Hey Dancers!
I’m back home. My feet are recovered from my 1,000+ mile walk across France and Spain and I’m ready to get into the “swing” of things at home.
Song of the Month
As promised, when I was hiking the Via Podiensis, I put my phone on shuffle. When this song popped up, I instantly missed New York City and craved a pastrami sandwich.
“Pastrami on Rye” by Chelsea Reed and the Fair Weather Five will make you crave a sandwich, too. But also, it’s a jamming song that takes you on a journey. I remember dancing to this live and loving playing with the energy shifts through the song.
“Pastrami on Rye’” by Chelsea Reed and the Fair Weather Five
Video Inspiration
When students take a dance class, there’s a pressure to make the move or routine look exactly like the instructor’s body. But, Jazz isn’t like that. The music can be weird, the solos are unique, and the song is different every time it’s played live. I found this video that is a good reminder that Jazz dancers can be as unique as Jazz itself — and don’t need to execute a step exactly like everyone else to be a good dancer.
The video is the Tranky Doo routine performed by two dancers. Alexandre McCormack from Brussels, Belgium, who has a very popular Instagram account. And I think the second dancer is Sander Costermans. They’re part of a performance group called the Old Soulz.
I love Alexandre’s message that each dancer is unique, even though they are performing the same routine. Speaking of the routine, The Tranky Doo was choreographed in the mid 1940s by Frankie Manning.
Alexandre McCormack and Sander Costermans dance the Tranky Doo.
Do you need some dance inspiration? I’m back and home for a while!
I teach private lessons online, I’m available for gigs, and I have a video feedback option. Email me to set it up or with any questions. I’m currently located in Ourense, Spain and I’m available for teaching in Europe (and anywhere in the world online).
Virtual Private lessons are via Google Meet, Zoom, or Facebook Video Chat.
Happy dancing!
Lainey