Edited by Azizi Powell
This post provides information about the Rhythm & Blues song "I Heard It Though The Grapevine" and showcases four Motown examples of that song. The featured artists who are featured in this post are Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Marvin Gaye, and The Temptations.
Note: These four examples aren't the only recordings of "I Heard It Though The Grapevine" by Motown recording artists.
The content of this post is presented for entertainment, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, the composers of this song. Thanks also to all the featured singers and musicians. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
Hat tip to Mitchell McCann who sent me an email requesting a pancocojams post about "I Heard It Though The Grapevine".
Click https://play.google.com/music/preview/T6sajmrpnxg2jcq4zawy2lvdbk4?lyrics=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=lyrics&pcampaignid=kp-lyrics for lyrics to this song.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Heard_It_Through_the_Grapevine
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for Motown Records in 1966, and made famous by Marvin Gaye in a single released in October 1968 on Motown's Tamla label.
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles released a cover in their 1968 album, Special Occasion. Whitfield produced a version with Gladys Knight & the Pips, which Gordy releases as a single in September 1967, and which went to number two in the Billboard chart. The Marvin Gaye version was placed on his 1968 album In the Groove, where it gained the attention of radio disc jockeys, and Gordy finally agreed to its release as a single in October 1968, when it went to the top of the Billboard Pop Singles chart for seven weeks from December 1968 to January 1969 and became for a time the biggest hit single on the Motown label (Tamla).
The Gaye recording has since become an acclaimed soul classic, and in 2004, it was placed on the Rolling Stone list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. On the commemorative 50th Anniversary of the Billboard Hot 100 issue of Billboard magazine in June 2008, Marvin Gaye's "Grapevine" was ranked 65th. It was also inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame for "historical, artistic and significant" value.
In addition to being released several times by Motown artists, the song has been covered by a range of musicians including Creedence Clearwater Revival, who made an eleven-minute interpretation for their 1970 album, Cosmo's Factory; and has been used twice in television commercials – each time using session musicians recreating the style of the Marvin Gaye version: the 1985 Levi's commercial, "Launderette", featuring male model Nick Kamen, and the 1986 California raisins promotion with Buddy Miles as the singer for the clay animation group The California Raisins.
Composition
By 1966, Barrett Strong, the singer on Motown Records' breakthrough hit, "Money (That's What I Want)", had the basics of a song he had started to write in Chicago, where the idea had come to him while walking down Michigan Avenue that people were always saying "I heard it through the grapevine".[1] The phrase is associated with black slaves during the Civil War, who had their form of telegraph: the human grapevine.[2][3] Producer Norman Whitfield worked with Strong on the song, adding lyrics to Strong's basic Ray Charles influenced gospel tune and the single chorus line of "I heard it through the grapevine".[4] This was to be the first of a number of successful collaborations between Strong and Whitfield.[5]
Motown recordings
Producer Norman Whitfield recorded "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" with various Motown artists. The first known recording is with the Miracles on August 6, 1966, though there may also have been a recording with the Isley Brothers, or at least Whitfield intended to record it with them; however a track has not turned up – some Motown historians believe that a session may have been scheduled but cancelled.[4][7][8][9] The Miracles' version was not released as a single due to Berry Gordy's veto during Motown's weekly quality control meetings; Gordy advised Whitfield and Strong to create a stronger single.[7] The Miracles version later appeared on their 1968 Special Occasion album, and a slightly different take, possibly from the same session but unreleased, appeared on the 1998 compilation album, Motown Sings Motown Treasures.[10]
Marvin Gaye's version was recorded in spring 1967, and is the second known recording, though was also rejected by Gordy as a single, and would also later go onto an album, In the Groove. The third recording was in 1967 with Gladys Knight and the Pips in a new, faster arrangement. Gordy accepted the new arrangement and the Gladys Knight version was released as a single in September 1967, reaching number 2 in the charts. When Gaye's album with his version of Grapevine was released in August 1968 radio disc jockeys were playing the song, so Gordy had it released as a single in October, and it went to number one in December.
In 1968, Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers recorded a version for their debut album based on Gladys' recent hit; however, after hearing the Marvin Gaye version, they felt they'd made the wrong choice.[11] In 1969, Whitfield produced a version for the Temptations "psychedelic soul" album, Cloud Nine, in which he "brought compelling percussion to the fore, and relegated the piano well into the wings".[12] In 1971, the Undisputed Truth became the final Motown act to record the song in its Marvin-styled version. The song was also covered by the Chi-Lites on their 1969 debut album Give It Away.
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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
These videos are presented in chronological order by their publishing dates on YouTube with the oldest video given first.
Example #1: I Heard It Through The Grapevine-Gladys Knight and the Pips [1971]
wingtipvortex Uploaded on May 14, 2008
Love this tune to bits! Creedence version is brilliant, this one is double brilliant!!
-snip-
Here's a link to the Creedence Clearwater Revival version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93S_l0qZrXA
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread:
Okon “Herbsman” Umoh, 2014
"No disrespect to Marvin, but this version takes the biscuit. There is just so much funk, soul, personality and attitude in this one."
-snip-
The idiom “takes the biscuit” is usually given as “takes the cake” (meaning, “wins the prize”).
**
Lou Hutson, 2014
"Motown had the genius idea of having more than one of their artists record the same song. Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight hit heard it through the grapevine out of the park!"
**
iluvmusicals21, 2014
"Love Gladys' version, though Marvin's has more airplay."
**
kelamo, 2014
"This is from the very first episode of Soul Train!"
****
Example #2: Marvin Gaye I Heard It Through The Grapevine (1968)
Rene Zwaap, Uploaded on Feb 25, 2009
Favorietje
****
Example #3: Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - I Heard It Through the Grapevine
KingRizlaa, Uploaded on Jan 27, 2010
Original version
-snip-
Selected comments from this sound file's discussion thread:
Matt S, 2014
"This was the first recorded version, in 1966. It wasn't released until much later. Marvin Gaye's version was the second one RECORDED (1967) but was initially rejected as a single and put on Gaye's "In The Groove" album (1968). DJs played the song on the radio and forced Motown to make it a single. Gladys Knight and the Pips' version was the first one RELEASED but the third RECORDED..."
**
shomzlezilebovic, 2014
"what about temptations version?"
