You Got Served

Without a doubt music plays a big part in expressing one's self through dancing. For our inhibitions can be thrown out the window, in a manner of speaking, as you completely let yourself go to the rhythm, beat, and sound of the music that plays. Depending on how fast or slow the song is played a sort of Pavlovian reaction takes place when a certain song comes and one immediately heads to the dance floor. Let me ask you this question, do you feel like you are in a whole other world as you or your dance partner(s) tear it up? If you think about it, when a person is on the dance floor busting a move, one's problems seem to take a back seat. For it gives an outlet to release one's frustrations of the day or week.

When a person gets his or her groove on, that person doesn't care what other people think. For as long as one is having fun, the opinions of others, who believe that he or she is dancing like a fool, doesn't mean anything. Initially, it's those that dance like a fool who create spectacular dance routines and moves that wow the crowd. It's the type of moves that when you see it you're amazed at feets of skill and talent that these individuals have. It can simply boggle the mind in the creativity that certain people have who can take one's body too the limit and not wind up in a recovery room suffering from hyperextension or broken bones. In my opinion, it's an artform that so few can accomplish but many want to try.

We've all done or at least tried to do the moonwalk, which is Michael Jackson's trademark move. BUT, did you know that many of the dance moves of the 80's 90's and today are either updated, added to, or borrowed and originated in the late 60's and early 70's? Michael Jackson's moonwalk wasn't his, its original name was the Goodfoot and the man who performed was the Godfather of Soul James Brown. You see, you learn something new everyday and you thought this would just be a regular Yodaism. One has to give respect for the pioneers of dance moves of years past that originated from the late 60's by people who simply danced in the ghetto streets of NYC.

Growing up in the 80's, breakdancing was the thing to do for young kids like myself who wanted to try it. Moves such as the robot, headspin, windmill, the worm, and flaring were considered movies that looked simple to do if one practiced to perfect it. Young school kids, like myself, would try moves that the older kids saw in the movies and were taught to us in our school playgrounds. It was a way to make friends and bond with kids that now you shared something in common with even though one was in a different social circle. Now that I am older, there are some moves that I can still do such as the moonwalk and robot; but moves such as the worm, if I tried now, I would not be able to get back up again.

About 2 weeks ago, the Youth Center held a Valentine's Day dance for the kids and we chaperoned it. The teenagers really enjoyed themselves as they hung out with their friends, listened and danced to their favorite songs such as Ciara's 1,2 Step. During the festivities, a dance battle between the girls and boys happened in which I subsequently became the MC to it. Both the girls and boys traded dances moves back and forth to each other. The dance skills were impressive as they performed moves that absolutely no words could describe, you just had to see it to believe it. Even though the girls gave their all, the boys were proclaimed the winners. In the end, they turned to the girls and said all together, You Got Served!