Where You (Might) Learn to Dance
Posts tagged how to dance techno
Rave Time!
Aug 27th
It’s been a while since we’ve had a “The Good, The bad & The Utterly Random” post here. It’s long overdue. So here’s a special Rave edition to make up for lost time.
OK, so this guy might not be raving technically, but it’s hard to find good individual ravers, and many videos of raves are too dark, too blurry or just plain bad. Besides, this is just too epic to keep to myself and the guy deserves exposure.
This next video shows just why you need girls to throw a good party.
I’d say more about this all-male rave, but after typing “all-male rave” I feel a little uncomfortable with this topic.
Now you might say I copped out again for this post’s bad video selection, since those guys were clearly doing it for laughs. Fortunately, I came prepared with another video, one that shows just how they get down in the World of Warcraft.
Normally, I wouldn’t recommend learning to rave from a dwarf, even if he is level 80, but look at these nerds go!
And now for the Utterly Random.
What just happened?
Dear Summer: 33 Minutes of Sunshine – DJ Mehdi
Aug 27th
It’s been a while since anything new was posted here on How To Dance Techno. My bad. Well, I’m back from my mysterious absence and I’d like to share an awesome mix with all of you.
Dear Summer: 33 Minutes of Sunshine, is the most recent mix from the talented DJ Mehdi. This an immersive mix, taking you into its atmosphere and keeping you there until it’s ready to let go.
This mix actually has a pretty dark tone considering it’s named after summer and sunshine. That said, there is something warm about it, and once it hits the “You Know It” portion of the mix, it definitely establishes a summertime feel by gaining energy and becoming a little lighter in tone.
Dear Summer is pulsing, lively, and fills you with energy. It’s hard to resist dancing to this mix, and just makes you want to have fun, which is what summer is all about.
I can’t find any real flaws with this mix. It’s well done, runs smoothly, and contains both Queen and Drake. End of discussion.
Here’s the mix and track list, by way of Asian Dan.
JAY-Z ‘Dear Summer’ Quick Intro
FLYING LOTUS ‘A Cosmic Drama’
NINA SIMONE ‘Summertime’ INTERLUDE
DJ SDUNKERO ‘Choosing Love’
L-VIS 1990 ‘Forever You’
CHROMEO ‘Don’t Turn The Lights On’ CARTE BLANCHE REMIX
LARRY HEARD ‘The Sun Can’t Compare’
JESSE ROSE ‘You Know It’
SCISSOR SISTERS ‘Any Which Way’ CARTE BLANCHE REMIX
GONZALES ‘I Am Europe’ DJEDJOTRONIC REMIX
HOT CITY ‘If That’s How I Feel’
CASSIUS ‘I <3 U So’
QUEEN ‘In The Lap Of The Gods’
DRAKE ‘Made’
Source: http://www.asianmandan.com/blog/2010/08/dj-mehdi-dear-summer-33-minutes-of-sunshine/
Deadmau5 – At Play 3
Aug 2nd
The third compilation from Canadian house produce Deadmau5 is a fairly atmospheric listen, comprised mostly of songs from his album Vexillology. I had never heard of Deadmau5 before this review until my boss recommended him.
Honestly, At Play Vol. 3 doesn’t do much for me. The first two tracks, “Cyclic Redundancy” and “Apply Overnight” were plain boring. They were simply too low key, simple and repetitive. I found myself disappointed with this musician.
Then the third track, “Plus” started playing. It’s a pretty lively track, and it held my attention. While not much more complex than the first two, it is a more fleshed out song, and the beat really hit me.
The fourth track, “Lai,” is even better. Ambient, complex, and surprisingly epic at only five minutes length, it’s easily a track I can listen to over and over again.
The fifth track, “TL7,” is a step back to the boring style of the first two tracks, but fortunately it is followed by the hypnotic “Bounce,” a fairly simple but energetic track that simply makes you want to dance. I especially love how the beat changes, keeping it fresh and increasingly frantic. The following track, “Full Bloom,” keeps the energy up with a hectic, ambient and mesmerizing beat.
“Templar” is a track I should have liked, since it has the same energy I liked in “Bounce” and “Full Bloom,” but the drums grew slightly boring and even irritating after about a minute into the song. the ninth song, “Stereo Fidelity,” is a fun, hectic track. There’s a lot going on, but it creates a fun mood, rather than coming off sloppy or too busy.
