SABI NI MARTHA GRAHAM, HOLY GROUND

This was my status in Facebook:

“We should take time to learn the foundations, maybe in class… but it is important too that we do not forget where all this came from. the STREETS. & the CLUBS. “

I got 2 interesting replies. One from my cousin in Minnesota, “That sounds like something Toni Basil said on ‘So You Think You Can Dance.’” And one from Tolo, “nope doesnt sound like toni basil.. it sounds like a bboy from the 60s telling a story how they rule the streets and how they rule the clubs..”

Of course. I learned this from meeting those Hip Hop Legends, including, yes, Ms Toni Basil. Chelo & I took a lockin’ class in Vegas & she was there right in front of us! Nice lady. She was assisting the 2 Finalists of the World Locking competitions like they were her kids. And she looked gorgeous for her age. She was actually the recipient for this year’s Living Legends Awards by Hip Hop International. When she got up the stage to receive the award, she gave a nice speech about, yes, acknowledging history, where it all started. She even asked Don Campbell & Boogaloo Sam to come up the stage recognizing them as two of hip hop’s pioneers.

That was also the same thing Qwikstep has taught us. (refer to my hiphop page)

Thing is, I’ve been seeing a lot of very good dancers here. Mga matakaw magklase. And they are so lucky to have different studios & teachers to choose from. We didn’t have that back in our days. Now, they can even choose different styles… Madami silang magaling. But there are only a few I could see that really know HOW TO DANCE.

Sometimes though, I feel guilty. I’ve been so hungry & so eager to learn about techniques that I sometimes forget too how to really dance. I’ve forgotten to express. to release. to create. to let go.

I’ve attended Vince’s experimental class last Saturday. I liked it coz I learned a lot about myself. About my weakness. I felt like a drunk-fool. You know how it is when you drink alcohol to loosen up so that you’d be able to talk to people more freely, but then when you start to do it, you realize that you’re just spewing stupid & you’re just fooling yourself that you’re drunk? It felt like that. Like I wanted to let go, express through my body & I felt like I was doing it but my mind kept saying I wasn’t.

I think the real enemy is myself. Utak ko talaga. Sometimes I tend to forget that dancing is not cerebral. Most if the time it’s just physical. It’s just dance. Just you. your. body. &. the. beat.

Oh well. Paminsan minsang sumpong lang ito.

All I know & feel is… I just wana go back to the streets. & do bgirlin’. Like I used to do 4 years ago. When there was still Airdance & we’d go any place where the guards won’t blow their whistles on us. Or in Taguig, when we’d do bboyin’ til 12mn everyday even if we lived all the way North. Or in the clubs when Allstars girls would beat Allstars boys mercilessly. Hahaha.

Makapunta nga dyan sa kanto at magbreykdans.