A wise, respected individual by the name of Regina George once declared that
Sure. Okay. Can’t really argue that.
But why settle for just sexy? Halloween is the one night where you could be as creative and witty or outrageous and ridiculous as you please and people will have lots of GREAT things to say about it. And when you’re a dancer, you already got yourself a niche group of people who’ll “get” your costume at first glance, or at most a quick explanation.
Ladies, if you’re tired of being a sexy nurse or a sexy cat or a sexy [occupation/animal/object] for the 7th consecutive year.. and gentlemen- if you’re just outta ideas as most dudes usually are around Halloween.. This list of meta, punny, and mega funny costume ideas is your last-minute solution.
1. A “pole dancer”
You’ll be the of-fishal hit of the party. Reel ’em in!
2. “Textures”
Since it seems to be every dancer’s favorite word.. Grab clothing of any/every material- cotton, knit, leather, pleather, spandex, lace, etc., and fashion-faux pas the crap out of your outfit by layering up!
3. A “popper” (Option 1)
No secrets here, you’re gonna be flexxin’ on everyone else’s costume.
4. A “popper” (Option 2)
Or, if you get tired of this use of bubble wrap, wrap it around your waist and call it “Bubble Butt.”
Leave your baggage at the door… but bring your LUGGAGE with you to the party. And don’t forget to point your toes!
10. “Mirrors” (Option 1)
Have someone follow you around all night mimicking your actions, mirror-image. It’s great practice for when you have to do opposite choreo for symmetrical blocking purposes. Training never stops!!!
11. “Mirrors” (Option 2)
Wear a small mirror by tucking the handle in your shirt, and go around asking everyone “When will your reflection show.. who you are… inside?”
12. “Four-mality”
If you don’t understand this reference.. I don’t even know what to say.
13. “Minnie-otics”
But big on talent.
14. “Poor-eotics”
But rich with passion.
15. “Kickball-Chain”
Or, exchange the chain for some coins for a true “kickball-change”
Rep any or all of these dope teams. #BOWDOWNB*TCHES
22. “Iso-cream”
Here’s the scoop: You can make the ladies *melt* with minimal, but properly executed isos. Kinjaz proved it.
23. “Ka-bra” Modern / “Bra-therhood” / “Bra-kada” Modern / “Kin-Braz” / any other team name that the word “bra” fits (or, is forced) into.
The community is like a bra: supportive, and close to your heart<3 Awwww~ And shoutout to Jerould for being such a good sport! Take one for the teams!
Maybe these ideas are a bit too cheesy, but if you got a good chuckle or two out of it, our work is done. Be safe and have a spooktacular Halloween, dancers!
Are you going to be dressing up as something dance-related? Comment below and share with us!
From birth, people encourage you to “be yourself.” The advice runs on the assumption that, if you embrace your true identity, the right people in the world will appreciate you for it.
But, depending on the context, your dancer habits can sometimes be problematic. Problematic, and.. hilarious.
Our friends Chanelle Wang and Victoria Park, AKA “2 Azn Grlz” recently released a video where dancers play out these hilarious scenarios. If you’ve seen it already, watch it again! If you haven’t, you’re in for a treat.
Situation 1: The “yas”
What it means: No, not “yes.” “yAs.” AKA “yAAAAs” or “yaSSSSSS.” You can place the emphasyas anywhere, it’ll have a similar effect. It’s funny how the most simple word in the English language, with just 1 simple vowel-exchange, has become the most universal dancer-affirmation of this generation. But one catch.. it’s almost always expressed LOUDly.
Watch out for: Churches, movie theaters, lectures.
Situation 2: The “werk”
What it means: Dancing is, indeed, work. But it’s only werk when, you’re feelin’ it- yourself, the piece, and the audience. If you really put your thing down, flip it and reverse it, it’ll be worth it. Just don’t tell someone who’s wOrking to werk. It’s offensive.
Watch out for: Offices, construction sites, libraries.
Situation 3: The “live”
What it means: “Live” is different from “werk” in that you can werk it in whatever way you want, but living comes with a certain full-outness. No one ever says “LIVE B*TCH I SEE YOU!!” when you’re marking a piece.
Watch out for: Funerals, hospitals, Day of the Dead celebrations.
Situation 4: The perpetual 8-count
What it means: What is the number 9, even? Well, odd. Anyway, dancers are trained to count up to 8, or an “and,” or a “e-and-uh,” and circle back to 1. It’s like we’re Brian McKnight with a higher capacity. But oftentimes, you’re required to count beyond 8. Ugh.
Watch out for: Tax season, math tests.
Situation 5: The “slay”
What it means: “Slay” is in the family of violent affirmations. You yourself could be “living” while “killing” or “murking” or, yes, “slaying” a piece. It’s not as confusing as you think- you = good, piece = your b*tch.
Watch out for: Meat markets..
Thank you to the 2azngrlz for making us laugh with this vid! We’ll be sure to watch out for the right times to “werk” 😉
Was there a time your inner dancer came out and ended up embarrassing you? Comment below and share with us!
Shifting gears to a different type of “inappropriate” how many of these 12 moments of sexual tension have you experienced?
Chanelle and Victoria are awesome for sharing their talents on YouTube. What are some things that other artists can improve on to share their work to a wider audience? Brush up on Marketing 101, here.
You’ve put in a lot of blood, sweat, and tears – mostly sweat, let’s be honest – into your set that you’re ready to debut at the next competition. Your team has carefully selected each song in the set to be cohesive and original. Your costumes are on point, whether they are simple crew neck sweaters and khakis or some studded/rhinestoned/sequined prom dresses. You all have prepared for the best and the worst to come, and you go to the competition, have a great tech run through, practice a little, chill and get ready, eat and meet some other teams, perform towards the end of the show, and then humbly pull out a first place win. Best. Day. EVER!
The struggle on the day of a competition is so real, and no matter how hard you try, you just can’t escape them. From running out of outlets to accidentally not letting your team have a lunch break because you really want the set to be clean and perfect and #firstplace, we can do nothing but welcome these struggles with open arms.
Roughly in chronological order, here are a few struggles that competition day can throw at you, and healthy ways to deal with them.
Sorry, ok, now we can start Philling you in on the knowledge.
1. Your Registration / Tech Time is Before the Sun Rises.
Maybe they draw team names out of a hat for fairness; maybe they set up registration times by the teams’ distances from the venue; maybe you turned in your team’s paperwork late; maybe your coord was dating the guy in charge and it ended and, though they “stayed friends,” he’s a little salty about it. All you know is that the last time you woke up this early was probably in high school, when you were forced to go to school to get that education thing.
Deal With the Struggle!
Make sure your board members know better than to keep you up all night with last minute touches to the set. A good night’s rest is necessary, so no one should be on Facebook or IG after practice; no double tap is worth waking up late the next morning and getting to tech late and then not knowing the dimensions or the slipperiness/stickiness of the stage and then falling on your ass during the show – two feet to the RIGHT of the position you should have been at because you don’t know where center was.
