I missed my man Ollie, but there were mad heads at his party so it was ok. I finally got some fundamentals of salsa and merengue. Now that I got some confidence about the vocabulary I can interject some latin ideas into my tops. Good fun and good dancing.
Salsa perhaps? Maybe a power hour? Definitely Newtron party late.
If it ends up being too much I'll just cut out the power hour. I'm taking a new stance on lessons. I always thought since I had no teachers early in bboying you had to go it alone in other styles too. Whatever, so hopefully this will be the first of more regular classes. Need to peep what Ollie is doing, I enjoyed his Sweat set.
Thursday
CMU session to go over routines!
No one there but Lillian, SwifD, Bowser and I. Then Chuck brought some of his heads. I had a really good practice. Warmed up with some tops and then went into further defining my routine ideas. I'm really glad heads weren't there, it prevented me from teaching the material prematurely. When I put my ideas into motion I realized that Devon can't yet do the movement required and that Teena is the logical choice as partner. Really have my ideas together. I got one full routine, a few commando ideas and an outline. OMG halo > headbridge tap > halo, an idea to keep. But at practice, I focused on headspins and trying to get that shoulder > halo move. I think I can get into headspins regularly from standing and that is helping with my headspin > 90 attempts. I did it pretty decently today like headspin x2 > 90 :). Still having problems with mill > headspin, I thought I had it down pat doing drills? Good stuff though.
No one there but Lillian, SwifD, Bowser and I. Then Chuck brought some of his heads. I had a really good practice. Warmed up with some tops and then went into further defining my routine ideas. I'm really glad heads weren't there, it prevented me from teaching the material prematurely. When I put my ideas into motion I realized that Devon can't yet do the movement required and that Teena is the logical choice as partner. Really have my ideas together. I got one full routine, a few commando ideas and an outline. OMG halo > headbridge tap > halo, an idea to keep. But at practice, I focused on headspins and trying to get that shoulder > halo move. I think I can get into headspins regularly from standing and that is helping with my headspin > 90 attempts. I did it pretty decently today like headspin x2 > 90 :). Still having problems with mill > headspin, I thought I had it down pat doing drills? Good stuff though.
Sweat before Heat
Fun on a Wednesday at Club P and with Streetz.
This was cool cool. The special popping addition of Sweat Wednesdays was fun. Not too many heads showed up, but you know Get Down Gang showed up. In full force, I wasn't even there most of the time. My homie was fucking me up so I got there hella late, very niggardly of me. It's ok to be a little late, because it's a party. Then you can rep hard and everything's cool. But my man had me waiting on him for hours. That meant I was an idiot for trusting him with my time and delayed me hours. Not cool at all.
So rant aside, I tried popping for real and cyphered with Matt some, but really with Chuck when heads left. We switched between bboying and popping and krumping (i didn't do any :)). Devon, Barry and Florentin was there too cyphering. We were rolling like you needed to do a zulu spin variation in your set. Good fun, Chuck helped clean up my popping. He cleaned up his footwork and Florentin learned zulu spins and freaked them a couple times. And we just jamming with the DJ. I think I understand the point of a jam now a bit more. Chilled with Streetz at Heat, even though the rap ranged from unoriginal to wack to down right offensive, shit still got done. Told Street and Jerome to come by practice and chill with the rest of the gang at CMU. They say they are coming through and Streetz is down with travelling for jams! Kinda geeked cause the United Styles in NYC has a 1 v 1 popping battle! Niggas ain't ready :)
This was cool cool. The special popping addition of Sweat Wednesdays was fun. Not too many heads showed up, but you know Get Down Gang showed up. In full force, I wasn't even there most of the time. My homie was fucking me up so I got there hella late, very niggardly of me. It's ok to be a little late, because it's a party. Then you can rep hard and everything's cool. But my man had me waiting on him for hours. That meant I was an idiot for trusting him with my time and delayed me hours. Not cool at all.
So rant aside, I tried popping for real and cyphered with Matt some, but really with Chuck when heads left. We switched between bboying and popping and krumping (i didn't do any :)). Devon, Barry and Florentin was there too cyphering. We were rolling like you needed to do a zulu spin variation in your set. Good fun, Chuck helped clean up my popping. He cleaned up his footwork and Florentin learned zulu spins and freaked them a couple times. And we just jamming with the DJ. I think I understand the point of a jam now a bit more. Chilled with Streetz at Heat, even though the rap ranged from unoriginal to wack to down right offensive, shit still got done. Told Street and Jerome to come by practice and chill with the rest of the gang at CMU. They say they are coming through and Streetz is down with travelling for jams! Kinda geeked cause the United Styles in NYC has a 1 v 1 popping battle! Niggas ain't ready :)
Tuesday
Session at CMU. Do something interesting.
