Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mailee on December 8, 2010 at 5:23pm

Man that is such a difficult question!

Personally I really love modern dance. I like seeing how it both borrows and breaks from more classical styles of dance, like ballet as well as more contemporary styles like hip hop. It's so strong and graceful, and very, VERY diverse in what it's capable of. Now that I think about it, it might be kind of a cop-out to say "modern dance" since it incorporates dance moves from pretty much everything! Still, if I could manage ANY of that kind of grace to my dancing I would be a happy hooper!

StudentPermalink Reply by Shelley "HoopyChick" Gilbertson on December 8, 2010 at 7:46pm

I totally get what you're saying about modern dance borrowing from other dance styles and making something new and unique. I don't think it's a cop out to say that at all! One could be a great ballet dancer, say, but not be able to put a modern twist on it. And it's probably a bit more difficult since it does draw on so many different things and styles.

Permalink Reply by Anna Mini Giuliano on December 8, 2010 at 5:43pm

Great Topic!
Before I was a hooper I was a ballet and modern dancer for years, I definitely have lots of ballet and modern influences in my hooping, especially when it comes to turns and sustained spinning!

Permalink Reply by Traci "CircularPraise" Bonney on December 8, 2010 at 7:47pm

I took a year of ballet as a kid, so I know that influence is there, but I can't say I have a particular style that I favor. I think I just like to move to the music, and how I'm moving is informed by the style of the music in a given song.

Permalink Reply by Christina Brittain on December 8, 2010 at 7:59pm

i like when two forms of dance are combined to make your own =] ballet hip hop fusion passionnnnnn

StudentPermalink Reply by Shelley "HoopyChick" Gilbertson on December 8, 2010 at 8:29pm

Oooh, nice! They had a guest performance of this on "Dancing With the Stars" the season before this last one. It was fabulous! Wish I could remember the name of the dance company. Hmmm, must research. Would love to see something like this incorporated in the hoop.

Permalink Reply by Khaanee on December 13, 2010 at 9:28am

Belly Dance! I have to shake....shake shakkkkkkeeeeee!!!!! :)

StudentPermalink Reply by Kinetic Kristen* on December 22, 2010 at 10:11pm

Short answer: Ballet and jazz for sure, with a highly lyrical bent & some modern, hip-hop/liquid/break woven in.

 

(sorry, the answer wasn't quite that short, haha)

 

I studied ballet, tap & jazz for 7 years, then had other movement & musical arts thrown in during high school & college. This past semester I enrolled in a beginning hip-hop class at a local university -- we finished last week and I finally have figured out why I have a problem doing hip-hop choreography. It's because of my former dance training! I wasn't relaxed in my back or bent into my knees enough (depending on the move), which I then noticed in my hoop dance. So, my personal homework is dancing to hip hop and R&B over the winter break to drive home what I learned & be ready for next semester, which will be hip-hop, ballet and/or modern classes for me!

 

I'm so very happy there are so many others who love the dance aspect. I always plan out my performance art pieces as "dance first. prop manipulation second." And it has saved me several times when something has gone awry with my props AND music.

StudentPermalink Reply by Shelley "HoopyChick" Gilbertson on December 23, 2010 at 5:39am

That's interesting and so true about dancing one style influencing dancing another style.  I can imagine as a trained ballet dancer, switching to something completely different would be difficult.  In ballet, I belive you are trained to be very strong and tight with your body.  Keeping your arms, legs, fingers, toes, etc. held very tightly and precise.  There's not a lot of floppin' around in ballet.  Switch to hip hop with it's looser moves and other things like having the feet flexed instead of pointed at times, having the arms bent at sharp angles, etc. , and I bet your body rebels at going against it's training.

StudentPermalink Reply by Kinetic Kristen* on December 23, 2010 at 7:41pm

Yes, exactly! the teacher would say "bend your knees!" and I would reply "They're bent!!" apparently, not far enough. I feel like I look silly because I'm not loose enough but then again....throw on a good song & I'll freestyle semi-hip-hop and feel awesome. Too much pressure from within myself during class & then the former training on top of it, methinks.

Permalink Reply by Richie 'Monkey Mooncalf' Isaacs on December 25, 2010 at 4:49pm

My last good-at style was 'break-dancing' ... I was a b-boy in the 80s (still dress like one in winter) and quite good at it way back then.

Maybe brining in some Capoeira moves as well, which I have seen a couple of examples of already, as a lot of b-boy'n'girl moves stem from that wonderful art.

I am trying to bring some of my old moves back, rusty being the key word...my dance style before that was The Robot...

Of which forms of dance i like most..impossible call, I love dance as a medium so am drawn to nearly all of it but am SERIOUSLY a sucker for those epic Bollywood dance scenes

(If anyone here hasn't seen it I recommend Slumdog Millionaire, the movie is fantastic and so is the wee treat :o)

 

StudentPermalink Reply by Psyche*of Hooper's Art and Soul* on February 13, 2011 at 1:12pm

Jazz!!!! Funky jazz is the best. My fiance is a saxophone musician and there is nothing better than to play off the emotion as he performs!