He was big, black and beautiful…well actually, he wasn’t that tall, but he was black and he had a huge….afro.

Ok, I’ll get to the point. I’m talking about the best dance performances I’ve seen. And the reason they’ve been so great, is because they’re not just about dance. They use dance to tell a story or express a message.

The two most memorable dance performances I experienced this year are: “House of the Holy Afro” during the Sydney Festival in January 2008 and “The Firebird” in April 2008.

I can’t beat the show’s description the Sydney Festival guide:
“House of the Holy Afro is an audacious fusion of the urban and traditional, of gospel and house, of slam-poetry and Afro-pop into an explosive night of driving rhythms, soaring harmonies and outlandishly irreverent kitsch….Expect a show like no other, where body-moving house beats merge with songs from ancient shamanistic ceremonies and the uplifting gospel of township churches. Hypnotic singing gives way to hip poetry, outrageous costumes and uninhibited, high energy dancing that will have you on your feet and shaking your stuff in full-bodied agreement”.

From the moment my friends and I walked in the door, we were in a trance, captivated by their outrageousness, entertained with their dance and costume, stimulated with their political messages and moved by their music to dance like I’d never danced before: in full-spirited enjoyment. By far, the best entertainment experience of my life!  The performers interacted with the crowd and the best part was that you could dance while the show was going on..That performance set the benchmark for dance-based entertainment for me and I can only hope one day to find it again…or re-create it.

The next performance that swept me away in a more emotional level (it was a seated performance) was “The Firebird”. In the words of the creators: “THE FIREBIRD was a seamless blend of dance, music and story. Each dancer played a character, our Storyteller John wove the magic this ancient Russian lovestory between stunning dance and an exquisite, original music score, that included the sounds of sitar, kora, balafon, djembe, didjeridoo and vocals.”

I felt so uplifted, inspired and entertained at the end of the performance, desperate to spread my appreciation of the performance…then I remembered that’s exactly what I was there to do! See the interviews with the creators and performers on Webisode 10. Also, Mory Traore, the “Horse of Power” in the show, will be performing at uBERgroover.tv’s interactive dance event this Sunday 31st August. He will also be teaching us a few tribal moves, so check the forum for more info and join in the fun!

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Someone asked me last night why I love dance so much. The simple answer is: it makes me happy!  And I think my dance-related happiness comes from the fact that I experience all of the following every time I dance:

1)    Connection: it’s a great way to express myself and connect with others.

2)    Communication: a fantastic non-verbal communication tool.
TIP: if you’re a guy with low self confidence and don’t know what to say to a girl, dance with her instead!

3)    Exhilaration: my favourite natural high and so much fun.

4)    Exercise & well-being: a bonus workout!

So I ask: what’s not to love about dance?

The only disappointment sometimes is going out to dance and finding people are too drunk or not interested in dance or the music is too loud or not quite what you’re after. Granted, it’s hard to please everyone and I think it’s the quality of dancing people that can make or break a dancing event, so we took it upon ourselves to organise üBERgroover.tv’s first interactive dance event on the 31st of August 2008 in Sydney.

What makes it interactive, you ask? Well, the performers interact with the crowd and engage those who are interested in group dancing; also, you can perform your dance moves in front of our camera, so they will be uploaded onto our site and potentially be part of the show. So start practicing (and naming) your moves and see you on the dance-floor!

For more info about the event and to RSVP, groove onto the forum.

Let's get Tribal!

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•    On the way to the club, you stop at the service station to buy petrol and the attendant suggests a club where well-dressed people ‘your age’ go for a good time.

•    Lining up outside the night-club seems a ludicrous and pointless exercise…and whilst you wait, you remember your all time fantasy of by-passing the line with an air of accomplishment, because you’ve somehow managed to accomplish fame. Then your bubble bursts and you notice you’re the only one in line over the age of 21. You then think: ‘I can’t believe I’m lining up to get into a club!! What am I doing with my life?’ remembering that when you started clubbing 12 years prior, anyone in a club over the age of 25 was considered old.