Highlight: Backspin double ankle grab > thread right leg in to head and right leg down > mill thread right leg out > cross legged handstand ... I'll come up with a better finish. Most likely something piked.
Highlight: Backspin double ankle grab > thread right leg in to head and right leg down > mill thread right leg out > cross legged handstand ... I'll come up with a better finish. Most likely something piked.
Erik Rico and Ibiza
Went to this jam/show at Shadow Lounge per Selecta's request through Ron. Selecta played a bunch of house tracks in addition to the bboy/hiphop anthems. I got open in a way I never have. Straight all styles fool: house, african via house, bboying, hustle, some popping. I have always been a bboy purist, out of fear I couldn't do something without fully committing to it. That is bullshit and I now stand corrected. Fun is fun and as long as you aren't pretending like you are repping a style when you aren't, no one is hurt. Speaking of fun, Get Down Gang is turning into a community of people really repping truth through dance and music. Just goes to show that the best thing in life is finding/being with like-minded individuals. You can't even argue that. I then went to Ibiza and hung out with Heather, Liana and met Anna (sp?). All hot girls that know anything about music in Pittsburgh know each other. It's a real problem for me, I hope I just come off looking like a weirdo and not confused by the incestuous situation. Strobe's set was pretty dec and Bonics' set was quite good. I got there around 12:30 so I probably missed a lot of burners.
Saturday
Really this begins last night at Devon's crib, we got the heavy drink on and Matt Limm and I got fadski fresh. Matt Limm got wild on the funk and Charles and I tried to outsmart each other. Can't tell you how fun chilling with them is. Devon and I went ten rounds on a really ill tops battle. Musicality son, we knew most of the songs or we could guess. The session outside was not nearly as good. I thought it would be a bit cooler out, but whatever. I was supremely hungover. So I didn't do too much. Couldn't hit power runs completely but I had fun chilling with the homies. Kim and Ming came through that was tough.
Got a chance to vibe with DJ Selecta. Shit was official at New Amsterdam. I got to hustle/partner dance with two fine ladies! Liana is sooo fine. But anyways, really good dancing. I think I'm ready to pull the dancing where girl and guy are back to back. It's real simple from the holding both hands position. I wish I didn't have to be faded to realize it :) I mean really, it got serious. Don't care the level of my partner, we dancing as best we can with a few drinks in us. I wish I could dance with Teena Marie, but she can groove soooo ill on her own. Just nasty stuff, she's on the same tip I am and better. I mean that's really all you can ask for! The other girl Ruthie wasn't on the same tip, but she was very mallable. But with her I was able to get my groove on to Roy Ayers - Everybody Loves The Sunshine. FUN!!!! Straight fun nigga, I definitely tried the "I'll lead into a forceful lead, then you adlib out of it" and it was cool. Teena Marie might murder me on that, but it may be heaven. If I was dancing with Liana on that track it would've been magic. This is probably all to say that Selecta and his homie from San Fran were on the decks in a full way. More partner dancing!!!
Got a chance to vibe with DJ Selecta. Shit was official at New Amsterdam. I got to hustle/partner dance with two fine ladies! Liana is sooo fine. But anyways, really good dancing. I think I'm ready to pull the dancing where girl and guy are back to back. It's real simple from the holding both hands position. I wish I didn't have to be faded to realize it :) I mean really, it got serious. Don't care the level of my partner, we dancing as best we can with a few drinks in us. I wish I could dance with Teena Marie, but she can groove soooo ill on her own. Just nasty stuff, she's on the same tip I am and better. I mean that's really all you can ask for! The other girl Ruthie wasn't on the same tip, but she was very mallable. But with her I was able to get my groove on to Roy Ayers - Everybody Loves The Sunshine. FUN!!!! Straight fun nigga, I definitely tried the "I'll lead into a forceful lead, then you adlib out of it" and it was cool. Teena Marie might murder me on that, but it may be heaven. If I was dancing with Liana on that track it would've been magic. This is probably all to say that Selecta and his homie from San Fran were on the decks in a full way. More partner dancing!!!
Friday
Well I thought Selecta would be there, but maybe I missed him. The K-OS show was pretty tight, local heads were showing some good stuff. Billy Pilgrim and the very first dude were tight. Alas, no dancing. :( I am determined to go hard today. I'm not going to go into this practice with a real plan.
Gymsport Returns
Going out to Bridgeville to the gym. I guess it's air power time. I'm so tired after prac (Tuesday) shit doesn't even sound appealing hah.
