Tango Argentino u Zadru – Hrvatska – Naslovnica
How many of you like to freak dance/grind?
I’m a senior in high school now and I remember when grinding was first the "new thing". It was around 7th grade when I first saw it, and I thought, "That doesn’t take a lot of effort or expertise."
Two nights ago was my senior prom (I love dances!), and I saw many people freak dancing, which is natural now. Many of my friends came to the dance as well, and we all share the same taste in music. Soon, we gave the DJ a CD, and had him play "Zoot Suit Riot" from the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies. Soon, most of the dance floor cleared out, and there were only 20 out of 100 (or so) people that attended who knew how dance swing. Fortunately, I was one of them.
I’ve been trained how to dance tango, salsa, ball room, 50’s rock, and of course, swing. I tell you, it feels phenomenal when you’re doing all of these dance movements that these hip-hop grinders can’t do. My friend, who absolutely abhors freak dancing, said afterward, "We turned from sweaty gorillas rubbing up against each other to totally slick swing cats." I don’t mean to offend anyone. I just want to put spark into this discussion.
That was the only swing song, or any genre that wasn’t hip-hop or newly branded hip-hop played that night. Still, that single song was worth the $75 ticket and my date being mad at me (I danced with one of my girl friends who LOVES swing).
Whatever happened to the twist, the jitterbug, the charleston, and the hand-jive? Are there others like me out there who still live out and love the graceful dance steps? Are there people who find the classics "lame" and unfulfilling? Are there secret places out there that keep the big band ways alive?
I know how to grind, and I do it rather well. I love hip hop dancing, the sort that you’d see on Usher’s video. I love pop dancing (like Michael Jackson), but I’d rather hear YOUR opinion.
I personally feel the same way. I just had my Junior Prom a few weeks ago and everyone was doing the same thing. I had to head outside because it was getting a little ridiculous. I hate grinding. I do, though, love and enjoy the graceful steps of swing and older dances. Those who cannot do which you can is a remarkable feeling. I love older songs and dances compared to these "rappers" and how they "express" their feelings. It just annoys me. Where did the real singing go? Where did all of the lovely dances you could enjoy with a date go? I would love to dance with someone to something like the Charleston, but no one knows it. Therefore, I am forced to dance by myself and just tap to the beat. I feel that these songs are unfulfilling, not the older ones. It just gets me mad when I know that there is beautiful and catchy music out there that no one enjoys.
3 Responses to “How many of you like to freak dance/grind?”
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September 9th, 2009
Posted by admin in tango cd | 3 Comments »
I personally feel the same way. I just had my Junior Prom a few weeks ago and everyone was doing the same thing. I had to head outside because it was getting a little ridiculous. I hate grinding. I do, though, love and enjoy the graceful steps of swing and older dances. Those who cannot do which you can is a remarkable feeling. I love older songs and dances compared to these "rappers" and how they "express" their feelings. It just annoys me. Where did the real singing go? Where did all of the lovely dances you could enjoy with a date go? I would love to dance with someone to something like the Charleston, but no one knows it. Therefore, I am forced to dance by myself and just tap to the beat. I feel that these songs are unfulfilling, not the older ones. It just gets me mad when I know that there is beautiful and catchy music out there that no one enjoys.
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My thoughts.
I think it’s a simple case of "lowest common denominator", the same way that trashy television is more popular than the really smart stuff. People are dancing that way because it feels good, and they can get away with it.
I really like swing and tango (and sometimes mix them together and get swango), but it’s worth mentioning that when both of these types of music came out, they were taboo and shocking. Tango started in the bordellos, "swinging" "jazz" and "rock" were all slang for sex, and I imagine that there was probably grinding and booty-grabbing in the early days of those dances as well. Heck, even Viennese waltz was questioned by the Pope at one point, since the partnering aspect (in public!), the physicality, and the emotion-stirring music were thought to incite sinful thoughts.
At the same time, hip hop can be really interesting and intricate, and shouldn’t be pigeonholed as lower-class. Hate the dancer, not the song.
Unless, of course, the song is all about sex, be it innuendo or explicit. But it’s worth carefully listening to some of the swing stuff again, there’s a lot of "sweaty gorillas" in there as well; seriously, how innocent is the moniker "Cherry Poppin’ Daddies"?
It’s the same old song, and when a new style of music comes out this generation’s hip-hoppers will be talking about how kids are too sex-crazed and have no respect.
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Jon,
You gotta love the grind.
This page has all the great (and free) videos and articles that you can find on how to grind dance.
http://www.thisishowyoudoit.com/how-to-grind/
Hope this helps.
Good Luck,
Richard
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