This compilation could have ended stronger. The tenth and final track, “Whispers (Remix)” sounds like the stereotypical house track. It’s not bad, it’s just not particularly engaging and a little repetitive.
If you’re a fan of Deadmau5 but don’t have much of his music, At Play 3 is definitely something you’ll want to pick up. If you’re not a fan of Deadmau5 or of house music, you can pass on this. I’ll probably get some heat for this (including from my boss), but I’m not too impressed with Deadmau5. I still think Danger Mouse is the best mouse around.
Have an album you reviewed? Be sure to
.
How to Fight Techno!
Jul 31st
Some music gets you riled up. It gets your blood pumping, you start feeling tough, invincible even, and eventually you’re ready to kick some ass. Music and fighting go together very well, so it’s not surprising that in movies and shows, the right music can enhance a fight scene.
Some good people on the internet noticed that Techno was missing from many action movie scores, and decided to fix that and share it with the world.
Jet Li’s fight scenes are always well choreographed displays of martial arts and stunts. However, this fan noticed this fight scene was missing something: The “Mortal Kombat” theme.
The connection between fighting and music makes sense. Many cultures have used war drums and pre-war rituals involving music to prepare for battle. And dancing is often closely related to fighting. Take Capoiera, for example, often seen as a hybrid of dancing and martial arts.
In fact, in some cultures dancing was a requirement for a warrior’s training.
Glowsticks: The ultimate weapon.
While music and fighting have a long history that predates any form of modern media, advances in technology have really left the two nearly inseparable. Fighters have music for ring walks, movies have songs and scores for fight scenes, and even martial arts exhibitions and demonstrations are set to modern music. Music can effect our loving side, our calm side, but also our aggressive side, which is why the combination is so appealing.No matter how perfectly executed a fight scene is, the right music can make it even better. Film score composers and directors need to realize that sometimes that music isn’t hard rock or bass-booming hip-hop, but some intense Techno.
e
Mario gets it.
Tecktonik vs. Melbourne Shuffle
Jul 30th
Two specific types of dances have been featured here on How to Dance Techno: Tecktonik and the Melbourne Shuffle. It’s only natural for the two to be compared and judged, and who better to decide which is better than myself?
In the blue corner is Tecktonik. The French dance brings elaborate arm movements to the table and is more fluid style of dance than the Shuffle.
Standing in the red corner is the Melbourne Shuffle. Essentially the opposite of Tecktonik, the Shuffle is performed with footwork and glides. It is stiffer than Tecktonik but has an edge that gives it a stronger and more serious presence.
So which is better? There are a few videos out there that compare the two styles, but first I’d like to get my thoughts out there.
These styles are essentially polar opposites, but personally, I prefer the Melbourne Shuffle. It has a bit more edge, the footwork impresses me more than the arm movements, and sometimes Tecktonik just looks silly. Take this video for example.
The Tecktonik dancers, while talented, look odd when they put their game faces on, staring down competition and dissing them. When footwork is incorporated into the routine, Tecktonik can have an edge. It looks like a more complete style, and the whole body moving usually looks better than only half the body moving. All that movement and gyration looks odd when the feet are static, and while the Shuffler’s arms don’t move it doesn’t look quite so strange or silly.
Shuffling also looks a little more technical and difficult, but I do think many Tecktonik dancers seem more talented and athletic. Many of them seem like they could Shuffle pretty well themselves and perform well in other styles, too. I don’t feel like I can say the same for many Shufflers.
Despite these factors, I still prefer Shuffling. Of course, it’s not really the style that matters, it’s the dancer, the individual that matters most. So enjoy the last video and decide for yourself what’s best for you.
The Melbourne Shuffle
Jul 22nd
If you’ve looked at previous posts and videos here on How to Dance Techno, you’ve probably noticed the term “Melbourne Shuffle.” Today, we’re going to learn a little more about the Melbourne Shuffle.
The Melbourne Shuffle came out of the Acid House era, outlasting other popular dances of that time. Growing from an older style called “Stomping” and originally known as just shuffling, it is a fairly new style formed in the 1990s. It originated in Australia but didn’t get the name “Melbourne” until the late ’90s.
The Shuffle is influenced by many other forms of dance, including tap, clogging, breakdancing, and older styles of rave dances. As you can see in the video above, the style is comprised of stomping on beat while gliding around freely. The emphasis on Shuffling is freeform dance and expression.
