ILHC 2011

Just like so many other Lindy Hoppers, I eagerly awaited and then watched the new batch of ILHC videos. Today I literally sat if front of my computer, clutched my hands to my chest, and squealed in delight over various YouTube clips. For those of you who know me, you know that I'm not exaggerating.

To start: It's official. Alice Mei is my favorite dancer. After watching this clip, I don't think I could love her dancing anymore than I do now. The girl dances because she loves it. Not just because there is some judge watching or because she is trying to please the crowd, but because of the sheer joy of it. The way she smiles when she dances makes me think that it can be no other way.

Maybe I'm just incredibly partial to her dancing right now, but I also think that her Jack and Jill Spotlight with Peter Strom is adorable. Not to mention the height difference between these two is amusing.

Next: The Champions Strictly Finals was so much fun to watch. And I definitely still love Jo Hoffberg's dancing. Check out her and Kevin's spotlight starting at 7:00 that ends with them....(watch the video to find out).

I'm antsy for more of the videos to go up!

Alice Mei

Jo Hoffberg, you better watch out, cause sometimes I think that Alice Mei might just replace you as my favorite dancer. When I watch videos of her dancing, it always looks like she's having so much fun and finding ways to be playful with it (which is also why I love Jo's dancing). And there is something about her movement that I really enjoy too. We each have our own set of moves (per say) that we love to do or naturally do when we dance, and I think that Alice's look really cute.

The video that I've most recently come across that I like of her's is this one:

Or this one:

Also, when I watch this one, I can't help but think of DogPossum's post about hot male bodies and how males in competition will sometimes focus more on competing with each other than on focusing on the female they are dancing with. (Feel free to clarify if I summed that up incorrectly.) Notice how Dax and Thomas engage, compete, and feed off each other's energy. And all the while, Alice looks so freakin' adorable dancing like she does.

Also, I think it's interesting that I came across this video the day after I posted about how Alice and Dax now consists of two new dancing pairs (Alice & Thomas and Dax & Sarah) that dance very similarily. It could very well do with the fact that they are all in the Ninjammerz (including Max, who also makes an appearance in this video). It's interesting to watch their interactions on the dance floor with one another and how it pretty much ends with Dax and Alice's former ULHC 2007 routine.

Also: (super random, but) notice how Dax seems to like dancing with girls with stockings.

We have Takumi Itoh, Sarah Breck, and Alice Mei (so he's not dancing with her in this one, but being as they were dance partners it sort of counts).

Okay and one more, because Alice is so freakin' adorable:

So readers: who is your favorite dancer and why?

Automatic Associations

When I hear certain songs, I automatically think of certain moves. Mostly because I've watched a certain YouTube clip a thousand times and it's simply reflex to think 'this move to that part' of the music.

For instance, whenever I hear "Communication" by Slim Gaillard, I see Jo's feet doing the piano part starting at about 2:00.

Or whenever "Hit That Jive, Jack" gets played, I almost always end up slapping my leg (ex: 0:14).
Can you tell that I've watched this video a ton? I've only posted it three times now.

 Or whenever I hear "Gang Busters" by Slim and Slam, I think of this:

I'm sure there are more songs that create automatic associations in my brain, but you get the gist of what I'm saying. 

Maybe this is another reason why my friend doesn't like watching dancing clips (referring to this post)? By having these automatic associations to the music, I'm prevented from letting my body simply dance out the music. Instead, I've created for myself mini routines.

What do you think? Have you ever experienced this? Is it good/bad/neutral to have these automatic associations to certain songs? Let me know what you think.

Lindy Hop Favorites

This will be quick, as I should be at a friend's house helping paint...

You should know up front that my favorite dancer is Jo Hoffberg (she's a girl). She has a way of being so very playful with her dancing and I love that.
My favorite video of her is from ILHC 2010, when she danced with Stefan Durham in the Invitational Jack & Jill.

But my ultimate favorite video of right now is of Alice Mei and Thomas Blacharz social dancing at an event in Prague.

As for the music from that last video, it's from Skeets Tolbert called "Hit That Jive Jack." And want to know something great? His music is now public domain...and free. You can find the song (and more) here.

Enjoy. :)