazing type of dancing, most eye catching, and most breathtaking. You can't even imagine how many props you will get for nice breakdancing...it is better than any of the other dances, and takes the most skill. It's so good, it's even dangerous sometimes!! There are hundreds of different breakdancing moves...but since I can't tell you everything...i'll teach you the basics.
1. TOPROCK
It's a 4-step 4-beat dance. You start out standing with feet together. Then you skip forward with your right leg in front of your left, on it's toe. (beat one, which should be the hard beat) Then you skip backwards on the left foot. (beat two) This is why you went on your toe, because that right foot is gonna be going backwards as soon as it hits, When you skip backwards on the left foot you then go back to the starting position. Then you skip forward with your left foot in front of your right, on it's toe. (beat three, which shuld be the hard beat) Now skip backwards on your right foot back to the starting position. (beat four)
Thats it!! What should your hands be doing? Well the wrists should always be kept loose and dangling. On every hard beat they should go behind your back toward each other. On any other beat after that they can do anything you want, just be sure to keep with the hip-hop attitude. What do I mean by hard beat? Well most hip-hop has a 4 beat basis to it. It has a beat thats low on bass..one that's more treble or percusion than anything else. This low on Bass beat is the hard beat. Then it has another two beats that are low, heavy on the bass beats, followed by another hard beat. What I describe here is basci toprock, remember to make your own style and to travel a lot. Traveling is taking up a lot of room as you dance, this clears room for your sixsteps. Think of creative ways to get from top-rock to six-steps and back.
2. SIXSTEP
For counter-clockwise six-steps, start from a push-up position with your legs spread (this seems kinda silly, but it's the easiest way to explain it, you can start from any position).
1) Lift your RIGHT arm, and move your LEFT leg through so it's in front of your RIGHT leg.
2) Move your RIGHT leg so that your RIGHT foot is BEHIND the LEFT foot (your legs will be crossed LEFT over RIGHT).
3) Move your LEFT foot in a small arc so your legs are uncrossed. At the same time switch your hands (pick the LEFT one up, and put the RIGHT one down.
4) Extend your RIGHT leg and sweep it around (wide) in a counter-clockwise arc so that your LEFT foot ends up covered by your RIGHT knee joint and your RIGHT foot is almost touching your butt (NOTE: Steps 3 and 4 should be done in quick succession).
5) Put your LEFT hand back down on the ground, and move your LEFT leg back to where it was in the push-up position.
6) Move your RIGHT leg back to where it was in the push-up position, and you find yourself back at the beginning. Now, go back to step one, and repeat.
That's it. If you want go clockwise, just reverse all the LEFT/RIGHTs. One more thing, don't try to do this fast at first. Go VERY slow to get the technique down, and then increase your speed gradually. No matter how fast you go, if your footwork is sloppy, it's noticable.
3. BABYFREEZE
It's easy, but it looks damn good!
1) get down into squatting position
2) put your left elbow into your left side
3) put your right elbow on your left knee
4) get on your hands, lift your feet and put your head on the floor
Thatz it!
4. BACKSPIN
They can be done many ways, but this how I do em (counter clockwise). Start sitting on your ass with your legs straight in front of you. Now spread them out a bit and turn your upper body to your left. Take that right leg and rotate and bend it a bit so that your lower leg is off to your right side with the knee is pointing straight ahead. Your sole of your right foot should point exactly to your right. This position is similar to the one you go into to stretch your thigh.
What you do next is lower your upper body down to the ground so that your left shoulder is touching and resting on the floor. Do not do anything with your legs yet. Next, extend that bent right leg and swing it left over your left leg. As it passes over the left leg, bring it up and back around to the right so it makes a big circular arc. As you kick it to the right, kick your left leg to the left in a small clockwise circle and then tuck them both in as the force of your legs rolls you back onto your upper back.
You should roll as high as possible on your back. If you find yourself spinning off onto your right side or your left side after a rotation or two, try altering the amount you have your legs on that side tucked in. Eg. If you are spinning onto your right side, try not to tuck the right leg so much and tuck the left one a bit more. You can work this into your sixstep at step one. Extend your left leg like normal, but then let yourself fall on it and then kick the right leg over and around like described above.
IF YOU CAN DO 3 ROUNDS A BACKSPIN YOU HAVN'T MASTERED IT!!! YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO 8 AND MANY MORE!
5. HAND POSES
Okay...i decided to add some hand poses cuz they're really easy to do and they're nice to see. If u know how to do a two-handed hand stand and can stay up for a long time, then u have a good chance of easily learning how to do a hand pose. The important thing is to constantly practice ur two-handed stand and try to stay in that position with ur legs in the air. The longer u can stay like that, the better. Once you're comfortable with two hands (probably about 20 - 30 seconds in the air), try with one hand. There are two ways i know of to get into a one handed pose. The second way is the way i do it.
- First Way: Get into a two-handed hand stand and then take one of your hands off the ground (leaving the hand you're comfortable to stand on with on the ground). Once you're in that position, place your legs, the hand in the air, and your head in some sort of locked position to create a pose. It takes practice, and making the pose yourself is part of the creativity of the one-handed pose.
- Second Way: With the opposite hand that you're going to stand on, jump to the ground kicking your legs in the air and standing on it with one hand but just for a few moments. Quickly switch hands and then do your pose. Doing this gives momentum for you to kick into a locked position faster than the first way, and plus i think it looks nicer. I personally also find it easier to do than the first way.
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- HOUSE -
House is more of a freestyle type dance...and is very rare (my least favorite). It includes alot of jumping, floating, running around and all that sh*t. Sorry to say that i can't say alot about this topic, so i'll have to give you all a website to go to: http://www.shaddapanddance.com <-- A crew of good house dancers. Go there if you're interested!!
I'll have more on this later when i Update.
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- RAVING -
Now I'm just not the type of person to be raving, but raving is damned popular. I'll ask my friend to type up a piece that teaches a few moves or whatever, but as for me trying to teach you guys...nooo thanks. (you can look it up and give me some info to add here if you wish ^_^).
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** A Few Pointers **
+ Don't be afraid to dance AT ALL. The worse thing u can ever do at a dance is sit there and watch other girls dance and have fun while ur there worrying about what u'll look like.
+ Don't be afraid to dance with a girl. Syncmaster's post explains it all. Just go up to a girl and do it.
+ Practice dancing only IF U WANT THAT RECOGNITION as a good dancer. Some people just want to go to the floor and have fun. As for me, the stuff I put on this post is for those who want to be showoffs on the dancefloor and get all the attention.
+ Learn how to dance to all kinds of music. Hip hop songs are GREAT to dance to. But what about salsa? How about raving to some techno? Of course... you MUST know how to slow dance. Learn how to dance to everything! Not only does it show ur confidence, its so attractive to the ladies.
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[Updates]
11-09-02: added "a few pointers" and a move in the breakdancing area, "hand poses".
Well yeah...there ya go. *whew*
I know it's not alot, but like i said, Dancing is such a broad subject, that you'll have to do most of the research individually. I'll be sure (no doubt) to update this again sometime, so keep it on the lookout. But other than that...
Good luck dancing and have fun!!
~1~
oOh Nasty
[This message has been edited by oOh Nasty (edited 11-09-2002).]
