Recently I watched 'So You Think You Can Dance' out of boredom, and came across a recent season called 'Stage vs Street dance'
I began to watch because there has always been a division among 'stage' (choreography dancers) and Street (Freestyle dancers). Also, I have a few friends on the Street dance side who made it to the Top 20 dancers and wanted to see their journey.
As I thought, there was a HUGE favoritism on the side of Stage dancers.
Now, as a pretext to those not as familiar with the dance world - The difference between Choreo dancers (as they call 'Stage' dancers, though street dancers perform on stage as well), and Street dancers, is that Street dancers practice (mostly) without out mirrors, in a community setting aka ciphers (practice circles) and have a much more loose structure without many rules.
Stage Dancers or Choreo dancers as most would call them, practice in studios, in front of mirrors, coping the lead dancers (Choreographer) step by step to counts.
There is merit in both ways of dancing, though there is a lot less credit given to street dancers for not conforming. As a break dancer (aka Bboy) we spend enormous amounts of energy to bring out the energy in our dance, we perform unique tricks and moves that cannot be done by many others if anyone. This is what makes us unique, but it is frowned upon in the stage world.
Being ourselves lets us express who we are, and allows us to be free, often creating great art in the process of self expression. So when the street dancers have to follow and learn the choreograph moves of another, they start to lack, because they are no longer being themselves.
So You Think You Can Dance?
I know I can dance, I don't need any confirmation, a mirror, a choreographer, or a judge.
When I watch my friends loose, I know the outcome already. Used for their talent, then thrown to the side to impress the brainless masses with flashy synchronized movement to hypnotize. This is the way of main stream entertainment. Soulless, replicated, thoughtless movement disguised as dance.
Dance has a very powerful spiritual force behind it most fail to see through the shinny tricks, but a force that can change a person for the better, let them free, give them courage, give them confidence, and bring them peace within. Dance becomes a form of meditation in which one can let their mind free from the craziness of the world in which we live.
All dancers work their asses off to bring you something, it's only that some dive into the creative outlet as other dance into the 'it works' area to just hypnotize a crowd but leave them empty.
Street Dance vs Stage Dance?
Should be dance vs dance. Whoa re you really, let's get down right here, right now, no mirrors, no judges, just us, let's talk, have a conversation, maybe we can both learn something new...
Until next time,
PEACE