Pack your things the night before, wake up on time – DON’T BE THAT PERSON THAT HAS TO BE CALLED 42 TIMES BEFORE WAKING UP APOLOGETICALLY, make a Starbucks run, eat an apple, and become best friends with the concept of catnaps #meOW.
2. Tech Time Starts Now… But Your Music Won’t.
Sure, nowadays cars have Bluetooth and AUX cords and can hold 8 CDs and have XM radios, but a venue can’t upgrade its technology and invest in an iPod jack and needs the CD to be readable in a certain way. That totally makes sense.
Deal With the Struggle!
Carry around copies of your music like you’re handing them out as free EPs. Make sure you have extra copies on any and everything possible: CD, iPods, mp3 players, records, hitclips, cassette tapes. These bad boys look fresh on your belt loop.
3. Tech Time Starts Now! (For Real)
It’s smart to do a run through with music, then walk through marking it, then if there’s time do another full out run- tech is only 10 minutes and not 15?!
RUN TO YOUR SPOTS PEOPLE.
WHERE IS CENTER?
IS IT THIS ORANGE PIECE OF TAPE OR THIS YELLOW PIECE?!
Deal With the Struggle!
To make sure you have an efficient tech time, have a plan. Whether it is to walk through formations first, perform full out first, or mark it with music, have a plan and make sure to practice it a few times before competition day. That’ll save you a ton of time and energy, as well as a lot of not looking unprofessional in front of other teams. Judgment from all dancers begins once you give the girl at the front desk your ID and she gives you a wristband. Make sure to stay quiet during tech and listen to whoever is directing you, and to actually make mental notes of where you’re standing on stage, because if you’re off during the performance, @geraldnonadoez will find you.
4. The Line Up Makes You Feel Down
You’ve always heard that being in the first half isn’t as good as being in the second half, that closing the first half is the best spot, that closing the last half is the best spot, that being fourth in the show is the luckiest spot. You aren’t in the position you want to be in, and it’s annoying.
Deal With the Struggle!
As much as we all may think the line up matters, there are logistics that go into the order of the show vary with each competition. One may set it up alphabetically, another by how new you are to the competition, another by how many wins you’ve had all year, another by the rankings of the last major competition, another by how many cuties are on your team. You’ll never really know, and it won’t really matter, because as long as you make a lasting impression on the judges, you could be going from the 1st half to 1st place.
5. There Are Only So Many Empty Parking Lots…
There are going to be a lot of teams, each wanting to get in a few hours of cleaning and run throughs. You need a practice space, but all the levels and corners of this 7 story parking structure are taken. Should you go on the roof? The forecast is only sunny with a high of 102 degrees. Maybe we can dance battle other teams for their practice spots, very Step Up 2L The Streets-esque.
Deal With the Struggle!
Look around for any open spaces and always respect other teams when you’re passing through. And if you see another team struggling to find a spot to practice at, offer them your space when you’re done. And if that’s the case, don’t get nervous about wasting valuable practice time. Let your team be productive; give them an earlier lunch, have them start on their hair and make up, let them nap dammit.
6. “We’re practicing from 10:30am to 6pm. Everyone can get ready until our call time at 6:12pm. That should be enough time to do hair, make up, put on your costume, go get some dinner, and stretch, right? Better meet in the hole at 6:10pm, just to be safe.”
Ok my bad I didn’t know Stalin was your director damn…
Deal With the Struggle…
By not being like this. Ever. Next.
7. “Hey are you done with that outlet?”
The dance community has a lot of pretty girls with pretty (probably damaged) hair that needs to be straightened or curled and, unfortunately, battery operated curling irons don’t suffice.
Deal With the Struggle!
Bring a power strip! 6 girls, 1 strip. Genius.
If you have time, come with your hair already done in the morning. That way you can have 99 problems but your hair will not be one.
8. You Fall Victim to a Fashion Crime.
What?! Your color scheme of black with gold accents is NOT as original as you thought!? Shocker. Maroon, navy, and khaki are common colors?! Surprise! Paisley print and jerseys are TRENDY?! WHAT?!
(Any chance to use a Lizzie Mcguire gif is golden)
Deal With the Struggle!
Well you can’t really do much about it once you’re there. Just make different decisions next time! It happens; people often times think they’re outside the box and the community is small and more like-minded than you think, so ideas are bound to clash at some point!
9. If Yonce Was at a Competition, She Would Probably Ask:
You met your runners in the morning at check in, got the house tour, and then they disappeared for the rest of the day. You can’t find them, they can’t find you, you don’t know when your call time is, and they can’t find give you your good luck goodies.
Deal With the Struggle!
Keep in good communication with your runners! If you’re a runner, keep tabs on where your team is! Sometimes, the runners will disappear for the rest of the day, doing other duties, and the teams wonder when they go into the hole, only to find out that they were supposed to be there 5 minutes ago. Other times, the team you’re running for will magically disappear for the whole day, having chosen an incredibly secluded location to practice at, and you’ll feel like a sad parent wondering where your kids are.
Exchange numbers on the tour; textual communication is strongly advised.
10. “Is that…. OUR SONG?!”
You’re in the middle of your team huddle, delivering a feelsy speech to your teammates in the hole when you hear…
your opener…
playing…
right now.
Your opener that is a specially remixed version of that song from the 70s that you found and bookmarked on SoundCloud 2 years ago. What. How. Sigh.
Deal With the Struggle!
Much like the costume situation, at that point there isn’t much that you can do. All you CAN do is kill the choreo you guys have, and commend the other team on their song choice.
11. That Awkward Moment When…
The MC just hyped up the audience with your introduction.
You’re pumped and grunt out a, “LOVE YOU FAMS!” in the dark as you hit your pose.
The lights turn from dim to light.
Hold that pose.
Silence.
Silence.
One random, “WOOOOO” from a supportive alumni.
Silence.
Don’t.
Move.
The MC comes back out, saying to give it up for your team once again, for there are technical difficulties.
The second wave of hype comes from the audience, more supportive this time because they feel bad that you’re standing there, and your opening pose happens to be a hollow back.
Deal With the Struggle!
If this happens, and trust me, it does happen, always stand still. Hold your pose. Not only does it show professionalism, but it also keeps you prepared for whenever the music might start, and you don’t want to be scratching your head when the dramatic kill off at the very beginning starts. Again, @geraldnonadoez will catch everything.
The struggles are so real on competition day, and the best way to deal with them is to either prevent them from happening or to prepare yourself mentally! Don’t let unexpected problems turn down your mood; competitions are supposed to be fun, NOT stressful. Do the fun photo scavenger hunts, hashtag the event, take pictures with your runners and the posters that they made for your team – shout out to Main Stacks and their posters for Prelude Norcal, haAy. I’ll never forget this one.
In conclusion:
Do your hair beforehand, drink coffee, focus, and if you’re worried about other teams having your costume or music, I suggest a nude and silent set. Very avant garde.