**
Frank Janssen, 2014
"+shomzlezilebovic According to The Originals.be this is the sequence of recording (not release!!) Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1966), Isley Brothers (1967) [unreleased], Gladys Knight & The Pips (1967) [n°1 R&B], Willie Bobo (1967) , Marvin Gaye (1968) [n°1 R&B, US & UK], King Curtis (1968) , Temptations (1969), Chi-Lites (1969) , Creedence Clearwater Revival (1970) , Undisputed Truth (1971) , Maggie MacNeal (1971) , Average White Band (1977) , Joe Cocker (1978) , Slits (1979) , Bettye LaVette (1980) , Roger (1981) [n°1 R&B], Flying Pickets (1984) , Tuxedomoon (1987) , Marisa Monte (1989) , F.M. (1991) [hardrock-version], B.J. Scott & Doug Duffy (1994) , Soultans (1996) , The King (1998) , Michael McDonald (2003) , Amy Winehouse & Paul Weller (2008)
NB: these are the well-known versions, not every version nor the best .... The Slits did a good job butchering this song! ;-P"
****
Example #4: The Temptations - I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Will Common Published on Sep 15, 2013
Copyrights owned by Motown Records (1969). Lead by Eddie Kendricks & Dennis Edwards, Narrating of a man hearing of his own relationships deception through the grapevine. This is their cover version. Originally done by Glady Knight & The Pips in 1967 and was made famous by Marvin Gaye a year later.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Showing posts with label Soul train. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Soul train. Show all posts
Friday, December 11, 2015
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Waacking and Voguing (Street dances) Part II
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a two part series on the styles of street dancing known as "waaking" and "voguing". This post provides information & comments about voguing and showcases six videos of styles of vogue dancing.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/waacking-and-voguing-street-dances-part.html for Part I of this series.
Parr I provides information & comments about waacking and showcases two videos of that dance.
The content of this post is provided for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all the featured dancers. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of this video on YouTube.
WARNING: Music played for street dancing may contain mild profanity (such as the word that rhymes with "ditch") or more than mild profanity. Also, a number of YouTube street dancing comment threads contain profanity, homophobic content, and other content that may be considered objectionable.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT VOGUING
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vogue_(dance)
"Vogue, or voguing, is a highly stylized, modern house dance that evolved out of the Harlem ballroom scene in the 1980s.[1][2] It gained mainstream exposure when it was featured in Madonna's song and video "Vogue" (1990),[3] and when showcased in the 1990 documentary Paris is Burning (which went on to win the Grand Jury Prize at the 1991 Sundance Film Festival)...
Inspired by Vogue magazine, voguing is characterized by model-like poses integrated with angular, linear, and rigid arm, leg, and body movements. This style of dance arose from Harlem ballrooms by African Americans and Latino Americans in the early 1960s. It was originally called "presentation" and later "performance".[2] Over the years, the dance evolved into the more intricate and illusory form that is now called "vogue". Voguing is continually developed further as an established dance form that is practiced in the gay ballroom scene and clubs in major cities throughout the United States—mainly New York City.
Formal competitions occur in the form of balls held by "houses"—family-like collectives of LGBT dancers and performers.[2][5]... ("Legendary" in ballroom terms refers to a house that has been "serving", that is, walking or competing on the runway, for twenty years or more). The House of Ninja was founded by Willi Ninja, who is considered the godfather of voguing.[5][6] Members of a house are called "children". Sometimes children legally change their last name to show their affiliation with the house to which they belong.[2]...
Styles
There are currently three distinct styles of vogue: Old Way (pre-1990); New Way (post-1990);[7] and Vogue Fem (circa 1995).[2] Although Vogue Fem has been used in the ballroom scene as a catch-all phrase for overtly effeminate Voguing as far back as the 1960s, as a recognizable style of Voguing, it only came into its own around the mid-1990s.
Old way
Old way is characterized by the formation of lines, symmetry, and precision in the execution of formations with graceful, fluid-like action. Egyptian hieroglyphs and fashion poses serve as the original inspirations for old way voguing. In its purest, historical form, old way vogue is a duel between two rivals...
New way
New way is characterized by rigid movements coupled with "clicks" (limb contortions at the joints) and "arms control" (hand and wrist illusions, which sometimes includes tutting and locking)...
Vogue Fem
Vogue Fem (the spelling being an English appropriation to fr. femme, feminine) is fluidity at its most extreme with exaggerated feminine movements influenced by ballet and modern dance. …There are five elements of Vogue Fem: hand performance, catwalk, duckwalk, floor performance, and spins and dips. When competing in a Vogue Fem battle, contestants should showcase all five elements in an entertaining fashion.
Hand performance refers to the illusions and movements of the arms, wrists, hands, and fingers. The catwalk is the upright sashaying in a linear fashion. The duckwalk refers to the crouched, squatted, foot-kicking and scooting movements requiring balance on the balls of the feet. Floor performance refers to the movements done on the floor using primarily the legs, knees, and back. The dip is the fall, drop, or descent backward onto one's back with one's leg folded underneath. Mainstream dance forms popularized the dip, which is occasionally called the "death drop" when done in dramatics style. Due to popular media, the dip is sometimes incorrectly termed the "5000", "shablam", and "shabam"; such misnomers likely stem from older commentators chanting the word "shawam" when a voguer successfully completed a dip"...
-snip-
Additional information about voguing is also included in Part I of this series.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
These videos are posted in chronological order with video with the oldest date posted first.
Example #1: Vogue Classique
trill, Uploaded on Jun 10, 2006
Energetically edited clips of all the legendary children (Willi Ninja, José and Luis Xtravaganza, et al) of the New York houses from the late 80's to early 90's. A handsome portion of New Way style thrown in with mostly Old Way (no Vogue Fem Queen this time; sorry Miss Dramatics) stylings. Features clips from the video for Malcolm McLaren's "Deep in Vogue," public access television demonstrations, and ball performances.
The soundtrack opens with the intro to "Happiness" by the Pointer Sisters and segues quickly into "Dub Break" by Ellis D, one of Junior Vasquez's monikers.
****
Example #2: Old School Vs. New School Vogue
chuckiechuckles2006, Uploaded on Jul 3, 2006
Vogueing ball footage from the guys at Sterile Cowboys & Co. Uploaded on Jul 3, 2006...
More info at www.sterilecowboys.org Video by Nicolas Jenkins
-snip-
Comment:
Franklin M. Lopez, 2012
"Those who comment negatively about "VOGUING" have no concept about the culture and its importance. VOGUING is about BELONGING, FAMILY, PRIDE, EXCELLENCE and is also a GATEWAY to MUCH greater things...Where "Kids" prove themselves by earning their "10's" and many get discovered by artists and accept CAREERS as professional dancers, models"
****
Example #3: Best VOGUE CLIPS you can't stop watching
PhillyProdigy09, Uploaded on Jun 27, 2010
some performance battles I just can't stop watching
-snip-
Comments:
Koleton Cox, 2012
"Can someone explain to me why is it this big deal when someone falls down to the beat? like i have seen this in every video i have seen on youtube and i never really got the history behind it? where does it come from and why is it used so much when dancing to this beat?"
