Styles

Okay I know this is going to sound a bit ignorant, but I keep hearing about the different shuffle styles and i was just wondering if anyone can give me some information on the different styles and what sets them apart from each other.

haha good luck, it's a difficult thing to put into text, but style of shuffling is when you've got lots 100's at least doing the same style for years, and it's so obvious that it's different.

The same applies to a personal style.

Generally it's up to those who claim a style to prove it and define the characteristics that set it apart.

You CAN'T fudge it by saying, this really isn't a style but you want people to treat it like that. It has to be loud and public and open to public examination and challenges.

When you've past all of that and shufflers have stopped arguing about it, then it gets the 'style' badge.

So when LMFAO for instance say 'this is our own style of shuffling' the first thing we say is PROVE IT, and lets have a debate about it. If you are not willing to be judged by the shuffling community to determine if your style is 'yours' and not someone you ripped off who is less well known, then you don't get the respect or credit.

Youtube comments don't count btw. Anyone can say 'oh that's not shuffling' and be a totaly ignorant twat, who's just a hater. The same as views, that's not what makes a style.

A style isn't based on opinions, it's based on elements, proven repeatable definable elements, such as the steps, the music, the clothing, the dance surface period it emerged, country it emerged in etc all these make up a style.

With beginners - under 2 years full time shuffling, it's very hard to tell your style, because for instance classical ballet takes 7 years of training, just for the basics, and much the same with tap/jazz, Irish dance etc.

These are all complex dance styles with lots to learn. So if you've had no real dance training before, chances are that it will take you at least a year to be able to just recognise actual advanced shuffling as the complex dance form it is.

So you move past the - they just look like they're jerking around, to oh they meant to do that and they did it better than last time. Then you start understanding the complexity of the dance language.

But you start by learning and recognising the steps, which is what most people judge shuffling on, but that's like a little kid learning new words. Just being able to pronounce the word correctly, is just the start of learning the language.

There's lots more but we don't overload beginners with all that straight away.

That said, what elements would people use to define a style, personal or otherwise. What measure would you use ?

I really dont know what id use to define a style, I was mostly just asking cause ive been hearing stuff about it. I personally enjoy trying to incorperate the other dances do when i shuffle. Again, for me "style" is a bit of an elusive concept.

Yeah it is elusive, it's good to learn, it'll help you recognise your own style. Your style will be something you continually develop and refine as you progress. It's part of the discovery in shuffling, seeing what works for you and finding ways of making it all work better as a whole.

When you start to recognise these things it becomes easier (usually) to enhance your style, to give it a pro look. It'll help you decide elements by giving you a guide to what 'can' work. Can meaning you're not locked into it, but if you're going for a bit of hiphop or jump, it's helpful to understand these styles as well, so people don't say, Oh you're doing it wrong. Your style needs to communicate with the audience, so they can be taken along the journey with you. They're not sitting there scratching their heads trying to figure out what's going on.

You might find a different look or type of music might suit your style best, climate will effect your style, like in Malaysia it's on the equator so the weather is a factor, you're not dancing to keep warm, it's already warm, so heavy full length phats may restrict your style, when wearing shorts will improve it, your body won't overheat as much.

So to start you do the simple obvious things such as, given the choice if you have the options availible to you, do you shuffle mostly inside or outdoors, on concrete or carpet etc.

Then what is the music you prefer, what sort of shoes, or bare feet or socks etc. All these influence your style before you even look at the footwork or arms etc.

Do you have favourite moves or 'tricks' - eg: impressive moves with spins or jumps etc.

Then it comes down to your choice of moves. Do you repeat sets of moves, shuffle stomp stomp spin etc or how do you 'phrase' your moves.

Do they always start on the same foot same move, do they always end with a particular move, some trick or spectacular end, or do you just stop wherever you feel like it.

So before we even talk about how well you perform your style, or is your style of interest to others, we've got quite a lot of elements we can start to compile to give us your unique take on all these things.