The dance is primarily focused on footwork but it does incorporate more arm movement then its predecessor. Various kicks are incorporated and with some styles even emphasize the importance of the running man (Yeah, that running man.)
The preferred choice of music for Shufflers is Hardstyle, which is why the dance is sometimes mistakenly called “Hardstyle” or “Hardstyle Shuffle.” Other popular music includes house, trance, and drum and bass.
The Melbourne Shuffle has been described as a dance that seems to move”through” and “over” the beat, rather than “inside” it (www.inthemix.com). This may seem like a strange way to describe it, but when you see it in action, it’s understandable. The steps are always on the main beat with few smaller details or intricacies thrown in. The Shuffler never seems as fully part of the music as some other types of dancers do, which isn’t a bad thing. Take a look at this dancer, and try to notice how he never seems as immersed in the music (and try to ignore those ridiculous pants). There’s something about his movement that keeps him a separate entity. Compare it to the B-Boy in the video underneath, who tries to become part of the music and emphasize every part of the song.
The dance has increased in popularity in the past decade and Shufflers can be found all over the world.
If you want to learn how to Shuffle, be sure to check out the “Tutorials” page for videos and links. And if you know of any other dances that deserve some attention on the site, feel free to Contact Us
.
Sources:
http://www.answerbag.com/video/video_history-melbourne-shuffle/3577833d-c739-cbeb-03c0-7240582a9f9d
http://melbourneshuffleoldskool.blogspot.com/2006/04/melbourne-shuffle-brief-history.html
http://www.inthemix.com.au/features/6189/
Caution: Melbourne Shuffling
Jul 21st
For this week’s edition of “The Good, the Bad, and the Utterly Random,” we’ll look at videos focusing on the Melbourne Shuffle. What’s the Melbourne Shuffle you ask? Well, I’ll have an article about it up later, but for now you should know that when it’s done right, it looks like this:
This dancer’s name is Slim and she has a few more videos of her dancing up on YouTube. Take a look here to see more of her.
As you can see, when properly executed, the Shuffle results in a lot of fluid glides that send you in various directions. Just make sure you’re in a clear space when you shuffle.
Originally, that was going to be the “Bad,” but as you saw, his dancing wasn’t really that bad. That said, there’s plenty of similar videos of people shuffling and falling. Some dance (much) better than others, but they all end up flat on their butts.
Finally, the utterly random.
Cartoons Shuffling.
And no, these aren’t the only two out there in the world.
Techno Remixes (of Everything)
Jul 15th
Think of a song right now. Go ahead. Did you think of one? Good. Guess what?
It has a techno remix.
Go ahead, look it up. You’ll see it’s true. Every song ever made has a techno remix. It’s just how the world works. Depending on how you feel about techno, this either fills you with joy or strikes fear into your heart. Maybe you find it funny. I know I do.
Remixes are an important part of techno. It gives DJs and producers the chance to take classics or modern hits and turn them into something new. It’s not at all uncommon for a song to have multiple remixes either. Because of the prevalence of remixes in techno music, it seemed fitting to review them occasional in a special kind of article. So to introduce How to Dance Techno’s newest segment, the Remix Roundup, we’ll take a look at some of the more surprising and random techno remixes out there.
First up is a remix to a song we all heard growing up.
I’m not sure who the mad genius responsible for this is, but if I ever met him, I would first ask him “Why?”, and then probably congratulate his good work. That’s the effect some remixes can have on me. Many seem unnecessary, but you have to admire the talent and hard work that goes into them.
Some songs definitely appear harder to remix than others, or at least it seems difficult for a potential remix to match up to the original. Of course, many remixes aren’t made in an attempt to overshadow the original. Many are made out of love for the original. After all, I’m certain no one would remix John Williams’ “Duel of the Fates” actively trying to top it.
Whether you think the remix is better or not, the fact was that the original inspired the remix, and that the remix was done more as a tribute and not as a challenge to the original. If there’s any challenge, it’s a personal one for the producer to make a good remix.
That said, many remixes, as random as they can be, are quite impressive. Who knew that anyone could do this with the Duck Tales theme song?
The fact is, remixes show us all the potential songs have. Of course there are many that don’t stack up to the original, but they still show us the versatility of these songs. They keep old songs alive and put them in a new, more electronic and digitally produced light.