**
LadyOrnitia, 2012
in reply to Koleton Cox
"It's called a dip, one of the elements of Vogue Fem."...
****
Example #4: Battle the Kings -vogue myzak-neu & beck be fab vs Honeysha Khan & amber lee revlon(2)*
Bruno Marignan, Published on Jan 4, 2013
Battle the Kings 2vs2 hiphop, house dance, popping, break et waacking-voguing.
-snip-
Comments:
itzpokey891, 2013
"yall betta work honey...a lil to wild but it was awsome where yall frm?"
**
*Corrected video title as per the dancer's comment:
Roseau Sabin Kevy, 2013
"from paris !! n thx u but my name is honeysha khan , from house of khan n not honey shak lmao !! but thx :) i appreciate that"
**
swaid wise, 2013
"How the hell you expect to win a vogue battle with no dips, no dives, or deathdrops?"
**
FERN IGU7, 2013
"two different era of vogin"
**
cojack424, 2013
"WHy am i just seeing this.......Work out.......I love a good old fashion vogue battle.....Although this is vogue fem vs new way vogue, but it's cute.......I'm sorry but the guy in all black is serving......He has all the elements of vogue,,,,arms, hands,.....He gets 10's across the board....... plus he's a cutie"
****
Example #5: STREETSTAR 2013 - Vogue Femme Final Battle Lasseindra (FRA) vs Ida"Inxi" Holmlund (FIN)
Published on Aug 22, 2013
Streetstar Vogue Femme Final Battle: WONDER WOMAN Lasseindra (FRA) WINNER against SAILOR MOON Ida "Inxi" Holmlund (FIN) at the Streetstar festival february 2013 in Stockholm, Sweden.
Judges: Archie Burnett (US), Javier Ninja(US) and Leiomy(US).
Dj: Vjuan Allure.
Comentator: Dashaun Wesley (US).
-snip-
Comments:
Naiilah Raks, 2014
"Actually Inxi (Sailor Moon) is a woman and Lasseindra (Wonder Woman) is a drag queen from the famous House of Ninja. Both are feeeeeeerce though!
**
Helen Preis, 2014
"...Women dance differently. Which is why ideally there should be separate categories for femme queen performance and women's performance. Girls are a bit more cautious if they do dramatic dips. But Streetstar did a great job doing old way, new way, femme and runway that year. "
****
Example #6: JAVIER NINJA - Vogue Demo at STREETSTAR 2013
streetstar, Published on Aug 22, 2013
Fantastic dancer Javier Ninja presents a New Way Solo at Streetstar.
-snip-
Note that the commenters on this video's viewer comment thread loved the dance but had less praise for the announcer as demonstrated by this comment:
Down Clown, 2014
"...the commentor was attempting to chant which is distracting to the dancer if not done right. Chanting is just as much part of vogue as are the angles of the dance, so you can't say that it isn't a big deal. Again, you don't know what your talking about homie.”
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This is Part II of a two part series on the styles of street dancing known as "waaking" and "voguing". This post provides information & comments about voguing and showcases six videos of styles of vogue dancing.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/waacking-and-voguing-street-dances-part.html for Part I of this series.
Parr I provides information & comments about waacking and showcases two videos of that dance.
The content of this post is provided for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all the featured dancers. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of this video on YouTube.
WARNING: Music played for street dancing may contain mild profanity (such as the word that rhymes with "ditch") or more than mild profanity. Also, a number of YouTube street dancing comment threads contain profanity, homophobic content, and other content that may be considered objectionable.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT VOGUING
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vogue_(dance)
"Vogue, or voguing, is a highly stylized, modern house dance that evolved out of the Harlem ballroom scene in the 1980s.[1][2] It gained mainstream exposure when it was featured in Madonna's song and video "Vogue" (1990),[3] and when showcased in the 1990 documentary Paris is Burning (which went on to win the Grand Jury Prize at the 1991 Sundance Film Festival)...
Inspired by Vogue magazine, voguing is characterized by model-like poses integrated with angular, linear, and rigid arm, leg, and body movements. This style of dance arose from Harlem ballrooms by African Americans and Latino Americans in the early 1960s. It was originally called "presentation" and later "performance".[2] Over the years, the dance evolved into the more intricate and illusory form that is now called "vogue". Voguing is continually developed further as an established dance form that is practiced in the gay ballroom scene and clubs in major cities throughout the United States—mainly New York City.
Formal competitions occur in the form of balls held by "houses"—family-like collectives of LGBT dancers and performers.[2][5]... ("Legendary" in ballroom terms refers to a house that has been "serving", that is, walking or competing on the runway, for twenty years or more). The House of Ninja was founded by Willi Ninja, who is considered the godfather of voguing.[5][6] Members of a house are called "children". Sometimes children legally change their last name to show their affiliation with the house to which they belong.[2]...
Styles
There are currently three distinct styles of vogue: Old Way (pre-1990); New Way (post-1990);[7] and Vogue Fem (circa 1995).[2] Although Vogue Fem has been used in the ballroom scene as a catch-all phrase for overtly effeminate Voguing as far back as the 1960s, as a recognizable style of Voguing, it only came into its own around the mid-1990s.
Old way
Old way is characterized by the formation of lines, symmetry, and precision in the execution of formations with graceful, fluid-like action. Egyptian hieroglyphs and fashion poses serve as the original inspirations for old way voguing. In its purest, historical form, old way vogue is a duel between two rivals...
New way
New way is characterized by rigid movements coupled with "clicks" (limb contortions at the joints) and "arms control" (hand and wrist illusions, which sometimes includes tutting and locking)...
Vogue Fem
Vogue Fem (the spelling being an English appropriation to fr. femme, feminine) is fluidity at its most extreme with exaggerated feminine movements influenced by ballet and modern dance. …There are five elements of Vogue Fem: hand performance, catwalk, duckwalk, floor performance, and spins and dips. When competing in a Vogue Fem battle, contestants should showcase all five elements in an entertaining fashion.