•    You cringe when the 19-year old screams with joy when she sees a friend in line and realise that you were exactly like the same at that age.

•    You strike up a conversation with the young ones and realise you are actually over 10 years older than them and proceed to tell the 19-year old girl: ‘Sweetheart, before you get a chance to blink, you’ll be 29 wondering what the hell you’re doing with your life when you’re waiting in line to get into a club!’ and then you shut up, because you may not look that old, but you certainly sound like it!

•    You are horrified with the $20 entry fee and ask why it’s so expensive. The bouncer tells you that the ‘Boogie Pimps’ are playing and your response is: ‘Boogie Who?’

•    Once you’re in the club, you reminisce about drug and alcohol-free nights and notice that there’s not a single ’straight’ person around.

•    Someone makes a comment such as ‘You’re a great dancer…’ and you know they meant to add ‘…for your age’, but they’re too polite. Or maybe you’re just paranoid. Or maybe you’ve been dancing so long, that you actually ARE a good dancer!

•    You are haunted with feeling so “old” the whole time you are out and wonder what else you could be doing (like sleeping) because your legs are sore.

•    You see other people your age, who acknowledge your presence and justify theirs with a smile that says exactly that.

•    You wait in line for the toilets and become disgusted with the girl throwing up all over the bathroom floor and see her next 10 years flash before you.

•    You ask the girl waiting next to you in the loo queue when the ‘Boogie Pimps’ are coming on, because it’s 2am and you’re getting tired. She tells you with an appalled expression: ‘That’s them now!’

•    You decide conclusively that this is your last night in a club and go home before the main attraction has finished their set, because they’re really not that attractive after all.

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I love feeling high. Yes, that’s right. There is nothing better than the feeling of ecstasy, happiness, joy and laughter. It’s addictive, natural, exhilarating and something we all seek. Imagine if you could tap into that everyday of your life…imagine if you could feel that good without a hang over the next day.

You know where I’m going with this. Maybe I shouldn’t have given it away in the title. Why don’t you try using dance as a drug? Set yourself a challenge. Do yourself a favour. Make our tag line your mantra: “Why move when you can groove?” It’s all about doing stuff that you would do everyday, but with groove.

Challenge yourself to see how far you can take this mantra.

Go to a club completely straight. A little word of warning: you may not like what you see. But that’s half the fun. Now keep going. The music is pumping and your body is moving to the beat. You start heading towards the bar. STOP! Turn around, head to the dance-floor. You can do it. “But”, I hear you say, “there’s no-one else on the dance-floor”.  Exactly!

It’s even better if there’s no-one on the dance-floor. Think of the rush you’ll get by being the first one to start. There’s your first bit of natural exhilaration: the adrenaline pumping through your veins. It’s doing its own dance in your body. Your heartbeat drums louder as you move towards the dance-floor. It’s probably easiest to start grooving as you head there, as opposed to walking there and then starting to groove. It’s smoother, you’ll look cooler.

You’re now at the centre of everyone’s attention. Don’t worry though, no-one will remember because they’re all off their faces anyway! Now: let it all out. Close your eyes if you think it will help, and think about how many barriers you’ve broken through to get there. You’re proud of yourself and actually, you’re having a great time. You open your eyes and there are others dancing around you. Yes! You started the dancing for the night. Congratulations! Now keep going because soon you will move from adrenaline to natural ecstasy. And if people approach you asking you for the drugs that you’re on, you can tell them where to get them.

Feeling more adventurous? Try our tag line on for size in situations you normally wouldn’t even think about dancing. I do it at home all the time and admittedly it’s a little harder to do it in the light of day when other people around you are going about their boring lives, but imagine the rush! The supermarket is a good place to start. You can put the “Shopping Trolley” move to the test. And depending on how far you want to take it (I always encourage extremes), you can end your performance with the famous power-slide in Starsky and Hutch. And if you’re wondering, yes, I have done it. [Join our forum discussions on "Ultimate Finishing moves" to brag, share or dare others.]

