Danse du Jour

[shanmonster]

Today's clip features Brooklyn, NY dancer Autumn Ward dancing with Djinn at Rakassah East 2006. She's doing a fusion of yoga, belly dance, and contact juggling (or maybe that's t'ai chi chu'an, hard to say, because in this case, there's a crossover). The dancing is unusual, but so is the music: there's beatboxing!

Watch on YouTube

Comments

[firelie.livejournal.com]

I always wonder how the musicians can pay attention to what they're playing when there's something like that going on in front of them. It must be unconscious to keep on the beat or something, cuz their faces looked like they were watching and were impressed with what she's doing.

[tabristheangel.livejournal.com]

Fascinating blend of styles, no doubt. And I LOVE how the crowd cheers at her more virtuosic stretches as if at a sports event!

Despite my VERY LIMITED experience with the form, I don't really see any t'ai chi c'huan in the mix: the dantian center is replaced by a much more fluid, rubbery field. My old teacher always used to say that in t'ai chi one's center should feel like a ball of hot embers: glowing with energy yet quiet, suppressed. I can't really say that Ms. Ward looks...suppressed!

[littlone.livejournal.com]

The flexibility was amazing! Not quite contact juggling (I'm a huge fan of that), but impressive, nonetheless! Very nice.

ball dance update

[(Anonymous)]

Thank you for your supportive comments! This piece was originally intended as a fusion of rhythmic gymnastics and Turkish/Turkic dance, but I'm flattered to find it considered to be so much more. I've reworked the concept since this video was posted. If you're interested in a newer, smoother version, please check out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fecEp01Fwek

Cheers,
Autumn Ward
www.AutumnWard.com