Hand performance refers to the illusions and movements of the arms, wrists, hands, and fingers. The catwalk is the upright sashaying in a linear fashion. The duckwalk refers to the crouched, squatted, foot-kicking and scooting movements requiring balance on the balls of the feet. Floor performance refers to the movements done on the floor using primarily the legs, knees, and back. The dip is the fall, drop, or descent backward onto one's back with one's leg folded underneath. Mainstream dance forms popularized the dip, which is occasionally called the "death drop" when done in dramatics style. Due to popular media, the dip is sometimes incorrectly termed the "5000", "shablam", and "shabam"; such misnomers likely stem from older commentators chanting the word "shawam" when a voguer successfully completed a dip"...
-snip-
Additional information about voguing is also included in Part I of this series.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
These videos are posted in chronological order with video with the oldest date posted first.
Example #1: Vogue Classique
trill, Uploaded on Jun 10, 2006
Energetically edited clips of all the legendary children (Willi Ninja, José and Luis Xtravaganza, et al) of the New York houses from the late 80's to early 90's. A handsome portion of New Way style thrown in with mostly Old Way (no Vogue Fem Queen this time; sorry Miss Dramatics) stylings. Features clips from the video for Malcolm McLaren's "Deep in Vogue," public access television demonstrations, and ball performances.
The soundtrack opens with the intro to "Happiness" by the Pointer Sisters and segues quickly into "Dub Break" by Ellis D, one of Junior Vasquez's monikers.
****
Example #2: Old School Vs. New School Vogue
chuckiechuckles2006, Uploaded on Jul 3, 2006
Vogueing ball footage from the guys at Sterile Cowboys & Co. Uploaded on Jul 3, 2006...
More info at www.sterilecowboys.org Video by Nicolas Jenkins
-snip-
Comment:
Franklin M. Lopez, 2012
"Those who comment negatively about "VOGUING" have no concept about the culture and its importance. VOGUING is about BELONGING, FAMILY, PRIDE, EXCELLENCE and is also a GATEWAY to MUCH greater things...Where "Kids" prove themselves by earning their "10's" and many get discovered by artists and accept CAREERS as professional dancers, models"
****
Example #3: Best VOGUE CLIPS you can't stop watching
PhillyProdigy09, Uploaded on Jun 27, 2010
some performance battles I just can't stop watching
-snip-
Comments:
Koleton Cox, 2012
"Can someone explain to me why is it this big deal when someone falls down to the beat? like i have seen this in every video i have seen on youtube and i never really got the history behind it? where does it come from and why is it used so much when dancing to this beat?"
**
LadyOrnitia, 2012
in reply to Koleton Cox
"It's called a dip, one of the elements of Vogue Fem."...
****
Example #4: Battle the Kings -vogue myzak-neu & beck be fab vs Honeysha Khan & amber lee revlon(2)*
Bruno Marignan, Published on Jan 4, 2013
Battle the Kings 2vs2 hiphop, house dance, popping, break et waacking-voguing.
-snip-
Comments:
itzpokey891, 2013
"yall betta work honey...a lil to wild but it was awsome where yall frm?"
**
*Corrected video title as per the dancer's comment:
Roseau Sabin Kevy, 2013
"from paris !! n thx u but my name is honeysha khan , from house of khan n not honey shak lmao !! but thx :) i appreciate that"
**
swaid wise, 2013
"How the hell you expect to win a vogue battle with no dips, no dives, or deathdrops?"
**
FERN IGU7, 2013
"two different era of vogin"
**
cojack424, 2013
"WHy am i just seeing this.......Work out.......I love a good old fashion vogue battle.....Although this is vogue fem vs new way vogue, but it's cute.......I'm sorry but the guy in all black is serving......He has all the elements of vogue,,,,arms, hands,.....He gets 10's across the board....... plus he's a cutie"
****
Example #5: STREETSTAR 2013 - Vogue Femme Final Battle Lasseindra (FRA) vs Ida"Inxi" Holmlund (FIN)
Published on Aug 22, 2013
Streetstar Vogue Femme Final Battle: WONDER WOMAN Lasseindra (FRA) WINNER against SAILOR MOON Ida "Inxi" Holmlund (FIN) at the Streetstar festival february 2013 in Stockholm, Sweden.
Judges: Archie Burnett (US), Javier Ninja(US) and Leiomy(US).
Dj: Vjuan Allure.
Comentator: Dashaun Wesley (US).
-snip-
Comments:
Naiilah Raks, 2014
"Actually Inxi (Sailor Moon) is a woman and Lasseindra (Wonder Woman) is a drag queen from the famous House of Ninja. Both are feeeeeeerce though!
**
Helen Preis, 2014
"...Women dance differently. Which is why ideally there should be separate categories for femme queen performance and women's performance. Girls are a bit more cautious if they do dramatic dips. But Streetstar did a great job doing old way, new way, femme and runway that year. "
****
Example #6: JAVIER NINJA - Vogue Demo at STREETSTAR 2013
streetstar, Published on Aug 22, 2013
Fantastic dancer Javier Ninja presents a New Way Solo at Streetstar.
-snip-
Note that the commenters on this video's viewer comment thread loved the dance but had less praise for the announcer as demonstrated by this comment:
Down Clown, 2014
"...the commentor was attempting to chant which is distracting to the dancer if not done right. Chanting is just as much part of vogue as are the angles of the dance, so you can't say that it isn't a big deal. Again, you don't know what your talking about homie.”
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Waacking and Voguing (Street dances) Part I
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part I of a two part series on the styles of street dancing known as "waaking" and "voguing". This post provides information & comments about waacking and showcases two videos of that dance.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/waacking-and-voguing-street-dances-part_5.html for Part II of this series. That post provides information & comments about voguing and showcases six videos of that dance's styles.
The content of this post is provided for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all the featured dancers. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of this video on YouTube.
WARNING: A number of YouTube street dancing comment threads contain profanity and homophobic content.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT WAACKING
From http://dancepundit.wordpress.com/2012/11/14/strike-a-pose/
"Waacking and voguing both fall under the “urban” or “street” dance genres. Waacking began in the 1970s on the West Coast, more specifically in Los Angeles. It can be recognized by it’s wild yet controled arm movements and posing. Waacking incorporates arm movements, footwork, and elements of drama as well as the dancer’s personal and unique style. There is also a wonderful aspect of musicality because the dancers are specifically tailoring their movements to the beats and the rhythm of the song.
Voguing, while very similar to waacking, began on the East Coast and became popular in the 80s. This dance emerged from the Harlem ballroom scene (and I am not talking about the waltz). Voguing is characterized by model-like poses integrated with angular, linear, and rigid arm, leg, and body movements. In its original form, it served as a non-aggressive battle between two feuding individuals. Just in case you were wondering, the term voguing was influenced by the poses models often take when gracing the pages of fashions magazines, like Vogue"...
