King Tut / Tutting / Boxes / Finger Tuts / Micro Boxes

[test_this]

I recently decided to learn tutting, because I didn't really like it until I saw some clips of Pandora and MrFantastic tutting, who were hitting on the tut angles rather than just stopping, which imo makes it look good :D. I found it difficult to hit my arms while in sharp tut angles and was wondering - do you just mainly focus on hitting rest of your body like legs, chest... or does hitting the arms while maintaining a tut angle become easier the more you practise it?

A few other tutting related questions:
How do you make it mesh with your style and not seem gimmicky? Like a lot of videos I have seen people will just break out into tutting do a little memorised sequence, then back to dancing :/.
Also, I dance to dnb mainly, and if there is a fast beat, I wont be able to follow every beat and stop on each one with a different tut like most people do to other music- I don't really like the idea of memorizing sequences, rather just move to next logical position as I go. But if you aren't hitting every beat, what do you do in between while waiting for the next *clap* say.. do you wait at the next position for like a sec before *clap* comes and you hit then move on, or move slower so that you end up exactly at the position in time to hit on the beat?

Any other advice for tutting would be appreciated.

Thanks

[DpauseItKMF]

you could do a few things...like style transtions...

bust a wave into a tut angle and start tuttin..then bust a few 'wave tuts'...so it wouldnt look planned

or you could be poppin sharp, straight arm angles, use those sharp angles and tut with those, then work your way inro the hand angles (it's not always about bending hands)

use isolation with ur arms and hands to make tut angles...like bot and have your arm horizontal then isolate the arm or the hand into an angle...


hope this helped

[test_this]

Yeah I think some of those things would help ay thanks. What I kinda want to do is just develop my style to be a bit more robotic/tut-like so that if I want to I can kinda expand upon movements I am already doing (like sharp/straight angles) and go into more depth at certain times depending on the music to do more tutting - without making it seem like I am going into a tut sequence lol.

Anyone got any ideas about hitting tuts?

Thanks.

[BoogieAcute]

Put yourself in a position and if you cant hit in that position practise until you can. Hits in tuts can be hard at first beccause your triceps get tired from having your arms up all the time. Its funny in my class watchin people like "damn can we put our arms down now?!?" when im going through tuts lol

You need to figure out some transitioning steps between styles and also listen for hte music. If hte music changes from the main beat into a bridge or smoething then you can usually flip your style to the music.. otherwise you need some intermediary positions... eg from poppping to tutting - you might go, first, into a scarecrow position.

[TETRIS]

I would practice scarecrow positions first cuz those angles are usually easier to hit.

straight arm angles too, get those down so you can throw some solid angles with a hit, then move on to more intricate position~

Usually people who can do the robot have an easier time hitting alot of tough tutting poses~ ;)

[-miyavi-]

or does hitting the arms while maintaining a tut angle become easier the more you practise it?



Err...everything becomes easier the more you practise it.

[TETRIS]

This is the great King Tut thread. Drop your knowledge, tips, and ideas!

ill start with the basic elements that make up a great tutter (in my opinion)

1. Clean Angles and clean executions
2. Technique - Clean hits or dimestops with the tuts
3. Creativity - Creative/clever Concepts and Combos
4. Freestyle/Memorized - the ability to go in and out of freestyle to memorized blowups
5. Feeling - Ability to express feeling through your tuts (character)
6. Presentation - How well are you able to execute and show your tuts
7. Musicality - Your ability to tut precisely to the music, allowing the music to come out through tour tuts
8. Mobility - Moving with you tuts and not being stationary, also being able to use your entire body to move in and out of your tuts

[Ge0m3tRiC]

I think isolation is pretty important as well

[jigsaw]

I think isolation would fall under technique.

One thing that can help you greatly in tutting is sound effects... this is one of the best tools that Re shared with me.

You make the sound and have the movement go along with your effect. For tutters, you probably already have a certain set or set of sets that you do. Now try making a sound that makes that set happen...

Now tweek the sound a little bit and try and have your movements/patterns adapt...

this sort of play can go back and forth as you make each end of the spectrum reciprocate with the other.(movement makes sound, sound makes movement)

I love this practice technique because it doesn't require anything but you.

And later, as you listen to music, you get a different feel for matching the music with your sounds, and your subsequent tutts.

I had forgotten my sound but I remembered it this weekend. Was a trip.

