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Confessions of a Serial Dancer Forums

Dance Classes - Australia & New Zealand (19)

Confessions of a Serial Dancer - by Trina

I pull the hood of my jacket over, half covering my sweaty face; I am exhausted. These are the confessions of a serial dancer.

Tips, Advice, How-To Random - Confessions of a Serial Dancer

D2MG Presents Back to the 90s Workshop Part II

March 26th 2008 00:00

So now that the word is out about my new dance studio, I'm gonna be posting our events and stuff here more regularly just to try and help us out. This Friday we're holding a part 2 of the Back to the 90s workshop we held a few weeks ago, special (i.e. FREE) for UNSW ARC D2MG members (because they're probably broke as balls as most university students are), and normal class prices for everyone else.

It's during the day on Friday since it's university holidays, and I'll be teaching a partner routine to No Diggity. The theme is the 90s, which means all the classes will be taught to music from the 90s, since it was the best decade for R&B/Hip Hop IMHO, and watch out for our next special workshops, starring the Prince of Pop, the legendary Michael Jackson, in late April. I'll be teaching Hip Hop/Funk to "Smooth Criminal" ooo yeah can't wait.

D2MG Hip Hop Dance classes back to the 90s workshops part 2

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Posted By: Trina - Category: Confessions, Tips, Advice, How-To, Events - Australia, Fun, Random, Funk, Hiphop

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My new dance studio - D2MG Hip Hop Academy

March 25th 2008 01:29

Well I've kept it on the low but I thought I should write about it now - my dream of running my own dance studio has come true

Since the beginning of this year, I've opened up my very own D2MG Hip Hop Academy, as an extension of a university club I used to run, now with our own base in a handy location right in the middle of Sydney CBD.

Starting out with dance classes and then expanding into DJ courses, MC sessions, graffiti and beatboxing workshops, it's a humble and very ghetto place hidden away like treasure with a gold mine of Hip Hop dancing resources. We're one of the few places that teach real street style dancing, more like America's Best Dance Crew than Australia's SYTYCD (boring!)

We like to focus on the development of students with our intensive performance courses, with a range of casual classes for those who aren't so serious about dancing. Check us out at www.d2mg.com. If you want... you don't have to you know, it doesn't bother us, I mean there are things outside of dance anyway...

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Posted By: Trina - Category: Confessions, Tips, Advice, How-To, Fun, Random, Funk, Hiphop

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Doppelgangers win Looze Control 2008 Sydney Heats 1

March 24th 2008 11:48

Doppelgangers

The first heats of the Looze Control "Urban" (hate that word) Crew competition held last night at Wenty Leagues Club dragged on but it was worth it to see my bestfriend Lenny's crew take it out in a well deserved win. It was even more special as it was their debut performance as a crew - Doppelgangers (look it up). I was supposed to judge but because of some dramas I stood down and will judge the other heats and finals but for those who care, here are some of my comments on their performance.

[EDIT: Video has been removed until after they compete in Australian Hip Hop Champs]

1. They were really tight, more synchronized than all the other crews who would try to balance this with impressive tricks and funny skits.

2. They were entertaining and had a lot of stage presence, while doing large amounts of choreography, instead of too many skits, formation changes and tricks here and there.

3. I liked:
- Chux's high kick
- Chux sliding onto the floor grabbed by Lenny into perfect formation
- Chux and Lenny's kissing skit; their disgusted faces were hilarious
- Raymond and Roni's partner spin
- The punching line where Raymond gets knocked out by either Ella or Roni (can't tell)
- the Ne-Yo partner routine; all I could see was Chux's "Prince" face and the way he was looking at Jessica, it was sex. It sent shivers down my spine and elsewhere. They are the partners second from the right.
- The cheesy SMILE. So Lenny, so love it.
- Locking to Gym Class Heroes' "Clothes Off". Love it, and Jet flashing his abs.

[EDIT: Video has been removed until after they compete in Australian Hip Hop Champs]

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Review - 360 Freestyle Crew Battle Competition, UNSW, March, 2008

March 12th 2008 02:32

360 freestyle crew dance battle critical hype roundcircle trina d2mg

I have to say that the 360 Freestyle Battle Competition last Saturday night was the best dance event I've ever been to. Brought by Critical Hype in conjunction with Round Circle Entertainment, these guys did an amazing job with the event, especially for their first time, with room for improvement, but hey that's how it usually goes.

I was asked to judge at this event, a bit skeptical at first because they wanted to factor in crowd-judging in the criteria, and dancers know that would be a big mistake. We were a panel of 5 judges and we made a few unpopular decisions but were supported by the majority of dancers so there wasn't too much controversy.

I guess this post is intended for those who went, or heard about the event; for those who don't know anything about the event, just watch the videos. It shows how amazingly talented the underground street dancers are - don't waste your time on SYTYCD

Shout out to Jerome and El, MC Tuppz and DJs D-Kutz and Xile for their awesome effort.