****
From http://danceparade.org/wp/dp2012/genre-buzz-celebrating-the-waacking-style-of-street-dance/
"The dance style called Waacking involves fast and dynamic movements of the arms, which resemble the wrist roll in locking but more exaggerated and extended. This style of dance also incorporates sharp angular poses, which is called Voguing, a style commonly done together with Waacking. Essentially, I like to think of waacking as elements of jazz dance combined with locking because of the distinct arm actions and styling involved...
Disco Music was the perfect vehicle for Waacking, with its driving rhythms and hard beats. In the early 1970s in Los Angeles, dancer Lamont Peterson was one of the first to start using his arms and body to the music...
-
At the time Waacking was primarily a gay Black and Latino dance. Many people mistakenly believe that “Waacking” came from “Locking” because some of the movements are very similar. The Gay community is solely responsible for the creation of Waacking style of dance. Waacking and Locking do have some similarities but they are different dances. Waacking is the original name of the dance...
The name “Waacking" originated from The Soul Train Dancer Tyrone Proctor and Jeffrey Daniel’s of the Outrageous Waack Dancer’s in 1972 themselves (Because of the thrusting of the arms). “Garbo” is another name given to the dance by Andrew because of the posing he did (like the pictures of the glamour women of the 40’s) ...
The difference between “Waacking” and “Voguing” is “Waacking” became popular in the early 70’s on the West Coast. “Waacking” is mostly done to Disco Music. “Voguing” became popular in the late 70’s on the East Coast.”Voguing” is done to mostly House music.”…
Over 35 years “Waacking” is still going strong..."
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
These videos are posted in chronological order with video with the oldest date posted first.
Example #1: WAACKING DANCE: Step Ya Game Up (NYC 2009)
TheRussianTiger, Uploaded on Jul 30, 2009
Waacking preliminary at a hip hop jam called Step Ya Game Up. Battles in wacking (whacking), popping, locking, hip hop and house all took place directly after this. This jam happened in New York City on July 25th from 2:00pm to 4:00am. Very cool and rare dance style to see in battle. Battles judged by Tyrone Proctor! Enjoy the footage :)...
-snip-
Here are three comments from this video's viewer comment thread:
tenchichrono, 2010
"This dance started out in the gay dance clubs in LA/Hollywood. It's really similar to locking in a way."
**
baeksoltang, 2011
"I have first watched this vid in 2009 at the time when it was posted. I don't know what is going on in US, but waacking scene in East Asia (including Korea, Japan, China) has grown so big that it is almost as big as that of popping and locking now. It is getting recognized as a disdinct style under the umbrella of funk styles, as popping and locking do. You can see Pop&Lock events are transitioning to Pop&Lock&Waack events nowadays. As a locker my self, it's nice that Funk Style is flourishing"
**
Laggin6, 2013
"I love watching this very dramatic style of dance, but can't help thinking about people dancing like this in clubs and getting WAACKED in the head by those flying arm movements. I'm guessing that's where it gets that name? LOL!"
-snip-
“whack” = slang word for forcefully hitting (striking) someone or something
Note that "wack" also is a slang word that means "foolish" and "uncool" but that definition doesn't apply to this dance form.
****
Example #2: WAACKEISHA (CAN) vs PRINCESS MADOKI (FRA) Whacking Finals I STREETSTAR 2013
Published on Mar 22, 2013
Dazzeling Final Whacking Battle at Streetstar festival 2013. Winner is Waackeisha from Canada. www.streetstar.se
-snip-
Here are four comments from this video's viewer comment thread:
exit planet dust, 2013
"It's not "Whacking". It's Waacking."
**
Luiss Mota, 2013
"YASS Ms. Princess Madoki was giving me life honey she was serving WAACKeisha"
**
MrDambiSchool, 2014
"I have to strongly disagree with that. Madoki was a crowd pleaser, she gave face and attitude and sexiness and she grooved a lot, which was nice, but at the end of the day it's a waacking battle and girl you need to waack at some point. From 1:10 to 2:00, which is almost her entire round. She did 6 waacks... 6 And they were sloppy. Shes great at doing lines and feeling the music but like I said It's waacking and Waackeisha will give face while still showing that her technique is amazing and her waacks are just powerful and clean. It was a pretty obvious choice. "
**
Geoff Simmons, 2014
"waackeisha was hellllla clean though - they are both amazing and their styles are off the charts, but waackeisha was more on-point"
****
RELATED LINK
Here's a link to a Soul Train video that I believe showcases some of the dancers waacking:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P-TXxoWTSE
"Soul Train Line Don't Stop Til You Get Enough Michael Jackson"
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This is Part I of a two part series on the styles of street dancing known as "waaking" and "voguing". This post provides information & comments about waacking and showcases two videos of that dance.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/waacking-and-voguing-street-dances-part_5.html for Part II of this series. That post provides information & comments about voguing and showcases six videos of that dance's styles.
The content of this post is provided for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all the featured dancers. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of this video on YouTube.
WARNING: A number of YouTube street dancing comment threads contain profanity and homophobic content.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT WAACKING
From http://dancepundit.wordpress.com/2012/11/14/strike-a-pose/
"Waacking and voguing both fall under the “urban” or “street” dance genres. Waacking began in the 1970s on the West Coast, more specifically in Los Angeles. It can be recognized by it’s wild yet controled arm movements and posing. Waacking incorporates arm movements, footwork, and elements of drama as well as the dancer’s personal and unique style. There is also a wonderful aspect of musicality because the dancers are specifically tailoring their movements to the beats and the rhythm of the song.
Voguing, while very similar to waacking, began on the East Coast and became popular in the 80s. This dance emerged from the Harlem ballroom scene (and I am not talking about the waltz). Voguing is characterized by model-like poses integrated with angular, linear, and rigid arm, leg, and body movements. In its original form, it served as a non-aggressive battle between two feuding individuals. Just in case you were wondering, the term voguing was influenced by the poses models often take when gracing the pages of fashions magazines, like Vogue"...
****
From http://danceparade.org/wp/dp2012/genre-buzz-celebrating-the-waacking-style-of-street-dance/
"The dance style called Waacking involves fast and dynamic movements of the arms, which resemble the wrist roll in locking but more exaggerated and extended. This style of dance also incorporates sharp angular poses, which is called Voguing, a style commonly done together with Waacking. Essentially, I like to think of waacking as elements of jazz dance combined with locking because of the distinct arm actions and styling involved...