1. airflare x2
2. pick up some elbow airflare
3. round off > backflip with twist
4. pick up flips grabbing an ankle or two (that's what she said)
5. pick up continuous flips
Well, I guess this will get tabled until people are less busy. Probably a win for my body since been going daily for a while, but still weaksauce on my part for going along with taking a day.
1. airflare x2
2. pick up some elbow airflare
3. round off > backflip with twist
4. pick up flips grabbing an ankle or two (that's what she said)
5. pick up continuous flips
Well, I guess this will get tabled until people are less busy. Probably a win for my body since been going daily for a while, but still weaksauce on my part for going along with taking a day.
Tuesday
Jazz is to popular music as being faded is to normal existence. Everything is sooo much slower and predictable. Ummm, ok so I got some power and I'm in shape what now. Well, I will work on air power, but I need to close the gap in movement between footwork and power.
1. applejack > applejack 180 (to stab) > flare
2. shoulder roll > (pop to) headspin drill
3. back handspring > mill
4. step under step through > headbridge > 90 *
5. side flip > applejack > 90 > mill ... why can't I get this?
6. out in spin > (rollback to) head left foot down right in hand > mill > 90 **
* movements predicated on the small jump style
** need to stop bullshiting and get this.
Pretty dope practice. I did 1 clean once and dirty 2 times. The problem with 2 is keeping composure when trying to drill from no momentum. I forgot 3, but I can pretty much do that one. 4 is never ever clean, I did headspin drill instead of 90. 5 and 6 have the same problem, I'm thinking waaaaay to much once I push into handstand. Which is a similar problem to 2's, not being focused in a no momentum situation. If I'm relatively fresh I have swipe > flare and mill > flare down pat. Same thing with halos, did a couple halos > halo spin out like it was nothing. I need to sure up mill > 90, and learn flare > 90. Good vibe this practice too, both Warren and I were not faded for once. That's like some planets in alignment shit lol, I'm taking the month off to cake up.
1. applejack > applejack 180 (to stab) > flare
2. shoulder roll > (pop to) headspin drill
3. back handspring > mill
4. step under step through > headbridge > 90 *
5. side flip > applejack > 90 > mill ... why can't I get this?
6. out in spin > (rollback to) head left foot down right in hand > mill > 90 **
* movements predicated on the small jump style
** need to stop bullshiting and get this.
Pretty dope practice. I did 1 clean once and dirty 2 times. The problem with 2 is keeping composure when trying to drill from no momentum. I forgot 3, but I can pretty much do that one. 4 is never ever clean, I did headspin drill instead of 90. 5 and 6 have the same problem, I'm thinking waaaaay to much once I push into handstand. Which is a similar problem to 2's, not being focused in a no momentum situation. If I'm relatively fresh I have swipe > flare and mill > flare down pat. Same thing with halos, did a couple halos > halo spin out like it was nothing. I need to sure up mill > 90, and learn flare > 90. Good vibe this practice too, both Warren and I were not faded for once. That's like some planets in alignment shit lol, I'm taking the month off to cake up.
Monday
Yeah, there was sessioning and shows all weekend, some drunk bboying too! So now it's like repetitively smashing through bricks, body is getting calloused up n shit.
I just wanted to get loose and hit some footworks since it's been alot about power. Sooo much easier to kenjutsu in the tops with music I really don't know. It's a struggle for me to put together meaningful combinations in footwork. *note* What that really means is my footwork vocabulary is limited. So I tried doing radically different things and trying to keep in time. That translated into peppering footwork with freezes and trying to come out of them in footwork combinations ending on parts of the music (most often in a fake split or leg gimmick, eh). Not quite kenjutsu, but I was glad to be doing something a bit different. Stealth turned me onto some new jams and sessioning at his crib this time was cozy instead of claustrophobic. Let me get off this computer, Jay Malls be spinning jazz and musicians sometimes appear at Ava. First time trying it out, holla! Oh yeah, gotta remember applejack > applejack 180 (to low stab) > flares.
I just wanted to get loose and hit some footworks since it's been alot about power. Sooo much easier to kenjutsu in the tops with music I really don't know. It's a struggle for me to put together meaningful combinations in footwork. *note* What that really means is my footwork vocabulary is limited. So I tried doing radically different things and trying to keep in time. That translated into peppering footwork with freezes and trying to come out of them in footwork combinations ending on parts of the music (most often in a fake split or leg gimmick, eh). Not quite kenjutsu, but I was glad to be doing something a bit different. Stealth turned me onto some new jams and sessioning at his crib this time was cozy instead of claustrophobic. Let me get off this computer, Jay Malls be spinning jazz and musicians sometimes appear at Ava. First time trying it out, holla! Oh yeah, gotta remember applejack > applejack 180 (to low stab) > flares.
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