Comments on: The Music is the Key to the Dance

By: FHeNuS

FHeNuS — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:34:02 +0000

Bro,

I really liked this post. Its was kinda looking at something that i was trying to express but did not have the words to put it. I’ve been trying to learn popping for two days now, LOL, and basically i’ve been whatching a lot of videos on the internet for it. The “feeling” that you mention here, the emotion, the “musical lead” its something SO DAMN important but i think that (at least from what i see, and it was a lot) people don’t really care about it anymore. Specially in the so called battles, most of them were just a show off thing, they were not even paying attention to the music behind. A lot of them were not even looking at the person who they were battling. Dancing its about talking with your body. And if you want a to have a conversation (with the other dancer, with the audience, with the judges) you have to make sentences, not just words. When you make isolated moves you have words, not sentences. If you follow the Music, you will be using the already made “text”. If its a good the music, it will be a collection of “sentences” itself, so you just have to be able to “listen to” that sentences, and transform them with you body. By doing that, anyone that watches you dancing will be able to not just listen to the music, but see it also. And i also think that this “behavior” its again as you well sad, influence of the music being played. Most of the nowadays “Popping songs” that i heard lacked a LOT of FEELING, GROOVE, FUNK that the ones back in the 70s/80s had. And since the music its a bit less emotional, the dancers will also be.

Sorry for my bad english and thanks for wonderfull post, i will be back every week to read them. C ya.

By: V1per

V1per — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 19:20:17 +0000

brilliant as ever. i felt lost until i read this post about music. music was something i dont really understand. after reading this i start to hear new beats that ive never heard b4. thank you for guiding me back to the right path.

V1per

By: noahcampbellockcampbell

noahcampbellockcampbell — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:24:38 +0000

Thnx again ..also rspct for telling about my uncle Don (Campbellock)n the other names..
I hope we meet summ day make fun n jam summ time soon..
Every thing in this post i can relate to..
The stuff about dont forget to make fun because off practise practise practise constant lee thinkin about techniqz n if i am doing it right..
I have a other problem..i make fun & go in my own world with my dance may b to much ..so my question is ..how do i then forget making fun dancing jamming n upgrade my technieks?..as soon as i hear music i go off..
i know it sounds great n it is just like you wrote but what about concentrating n just goiing over my drills n techniqz?

thnkx

By: Louise

Louise — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:55:04 +0000

Great post, Otis!

I am a swing dancer and teacher for about 17 years, and so much of what you say crosses over to any dance style, and is great advice i would pass on to my swing dance students as well.

Sometimes I paraphrase, “Anything worth doing is worth doing badly”. …you’ve got to be willing to look bad first before you look good.

I just came by here trying to learn a little about Popping and locking (we’ve got a locking instructor now at my dance studio), and just loved your article.

Keep it up!

By: otis funkmeyer

otis funkmeyer — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 02:07:08 +0000

thanks for the love and the critiques and all the ideas! there’s a lot more where this came from!!!

By: Pierre

Pierre — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:35:25 +0000

Wow. This blurb blew my mind. Thank you!

By: Nathan Walker

Nathan Walker — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:34:18 +0000

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

For most of my life, I’ve just been a pathetic, stereotypical “white boy” who couldn’t move fer shit. Until my middle school had its first dance, that is. The music was deep with a heavy bass. Everyone was grinding, but it just seemed like they were looking to do the “correct” thing. It didn’t feel real to me, but I figured that was because I was so inexperienced. I began to shift my weight back and forth, making a simple effort to keep the beat, and not to look too much like a tool. Gradually, the music started to take control. Soon, the beat was all that mattered. I moved in a way that had never before manifested itself. People noticed, and told me to keep going. So, I decided to try to work some things in that I had seen in popping videos on YouTube. Before I knew it, there was a dance circle around me, and the night was a helluva success.

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is, anyone can dance. It’s just a matter of flushing your shame down the drain, and to let the beat have its way with you.

Thank you for the post, it really brought me back to the origin of what popping is about. :)

By: Chris Rodriguez

Chris Rodriguez — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:36:04 +0000

Bro i really, greatly appreciate that…the way i started dancing is kinda weird tho…it was about 2 years ago and i was listening to a song and i like started waving my hand…and everyone was like how do u do that it looks like u got no bones…then from there i was doing it to like every song…and saw these poppers incorporate it into their dances…and thats when i fell in love…and ive been dancing ever since…i love it so much that i hate it when ppl use the term pop/lockin…to me there two different dances and shud b respected as such…but that wat u wrote was deep and it got me thinking…to slow down…i always have fun when i dance…but i get lost in da music sometimes…and i jus lose it…haha. I consider myself a rookie/intermidiate…idk…i jus really enjoyed wat u wrote and it gave me a MAJOR boost…

Thank you,
Chris a.k.a xxEPIDEMICxx

By: 80's Liquid Wavin Chicano 818

80's Liquid Wavin Chicano 818 — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:19:42 +0000

I have to agree and disagree. If the music is slow then dance slow. But, if the music is fast then dance fast. That’s keeping up to the music. I prefer wavin’ to fast Electro and Techno/Trance/House. Waves are like electricity or energy flowing. Electricity or Energy usually flows fast. I think too many people emphasize slow poppin or wavin but to me that’s just to waste time if you don’t have enough moves or flow. If you can flow fast for a long time then I think you are pretty good. I’ve seen Sir Scorpio flow fast and took up much time. That is a good popper to me. Back in the day, many Wavers were fast and rarely slow. I’m talking from my experience and from what I have observed. I think slow is boring at times. Fast is more exciting. That’s just my opinion.

Keep on Wavin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Waves faster than the speed of light ~~~~~~~~~ Imagine that~~~~~~~~

By: Roc4Life

Roc4Life — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:20:14 +0000

Starting slow and feeling the music is really the way to improve your freestyles. Because before when the music plays i just go WILD and FAST with my Tuts waves pops etc. that people dont get to catch what I do. I really gotta practice sitting on the beat and just to let my moves flow while smiling (or whatever you do) to make my moves more relaxed.

By: Strange Mike

Strange Mike — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:17:51 +0000

yo big props man. that was really deep to me. i consider myself a rookie. it’s funny how you say start slow. cuz when im home messin around or practicin i go slow and take my time. but when i do a vid to music i get all nervous and hurry up my moves. i know i got a long way to go, but its peeps like PopNTod and John Doe who even though im no where near their level, they still support me. great article oh and i love your vids for beginners

peace
Strange Mike

By: tootall

tootall — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:23:47 +0000

Excellent blurb, exactly why i started popping.. i watched salah for the first time and was blown away… now that im getting up there i realise more and more its about the song and how its flows through you that creates your style..