More Q's on Bottin and Stops....please.

[andrewSEATOWN]

1) Can dimestops have a small hit in them to add to the effect, or is that more gettin into like boppin??? = )

2) What do you practice to cover more ground in botting, animation, ticking....etc. I think I tend to be really stationary but sometimes don't know what to work on to break out, ya dig :P

Thanks alot!

[Philosopop]

Hey Andrew,

I'm sure you'll get some good replies to this post, buuuut, in the meantime, I can offer my limited knowledge.

As I understand it, dimestopping is performed without hits added to them. Dimestopping consists basically of small movements, without a hit in between them. As soon as you start adding hits, you're doing what is called ticking (eg., like the second hand on an analog clock). Hopefully if I'm wrong someone will correct me, because the correct terms for each of these techniques has eluded me for several eons.

When I practice funk styles in general, I try and make a point of just being dynamic and moving around.

I took a workshop out here a couple of months ago, and one of the main things that I took away from the instructor was that when you start to learn a new technique, for example, footwork, make sure that you have your arms doing something. It doesn't matter what they are doing, just make sure they're doing *something*, and then later on you'll be able to plug in some kind of movement that works with the footwork, and that is an actual technique you've been working on.

This applies to what you're asking about - when you're practicing your hitting, don't be content to just practice tensing and releasing your muscles while you're on the spot. Practice techniques like the fresno to move into a position, hit, then move into the next position, etc. Hit once, take a couple of steps forward (always to the beat of the music right?) and then hit again.

Later on you can replace the steps you are taking with other techniques you may be working on, such as glides, floats, transitions into groundwork, etc.

Hope that helps somewhat,

--Adam

[ItsMeChau]

I like that idea of hitting and moving. Will try that :)

[Snale]

yes you can hit at the end of a dimestop, its part of the whole bottin style.

if you dimestop with no hit, you get a very light but sharp stop.

you add a hit at the end and you get a heavier look, like a little mechanical alignment look

theres lots to do in bottin, which i have found leads to a rediculously hard style called claymation

peace

[Snale]

as far as branching ouy and developing more "effects" you will need a good teacher.

but, one helpful thing you can do are speed changes. practice going fast and slow.

one exercise i do is i make a box in front of me, not centered off to the right or left hand side.

i outline the box, then make 1 set of sides fast lines and the others slow.

when you combine this te4chnique, with waving, tutting or bottin, or w/e it creates a more polished look.

peace