Berlin Blues Explosion – 2012 Sequel

What happened, Berlin Blues Explosion? We got off to such a great start last year. I gave you a rousing two thumbs up and strongly complimented the European Blues scene. One year has passed and the honeymoon is over.

BBE, the sequel, brought more instructors, more class tracks, and more dancers. There were new solo and partnered camps, new venues, and new DJs. The potential for awesomeness was there, but why were you more Hangover 2 than The Dark Knight?

My bout with food poisoning or its violent equivalent did not help matters Wednesday before the event, but I was already experiencing discomfort before the event. I felt ill prepared and unsure of some organization elements. What was emphasized – trust in Claudia.

Along with organizational matters, I was also concerned with the blues dancing. Berlin Blues Explosion is billed as Europe’s largest blues dancing event and its emphasized to us instructors that: “We are an authentic blues event…. The material that you deliver here at this festival will filter through almost every nook and cranny of the European blues community in the twelve months following and even after that. Please give consideration to your material and ask yourselves if it is relevant/appropriate to the growth of the community in its current state.” I stress over these things because I don’t consider myself a blues dancer. I dance blues, enjoy the music and culture, but I’m a lindy hopper first, blues dancer second, a dancer overall. Stress just means that I’ll be uber-prepared for classes. However, there was also much recent debate and in-depth analysis about blues, the blues aesthetic and what isn’t blues happening on Facebook’s International Blues Dancers forum.

Malcolm Gladwell, author of Blink, writes: “In the act of tearing something apart, we lose its meaning.” Blues dancing, for me, encompasses a wide range of emotion and dance expression. It is danced to music ranging from Egyptian Fantasy by Sidney Bechet to Big Ovaries, Baby by Gaye Adegbalola (Louise’s new favorite song). It has a particular aesthetic that is captured when dancing musically to appropriate music. Blues dancing can be danced big or small. It can borrow elements from other dances if it keeps the aesthetic.

Louise and I finally met via Skype. We discussed my recent complaints and frustrations with blues, but decided that we would focus on what we do best- Offer a variety of fun material for blues dancers, focus on the dancing, play lots of music, and have a  good professional time. We succeeded.

Down to business. Why didn’t I enjoy BBE 2012?

1. The Music. Last year, the DJs were specifically asked to keep high energy during the beginning of the night. This year seemed to be much slower and had less energy throughout. How could I give my energy to music that wasn’t giving any to me?

2. The Competing Dancers. This year I watched the J&J finals and judged prelims and finals for the Strictly and Solo comps. I will speak later about judging, so I will focus on the J&J, since I didn’t judge it. I was disappointed to see small dancers and uneven partnerships. People danced tighter and smaller, sometimes these choices seemed anti-musical. Very rarely did both people in the partnership bring it. Where were your voices?

3. The Judging. I only judged Sunday, since Chris thought I was too ill to judge Saturday. Several of my “no’s” made Strictly finals. The winning Strictly couple were my 4th place. The Solo top 3 were my bottom top 3. All of this is fine. That is why many people use the natural break when scoring prelims and relative placement for finals. I hope the placement sheets get posted, so I can contrast my judging to the other judges and the final placements. (If you read this and see my scoresheets, feel free to contact me with questions). Clearly, I have different values as a blues competition judge, so let me explain what I look for. 4 people outside the prelims competition asked me, so I will attempt a recap.

A. Musicality. I want to see the dancers capture the mood and feeling of the music. This is a matter of me going “yeah, you go!” or “what the ….”

B. Lines and Posture. Since it’s a competition, I want the dance to look good. It can feel as good as possible, but if it looks bad, I will score you lower. This means a good pulse, neutral spine especially head and neck lines, finishing movements with your arms and legs. If you hit a pose, HIT the POSE!

C. Blues Aesthetic. What does this mean? I honestly have difficulty putting this into words. I know it when I see it, but that doesn’t help the reader. Athletic, grounded posture; dancing from your core; relaxed, even pulse; soulful dancer; movement rooted in jazz/blues. Take that as you will.

D. Variety of Movement. I want to know how skilled you are. Can you lead from different connection points, execute position and embrace transitions, include your partner into your solo movement, and be musical with your choices?

E. Appropriate Dress. If you made finals, dress like it. Certain clothing choices will either detract or improve the look of your dance.

Finally, I don’t judge the first all skate. I do judge the spotlights. If there is a final all skate, I will use this for tie-breakers. Otherwise, my goal is place you during your spotlights.

4. No Statements. I think dancers are afraid now. You’re looking to these teachers for definitions and dancing within their constructs. Let me address some issues.

A. Blues is sexy. It’s also depressing, funny, minimalistic, angry, sad, shocking, sensual, and more.

B. Blues is not just close embrace. It’s open, perpendicular, side by side, back to front (his or her), and breakaway. Any others I missed?

C. If you were not born into a blues tradition, you can create your own tradition. That’s what I loved about BBE last year. The Europeans were daring, making statements, and not pigeonholing themselves into someone else’s strict definition.

D. And we’re still learning about blues. We need more teachers and events to publish their materials online and tag appropriately so people can find this material better.

Overall, knowing all the competition results, I was dazed. Congratulations that you won and finished top 3, etc. Will European blues dancers look at these results and modify their dancing to win or will they continue developing and searching for their personal style. I encourage the latter. Find you.