Are there any other struggles you can think of that we haven’t included here? Leave a comment below to add to the list!
The dancer life is filled with unanswered questions, and we’re here to ask ’em all.
With inspiration from Twitter’s favorite teenage philosopher, Jaden Smith, we dug deep into our souls to address the most pressing of issues in the dance community. Prepare. To be. Mindblown. #tweetlikejaden
Can you still milk a move if you’re lactose intolerant? 🍼 — Jaden Smitheezy (@steezysquad_) November 24, 2015
How can you watch your lines if you’re always blocked 👀 — Jaden Smitheezy (@steezysquad_) November 24, 2015
How can our mirrors be real if our eyes aren’t real — Jaden Smitheezy (@steezysquad_) November 24, 2015
Is it still called dance foot-age if you record floor choreo? 👣 — Jaden Smitheezy (@steezysquad_) November 24, 2015
Facials should be called Fakecials because we hide our true emotions behind them 🎭 — Jaden Smitheezy (@steezysquad_) November 24, 2015
What if we can’t appreciate certain pieces because the choreographer can hear things in the music we can’t. It’s not you, it’s me. — Jaden Smitheezy (@steezysquad_) November 24, 2015
The only constant in sets is transitions. — Jaden Smitheezy (@steezysquad_) November 24, 2015
Once you see my posts about how humble I am you’ll see how great I am for being humble and great. #stayhumble2015 — Jaden Smitheezy (@steezysquad_) November 24, 2015
Is “getting buck” the dancer’s way of saying “making money”? 💰 — Jaden Smitheezy (@steezysquad_) November 24, 2015
Did we inspire you? Did you think of any Jaden-tweets while reading this list? Comment below and share with us!
Lots of questions.. that maybe the Philoceraptor can answer! Find him in this collection of dance-memes.
There are a lot of tough moments in dance that get us down. But there are also just little, itty-bitty, somewhat petty things that make us a little salty. Not quite butthurt, just bootybothered.
You’ll probably recognize at least a few of these moments and how temporarily annoying they were:
1. When your friend tells you they’ll be at your class, but they don’t come
2. When you tell your friend you don’t have any more guest spots… so they don’t come
4. When you were about to choreograph to a song, but your friend (whom you showed it to) hits it first
5. When a friend or teammate asks like, everyone BUT you to be in their video
6. When someone jumps in when you were about to go in the freestyle circle #dazmysongtho
7. When someone crops you out of their Instagram video (because 1:1 ratio)
8. When you show up to a rehearsal and they only work on pieces you’re not in
9. When you’re leading stretches and someone clearly doesn’t care to watch or follow
10. Knowing you killed a piece while learning but totally f@!#$ up during groups
11. When you finally suggest a place to eat after 2 hours of loitering and someone shoots it down
12. When you think someone wants to take a picture with you, but it’s with another dancer
13. When someone you don’t know is wearing a similar outfit as you
(*But when a friend is wearing a similar outfit as you..)
14. When most 12 year olds these days are way better than you when you were 18.
15. When people are obviously sucking up or name-dropping…
16. When you tell a non-dancer you dance “hip hop” and they proceed to demonstrate some extra dramatized, cheesy, incorrectly executed “HIP HOP” move to half-mock what we do -_-
17. When you have to go through the whole day/ sit through the show in your outrageous costume & makeup
18. When you spend too much time surrounded by dancers or at a competition or event
19. When you first walk into a studio and it smells like feet and juicy garbage
20. When you end up getting blocked in the back for like, the entire set
21. When you finally meet a dancer you’ve been dying to meet and they turn out to be rude or cocky
22. When someone “can’t take class” cuz they’re broke or “can’t make it to rehearsal” cuz they’re busy and they’re always posting pictures of themselves at a party/club/music festival/rave..
Raise your hand if you saw our 21 Things All Dancer Couples Have Experienced article and thought to yourself, “I’ve experienced none of these because my S.O. is invisible, therefore I can experience nothing with him/her.”
No hate to all the dancer couples out there experiencing good (and bad) things together, but what about us #foreveralone dancers who say that we don’t date dancers because the community is too small and everyone knows everyone but secretly we would love to have a piece dedicated to us, Keone & Mari style?
Sure, there are a lot of Pros and Cons of Dating a Dancer, but let’s be real: the dance community is thirsty and the struggles are so, so real. Here’s a list of a few struggles that we single dancers face in the community. I’m going to need y’all to nod your heads and say, “Yassssss” in accordance.
1. You need to look cute 25/8.
From tech rehearsals to awards to getting food with your team at a place where other teams might choose to eat after the competition, you always feel that you need to look cute. You never know when you could meet your potential bae on another team, and you don’t want to look gross, do you? Exactly.
If this means wearing full make up to your 8am tech time, then so be it!
If this means wearing a snap back and trendy joggers that do not give you much room to groove but look super hip, go on and do your thang!
If this means having a cute, “super casual,” yet ridiculously on point outfit after the competition, more power to you!
Contrary to popular belief, looking cute all the time is a lot of effort, and the struggle is very real. If you see a girl in curled hair and lashes at the crack of dawn during her tech, show her some love please.
2. You’ve always gotta ask,
There’s no doubt that people in the dance community are friendly; we all want the community to be, well, a community! We like to introduce ourselves to different teams, we like to get to know our runners at competitions, and we like to fanboy/girl over a dope choreographer on Instagram with a double tap.
We musn’t mistake friendliness for flirtation. I know, it’s a sad thing that being polite might be misconstrued as being flirty, but that’s just our generation, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.
If you’re taken, you don’t have to worry if a person that you just met is single or taken; you’re taken yourself! However, us single folk have to overanalyze everything as if our lives depended on it.
“He said, ‘Good job!’ and gave me a high five after we went on. I wonder if he has a girlfriend.”
“She just pulled me into the dance circle, but I saw her with a guy earlier. Is that her gay best friend or is that her boyfriend because tbh he could be either/or…”
“He liked my photo at 2:47am. THE GIRLS IN HIS PHOTOS MUST BE HIS SISTER BECAUSE HE TOTALLY WANTS ME.”
News flash: going to every dance event wondering if someone is single or taken is actually not very fun — I know, right?! It would be easier if people could just wear signs around their necks reading “single” or “taken” or “cheater but yolo.” Oops, did I say that? Yikes.
3. A couples piece? More like a couple of pieces of my heart shattered onto the floor because I’m so so single.
There’s nothing more dreadful than a couples piece — I hate learning them, I hate wishing I had someone to choreograph one with, and I hate watching them via Youtube and seeing how damn happy/sad/angry/sexy they are with each other like ok I get it you have passion.
I’m not bitter, I swear.
There’s nothing comparable to the anxiety a single dancer feels when a choreographer announces that the piece they’ll be teaching is a couples piece.
There’s nothing WORSE than getting paired with a dancer who already has a SO and won’t dance with you fully because he/she feels that it is a moral violation — YOU didn’t even pick him/her, yet YOU feel weird.
