National Dance Day Announced

I am a big fan of SYTYCD and just this last week they posted the videos of the dances to learn for National Dance Day. July 30th is the day, now I just have to learn the dance and figure out just how I want to celebrate. Maybe I can get some friends involved or see if I can find anything going on already here in KC. I'm going to learn the Master Class dance choreographed by NappyTabs. This may in fact be the closest I ever get to having them choreograph me. I love NappyTabs and it doesn't look too tough, but we'll see.

So, pick a dance for you and on July 30th, boogie on down, get down with your bad self, bust a move, etc., etc.

Everybody (super-super easy)


Intermediate Intensive (easy)


Master Class (possible with more practice + swagger)

People I want to be friends with...

Some people I'd like to meet, be friends with, or at least have a stellar dance party with.

Madd Chadd


Robert Hoffman




Twitch




Beat Freaks

Seriously, I want to be these girls!

Quest Crew - D*Trix




NappyTabs (Napoleon & Tabitha)

The best choreographers out there! I wanted to leave you with something you could learn if you wanted to. NappyTabs choreographed this for Dance Day this past summer. But, you can find their amazing choreography all over youtube.

Now go ahead and throw yourself your own little random dance party and bust a move. You know I will.

Humans That Fly

I wasn't planning on blogging about this today but when I saw this video I had to share it with you.

I'm always in awe of highly skilled dancers, no matter their expertise. Whether it's a ballerina, delicately leaping across the stage, or a b-boyer, seemingly levitating over the ground. It's as if they're saying to gravity, "You don't own me!" I love it.

So of course, there are tons of videos out there of amazing dancers, but this one particularly caught my eye and led me to share with you because of the artistry in the filming. Really beautiful with the lighting, which seems to turn the dancer's shadow into a character all it's own.

Enjoy.

Brazing Ballet

THE INSPIRATION?

... these pointe shoes (literally these exact ones, they were my template).

THE TASK?

... to take this raw material, mold it, shape it, and form it into these.

HOW?

... here's how Wikipedia explains it.

TRANSLATION?

Wear some sweet goggles and bulky gloves, bend and shape your metal, get your torch going (yeah, FIRE!), place filler material at the joints you want to connect, and melt the filler material. Keep it going and watch and see what you can create.

HERE'S THE CREATED FRAME

FINAL PRODUCT

I used newspaper to create the "skin" of the slipper (good 'ole paper mache) with one layer of white tissue paper over that to achieve the delicate look. I then took the exact ribbon and string from my inspirational pointe shoes and attached them to the sculpture. I sewed the ribbon on just the way you would on real pointe shoes.

"Get Outta Your Mind"

When I was young my mom put me in dance lessons; the usual ballet and tap and then I did a year of jazz before quitting. I enjoyed dancing but unfortunately when I was young I was at times painfully shy and I suppose being in front of lots of people in a leotard became a bit too much and I quit. Luckily as I got older I gained confidence in myself and while at college I rediscovered my love for dancing after joining a Step Team. Now, I'm no master dancer but I have rhythm and I'm not ashamed to bust a move. There's nothing like getting in your groove and really feeling the music and just letting go, a very freeing experience. I love dancing with people that aren't afraid to embarrass themselves, because truly that's the key to it all. It's about not being afraid or worried about what others might think. I love seeing that person who has no rhythm, and they know it, but they don't care and they just get lost in the music. So, much fun.

I'm a big fan of the show "So You Think You Can Dance" on FOX. They highlight amazing dancers from different backgrounds and styles. The contrast of seeing the ones raised taking classes and classically trained to the ones who are self taught is really great. They have some of the top choreographers created these masterpieces each week, so in an hour you'll see ballroom to b-boying and ballet to bollywood.

I want to leave you with one of my all time favorite performances from last season. Choreographed by Tabitha & Napoleon (a.k.a. Nappytabs) and danced by Twitch (hip hop dancer) and Alex Wong (ballet/modern) to the song "Get Outta Your Mind" by Lil Jon and LMFAO. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLtSfYX8tJk

Then after Alex got hurt SYTYCD had a special guest recreate the epic dance for the finale.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkDqDrDPDRw&feature=related

Illustrated

Hip Hop

Self Portraits


The Ugly Duckling (original illustration and final book)


In Motion

Blast It CD case and Promotional Poster




Maids-A-Milking





Get Smokin' BBQ Pig