If you’re at the stage where taking drugs or drinking yourself into a stupor is not appealing anymore or you’re simply looking for a more healthy and less expensive alternative, then dance is the perfect prescription. Get high off the groove!

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Picture this: a fantastic party atmosphere, great music, people showing off their moves and having a laugh. Where the bloody hell are you?

I’m guessing there are many people who really want to get into dance, but just don’t know where to start. Most of the dance-based TV programs make dance seem inaccessible, as though it’s only for those who’ve danced out of the womb. A myriad dance styles, tens of local dance schools all vying for your attention and no-one to go with. Boo hoo. Snap out of the blues and get into the grooves!

The message that uBERgroover.tv delivers is: dance is for everyone, dance is easy and dance is so much fun that when you start, you wonder how you ever did without it. It becomes your social outlet, your exercise, your fun, your connection with others and best of all your connection with yourself. Look at it as an adventure.

I’ve had my fair share of frustration in choreographed dance classes. When the dance instructor first shows you what moves you’re about to learn, your immediate reaction is: “Pffft, yeah right”. Before you have a chance to rebel, the music is on, the class is moving and you get carried into the dance. What seems difficult to begin with becomes enjoyable as you get it. Your moves turn into grooves and although you may not be nailing the routine, you know what move you’ll be practicing at the next party.

I remember finding the “body roll” incredibly challenging – I just couldn’t get it and I wanted to…BADLY! So when I was at my next party, I planted my body against the wall and practiced the isolations that are critical in making this move a success. Now it’s my favourite uBERmove.

Dance is not about remembering routines. Your mind and body work perfectly together to register moves that you enjoy and you will start to incorporate these moves into your regular nights out. Plus, there is evidence to suggest that we learn a lot during our sleep, so trust that you will be processing the moves while you sleep, work or do something completely unrelated until it clicks and BAM: you’ve got a move ready to unveil at the next dance-party or indeed dance-off!

FIVE TIPS FOR DANCE-STARTERS

(1) Practice at home. Put your favourite music on and groove when you’re doing every day actions. Do you think I’m just sitting here and typing? No! I’m doing it with groove. Hang on, I’ve just perfected the side-to-side body roll! Clean up with loud music and groove, dance with your clothes when hanging them up. Play around, move, get those juices flowing.

(2) Take your home grooves out for a test drive. These are a great ice-breaker. Combine them with classic moves such as the “sprinkler”, do them until you stop caring what everyone else thinks of you and then break into your own rhythm.

(3) Join a dance class. You might find that a bit of structure is exactly what you need. If choreography is not your bag, join a class that focuses on the ecstasy one feels through movement and music. Kundalini dance is a great example of this (see Webisode 5), as are any of the dances that fall under the banner of “Ecstatic Dance”. Start with a no-commitment casual class and see where it takes you!

(4) Drag a friend along to a class or to a dance event. Dancing is a lot more fun when you can laugh with each other.

(5) Watch uBERgroover.tv webisodes every week to get some inspiration.

That should be enough to get you experiencing the natural ecstasy that is dance. Do it. Don’t think, just dance your way to ecstasy!

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The first thing I used to think about at the mere mention of Hip Hop were rough, unapproachable characters dressed in baggy clothes and backward caps, interested only in break-dancing in exclusive groups and spraying ugly graffiti at every bare fence.

The Platform 1 Hip Hop festival broke through all of my preconceived notions. The “rough” characters were actually approachable, friendly, articulate people with a contagious enthusiasm for their art.

I saw art in the dance, style in their clothing, masterpieces in the graffiti and passion in the people. They are not only fantastic dancers, they are artists who just want to share their culture and not be judged according to stereotypes. Classic stuff.

The origins of this culture, however, seem so heavily influenced by the US that I can’t help but wonder whether we’re selling out. I understand that Aussies want the best of other cultures, but how much are we defining ourselves through this culture and creating something original versus copying and extending on what we see in the US?

