Thoughts and news about swing dancing in Ottawa
Posted by natalia on 04.29.11 4:25PM under Dance Videos
Because it is International Dance Day I thought I’d share with you some of the routines that have made my heart melt or that have made me jump for joy–in no particular order here are the clips and why I loved them:
SYTYCD Hok & Jaimie: The Hummingbird & the Flower
So simply beautiful, the choreography by Wade Robson was spectacular and the dancers really brought it to life. I have no training in contemporary or modern dance, I don’t know what kind of dance it was but it was certainly dancing, why? There was music, they were moving to it and I had to fight hard to not blink while I was watching because I didn’t want to miss one second of it.
ILHC 2010 Naomi Uyama: Cabaret
After the first 10 seconds of dancing, she had won me over. So strong, so beautiful, so brave and so passionate. I saw her dance this live and I didn’t have any words after she was finished, all I could do was clap as hard as I could. She reminds that dancing doesn’t *need* to be anything, it can be whatever I want it to be as long as it comes from love.
SYTYCD 2010: Quest Crew
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIAsgveOmyc
I love their combination of group (and individual) playfullness and togetherness, it is something very difficult to achieve. Anybody who watches this wishes they could have been a part of the team I’m sure, this group is an amazing combination of hard work, skill and FUN!
USA Grand Nationals: Lindy Hop Showcase: Ben Morris & Melina Ramirez
This one blew my mind! Ben and Melina’s partneship is so playful and young. It seems like there are no limits for them because they just do whatever they want to do, no worries, not everyone has to like it, but they certainly do. They make me want to keep doing West Coast Swing forever.
ILHC 2009: Lindy Hop Showcase: Zack Richard & Maryse Lebeau
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBargLKk4gQ
What a team! These two don’t enjoy just doing the things that everyone else is doing. They are two of my favourite choreographers and they make Lindy Hop as exciting as it can be. Always trying to make it more fun, more challenging, to make it more of a show. They remind me of why I love Lindy Hop and why I always will.
Dance With Me (Movie): Chayanne and Vanessa Williams
Last but certainly not least, salsa dancing! It is the first dance I ever learned (from my cousin like she was babysitting me) when I was about 10 years old. This scene remins me of what it’s like to go out dancing back home in Colombia, everybody dances! It does not matter if you are good, if you are old, if you are single or in a couple, it’s all about the party, about the poeple and about the GOOD TIMES!
There are so many more, all the dance scenes of Dancing In The Rain for example, but these are the ones I remember most often, that have left a mark in me and that remind me that all of us are meant to dance, any dance, or all the dances for some, but in the end, since we don’t have wings and we cannot fly, the next best thing for us, is to dance!
Happy International Dance Day!
Natalia Rueda
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