There’s nothing more upsetting than watching a Keone and Mari video around Valentine’s Day. Or Christmas. Or Thanksgiving. Or a Tuesday. Actually, there’s no time where a single person can watch a Keone and Mari video and not feel a tinge of mild depression.
Couples pieces are meant to inspire; they’re made by dancers who share a love and passion for dance, and we appreciate that. However, if you’re teaching a couples piece, can you give us some notice in advance so we can either strategically make a verbal agreement with our gay best friends or accidentally miss practice that day? Thank you.
4. Does skill level matter? No way (absolutely)!
So you’ve finally bagged yourself a dancer; good for you! You met at a mixer, you’ve been texting a bit, and it’s off season right now so you have plenty of time to hang out! Both of you aren’t the type to have concept videos, and you haven’t actually gotten to support each other at competitions because it’s training season at the moment.
That’s when it hits you — what if he/she’s not good at the dancing?
Or worse — what if he/she is way better than you at the dancing?!
In a perfect world, you’ll find someone who is at the same level as you or slightly better than you, to which you see it is motivational and inspiring. However, we can all agree that perfection rarely occurs for us perpetually single dancers, and we can probably bet that our next SO, if a dancer, is going to be 30 times better than us and super humble and hungry, making us secretly insecure about our own dancing abilities — WHICH WE SHOULD NEVER BE.
5. You can’t spell “community” without U n I 😉 — and your ex and your ex’s best friend who cheated on your director.
The community prides itself in being something close knit, and sometimes, a little too close. You may have never met a person on that one team, but you sure know his whole sexual history. It’s inevitable that people talk, and because everyone seems to know everyone to some degree or another, your business spreads like butter and just when you’re on a roll and talking to a new girl, she’ll stop hitting you up because she found out that you were the creepy guy hitting on her best friend at that one clubbing event two years ago.
Dating someone in the community should be looked at strategically, and here’s why:
If you are looking to find a relationship in the community, you can’t frivolously and haphazardly date anything that gives you attention. You’ll start to date and post photos and get to know each others’ teams and go to mixers with bae and then one day, you’ll break up because you realized that you are two different people. That’s totally fine! But what happens after you guys break up? A few things can happen:
– Your break up is mutual and you spend time being single and happy and just doing you.
– You’re SinGLE & REaDY2 MinGLE~ and you, umm, choose… quantity over quality.
– You start dating in the community and your new boo happens to be your ex’s best friend’s boyfriend’s opposite for a piece in the set.
Everything gets very messy if you don’t do it right, but at the same time, it shouldn’t stop you from you doing you. My name is not Judy; I am not judging.
There are tons of other struggles in the dance community for single dancers! What are some that you’ve faced? Comment below to share with us!
Related to this article a bit too hard? Maybe you’ll meet your dancer bae at the next party or club you attend!
Single or taken, you can’t deny having experienced these moments of sexual tension with your fellow dancers.
Dancers love to unwind, like REALLY unwind, as a treat for all our hard work. We live by the age-old adage
Work hoard, play hoarder.
And, as there are different types of dancers, there are specific kinds of partiers, as well. Here are 12 alter-egos that I’ve seen my fellow dancers turn into.
1. The Snapchatter
Fisheye lens? Check. Selfie stick? Check. 200-second story? Let’s.. not check. Just kidding, I’ll check the first 30 then accept that the rest of your story will just stay on my feed. Unless I know I’m in it somewhere, I’ll press through all the other nonsense for my messy 3-second cameo.
Find Them: In the center of large crowds of people, Pat Cruzin’ their smartphones.
Hear Them Say: “Yo get in this!” “Ayeeeeeeee” “We out heaaa!” “Turn up!!!” “Out there with my bro/girl (friend’s name), say hi (friend’s name)!” and of course.. “Snapchaaaat!!”
2. The Photographer/Videographer
Sort of like the Snapchatter, but a teensy bit more legit. They’re interested in documenting parts of the night with a nicer camera, just crouching down upon interesting scenes or candids. Or, most commonly, groups of girls who use their camera-sensing superpowers to strike a pose within .0003 miliseconds.
Find Them:Floating around the whole party. Usually extroverted enough to be there, but introverted enough to be comfortable behind the camera the majority of the time. More prevalent during retreats, or the fancier occasions.
Hear Them Say: “Over here!” “Pose!” “Haha, that’s the one!!”
3. The Self-Designated DJ
AKA the Aux Cord Hogger, jumping around on their SoundCloud playlists to choose the right tracks to match the ambience of the party.
Find Them: Next to the speakers, of course. Or hovering in that area, occasionally checking back in at the sound system to make sure no one stole their phone.
Hear Them Say: Nothing. Just bobbing their head and casually freestyling (really well at that, cuz they already pre-meditated on the song as a good freestyle song.)
4. The Freestyler
Goin’ AWFF on that waacking/twerking/locking/housing/bodyroll/vogueing combo! Prompting people to think “Oh, drunk dancers at parties, of course…”
+10 points if they never freestyle sober.
+100 points if you can’t tell if they are “funny/ironic freestyling” vs. actually freestyling.
Find them:Either in a corner alone, or in/around a “circle” with their friends.
Hear Them Say: “That’s my sonnnng!” “Unh, unh, mm, yeah.”
5. The Food Scavenger
Either they forgot to eat before getting there, or purposely saved their appetite because they anticipated free food.
Find Them:Next to the chips. Because chips are exponentially more delicious with every level of drunker you get.
Hear Them Say:“Anyone hungry? Taco Bell soon? Hey did you eat? In-N-Out after this?”
6. The Couple
There are actually 2 kinds of couple exclusivity:
The Simpy Couple, and The Fighting Couple.
Either way, they’re the couple that just stays in their own world. Which boggles my mind because.. you’re out with your friends! Step out of your co-dependence for like, a second please.
Find Them: Cuddled up on a couch in the corner, getting frisky on the dance floor… or in the parking lot in intimate/ tense conversation.
Hear Them Say: Either sweet nothings in hushed voices, or fight-frases, i.e. “Why did you ___?!” “No, listen,…” “I really can’t deal with this right now.” UGH </3
7. The Heart-To-Hearter
Hahahahaha. My favorites.
Find Them: One-on-one with a homie, or better yet, someone they just met that night. Holding hands, leaned in close. Nodding, smiling, having a grand ol’ time making a new connection that they probably won’t remember.
Hear Them Say: “I just wanna say…” “No, like honest, for real, you’re like..” “I swear we’re like soul mates like actually seriously literally love you so much…”
8. The Social Butterfly
They either already know, or want to meet everyone there. A well-known dancer community, or aspiring to be well-known.
Find Them: Fluttering around groups of friends, sprinkling in on this and that convo, but not staying in one place for too long.
Hear Them Say: “Hi, have we met! Nice to meet you! Hey, it’s been a minute! Aren’t you friend with (mutual friend)??”