To come up with ideas for tutts, I'd say look to everything for inspiration, a movie, a conversation you have where somebody does a certain gesture you like, or maybe envisioning yourself in another realm. I used to imagine I was floating on a slab of spaceconcrete with asteroids coming at me, and that only precision tutts would have me escape their path, like breaking into a vault with laser beams.

[acute]

footwork plays some part since its a dance - especially moves were you may want go left down right up.. etc..

Another way to practise when you start is to make a choreographed routine of a couple 8 counts of basic tuts, then turn that 8 into more..eg: the more you did it the easier it is to think of things to go inbetween counts.. so you turn 8 into 12 etc.. keep doin this pattern until you do each set without thinking about it and get harder and harder buildiung and building (so turn that 12 positions into 16.. not nescesarily adding to the end of your routine but more so Inbetween... so inbetween position 1 and 2... you might think "shit itd be cool if i did this after position 1.. and you throw in like 3 more counts/positions into it before you goto 2... sometimes ull even scrap positions and go another driection)... each time get it down naturally so you dont have to think to do it... imo this is what seperates a newbie from beginner/intermediate... the ability to not have to think about moves anymore but just listen and the moves just pour out since they are so ingrained.

eventually you'll have a) One sick ass routine of tuts b) during the time of practise you should have enough combinations to have quite good freestyle ability too.

Its that kind of 'drilling' practise you need for htis though. EG: the other night i came up with a finger tut set in 2 hours.. but it wasnt really fun... it was rewarding at the end... but its more drilling and frustration and thinking ... than fun.. but then at the end.. its rewarding lol

[Ge0m3tRiC]

Actually tom a lot of the fundamentals listed above could be merged. I still think isolation is a very important factor.

Also breaking down each pose minus transitions is important.

[G]

I think what makes a dope tutter is dope tutting

[kaib0rg]

wouldnt that list apply for uh...any dance? if you replaced "clean angles" with "cleanliness"

[TETRIS]

Haha now that i think about it ur right that list applies to all styles!

[Volumyn]

I have a very limited range of motion in my wrists compared to pretty much everyone I've ever seen tut. You see I've spent an insane amount of time with my hands draped over a keyboard. Anyone know if stretching exercises will help me increase that range over time? If not, any tips to cover for it? I'm fascinated with advanced tut forms and really would like to get there someday. Pls help!

[TETRIS]

Re always told me to lean against the wall with your palms flat. Do this for a few minutes before you practice.

I think once you get used to it, itll be easier for you.

Dont give up!

[Volumyn]

Thanks for the tip Tetris. Tuts are at the top of my list right now so I'm not giving up :p. I'm working on a full-body stretch program to do every morning before I dance. Did you notice an improvement in how far you could pull back your hand at the wrist over time doing this?

[vinhegar]

you know what i did?
i just fell asleep in class on top of my wrist and made it bend back
and wah la! perfect angles before i even knew it...

[jigsaw]

if you pay attention there are sneaky little tutts all around you.

[Bdoubi]

Anyone know if stretching exercises will help me increase that range over time? If not, any tips to cover for it? I'm fascinated with advanced tut forms and really would like to get there someday. Pls help!

a good way to get your wrists a little more flexibility would be to stretch them out.. place both hands on a wall, palms against the wall, and try to make them as flat as possible. force your arms up so that you are stretching out your wrists, but dont force it too much or you can cause injury. work on this exercise daily and you will see a ton of improvement on wrist angles. =)
ps. if you dont want a wall to work with use both your palms against each other and push

[Wohdin]

awesome tips, this thread has answered a lot of questions i had about tuts

[manitu]

hi....i´m new in tuting dance and i have some video tuttorials...but i wanna to download 2 dvd-s but its imposible...
so if someone know where can i download : Hypno King Tut dance Basic 101
or Mr Wiggles: The Menu 3 - Learn Tutting DVD-s pls or some other good king tut tuttorial pls tell me...thx

[Refract]

Hey manitu... I've purchased the Hypno DVD a couple years ago... Pretty basic stuff, outer tuts, some boxes, magazine tuts, and exercises... very good material for the total newb as far as tutting goes... What I would do if you don't wanna pay is watch some vids of those proficient in tutting and then practice, practice, practice...

[TheRitxz]

hi, ive been practicing tutting/finger tutting for 8 months and ive been trying to improve my freesytlye and creativity.im aiming to use my whole body to tut like mike song from kaba modern and moon..any suggestions?thanks