Hyun Jung Choi – Flexible following
I am being hopelessly behind the times by posting something about the Tri-Swing Tournament but I am still impressed by this clip. The part of this video that really caught my eye was the follow in the red dress with the flowers on it (update: Hyun Jung Choi) at 1.28.
I love the freedom of expression and the way she kicks her legs up but I am also impressed by her flexibility. I watched this clip and thought hey that’s cool and in a quiet solitary moment had a little go myself and thought, wow, that’s actually really hard to do, my legs don’t go anywhere near that high. I felt rather old and forlorn about my lack of flexibility until I went back to my beginner’s yoga class. The class was full of New Year’s resolution people many of whom were at least ten years younger than me and who couldn’t touch their toes (I know, I know, you’re not supposed to compare yourself to others) but it made me feel inspired. Bugger getting old, one day I will be able to do that!
Mia Goldsmith’s left arm at ILHC 2011
Mia Goldsmith’s got some unusual styling going on with her left arm in this ILHC 2011 Jack and Jill clip (one of Jerry’s Favorite Performances of 2011)
Not entirely sure I like this styling but she can carry it off – if I tried this I think it would end up looking more like the actions to the I’m a little teapot song:
Frida Segerdahl’s left arm
Watch the first minute of this clip for inspiration on what to do with your left arm in side by side Charleston (0.34 onwards)!
Notes to self: the missing step
I couldn’t work out what I was doing wrong in class the other night – I knew I was ending up on the wrong foot at the end of the variation most of the time but it has taken me forever to work this out.
“Hold ball change” is really quite different (in my mind at least) to “Hold, step down, then ball change”!
Sounds strange but when the teacher wasn’t saying anything and I could follow their feet I got the variation, as soon as they vocalized the steps I was totally lost and for once I wasn’t the only one!
I am really quite shocked at how long it took me to work this out!
Follower variations from NYCLindyLab’s YouTube channel
Not sure who these dancers are but I assume they are all from New York! Here are the variations that caught my eye (mostly because they are simple and something that I could do!) from NYCLindyLab’s YouTube channel. Not sure who these dancers are but I assume they are all from New York.
Follower’s Overturned Shine
Camille’s Up and Over Follower Variation
Mike and Camille’s Double Butt Pop
SJ Park and NY Lee demo grapevine switches
SJ Park and NY Lee from VIVA Swing Club in Korea demo grapevine switches:
Possibly inspired by a Laura Glaess and Mike Roberts lesson on idance?
A bunch of footwork variations from Momentum Dance Concepts
Not sure who the dancers are but, as they put it, here are “a bunch of footwork variations” including heel pops, kick away, double kick away, rocks, ronde and kick ball change and triple cross.
Here’s another variation from the same group that I’ve never seen before a squat Charleston tagged onto the end of a swing out:
Hep Jen and Kevin Munroe demo a “falling kick ball change” variation
Hep Jen and Kevin Munroe from the Verdi Club in San Francisco demo a “falling kick ball change” variation at the start of this video:
Dax Hock’s triple step drill sequence
Lots of people have blogged about this and you can find other people’s posts here and here. So for my benefit…
Dax’s version:
Dax and Alice doing the drills together:
Here’s a version performed by Joe Demers for Charleston Chasers. Denver, CO.
A different version with Ali & Katja:
Does the original version of Dax doing this exercise still exist? I remember seeing it on idance (on YouTube) years ago but I haven’t been able to find it again.
Jammin’ the blues – Marie Bryant’s exit from a Russian kick into swivels
Ok so it’s not exactly a variation but I can’t stop watching this clip, Jammin’ the blues:
Look at how Marie Bryant goes straight from a Russian kick into swivels around 6.50. It’s not exactly the most ladylike of moves and definitely wouldn’t suit the current vogue for dancing in tight straight skirts but I think it’s got a wonderful flow and looks incredibly powerful. I couldn’t immediately find a clip of a modern dancer’s exit from this move but I don’t remember seeing anything like this – perhaps it’s just the camera angle that makes this move catch my eye? I just love the way she drops into her swivels.
I really must read more about Katherine Dunham and the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, she sounds like an amazing woman!