Couple of comments/feedback:

1. Just to let everyone know there was a miscommunication with my Judge's showcase - it was a style demonstration, where all the teachers from D2MG Hip Hop Academy showed their specialty, after my student showcase from my Intermediate Intensive Performance Course.

2. The reason why Juse Crew lost against Treble, Bass & Soul was that our criteria consisted mainly of musicality and versatility. We felt that Juse Crew did not have much of these, it was entertaining but not what we were looking for in a battle.

3. I do not agree with one of the other judge's comments about Krump Etiquette being applied to the freestyle battles. These battles have time limits, they are BATTLES which means you don't wait for someone to get ready to get in the middle to do their thing, they miss out. It's called COMMANDO and demonstrates presence and battle skills. Besides, battle criteria should have been stated at the beginning of the event, so that's another thing to learn.

4. To the guy from a certain crew who claimed that I was biased because one crew I voted for had teachers at my studio, get your facts straight because I had teachers from my studio in most of the crews, same with the other judges and we all have ties with most of the dancers because it's such a small community so stop bitching and start practicing more.

5. No one likes sore losers. You're all winners until you start talking sh*t about everyone and everything else to avoid thinking about why you lost in the first place.

6. I just gotta comment that there were many times during the night where dancers had the most appropriate part of a song, and really used it to their advantage. We like that. It makes us wet our pants.

7. The final decision was UNANIMOUS, it was such a close battle but the winning team, Toilet Funk 9 showed more versatility within individual dancers as well as within their crew, they had slightly better use of musicality and had a bigger presence as a crew.

Just some advice for crew battles in the future (take it or leave it, agree or disagree):

- DO NOT count in your routines, it's a freestyle battle. Many crews did this after I had told everyone not to. Lose points for not listening.

- Integrating routines in a freestyle battle is ok as long as it is balanced with freestyles (and one person at a time per crew please) and I find that this works well after someone's solo, or if its a large number of people then anytime is fine but just make sure you're synchronised.

- This takes time, but the more you spend time with your crew, the more you know what they're capable of, their moves and their sets so you can read them during battle and play along. The winners, Toilet Funk 9 did this really well, as well as Watermelon Bandits at some stages, but everyone in the crew should be paying attention to the battle, to support their teammate or to diss the other team. Be alert!

Videos and pictures will be posted in the part 2 of this review (when I have time please bare with me!)

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Posted By: Trina - Category: Confessions, Tips, Advice, How-To, Events - Australia, Fun, Random, Funk, Hiphop

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Valentine's Day... single or not, love it or hate it

February 14th 2008 01:02

I don't really get excited or make a fuss about Valentine's Day and believe that celebrating love and romance should be done regularly over your relationship and not just kept to your significant other, but with family and friends also. Like any other special occasion or holiday, it's become so commercialised that there's more money than effort (and sometimes thought) into presents.

If you're single don't dread today, or future V-Days because you don't have a partner; look on the bright side - you may or may not have family or friends that you can devote time and energy to on this day, instead of moping around feeling sorry for yourself and looking on Ninemsn for tips on how to avoid lovebirds this evening. If you see a sweet couple don't roll your eyes in disgust or slump your shoulders in sadness - just think, that'll be you someday with the perfect someone and they'll be worth the wait.

Read the next section and if you don't have a 'significant other' then apply it to people you're close to.

If you're in a relationship sure, use today as a day to start making an extra effort for your significant other, whether or not things are going smoothly or you're hitting some rough patches. Try and do things that you can't just buy, or that are more practical like...

Write them a list of "101 Reasons Why I Love You" (as inspired by an article I read today about a bride dying during her first wedding dance - it might get you a bit teary!)

Sing them the song from the Wedding Singer that Adam Sandler sung on the plane, and use their leg as a guitar if you don't have one to play or to use as a prop. If you don't know or can't remember the song then make one up similar, it doesn't have to rhyme and should have some funny moments also e.g "Hello my sweetie, you are so pretty, I like you so much and you make me feel witty..."

Make them some chocolate-dipped strawberries and feed them most of the strawberries (don't be selfish!)

Give them a really good massage that actually removes the knots and tension in their shoulders , neck and back, not just a sensual body-to-body one with massage oil

Slow dance with them in your room/lounge/kitchen spontaneously (try and put some music on, Lionel Richie or one of my boyfriend's favourites "I Finally Found Someone" by Barbara Streisand and Bryan Adams).

And most importantly, make this level of effort MORE OFTEN. You can create a 4 line song everyday, slow dance after dinner once a week at least, and give a massage when they give a big sigh and slump their shoulders after a hard day's work.

Trina

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Posted By: Trina - Category: Confessions, Tips, Advice, How-To, Fun, Random

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