That goes for the grooves, the graffiti and the gear. Speaking of gear, one thing I love about the outfits, is that there are no high heels in site. Now I can rant about the fact that I think heels are the most ridiculous shoe invention, designed for the discomfort of wearers and neighbours alike. Have you ever tried dancing in heels and have you ever had your toe jabbed by one? Hooray for heel-free hip-hopsters!

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Hey groovers, it’s Tribal T in da blog!

On the off-chance that a DJ plays great music when I go out, you will see me migrate between the dance-floor, the stage and the water-station. I don’t know whether it’s my afro’s gravitational pull, my crazy dance-floor antics or simply my enthusiasm that gathers crowds. Whatever it is, I’m usually the first one on the dance-floor and typically the last to leave. And I can’t help but wonder: if I’m having so much fun dancing, why aren’t there more people – specifically men- on the dance-floor?

A typical night out in Sydney night-clubs is akin to watching a night-nature documentary. I distinctly hear Sir David Attenborough’s voice categorising the various breeds of male dancers:

• Groin grinders. They predominantly move in packs of two and attack two unsuspecting women at a time, having placed dibs on their preferences. Their tactics usually include separating the women and rubbing their groin onto their chosen victim, marking their territory. Every girl is a possibility, but their strike rate is low until about 2am, when some girls are drunk enough to accept their advances

• üBERgoobers. See blog on “üBER” terminology and join the forum discussion for tactics on dealing with these guys. http://www.ubergroover.tv/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=

• Drunk guys. Yeah, you know the ones: slurring, swaying and spilling drinks. They line the perimeter of the dance-floor, as though dancing is a spectator sport. They watch girls dance, entertain the thought of dancing for a millisecond and then take another swig of their beer before mimicking the moves of their favourite tools, like the lawn-mower, the whipper-snipper or the chainsaw

• Trained dancers. These guys have clearly been dancing for a long time and their ego makes them so serious that they won’t even contemplate dancing with women unless their skill is equivalent.

• üBERgroovers. This is a very rare species. This man has great moves, dances with everyone around him, will pay special attention to women who dance on his level and is generally unobtrusive and polite. Picking up comes naturally, but it’s not his main intention. He only comes out once a year, or so it seems.

Unlike the leopard, I believe male breeds of dancers can change their spots. So how do we entice more Australian men to dance? I think the secret lies in understanding why they’re not dancing in the first place.We have Wayne the Aussie bloke telling us how it is, but can anyone else give us their perspective?

Perhaps we should emulate Sir David Attenborough’s hidden camera tactics and put some in the men’s bathrooms (urinal cams?). If I see any üBERgroovers getting bashed by drunk guys, I will know where to start my hunt.

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Does Australia have dances representing its modern culture? To put this into context, Greeks have regional folk dances and Latinos have everything from the salsa to the tango. What do Aussies have? The sprinkler and the drongo? Oh that’s right, whenever we feel inclined to bond with our dance-floor neighbours, we chuck on the Nutbush and the Macarena, usually in succession, just to keep the group spirit flowing.

Granted, we’re a young culture. But we do have a diverse selection of ethnic cultures here that have something to teach us. Plus we have a few trademark moves of our own, like the sprinkler which can easily be incorporated into a group dance. So to answer this question, we reckon Australia does not have dances representing the diversity and richness of its modern culture, but that it is possible to create some…or at least one. This warrants in-depth exploration and is the premise of the show.

On our search to cover dance forms taught in Sydney, we came across numerous traditional dance classes from all around the world. However, a quick search for classes in Australian indigenous dance revealed no results! We have a rich indigenous heritage, yet we can’t actually learn any of the indigenous dances, because they’re sacred and can’t be performed without permission because we’re not part of that culture. Without intending any disrespect, is this doing the indigenous culture a disservice? Is it keeping them too isolated from the rest of the Australian cultures? I can’t help but feel that if we were allowed to immerse ourselves in indigenous dance, our sense of how we express ourselves as modern Australians would be far more inspired.