9. The Shot Pusher
The raging alcoholic. Or the one that is a few levels of turnt above everyone else and needs to get everyone to join them.
Find Them: Circulating the party for lesser-drunk people, and assembling them in the kitchen.
Hear Them Say: “Aye let’s take a shot. Shot? Aye you down for another shot? Let’s go! C’mon, shot?? Cheers to.. just, life!”
10. The Hot Mess
A lot of the times, The Shot Pusher will evolve into The Hot-Mess Monster.
Find Them: Hunched over a toilet or a bush, or knocked out on a couch with penis drawings all over their face.
Hear Them Say: “….… . . . . . . . . “
11. The Flaker/Bailer
The one who spends hours debating whether they will show up or not- and ends up
not coming at all,
showing face for 10 minutes and disappearing, or
coming NOT fashionably, but rudely 5 hours late.
Find Them: ?????
Hear Them Say: ?????
12. The Thirsty Thirst
They show up with a mission. Like Chris Brown in “Came To Do,” they are there mainly for one thing. A hookup.
Find Them: Making small talk/ trying to dance with their long-time dancer crush, or chit-chatting all the single hunnies n’ gentlemen available that night.
Hear Them Say:“You know what I came to do, you~ You know what I came to doO…” Well, not literally. But might as well say it out loud!
What kind of dancer-partier are you? Let us know in a comment below!
Outside of parties, there are different types of dancers in general. Remember our 17 Types Of Dancers list?
In the very first section of our Ultimate Guide For Beginner Dancers, we explored the concepts behind music, rhythm, beats – and how they relate to dance. Now, we’re going to talk about body awareness.
As a dancer, your body is your most important tool. The more you familiarize yourself with it, the more natural and reflexive it will be to control it.
So read on, beginner dancers, and let’s start movin’!
Skrrrrt. Hold up. Before we get to moving anything, we need to know what we’re moving!
Body Awareness In Dance
Have you ever taken a yoga class? Then you’ll know that a big objective of yoga is simply to be present – in the mind, and the body.
By doing so, you’re bringing together your mental and physical – a healthy and therapeutic practice for anyone.
Similarly, as a dancer, your mind and body must be working together – your mind is the part that understands the music and the intent behind the movement, and your body is the actual tool for moving.
Lay on the floor, and close your eyes. (Turn on some light music here, if you want.)
Go through this list of body parts, and focus your thoughts and feelings on each one.
Flex or move the part to draw more attention to it. Once you feel fully comfortable with where it is and what it feels like, move on to the next one.
Arms
Shoulder
Forearm
Wrist
Fingers
Fingertips
Legs
Thigh
Knees
Calves
Ankles
Feet
Toes
Hips
*Try rotating them in and out
Chest
Upper chest
Core (tummy area)
Lower abdomen
Neck
*Try turning your neck, and also rolling it clock- and counter-clockwise
It sounds almost too easy to be effective – but the key here is not the difficulty of the movement (which is obviously very minimal).
The key is how familiar you’re becoming with these body parts, which requires a surprisingly great deal of focus. Muscle memory starts with muscle awareness!
Most of us, even as dancers, go about our days or take class without putting much thought into each individual part of our tool. By dedicating your time and energy to getting to know it, you’re practicing the most fundamental dancer hack there is!
Body Placements In Dance
Cool, so we’re getting to know what each part of body feels like in a resting position.
Let’s create some pictures to explore how our bodies look and feel in certain placements.
What “focus” refers to in dance is the direction your face is facing. Timed right with a committed facial, your focus has the power to make or break a piece.
Whatever pose you’re holding or pathway you’re moving through, your focus is most commonly straight to the mirror (not the greatest habit, but it’s good to watch yourself at first, when developing body awareness), to the right, to the left, up, down – and to varying degrees.
For example, “right 45” can refer to turning your face toward the right, but only halfway from directly ahead and your right side. “Down left 45” signals looking slightly toward the left, with your chin pointed down, so that your eyes are aimed at the bottom corner of the wall.
For a 2-D visual, think back to math class, and imagine the wall in front of your face being a giant x-y plane.
The corners of the room are the “diagonals” (“45s,” and the ends of the x-axis is the left/right, the y-axis, the up-down.
For Better Body Awareness, Try this:
Stretch your neck to the rhythm of a song, by looking to the
then roll your neck around so your eyes are making a big circle ⤿ and switch directions ⤾
Focus changes will flow naturally as you learn choreography, but sometimes the choreographer will specify certain pictures and combos to have a certain focus.
Posture
Posture has a lot to do with the style or mood of the piece.
For example, waacking will call for your chest to be more open, and your focuses will be sharp and purposeful. In a more “ghetto”-feeling piece, your posture might be directed more toward the ground, with a more relaxed torso and shoulders.
Think of posture as relating to body language. A big part of interpersonal communication is based on body language.
Similarly, your posture for a piece will set the tone for each movement in the choreography and consequently, the piece as a whole.
For Better Body Awareness, Try this:
Experiment with different postures and emitting a different “mood,” by putting on songs of varying genres, and having your body react naturally to them.
An upbeat pop song, a rap song, a slow r&b song, house music, EDM – experiment!
Memorize how your body feels, especially your core.
Angles And Pictures
Before getting into full-body poses and movement, let’s study how your body feels hitting certain angles.
These “angles” of your body parts, and the “pictures” they make with your body, are like the action shots that you see from competitions. Such. Clean. Lines!
Think of choreography as having points – Points A and B in the graphic below are the “pictures,” and the in-between movement is called the “pathway.”
We’re going to focus just on the points – the individual angles of your body parts that make those pictures.
For Better Body Awareness, Try this:
Extend your arms straight ahead of you, parallel to the floor. Now, bend at the elbows, creating a perpendicular angle.
Now, extend your arms to the left and right, straight out to each side. Reach as far as you can, through your fingertips! Bend again at the elbows, folding your arms so that your hands are by your clavicles.
Mix up these different “angles” of arms, memorizing how each feels. It’ll help you be a “cleaner” dancer in the long run, knowing exactly how these basic pictures are supposed to feel.
Add different angles to the mix, like diagonal arms, rotating your shoulders, etc.
Flex your limbs as you execute each picture, to really solidify it in your memory.
To exercise your pictures and the pathways between them,
For Better Body Awareness, Try this:
Pick 2 poses. Any 2 poses!
Now, put on some music, and hit your first pose on count 1. And switch to the second pose on count 5.
You can make that switch abrupt, or “milk” in between the 4 counts, by sloooowly getting from one picture to the next.
Curious about moving more? We’ll explore dynamics and textures in our next post. But before moving your body, it’s important to first note what your body feels like. Hopefully this guide helped you feel more comfortable in your own body, and more ready to dance in it.
Besides body awareness and execution, what are some other basics that beginner dancers should practice? Comment below and share with us!
Learn from the masters of their own bodies, on STEEZY Studio!