Do you wear a mask, or top with grafix ? Do these mean things to you, do you choose them over others for any reason - it's ok to have no reason, but if there is a reason, like crew logo or cultural reasons then we can get a deeper understanding of your style as well.

Simple things like do you prefer metal music tops or candee colored ones. The happy fluro colors may be worn as a contrast or against-type statement to a typically hardstyle metal look, like scary clowns.

Very often you won't even think about these as your style, but that's what makes it up all these things including your choice of hairstyle and filming style.

These are the sorts of things talent spotters will look for too. Like do you understand 'style' can you do more than one style, does your look work outside it's comfort zone etc.

As if just getting one style sorted wasn't enough hehe

my idea of "different styles"is how you grow around your style of dance,i agree with garry,its a bit hard to explain,but if you put your mind to it,its like how you place your feet and were you WANT them,how you bend your knees and want them as well,personally as a dance instructor,i see all types of styles from karate-like balance and kicks,to more loose styles,some people like to be stiff and agressive,were others just flow,some like to mix it up,others keep it standard or oldskool:)

Personally i believe that style is determined by the way the person feels and flows with the music. Not only matching the pumping of the bass with body movement but matching rhythm as well. A style can be thought about and you can plan out your next move but i think its better to not have a set of move planned out and just shuffle the way that feels natural. but just my opinion, it doesn't have to be agreed with.

I agree with rip.

Btw what do you guys feel about shuffling to lounge/electric songs? For example Clash by Caravan Palace

I like shuffling to really different and/or throwback tunes

HSQ/RIP wrote:Personally i believe that style is determined by the way the person feels and flows with the music. Not only matching the pumping of the bass with body movement but matching rhythm as well. A style can be thought about and you can plan out your next move but i think its better to not have a set of move planned out and just shuffle the way that feels natural. but just my opinion, it doesn't have to be agreed with.

Yeah that would relate to a personal style, but it's how you appear to others, rather than how you feel that determines style. It's an objective thing for everyone else, because they're not in your head when you dance, so they don't know what you're feeling.

When we talk about a collective style, like Malaysia or Russia or Melbourne, it's the same. It's how you appear to others that determines style. Others will decide, not you, it's the bulk of public opinion, right or wrong, that will slot you into a style

You are not restricted to a style, but it's helpful to understand that when you're not dancing just for yourself, you are dancing for others, like on youtube. So what others think of you is based on how well you communicate your dance to others. If you are a hardstyler, then using hardstyle elements in your dance helps communicate that to observers, because it's a language they understand.

You can do a new style, but you face the prospect of people scratching their heads, because they can't figure out what you're doing. So you have educate your public and hope there's enough interest in your dance to keep them engaged while you explain it to them. Otherwise they just click onto another youtube vid.

It's probably best to think of different shuffling genre styles, as well as personal and large communaity type styles, like that of a country or large (millions of people) town.

These will all become far more recognisable as new shufflers gravitate towards one genre or the other as a personal preference.

And this is also the time when you can create a new genre, we're not limited in shuffling to just one or the other, we can have stacks of them

Yeah you are right, the public's opinion is more than likely going to determine your style rather than what you are trying to portray.

by the way garry i love this site.

What do you think about this guy Morloxx his style?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtube_gdata_player&v=KOlRoeTjobY

He's my favorite shuffler. I love it cause it's so care free like he's just walkin down the street. No hard stomping just really slick

I can understand why he is your favorite, my personal preference is hardstyle with deep heavy bass

Yep both are definetly cool

But the music that he is shuffling to is more relaxed and youre able to get more body movement into the dancing.

Yeah I think they actually call the genre of music chill out haha

Well the name suits the music haha why not right ? lol

Exactly haha and yeah I added you as a friend

Ive been trying to find different kinds of music to shuffle to, been liking the more relaxed stuff but as the same time i like the hard bass.

Cool same

How long have you been shuffling ?

2.5 months now. I'm not too good :/