Disco Music was the perfect vehicle for Waacking, with its driving rhythms and hard beats. In the early 1970s in Los Angeles, dancer Lamont Peterson was one of the first to start using his arms and body to the music...
-
At the time Waacking was primarily a gay Black and Latino dance. Many people mistakenly believe that “Waacking” came from “Locking” because some of the movements are very similar. The Gay community is solely responsible for the creation of Waacking style of dance. Waacking and Locking do have some similarities but they are different dances. Waacking is the original name of the dance...
The name “Waacking" originated from The Soul Train Dancer Tyrone Proctor and Jeffrey Daniel’s of the Outrageous Waack Dancer’s in 1972 themselves (Because of the thrusting of the arms). “Garbo” is another name given to the dance by Andrew because of the posing he did (like the pictures of the glamour women of the 40’s) ...
The difference between “Waacking” and “Voguing” is “Waacking” became popular in the early 70’s on the West Coast. “Waacking” is mostly done to Disco Music. “Voguing” became popular in the late 70’s on the East Coast.”Voguing” is done to mostly House music.”…
Over 35 years “Waacking” is still going strong..."
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
These videos are posted in chronological order with video with the oldest date posted first.
Example #1: WAACKING DANCE: Step Ya Game Up (NYC 2009)
TheRussianTiger, Uploaded on Jul 30, 2009
Waacking preliminary at a hip hop jam called Step Ya Game Up. Battles in wacking (whacking), popping, locking, hip hop and house all took place directly after this. This jam happened in New York City on July 25th from 2:00pm to 4:00am. Very cool and rare dance style to see in battle. Battles judged by Tyrone Proctor! Enjoy the footage :)...
-snip-
Here are three comments from this video's viewer comment thread:
tenchichrono, 2010
"This dance started out in the gay dance clubs in LA/Hollywood. It's really similar to locking in a way."
**
baeksoltang, 2011
"I have first watched this vid in 2009 at the time when it was posted. I don't know what is going on in US, but waacking scene in East Asia (including Korea, Japan, China) has grown so big that it is almost as big as that of popping and locking now. It is getting recognized as a disdinct style under the umbrella of funk styles, as popping and locking do. You can see Pop&Lock events are transitioning to Pop&Lock&Waack events nowadays. As a locker my self, it's nice that Funk Style is flourishing"
**
Laggin6, 2013
"I love watching this very dramatic style of dance, but can't help thinking about people dancing like this in clubs and getting WAACKED in the head by those flying arm movements. I'm guessing that's where it gets that name? LOL!"
-snip-
“whack” = slang word for forcefully hitting (striking) someone or something
Note that "wack" also is a slang word that means "foolish" and "uncool" but that definition doesn't apply to this dance form.
****
Example #2: WAACKEISHA (CAN) vs PRINCESS MADOKI (FRA) Whacking Finals I STREETSTAR 2013
Published on Mar 22, 2013
Dazzeling Final Whacking Battle at Streetstar festival 2013. Winner is Waackeisha from Canada. www.streetstar.se
-snip-
Here are four comments from this video's viewer comment thread:
exit planet dust, 2013
"It's not "Whacking". It's Waacking."
**
Luiss Mota, 2013
"YASS Ms. Princess Madoki was giving me life honey she was serving WAACKeisha"
**
MrDambiSchool, 2014
"I have to strongly disagree with that. Madoki was a crowd pleaser, she gave face and attitude and sexiness and she grooved a lot, which was nice, but at the end of the day it's a waacking battle and girl you need to waack at some point. From 1:10 to 2:00, which is almost her entire round. She did 6 waacks... 6 And they were sloppy. Shes great at doing lines and feeling the music but like I said It's waacking and Waackeisha will give face while still showing that her technique is amazing and her waacks are just powerful and clean. It was a pretty obvious choice. "
**
Geoff Simmons, 2014
"waackeisha was hellllla clean though - they are both amazing and their styles are off the charts, but waackeisha was more on-point"
****
RELATED LINK
Here's a link to a Soul Train video that I believe showcases some of the dancers waacking:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P-TXxoWTSE
"Soul Train Line Don't Stop Til You Get Enough Michael Jackson"
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Friday, February 3, 2012
The Roots Of The Soul Train Line Formation
Edited by Azizi Powell
[revised 3/29/2013]
Soul Train Line Dance to Earth Wind & Fire's - Mighty Mighty
Uploaded by carwashlondon on Dec 22, 2009
Disco Dance Moves
****
This pancocojams post is Part 1 of a two part series on the Soul Train Line. Part 1 explores the roots of the Soul Train line formation.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/02/soul-train-line-formation-video.html for Part 2 which provides examples of the Soul Train line and, in so doing, showcases how that line changed over time.
As an update to Part 2, I posted a video, with comments, and a link to another video of this Time Square Flash Mob tribute to Don Cornelius and Soul Train.
This post is not a comprehensive study of the Soul Train line, but is published with much respect & appreciation for the memory of Don Cornelius and the enduring legacy he has left African Americans and the rest of the world.
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Train for general information on Soul Train television show.
Click http://www.freep.com/usatoday/article/52913978?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CEntertainment%7Cs for additional information about Soul Train television show and Don Cornelius.
****
PART 1
Don Cornelius, the creator and host of the iconic American television show Soul Train is no longer with us. But his wonderful legacy lives on. The Soul Train line is one enduring and much loved aspect of Don Cornelius' legacy.
From http://www.racialicious.com/2012/02/02/voices-remembering-don-cornelius-culturelicious/#disqus_thread
...[Don Cornelius] had the satisfaction of knowing that he'd left behind an influential legacy that made an indelible and lasting mark on American popular culture.
-Aidea, 2/2/2012
**
...Soul Train was a visionary program that stands on its own (and anyone who has ever been in a 'Soul Train Line' at a party knows that the program's influence transcended television).
- KristenWright, 2/2/2012
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Train:
"There was also the popular "Soul Train Line", in which all the dancers form two lines with a space in the middle for dancers to strut down and dance in consecutive order. Originally, this consisted of a couple - with men on one side and women on the other.
In later years, men and women had their own individual line-ups. Sometimes, new dance styles or moves were featured or introduced by particular dancers."