There’s another myth/stereotype about dancers that goes a little something like this:
All Dancers Are Super #fitlyfe Because The Nature of Our Hobby Is So Physical.
What this fails to note, is that for every 8 count we dance, approximately 800 calories are consumed.
I mean, I go full out! Totally justified. Right? Nah, not really. But something about 4 am binge eating with your teammates over delirious jokes is just so satisfying.
It’s like we’re an eating team that just happens to dance a lot.
So for all the eating teams out there in the eating community in California, here are some our favorite foods to binge on after a grueling practice or class!
1. Carne Asada Fries / California Burrito / Any Mexican Food, TBH
(ESPECIALLY pertinent for San Diego dancers-) but anyone knows that fries/carbs + meat, slathered in sour cream, cheese, guacamole, and salsa HITS THE SPOT when you’re starving for a savory fix. It’s like everything unhealthy, ever, in one affordable order from a local shop. Cotixans? Vallartas? MXN? Lolita’s? CLOG ALL MY ARTERIES
2. Taco Bell / Del Taco
Still passes for “Mexican” food, but a tier down from #1. Still does the job, though! Especially if you’re ballin’ on a budget. Although, that kind of backfires if you end up getting the ½ pound XXL Grilled Stuft Macho Nacho Gordita Crunch Feista Pack WITH THE MOUNTAIN DEW BAJA BLAST (UGH), it ends up being like, a normal meal’s price anyway. But it’s so. so. so. good.
3. Soda
On the Baja Blast note, as sugary and carbonated and “bad” as it is for you, I find myself craving soft drinks (not water >_<) to quench my thirst. It’s just refreshing and soooo-da-licious. Fanta-stic. I have a soft (drink) spot for em. I could swim in a Pep-sea after practice. I Sierra-Mist drinking them? Ok ok, I’m done, these puns are getting Canada Dry…
(I’m sorry)
(so sorry)
(next)
4. Denny’s / Diners
Ah, the universal (well, not literally universe-al because I’m sure the chain doesn’t extend to like, Mars) but a very popular late-night hot spot for dancers, partiers, general night owls alike! The good ol’ trusty diner with a little bit of everything for everyone. And if there are no Denny’s’ in your area, chances are, there’s another homey late-night diner you default to.
Eggs? Omelette you eat ’em however.
Nachos? No, they ARE yours.
French toast? Cheers to that.
Burgers? You got it, grill. (no bun intended)
Pancakes? No one else does ’em batter.
Skillets? EAT UP, HOT STUFF!
Salad?
Oh.
Uh.
Why?!
…But yeah, I guess you could get that too!
Basically, whatever you’re craving, there’s something on the menu that can satisfy. At Denny’s the 2, 4, 6, 8 menu also caters to those of u$ who wanna keep the bill low. Personally, I always get something breakfast-y because breakfast is ALWAYS grand.
5. In N Out
I apologize to our non-Californian readers!!!! But man. I’m not even gonna try to be funny with this one. You just can’t go wrong with a burger, fries, and a drink. (The pink lemonade<3)
That’s it. I went in on this one
and now I’m
out.
6. Leftovers At Home
Whether it’s something your mom prepared earlier that day, or the other half of your lunch.. knowing you have leftovers waiting loyally and patiently for you at home is one of the best feelings ever.
WHATEVER the food, getting home, heating it up, and burning your tongue on leftovers feels so amazing.
7. Ice Cream
I personally ahve a huge sweet tooth. So even if I haven’t eaten all day and need actual nourishment and vitamins and whatnot, I’ll never pass up on a sweet treat.
A 99 cent soft serve cone from McDonald’s, or if I wanna get SUPER fancy, the Oreo McFlurry, are both PERFECT to juggle with while driving home. Ya might end up with a few questionable white stains on your clothes, but I mean.¯\_(ツ)_/¯
8. Donuts
Bakeries that are open late seem to be THE place to loiter belligerently at 3 am. These are 2 OC favorites- Seaside in Newport Beach, and Simone’s in Long Beach. I donut think it’s the healthiest snack, but hole-y crap, are they yummy!
9. Boba
According to my meticulous calculations based on casual observation,
Our obsession with boba / bubble tea / PMT/ Chewy Brown Balls Of Tapioca Swimming In Fructose-Loaded “Tea,” has been attributed to 3 main reasons:
1. Restaurants that serve it are typically open late, sort of conditioning our palette to crave it by its availability alone. Pavlov’s Dancers, we are.
2. It’s a sweet treat that also hydrates, because there is a 1000% chance you’re thirsty as hell after dancing AND also feeling like you deserve to postpone your diet til tomorrow cuz you just danced for 4+ hours. Eating carbs in a drink of carb (most likey accompanied by a few bites of deep-fried chicken dipped in a sweet & sour or creamy ranch sauce).. it’s fine! The opener cleaning was brutal. And we conditioned today.
3. It’s just really really good ｡◕‿◕｡
Sometimes, after a class or practice, people don’t even ask “Do you want to eat ad hang out? Where should we go?” I just hear exhausted, dazed voices: “Cha?” “Cha?” “Yeah fsho” “Cha?” “You going to Cha?” “CHA???!?!”
To which I reply “Yeah I’m down to guzzle some balls”
Just kidding, I don’t really say that, I’m just thinking it.
10. Pizza
PIZZA! Any pizza. Just because ..pizza. Pizza always & forever. Pizza.
In all, us dancers burn a lot of calories movin’ and groovin’ and jumpin’ and jivin’. And though the only options for a 4th meal when practice is over are guilty pleasures, I think you should…
Bet you’re hungry now. What are some foods YOU like to scarf down after a long practice? Leave a comment below to share with us!
If you haven’t already seen our first STEEZY Original, “10 Types of Dancers We All Know”, I’ll give you a moment to catch up below:
And still, a quick and entertaining video is not sufficient to fully delve into the details of these complex characters.. So here is a list of those 10 dancers, PLUS a few additional characters that we weren’t able to include in the video. My Psyc degree is coming in handy for these super-official and scientifically sound descriptions, so check ’em out!
1. The Salty OG
“This team… the community… isn’t what it used to be.” I know, I know, we’re a generation of fame-seeking, self-promoting, dues-unpaying, ignorant and cocky wannabes! This dancer, usually in their mid-to-late twenties or early thirties, remains chronically nostalgic for “them pre-YouTube days” and isn’t shy about preaching their old-school wisdom to the newer dancers. They are openly critical of everything from current fashion trends to the dance styles that stray horrendously from fundamentals. Roots are, unquestionably, important. But so is acknowledging that the community is always evolving, and its direction may not always be to everyone’s liking. Share what you value and embrace new ways to grow!
2. The Dance Slut
There are 2 kinds of Dance Sluts:
1. The one who has, over the course of their dance career, tried out for / made several different teams, committing to them for different lengths of time, but ultimately did not form a strong enough association with a single one.