We do not propose to create Australia’s ultimate “üBERgroove” in the first series of üBERgroover.tv. What we propose, on a pseudo-technical level, is to collect a whole series of established and improvised dance moves based on our culture, our slang and our environment, including distinct indigenous representations, such as the “emu” or “kangaroo”. We then ask you to decide: should any of these moves be part of Australia’s üBERgrooves?

On a more social level, we would like to initiate a conversation about dance…starting in Australia and radiating towards the rest of the world.

Explore these ideas and start conversations on our forum: uBERgroover.tv/forum

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We’ve been bandying a few “üBER” terms around, so in case their meanings aren’t obvious, here are our explanations to get you in with all the “üBER” talk.

“üBER” is a German word meaning “super”, “over”, “above”. Therefore, anything üBER is above average. With this in mind, here are our definitions:

üBERgroovers are super-groovers who feel no inhibitions about expressing themselves through dance; in essence they encapsulate and spread the spirit of groove. Whether or not they’ve taken dance classes, they have funky moves, a contagious dance spirit that gathers crowds, generates dance-offs and a lot of sweat, exhaustion and exhilaration.

üBERgoobers, on the other hand, are exceptional characters entirely in their own worlds. It takes them a while to get onto the dance-floor to strut their stuff (it usually takes a few drinks) but when they do, their uBERgeekiness usually astounds the majority of groovers.

An üBERmove is a dance move, typically contagious and super-fun.

An üBERgroove is a fun dance that everyone can enjoy performing alone or in a group; and Australia’s üBERgrooves are dances that represent modern Australian culture which are created, enacted or adopted by Australians.

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You may find yourself asking what on earth propelled me to create this project. üBERgroover.tv® burst onto the scene and took over my life two years ago. It combines several of my passions, but my main motivator was the interconnection I noticed between dance and happiness.

Although I wasn’t one of those kids thrust into dance classes from the time I could stand up, I do recall my dad lifting his hands up and throwing a few kicks in the air when dancing to his favourite Greek folk tunes. It was the only time I saw him so happy and carefree.

Shows like SYTYCD have done wonders in raising the popularity of dance, but I for one am tired of the dance competition formula. Dance has been and will continue to be around forever. It’s a way to connect to our tribal roots, our community, ourselves. It’s not a fad and there is so much left to be explored.

üBERgroover.tv® is a digital experience which captures and spreads the spirit of dance through webisodes (video content) and online interactive tools.

Webisodes will be released weekly from 6pm, 25 June 2008 via our website and will continue every Wednesday for 20 weeks. Each webisode is four to six minutes in duration and has a different combination of diverse segments:

Dance Discovery: Exploring alternative dance forms such as Afro Dance and Kundalini
Dance Culture: Mardi Gras, Street Breakers and more
Interviews: Dance film-makers, dance instructors, dance-lovers, etc
Tribal’s Hunt: Tribal T is on the hunt to find out how to get more Australian men to dance
Wayne – The Aussie bloke: Dishes the dirt on why Aussie men don’t dance
Australia’s uBERmoves: We showcase dance moves based on Aussie culture, slang or our environment, eg the “gander”, the “platypus”, etc
Dance Tips: We give viewers tips on how to make dance easier and more accessible

Our main mission is to propel the evolution of dance by creating grooves that represent modern Australian culture. You can create grooves with “groovemaker”, an interactive tool which allows you to choreograph your own routines by combining dance-moves, music and effects through your web browser.

üBERgroover.tv has a very large vision that will evolve with time and contributions. There are plenty of opportunities for partnerships (mobile and web), sponsorship and cross-promotion; we will be creating interactive dance events, a second series of üBERgroover.tv and a whole host of innovations and evolutions of this üBERcommunity.

If you like what you see, get your groove on and support this independent Aussie production. Enjoy the ride!

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