In a television documentary on "Soul Train" (one whose title unfortunately I didn't document), Don Cornelius indicated that he got the idea for the soul train line from his memory of Black teens in Chicago doing that type of dance formation at their house parties. At least one of the dances that Don Cornelius may have remembered teens doing was The Stroll. Here's information about The Stroll from "Line Dances From the 1960s By Douglas Quaid, eHow Contributor http://www.ehow.com/list_7271106_line-dances-1960s.html
"The Stroll started in the 1950s, but its popularity lasted into the early '60s. The song, by a group called The Diamonds, was released in 1957 and became a big hit on "American Bandstand." The dancers form a line of men and a line of women, facing each other. Couples peel off the end of the line in turn and dance their way down the center to the end of the line, showing off their best moves."
-snip-
Click http://zumalayah.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-stroll-model-for-soul-train-line.html for information & comments about and videos of The Stroll.
Whoever invented the Stroll may have gotten that idea for that formation from their memory of the play experiences of Black children, particularly Black girls. Notice the line formations that are used in the clips of the first three games that are highlighted in this 1967 film of African American girls at play:
Pizza Pizza Daddy-O
Uploaded by folkstreamer on Aug 3, 2006
A 1967 film by Bob Eberlein and Bess Lomax Hawes that looks at continuity and change in girls' playground games at a Los Angeles school
-snip-
Among the traditional African American singing games that I recall learning in my childhood in New Jersey in the 1950s was a game called "Zoodio" (also given as "Zudio". Here's a 2009 video of an African American family gathering in which various age groups sing & play that game:
Zoodio
Uploaded by JustTheFam on Aug 2, 2009
-snip-
This description of basically the same game called "Zodiac" played by "Washington D. C. schoolgirls" is given in the notes to the record Old Mother Hippletoe: Rural and Urban Children's Songs (New World Records, 1978:
"Zodiac" is generally played in two lines. It ends with the children "walking down th alley" by ones or in couples between the lines."
-end of quote-
That description conforms with what is shown in both the 1967 children's play video and the 2009 family gathering video. In each of these descriptions the participants stand in what is called a "longways set".
Set: The overall arrangement of couples for a given dance, such as a big circle, square formation, longways, etc.
Longways Set: Two lines, usually made up of partners facing each other in the opposite line. Used for contras and reels.
- http://www.fred.net/tds/contra-the-short.answer/glossary.htm
**
"The longways set in which the men form a line facing the women, who form a second line is the most common formation of country dancing."
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_dancing
In the 1967 children's play video the girls aren't shown "walking down the alley" (the space formed between the two lines".)* However, that is a part of some Black game songs. In the family gathering video, one or two people at a time are shown dancing down the middle of the lines in Soul Train-like ways. It isn't far fetched to think that an African American man like Don Cornelius would have observed and even participated as a child, teenager, or adult in similar game activities and would have remembered those activities when he was conceptualizing the Soul Train music & dance television show.
*The word "alley" in these children's singing games may have been a folk etymology form of the word "isle"
But what gets deep is when we explore where Black children got the idea for that longways game formation. A lot of children's game songs and rhymes are lifted from songs that the entire family sang and danced. And I believe that the original source of the formation of the "Zudio" game song and the other African American game songs such as those shown in the above posted video came from the once very popular longways set that was called "Sir Roger Coverly" in England and the Virginia Reel in the United States.
From http://www.phantomranch.net/folkdanc/dances/virginia.htm:
"The Virginia Reel, named after the state of Virginia, is an American dance in contra formation. The dance was first published in England in 1695 in John Playford's "English Dancing Master" by the name "Sir Roger De Coverly." It was danced by New World colonists. Perhaps because movie directors have used the Virginia Reel in many films portraying early American life, it has often been thought of in Europe as "THE" American folk dance. A similar Greek Pontic dance / game is called Miteritsa, whose origins, however, are thought to be Russian...
Sir Roger is cool because it is mentioned in "A Christmas Carol" by Dickens in the Fezziwigs warehouse scene. The 1936 Alistair Simms version on film actually includes the correct dance."
The dance may be done to a live caller, a recorded caller, or according to the dancers' memories to strictly instrumental music. The Virginia Reel is a "living" dance, and as such, has developed several variations."
-snip-
In the United States, simply put, "contra formation" is another way of saying the longways set. Here's a video of the Virginia Reel:
Virginia Reel
Uploaded by jschultz78 on Apr 12, 2008
Leo and Krista as lead couple in the Virginia Reel
-snip-
The Atlanta Bazaar scene in the movie Gone With The Wind includes the Virginia Reel dance. What most interests me about that scene is that the music was played by Black men: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4c5AoqUIZU
For those interested in the significant African American contribution to contra music, I highly recommend watching http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG6vVoiFT9c "The new Contra commercial - A short history of Contra - Part 2 of 7". Thank goodness that video is honest in its telling of the history of contra music. All too often articles about that music's Appalachian roots fail to mention the contribution of Black folks. And all too often readers forget that Black people lived and made music in Appalachia and Black people still live and make music in Appalachia today.
That said, I'm not sure if Don Cornelius was hip to the Virginia Reel or contra music. But he certainly should go down in history as the person who used a revised form of the Virginia Reel to show the world how Black people dance.
-snip-
This concludes Part 1 of this two part post on the Soul Train line. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/02/soul-train-line-formation-video.html for Part 2 "Soul Train Line Formation - Video Examples.
For more information on the Virginia Reel, click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_reel_(dance).
For the words to "Here We Go Zoodio" and other African American game songs and movement rhymes, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/02/five-traditional-african-american-game.html "Five Traditional African American Game Songs".
****
Thanks for visiting this pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
[revised 3/29/2013]
Soul Train Line Dance to Earth Wind & Fire's - Mighty Mighty
Uploaded by carwashlondon on Dec 22, 2009
Disco Dance Moves
****
This pancocojams post is Part 1 of a two part series on the Soul Train Line. Part 1 explores the roots of the Soul Train line formation.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/02/soul-train-line-formation-video.html for Part 2 which provides examples of the Soul Train line and, in so doing, showcases how that line changed over time.
As an update to Part 2, I posted a video, with comments, and a link to another video of this Time Square Flash Mob tribute to Don Cornelius and Soul Train.
This post is not a comprehensive study of the Soul Train line, but is published with much respect & appreciation for the memory of Don Cornelius and the enduring legacy he has left African Americans and the rest of the world.
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Train for general information on Soul Train television show.
Click http://www.freep.com/usatoday/article/52913978?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CEntertainment%7Cs for additional information about Soul Train television show and Don Cornelius.
****
PART 1
Don Cornelius, the creator and host of the iconic American television show Soul Train is no longer with us. But his wonderful legacy lives on. The Soul Train line is one enduring and much loved aspect of Don Cornelius' legacy.