I understand, girl. We just want to find “THE ONE,” but maybe that’s scary for you? Maybe it just hasn’t happened yet?? MAYBE YOU JUST WANNA HAVE SOME FUN I MEAN C’MON WE’RE STILL YOUNG RIGHT??? Well eventually you’ll have to stop swiping left on every team- being a swinger may allow you to experience different tastes, but this community isn’t a buffet you can pick and choose from when convenient. Take your time, but don’t take anyone else’s.
2. The one who juggles multiple teams and projects at once, for this comp / show / event / video. “So I’m on ___.. But I’m performing with ___ for ____… And I also direct ___ on the side. While commuting to LA and San Diego for ___ and ___!”
Whoa there, Ambitious Amber. I have a plethora of questions for these “slutty” dancers who manage to be simultaneously affiliated with an excess of teams, such as: “Do you sleep?” “How does your brain store all that choreo?” “Do you drive a Prius?” and, “Where do you even live?”
Mad props to these people, if they can do it well. But fact is, we only have one body, so I’m sure there come times when you’re forced to prioritize- which leads to one thing becoming your Main Chick and the other(s) your Side Chick(s). Honestly, being on a team is like being in a relationship- and if your attention is scattered between a number of people, can you be confident that you’re offering 100% to all of them? Recycling the buffet-goer metaphor: This is the person that gets way too much on their plate and either struggles to, or ends up not being able to, eat everything. Food is yummy! Dancing is fun! It’s good to savor. Be careful not to be greedy to the point where your passion becomes grueling. * This type II Dance Slut is NOT a professional / industry dancer. If that is your job, of course it isn’t slutty- it’s awesome. We’re envious.
** A perk of being a dance slut is that you end up with 300 different shirts, hats, hoodies, old costume pieces that will identify you as a *~dancer~* See video (:28-:31) for reference.
3. The Thirsty One
See also: The one who wasn’t good enough at basketball in high school, and, after futile contemplation over how they will be able to fuel their pubescent hormonal appetite aka GeT dA Lad1ez, coincidentally strolled by a cypher in the quad. Upon witnessing how females go crazy over sh*t like body rolls and power moves to Chris Brown songs, dove into All-Male, a junior team, or sessions in their garage- and the rest was history. The one who uses their movement as a male peacock uses its feathers. The one who ranks teams based on the hotness of their girls. The one who salivates at any remotely-cute “newbie” and proceeds to give them personal kudos for even the most mediocre performances after groups. The one who dedicates much of their time housekeeping their various social media channels, specifically targeting an audience of boppy fangirls.. where he has AT LEAST ONCE posted some version of the age-old adage: “Dancers are better in bed.” ORLY? The Thirst. It’s him.
4. The Hot One… Who Can’t Dance
She is pretty. Dresses nicely. Has shiny hair. Smooth skin. Enticing curves. Butt dimples (#TyCropTops). Nice smile. That one under-boob tattoo that sneakily/sexily peeks out from cut-out shirts. She is hot. Kawaii. Beautiful. Cute. Like, super cute. But N O N E , ABSOLUTELY NONE OF THIS can make up for her DOWNRIGHT ATROCIOUS dancing. I mean, not to be harsh, but we are dancers. Which means eye candy is NOT limited to how someone looks- we are largely interested in how they MOVE. This girl is always flouncing around in layers of makeup that somehow manage to keep from sliding down her face, probably cuz she’s not even sweating. The parts they “kill” in a piece are strictly limited to: bodyrolls, hair flips, booty grooves, and facials. Yeah I said it, facials. + 10 ButterDance points if they ever used a Rihanna song for choreo day. +10 more if the best part of that piece was before they started, when they just smiled nervously while fixing their hair. CUTE!
5. The Actually Thirsty One
Broseidon, King of the Brocean, this prayer is for the LITERAL Thirst, for he is half-man, half-elephant, yet refuses to invest in a damn Nalgene. “Can I get a waterfall?” “Did you bring extra water?” “I’m kinda low-drated, can you get me hy-drated?” …Yo. Nevermind the fact that I had the common sense and foresight to purchase my 99 c gallon of water from Ralph’s before rehearsal. Sure, you can down all of it.
6. The Kendominatrix
Sometimes when I go to dance events, I question whether I’m at a show or a Kendama convention. This addicting little contraption has rapidly percolated into the dance community- WHICH IS AWESOME- it’s great to have our two groups overlap and collaborate. But at rehearsals, or even in class, there are always those pesky few Kendaminaters that refuse to let it rest. Yes, they’re fun. Yes, your tricks are cool. Yes, I’ve seen your insta-videos. I doubled tapped. I support you. I love you. But when we are dancing, WE ARE DANCING. What if someone just brought their yarn and knitting needles to practice and just started making a Christmas sweater in the middle of the studio? BLASPHEMOUS, AMIRITE? And THAT, my friends, is the point where something as harmless as a Kendama creates some Ken-drama. A respectful Kendama-mama will wait to whip out his cups and balls (heh) ‘til the post-rehearsal loiter circles in the parking lot, or at least un-strangle his neck from it before he starts dancing. Digression, but P.S., I’m starting a movement to bring yo-yos back. Yoyo Ma. Who’s with me.
7. The Yas Man
“Slay, werk, YOU BETTAAAAAAA.” It’s amazing the octaves our voices can reach when we’re saying these words, and these words only. I swear, I’ve seen windows quiver and chandeliers shake. Well, studios don’t usually have chandeliers but if they did, even Sia would run for cover at all the YASes vibrating around. I can’t hold my breath for longer than 20 seconds but I think I can hold out a “YA…..AAAAASss~” for a good minute. There’s something a little magical about these simple (and hugely us-specific) words of affirmation- when you’re giving someone props, you can be Mariah, Ariana, freaking Jessie J. And there’s THAT DANCER who is particularly generous about making people feel good; yabsolutely, The Yas Fairy is probably one of my most favorite people on a team. * Their YASes usually come with a frantic hand wave, or a few finger snaps with accompanying duck lips. And slow nods. Come to think of it, a YAS is so much more than a word- it’s a FULL BODY EXPERIENCE when you lose your sh*t while watching someone killin’ it. Ya~z.
8. The Anal Dancer
What’s this dancer’s favorite game? 21 questions! Or, 93478193074 questions. Per minute. Every rehearsal. Whether these questions are because they genuinely need assistance, or if they’re a way to passive aggressively correct someone who’s being a hot mess, (“I THINK WE NEED TO REVIEW THIS PART AHEM AHEM”) they are always on TOP of the cleaning game. “Is it zyoom, or zyOoom? Is it 45 degrees, or like… 50? So the lines are supposed to be windows, but some people aren’t using their perrripheralsssss.” Oh my goodness. I think we need dosages of this Anality, in order to look uniform on stage. That’s just called being a dancer on a team. But ANAL DANCERS need to nitpick every single little thing, even if you are just learning and hadn’t had the chance to clarify details… +10 Anal points if they “fix” something and end up NOT EVEN DOING IT RIGHT THEMSELVES.. OR if they ask questions that could be easily answered if they’d care to ACTUALLY WATCH the choreographer when they show the class, instead of practice-marking in the corner.