On future editions of Remix Roundup, we will look at various remixes of a song, what they succeed in doing, and what they fail at doing. So make sure to visit regularly or follow How to Dance Techno on Twitter to catch the next one. For now, I leave you with probably the best remix on this post.
Soldiers Love Dance Pop
Jul 14th
Dance pop is one of the most popular forms of music today. Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, Katy Perry, and similar artists top the charts performing this style of music. It’s easy to see why. It has the rhythmic, digital, infectious sound of dance music combined with the radio friendly melodies and structure of pop music. It has a broad appeal, and people of many different ages and cultures love it.
Including soldiers. Apparently…
The most recent example of soldiers dancing to music significantly more lighthearted and bubbly than their profession is this video of Israeli soldiers dancing to “Tik Tok.”
The video starts with the soldiers walking around in relative silence, scanning for enemies. Then, a little after the 40 second mark the music starts playing. Rather than firing at wherever that song is coming from as one would hope (Yeah, I’m not a big fan of that song), the soldiers engage in some choreographed ass-shaking.
Keep in mind, those were Israeli soldiers, members of one of the most elite and dangerous armies on the Earth, and they were dancing to your little sister’s favorite song.
Of course, Israeli soldiers aren’t the only ones who can dance. Our boys in Afghanistan showed Lady Gaga love with their remake of “Telephone.”
To be honest, it still makes more sense than the original video.
It’s doubtful these are the last videos we’ll see like this. For all we know, a dance videos being made right now, and there are probably a number of dance numbers made by our men and women in uniform that haven’t hit the web yet. For example, look at this video from 2008.
It was meant to become something bigger, but never came to fruition. Still, you can see soldiers are coming together to dance to pop music.
So why does this happen, and why does it appeal to us?
Well, soldiers are people, too. They get bored and want to have fun and they need a release and an escape from the fighting. Sometimes they have a lot of free time on their hands, and like any other person, they make YouTube videos. They deserve to have fun, and they clearly have fun with these videos. Just look at the effort the soldiers put into the “Telephone” video. If a bunch of bored kids in their rooms can recreate music videos why couldn’t a bunch of soldiers? Soldiers have been using YouTube as long as any other group of people, so it’s only natural they do these sort of things.
Of course, the first video that may have started this phenomenon (for lack of a better word) was probably “Lazy Ramadi.”
This video was another “response” to the popular Saturday Night Live skit “Lazy Sunday,” preceded by “responses” (remakes or parodies) from the West Coat and Midwest. This is probably the first significant funny video made by soldiers, and it was pretty popular at the time.
As for why the public loves these videos, well, it should be obvious. First, there’s the perceived contradiction of these videos. Soldiers are tough, hardened, (maybe even macho) individuals, and here they are dancing to a song that represents the opposite of that image. These songs are soft and “girly.” This kind of contradiction is common in comedy, but it also works. Another reason is that it’s simply nice to see soldiers enjoying themselves. They have fun, and we have fun. There will always be these kind of videos, and we’ll always watch them. That’s how entertainment works.
On a final note, some of these dudes can really Melbourne Shuffle.
Song Review: Mastiksoul – “Run for Cover”
Jul 12th
For today’s Song Review we’ll look at Mastiksoul’s “Run for Cover.” While this song was released late last year, it is still gaining popularity and therefore worth a closer look. (Warning: Video is NOT safe for work!)
The song seems to be based on Daft Punk’s popular song “Technologic,” using a similar beat and vocal delivery. Of course, while Daft Punk may have had an influence, the song showcases Mastiksoul’s unique mix of Portuguese house music and African rhythms. The loud, energetic chants and the busy beat keeps the track full of life and energy. It’s the type of music that makes you want to dance, grabbing your attention and pulling you in.
For the most part, at least. The female vocals start off a little jarring and distracting, though as they’re blended in it does sound better. It doesn’t help that the beat is softened when the vocals come in, slowing the pace and sapping the energy that “Run for Cover” had built up.
This is one of Mastiksoul’s more club-friendly tracks. While he still manages to maintain his unique sound on it, he makes “Run for Cover” a very accessible track for listeners who may not enjoy the songs done in a typical Mastiksoul style. It’s still a good song, and one that should encourage listeners to check out more of the Algerian DJ’s songs.