From http://www.racialicious.com/2012/02/02/voices-remembering-don-cornelius-culturelicious/#disqus_thread
...[Don Cornelius] had the satisfaction of knowing that he'd left behind an influential legacy that made an indelible and lasting mark on American popular culture.
-Aidea, 2/2/2012
**
...Soul Train was a visionary program that stands on its own (and anyone who has ever been in a 'Soul Train Line' at a party knows that the program's influence transcended television).
- KristenWright, 2/2/2012
-snip-
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Train:
"There was also the popular "Soul Train Line", in which all the dancers form two lines with a space in the middle for dancers to strut down and dance in consecutive order. Originally, this consisted of a couple - with men on one side and women on the other.
In later years, men and women had their own individual line-ups. Sometimes, new dance styles or moves were featured or introduced by particular dancers."
In a television documentary on "Soul Train" (one whose title unfortunately I didn't document), Don Cornelius indicated that he got the idea for the soul train line from his memory of Black teens in Chicago doing that type of dance formation at their house parties. At least one of the dances that Don Cornelius may have remembered teens doing was The Stroll. Here's information about The Stroll from "Line Dances From the 1960s By Douglas Quaid, eHow Contributor http://www.ehow.com/list_7271106_line-dances-1960s.html
"The Stroll started in the 1950s, but its popularity lasted into the early '60s. The song, by a group called The Diamonds, was released in 1957 and became a big hit on "American Bandstand." The dancers form a line of men and a line of women, facing each other. Couples peel off the end of the line in turn and dance their way down the center to the end of the line, showing off their best moves."
-snip-
Click http://zumalayah.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-stroll-model-for-soul-train-line.html for information & comments about and videos of The Stroll.
Whoever invented the Stroll may have gotten that idea for that formation from their memory of the play experiences of Black children, particularly Black girls. Notice the line formations that are used in the clips of the first three games that are highlighted in this 1967 film of African American girls at play:
Pizza Pizza Daddy-O
Uploaded by folkstreamer on Aug 3, 2006
A 1967 film by Bob Eberlein and Bess Lomax Hawes that looks at continuity and change in girls' playground games at a Los Angeles school
-snip-
Among the traditional African American singing games that I recall learning in my childhood in New Jersey in the 1950s was a game called "Zoodio" (also given as "Zudio". Here's a 2009 video of an African American family gathering in which various age groups sing & play that game:
Zoodio
Uploaded by JustTheFam on Aug 2, 2009
-snip-
This description of basically the same game called "Zodiac" played by "Washington D. C. schoolgirls" is given in the notes to the record Old Mother Hippletoe: Rural and Urban Children's Songs (New World Records, 1978:
"Zodiac" is generally played in two lines. It ends with the children "walking down th alley" by ones or in couples between the lines."
-end of quote-
That description conforms with what is shown in both the 1967 children's play video and the 2009 family gathering video. In each of these descriptions the participants stand in what is called a "longways set".
Set: The overall arrangement of couples for a given dance, such as a big circle, square formation, longways, etc.
Longways Set: Two lines, usually made up of partners facing each other in the opposite line. Used for contras and reels.
- http://www.fred.net/tds/contra-the-short.answer/glossary.htm
**
"The longways set in which the men form a line facing the women, who form a second line is the most common formation of country dancing."
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_dancing
In the 1967 children's play video the girls aren't shown "walking down the alley" (the space formed between the two lines".)* However, that is a part of some Black game songs. In the family gathering video, one or two people at a time are shown dancing down the middle of the lines in Soul Train-like ways. It isn't far fetched to think that an African American man like Don Cornelius would have observed and even participated as a child, teenager, or adult in similar game activities and would have remembered those activities when he was conceptualizing the Soul Train music & dance television show.
*The word "alley" in these children's singing games may have been a folk etymology form of the word "isle"
But what gets deep is when we explore where Black children got the idea for that longways game formation. A lot of children's game songs and rhymes are lifted from songs that the entire family sang and danced. And I believe that the original source of the formation of the "Zudio" game song and the other African American game songs such as those shown in the above posted video came from the once very popular longways set that was called "Sir Roger Coverly" in England and the Virginia Reel in the United States.
From http://www.phantomranch.net/folkdanc/dances/virginia.htm:
"The Virginia Reel, named after the state of Virginia, is an American dance in contra formation. The dance was first published in England in 1695 in John Playford's "English Dancing Master" by the name "Sir Roger De Coverly." It was danced by New World colonists. Perhaps because movie directors have used the Virginia Reel in many films portraying early American life, it has often been thought of in Europe as "THE" American folk dance. A similar Greek Pontic dance / game is called Miteritsa, whose origins, however, are thought to be Russian...
Sir Roger is cool because it is mentioned in "A Christmas Carol" by Dickens in the Fezziwigs warehouse scene. The 1936 Alistair Simms version on film actually includes the correct dance."
The dance may be done to a live caller, a recorded caller, or according to the dancers' memories to strictly instrumental music. The Virginia Reel is a "living" dance, and as such, has developed several variations."
-snip-
In the United States, simply put, "contra formation" is another way of saying the longways set. Here's a video of the Virginia Reel:
Virginia Reel
Uploaded by jschultz78 on Apr 12, 2008
Leo and Krista as lead couple in the Virginia Reel
-snip-
The Atlanta Bazaar scene in the movie Gone With The Wind includes the Virginia Reel dance. What most interests me about that scene is that the music was played by Black men: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4c5AoqUIZU
For those interested in the significant African American contribution to contra music, I highly recommend watching http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG6vVoiFT9c "The new Contra commercial - A short history of Contra - Part 2 of 7". Thank goodness that video is honest in its telling of the history of contra music. All too often articles about that music's Appalachian roots fail to mention the contribution of Black folks. And all too often readers forget that Black people lived and made music in Appalachia and Black people still live and make music in Appalachia today.
That said, I'm not sure if Don Cornelius was hip to the Virginia Reel or contra music. But he certainly should go down in history as the person who used a revised form of the Virginia Reel to show the world how Black people dance.
-snip-
This concludes Part 1 of this two part post on the Soul Train line. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/02/soul-train-line-formation-video.html for Part 2 "Soul Train Line Formation - Video Examples.
For more information on the Virginia Reel, click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_reel_(dance).
For the words to "Here We Go Zoodio" and other African American game songs and movement rhymes, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/02/five-traditional-african-american-game.html "Five Traditional African American Game Songs".
****
Thanks for visiting this pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
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