9. The Sweaty One
Brings 4 shirts to practice. Regrets not bringing 2 more. This guy (they’re most often guys, so I’m just gonna say “guy” for convenience) THIS GUY probably does like 6 loads of laundry every week. He walks into a humid studio / sauna and thinks “ah sh*t.” His grey shirts stay grey for maybe 3 seconds during stretching, quickly being blotted by dark bubbles of sweat, then reaching a dramatic ombre, then turning completely black within another 8 seconds. By the time we get to the arm stretches, his shirt is sticking to his body like spandex (hello nipples) and he’s dabbling away with his little towel. At the end of class, he changes quickly into shirt #3, but is still hesitant to hug anyone. Loses a lot of water weight during class. *The Sweaty One is most likely also an Actually Thirsty One as well, except HE brings his own water because I mean if you’re gonna think ahead to pack half your closet, you’re gonna think to bring some water to make up for the tsunami you’re spewing out of your geyser-pores. (Is that mean)
10. The Always Injured One
Dancing is physically demanding. And sometimes, damaging. I’m sure most of us have experienced injury or discomfort, however big or small. I’ve rolled my ankle. My neck has cramped up. I’ve bruised my butt during an impromptu shablam. But THIS DANCER… or Half Dancer, Half Team Cheerleader, is the one that’s consistently injured. Which is most likely a completely valid reason to take a break, and by no means is anyone forcing you to push your bodies past what is healthy- but I mean, they literally do not go through a single rehearsal without some sort of complaint or need to sit out. And if I, someone who literally stops dancing(/moving) for 5 days every month for …erm, woman-ly reasons, if I can call you out on that, it’s a big deal.
And now for the others…
11. The Token B-Boy
“Yeah, I struggled with choreo when I first started, haha, you guys are so good, haha, still learning ya know…” *shyly scratches head* We probably know a handful of these guys. They started out in garages and jams, ALWAYS step in and do something crazy impressive in freestyle circles, and are most likely really really cute. I don’t know what it is, but something about b-boy turned choreo dancers, or just b-boys in general- freaking adorable to me. And he probably has like shadows of abs, and that V cut muscle thingy that is revealed when he does anything upside-down. uGH. Anyways, he’s the one that casually pulls out a spin-freeze-flare-hold-idk then goes “ah man, I’m rusty!”
* Also- tricks in medleys? There’s your guy. He’ll flip his way across stage… then run off. O-moment! Wow-factor! Oh ok bye.
12. The “Technically Trained” Dancer
Sort of like the B-Boy, but a female version, in that they have an arsenal of impressive moves to sit our muggle-y, hip-hop-only asses down. Turns, leaps, legs stretching everywhere, EVERYWHERE!! They are graceful and clean but probably went through a learning curve of becoming more “grounded” for the HIP HAP world. They probably miss their old studio a lot. They probably still have a hard time with certain pieces but perform the hell out of them anyway. They probably help other girls do their hair and makeup for shows cuz they’ve been stage ready since age 6. They probably are really hot, too, but in like a classy way.
13. The Industry Star
He/She is signed with an agency. They’re amazing dancers. Phenomenal performers. Insanely talented choreographers. But, even if they don’t have a noticeable air of haughtiness surrounding them, the reality is that they are involved in dance outside of the team, in a way that’s probably more “serious.” It’s not fair to measure community vs. industry, but, IMHO, if something you love to do has the potential to be financially lucrative, you will take it very seriously. The industry star is not necessarily pretentious, but definitely more professional. Which is a quality that we can learn from- ambition is contagious! The downside is that they may be managing several schedules at once and are probably absent from a lot of rehearsals and team events.
14. The Outlier Tall Guy
Aka: Back Center Default, Designated Selfie Taker, The XL Shirt Order, Messy Arms. If you forgot your selfie stick, it’s okay- Long-Limbed Larry to the rescue! He’s a dancer who just happens to be really tall. There’s unfailingly one on every team. Like, always.
15. The Outlier Tiny Asian Girl
Again, self explanatory. Seeing as how our community is 83% Asian (so accurate), there are a lot of literal shawties on our teams. This girl, standing around 5 feet 0 inches, in size 3 shoes, really likes boba, and gets blocked in the front spots just based on their height. But they’re prob really good too.
16. The Fanboy/Fangirl
Also 2 types:
1. FOR THE TEAM
They followed the team for years. Trained. Stalked. Finally auditioned in anxious excitement, then sh*t themselves at the sight of their name on the roster. Much like the The Instagram/Facebook/Twitter Simp, but way more every day and physical in their actions. They still get nervous talking to the directors that they “can’t believe I get to share the stage with!!” They bring extra panties for choreo days. They rep their team gear nonstop and go above and beyond in the Team Model game by ordering more stuff in custom designs, out of pocket.
Okay, to be fair, I was one of these myself. So I feel ya. But I realized over the years that staying in a “Fangirl” role actually kept me from growing, because I couldn’t stop seeing myself as being a level below all the people I looked up to. I thought the things they did were out of reach, and the very act of thinking that made it true. But in reality, even if there is a range of “skill level” within a team (an arbitrary one, at that,) you are all there to grow together. Once I kinda got over my intense fangirl habits, I was able say “Ugh, you’re so dope!” to my peers, and BELIEVE IT when someone told me the same. I will always look up to certain people, but I no longer feel like I don’t deserve to be there. We’re here to inspire each other.
2. GENERAL FAN
Fan-age exists in everyone in different dosages; there are those who are full-blown ACs instead. But still, I think ALL of us are fangirls & boys (obviously we’re fans of something we like… isn’t that the definition of “a fan”?) so I won’t say much. Personally, I’m not as rampant with my video sharing and such, but I squeal & “yas” & die a little when watching and learning from my idols.
17. The Mean Girls
This is gonna sound mean, even to point out, so I’ll use my personal experiences to make it more acceptable:
EVERY year, I have SPEARHEADED a “mean girl” movement on any team. I don’t know what it is. I’m not sure if it’s healthy or normal. I just have this Regina George mentality, but not for popularity or acclaim!- for the simple purpose of uniting the girlies on the team. But FOR SURE, it’s not just me and my army of pretty b*tches. Y’all probably know who I’m talking about. You’re probably picturing a specific group of girls right now. It’s sort of weird though, because this group of “mean” girls is probably comprised of like the sweetest and most down to earth girls ever. There’s just something power-evoking about having a tight-knit group like that. I love it. Yeah.
Does anyone specific come to mind when reading this list? For me, I actually found bits of myself in a number of these descriptions. If you can relate to a character, tell us why! And if I left any major typecast out, comment below and tell us what you think about that dancer. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for our next STEEZY Original!
Is there a character we’ve left out? Leave a comment below to let us know!
