Starkk Rising Star Dance Competition Footage!

I gave it my all and I had an amazing time, I didn't win the competition but I sure as hell went out with a bang. I hope you guys enjoy this, and I got a little tired at the end but I really gave it my all in the competition. This was when I was one stepping, I'm now learning how to 2 step!

hey that's great Starkk. How did it feel doing it on stage in front of a live audience ? It's so different to doing it at home by yourself

You'll find a difference in style too, firstly the instant audience feedback, that can sometimes be a surprise and you need to think fast to pick up on the response or just let it go and continue with the routine.

You'll also find moves that work well in video with close ups get lost from a distance in the audience, so live stage moves tend to be overstated or big so people in the back row can see. Like the big move parts of your routine, they work fine from a distance.

It was a good show, well done ! I'm sure you'll agree, it's an experience like no other

It felt amazing Garry, but you know I had to be in the zone for it to look so well, there were alot of obstacles I had to overcome with this competition.

For example when I shuffled my feet squeaked and I didn't want to hear that, I just wanted to hear nothing but the music. Also it was all improv including the popping, I didn't plan for it to look that well, I just felt like I was amazing and my dancing came to life once I was feeling the music.

I was really tired at the end but I think I tried my best with what I had and people thought positively of it.

And there is nothing like that, it's a totally different environment than shuffling by yourself. Everyone is there judging you and there were even celebrity judges!

hehe yeah you get one shot at it and it has to be brilliant on demand for those few minutes. it's a big ask of anybody.

It gets better with experience, and more addictive

Wow I'm so happy Garry you have no idea! There's another event for me and this time I'm facing all kinds of acts, and the auditions and finals take place in a mall setting! I have to go up against magicians, singers, etc. Any kind of talent! And I'm really excited to blow them away.

that sounds great, take note of how the other acts prepare for the show backstage, as they get themselves into performer mode.

It usually happens as you change your street clothes for stage clothes, you take on a stage persona to psych yourself into going live.

I've worked with a lot of magicians, working on shows, making magic stage props, fixing magic stage props. I tell ya, they put themselves through hell, like when a magic trick goes wrong, everybody knows about it At least shufflers can cover up the odd dud step by making the next one really good. I had a couple of friends who worked with small black powder pyros on stage, lots of smoke and a big bang but no real power when done right, but geez when they go wrong, it's a quick trip to the hospital for the magician.

You need the experience to go through the routine of preparation for your act, you focus, do warm up exercises, listen or don't listen to the music first, all depending on your own personal routine, which you can only really create by testing different methods for yourself in lots of different live settings.

I remember one time playing in a rock band, we'd kick a ball of gaffa tape around the dressing room, just little kicks with a few of us to take our minds off the 30 minutes to go period. That for us was when the real pressure came on, vocalists would warm up their voices, guitarists warm up their hands with finger exercises, for me all my gear was on stage, so I'd pace around getting the blood flowing and start interacting with the other muso's as we'd bond as a band/crew all pumped up ready to hit the stage rockin.

The routine becomes a grounding place to get you through the inevitable rush of adrenalin and nerves as you count down the seconds to walking on stage, often to hearing the MC announce your name and polite applause from the audience, at this point you should have already commenced a period of deep breathing to enrich your oxygen levels in your blood stream and it's showtime again !

Props to you for shufflin on stage mate
It's an amazng feel to be on stage like that
Been on stage my self a couple of times, there's nothing like it

HASC - LittlePhan