NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Liquid dancing

Liquid dancing (or Liquid) is an illusion based form of gestural, interpretive dance that sometimes involves aspects of pantomime. The term invokes the word liquid to describe the fluid-like motion of the dancer's body and appendages. It is primarily the dancer's arms and hands which are the focus, though more advanced dancers work in a full range of body movements. Liquid dancing has many moves in common with popping, born out of 80s b-boy and funk style dance movements. In music, the term slapping is often used to refer to two different though related playing techniques on the double bass and on the (electric) bass guitar. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 400 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (600 Ã— 900 pixel, file size: 34 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Electric boogaloo is a style of funk dance and street dance closely related to popping. ... Floating, gliding or sliding refers to a group of footwork-oriented dance techniques and styles closely related to popping, which attempt to create the illusion that the dancers body is floating smoothly across the floor or that the legs are walking while the body travels in unexpected directions. ... The robot (or mannequin) is an illusionary dance style often confused with popping that attempts to imitate a dancing robot or mannequin. ... Strobing (also cracking) is a popping dance technique giving the impression that the dancer is moving within a strobe light setting or a low-framerate movie. ... Tutting is the name given to a contemporary abstract interpretive dance style that exploits the bodys ability to create geometric positions and movements, predominantly with the use of right angles. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... In music, the term slapping is often used to refer to two different though related playing techniques on the double bass and on the (electric) bass guitar. ... Funk dance or funk styles refer to dance styles that were originally danced to funk music. ... Locking (originally Campbellocking) is a style of funk dance and street dance, which is today also associated with hip hop. ... A girl hip hop dancing, a very broad and common category of street dance. ... For gestures in computing, see mouse gesture. ... Interpretive dance is a family of dance styles that seeks to interpret the meaning inherent in music rather than by performing specific preformatted moves. ... Look up mime in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Popping (a. ... Hip hop is a cultural movement that began amongst urban African American youth in New York and has since spread around the world. ... Funk dance or funk styles refer to dance styles that are primarily danced to funk music. ...

Origins

Since the spontaneous rise and propagation of Liquid throughout the rave culture sometime during the 80’s and early 90’s, the root origins of the dance have ultimately remained a source of contention between both those involved directly with the dance as well as those outside of the immediate culture. In fact, even the time frame is difficult to pinpoint. Sightings of the dance range all the way back to the early and mid 70’s. While some argue that the dance evolved spontaneously from combining elements in the rave culture, others still contend that the dance is merely an extension of existing ideas from other art forms. It should be noted that scores of these artists (Funk Stylists, Glowstickers Contact Jugglers, Mimes, & The Unknown) attended raves regularly all throughout the 80’s and 90’s. In the wake of the declince of the original rave scene, Liquid has become a standing part of a worldwide club culture and the underground street dancing movement. ... Street dance is an umbrella term used to describe dance styles that evolved outside of dance studios at more everyday spaces such as streets, school yards and nightclubs. ...

B-boys and funk stylists generally contend that liquid dancing is a development of waving, a technique in popping. Liquid dancing covers many of the same fundamentals as popping and it is fully possible (and common) for dancers to combine the styles, further blurring the distinction between the two. The defining difference is liquid dancing concentrating on smooth movements while popping is characterized by pops (hits) and contractions. Funk dance or funk styles refer to dance styles that are primarily danced to funk music. ... Popping (a. ...

Techniques, Styles, & Construction

Hand flow

Hand Flow demonstration Hand Flow is the most commonly used technique in Liquid dancing and simultaneously the easiest to grasp. Hand Flow technique can vary depending on the dancers approach to liquid, as there is no definitive way hand flow has to be done, as long as a fluid illusion is maintained between the hands. This Illusion needs to be maintained rhythmically or else it can not be considered dancing. A Liquid dancer's personal style is defined by his or her individual approach to hand flow, and how it fits into their dance as a whole.

Rails

See also: Tutting Tutting is the name given to a contemporary abstract interpretive dance style that exploits the bodys ability to create geometric positions and movements, predominantly with the use of right angles. ...

Waves

Waves are an attempt to maintain the illusion that a wave is passing through one's body by the isolation and alternating tensing and relaxing of one part of the body at a time at a steady speed in a constant direction. Waving is an illusionary dance style composed of a series of movements that give the appearance that a wave is traversing through a dancers body. ...

Traces

Traces are a technique where one's hand follows the path of a wave going through one's body. The hand moves at the same speed and in the same direction as the wave.

Threads

This style maintains the illusion that one is pulling parts of their body through holes created by the positioning of ones arms. An example of this would be holding one's shoulder to create a closed loop which the other arm goes through. These are performed at the same speed as the flow of the liquid and waves to maintain an illusion of continuity.

Contours

This technique entails the hands following exactly the outline of an object, real or imaginary. Most commonly the hands follow the outline of one's own body.

Splits

This technique is characterized by the hands moving independently of each other while maintaining the illusion of a fluid relationship between each other. One way of achieving this illusion is by having one hand in front of the other and each hand reflecting the motion of the other.

Builds

Builds identified by the manipulation of imaginary objects in a manner similar to pantomiming. The movements are carried out at the same speed as the flow of the liquid to maintain an illusion of continuity. These moves can be combined with video editing to show the imaginary object being manipulated as the person dances.

Gear

Some liquid practitioners commonly accentuate their dance with light emitting gear. Typically the gear will consist of either glowsticks, very bright LED keychain lights called photons or even white gloves. When a dancer specializes in glowsticks, the dance often ceases to resemble liquid and is then referred to as glowsticking. Three types of lightsticks in several colours A lightstick, also called a glowstick, is a transparent plastic tube which contains chemical fluids held apart in two compartments. ... External links LEd Category: TeX ... A classic glowsticking dancemove called the Figure 8. ...

External links

Video clips

Contents

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