Home » Hip Hop Is Dead., That Not-So-Fresh Feeling, What the Eff?, White People Dancing, White People Is Funny.

“What The Eff?” Wednesday: Ripples, Rolls, and Rebellion

Thembi Ford 4 November 2009 9 Comments

As a little girl (and for that matter, as a teenager) I was so self-conscious about letting people see me dance. I think it all goes back to fourth grade, when I was in non-optional after-school jazz and tap classes. Although I possessed natural rhythm, the little outfit that they forced me to wear just wasn’t appropriate for my chubbiness, and after getting teased by a few seventh graders I pretty much put my dance aspirations to rest. The sting still remains, but in adulthood I’ve miraculously lost the ability to be embarrassed, and as a consequence tend to have a serious hotfoot. It was cathartic to tell you all that, but we can move on now.

Can you imagine being so out of the game that you need someone to teach you what to do with your shoulders when hip-hop comes on? Beata Howe’s “Layman’s Hip-Hop: Ripples, Rolls, and Rebellion,” is for anyone who wants to move and groove like a gangsta. I know what you’re thinking, “layman’s hip-hop? is that code for white or corny or old people or some combination of the three?” Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. Just watch.

OMGZ that was SO rebellious that I want to throw something or bash in a wall. I had no idea that the perception of hip-hop dance is that you have to actually ‘hop’ to do it. That changes EVERYTHING. Instead of having mean things to say about people who need to be reminded that their movements MUST be performed on the beat, I’m re-evaluating the meaning of this thing we call hip-hop. There is no hopping involved. That means maybe there are no hips involved either. My mind is blown.

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading ... Loading ...

9 Comments »

  • ASmith said:

    Watching someone explain with GRAVE detail things that I do naturally is… troubling…

    But I support her attempts at helping. I really do. Some people need it.

    # 4 November 2009 at 1:30 pm
  • madame_zenobia said:

    Wow. Just wow.

    She better watch out. Beyonce might come along and jack this for her next iconic music video! Is there more? *searches youtube* LOL

    # 4 November 2009 at 1:52 pm
  • BluTopaz said:

    I wonder if she later demonstrates busting a move in a contemporary manner

    # 4 November 2009 at 10:12 pm
  • Ginneh said:

    OMG I laughed so hard at that! Where do you find this stuff???

    # 9 November 2009 at 2:48 pm
  • Treina said:

    wow.

    # 9 November 2009 at 5:09 pm
  • Sabrina said:

    *blink, blink*

    # 11 November 2009 at 12:05 am
  • Meko said:

    Shamwow! That was painful to watch… what’s more disturbing is that someone’s parents are watching this in Seattle and thinking the next time they have those black folks from down the block over for dinner they will be in the know.

    # 11 November 2009 at 7:25 am
  • Beata said:

    Thanks for the comments …
    As I look back at it — kinda lame and yet — I sell videos and people with limited coordination find more comfort on the floor. Serves a purpose even if not your purpose.
    Happy Holidays!
    Beata

    # 23 December 2009 at 3:36 pm
  • DJStylus said:

    Beata’s really not so bad.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13qUbuABPbU

    # 2 July 2010 at 6:24 am

So what do you think? Please be respectful to other readers!

Add your comment below, or trackback from your own site. You can also subscribe to these comments via RSS.

You can use these tags:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

This is a Gravatar-enabled weblog. To get your own globally-recognized-avatar, please register at Gravatar.