By photographer Laura Hanifin This year has been a remarkable one for dancing. Here are my top ten dances of 2007: Dancing at the Apollo with Sharon Jones (perhaps #1 for LIFE) Breaking with my breakdance group at PMT Studios Fall Showcase Performing with the Brooklyn Bombshells group at the Mermaid Parade Lindy hopping to…
Category: Dancing / Music
Chicago Tribune on Stepping
The Chicago Tribune has a very sweet story about the phenomenon of stepping, a vernacular African-american social dance very closely related to lindy hop. Typically danced to soul and R&B music, stepping is a much more smoothed out and relaxed dance with a looser connection between the lead and follow. As the Tribune describes it:…
“Wild Style” and the roots of hip-hop dance
I finally got around to watching the 1982 hip-hop classic movie "Wild Style" featuring a number of legends from the rap, graffiti, and b-boy worlds. If you call yourself a fan of hip-hop culture, you need to see this movie. Forget the terrible acting or the almost non-existent plot, it’s all about getting a flavor…
Blue Vipers interviewed and performing on WNYC
My pals in the awesome swing band the Blue Vipers have a cool interview on the WNYC radio show "Soundcheck" that aired December 10. They sound really great performing on the show and Billy the guitar player was a hoot. "You see a lot of things in New Orleans." The Blue Vipers also have a…
Charleston e-card starring YOU
Don’t send a lame Starring You! eCard. Try JibJab Sendables! My friend Atalanta posted that the website JibJab has a fun vintage-y charleston e-card that you can put your own face on. Who knew I looked so good in a flapper dress? I love it!
Swinging to the sounds of Motown
I just got home from the "Swing and Soul" party weekend in Atlanta Georgia. It was basically a three-day celebration of the sounds of Motown, with 300-some lindy hoppers from all over the United States dancing their hearts out to great music all day and night. I’ve always loved soul music, from Marvin to Diana…
My new Aris Allens: yes, I am a lindy hop rockstar
The choice of shoe for a serious lindy hopper is an important one. A lindy hopper is looking for the right balance of comfort, style, and durability to get their swing on. Fads come and go in the lindy hop world, but for the past few years, the Aris Allen has reigned supreme as "THE"…
Lincoln Center offers jazz education videos online
Jazz at Lincoln Center announces that they are now offering a limited selection of online videos of some of their jazz education classes for those who can not attend their programs in person. Not only can you watch the recorded lectures, you can see concert performances and commentary on those performances, all carefully tagged and…
PMT B-boys (and B-girl) Represent!
I’m happy to report that my breakdance group killed it during our final performance this evening as part of the PMT Fall Dance Showcase. We nailed a long, difficult routine, with multiple formations, duets, solos and lots of group work. And most importantly, I didn’t fuck up my part. Our teacher Pavan was estatic and…
The b-boy devil, Mr. Miyagi and pre-show jitters
So tonight is the first of two shows by the breakdance performance class that I’m in. It’s a complicated, six minute piece with difficult tricks and freezes throughout. The Thursday night show is sold out, and we’re first on the bill. We’re understandably concerned and nervous about executing it perfectly. So last night was not…