So. Hip Hop class last night. Ms. Represent unveiled the first part of our main recital routine and predictably, it’s pretty damned hawt. And wouldn’t you know it, yours truly is smack dab in the middle of the formation. Woohoo! The ham in me loves this of course, but the haven’t-performed-in-a-long-time performer in me is terrified. Well, maybe not terrified, but certainly nervous enough to practice, practice, practice so I don’t make a fool outta myself. Do you all know a move called the “Harlem Shake?” I didn’t either. It basically involves shaking your shoulder so fast until you practically dislocate it.
Love, love, love large-group synchronized formation dancing. Love dancing it, love watching it. It’s what makes hip hop so kickin. BUT, on the flipside, everyone has to be synchronized. As in every pop, every lock, and every level has to be TOGETHER. If everyone’s arm is 90 degrees and you have one person at 85, it looks sloppy.
Which is why Ms. Represent drilled us repeatedly on just the first 16-counts of our dance. And I mean again, and again, and again until we can all dance it in our sleep. Then after the first combo, bam! V-shape formation and moi is at the very tip. I cannot, CANNOT look all weird and stiff and crappy like I did last night. I was kidding around that I needed a shot of tequila. Ms. Represent made me do deep-breathing exercises right before we opened with the damned Harlem Shake. I think part of the reason I looked so stiff was because I was so self-conscious. I’d never done that move before and I was, erm, not with it. Practice!
Then when we did a modified chicken, I felt that damned twinge on my right knee again. I had to ice it when I got home. Ice is now officially my new best friend. Ice after ballet to the hip (damned fifth position), ice after hip hop to the knee. And kickboxing.
Recital’s on Feb. 1 and we gotta lotta lotta work to do! Plus the damned song keeps playing in my head.
Take me on a trip I’d love to go some daaaaaay…
BALLET ASIDE: When I was waiting for hip hop class to start, my ballet teacher was in one of the studios teaching an advanced class. My ear perked up because she was using some really unusual music. Reminded me a lot of a jazz pianist playing in some smoky bar, very Billy Joelesque. So I ducked in there and asked her what CD she was using, and she said it was this (scroll down to Original Compositions for Ballet Class, Vol. 3 by Roberto Pace. Been looking all over the Internet for a clip but can’t find one yet. I’ll post it here if I ever find one.
