Sometimes falling behind pays off. My next video update was going to be videos from this year’s Swing/Jazz Dancing Music-Video Contest sponsored by the Seattle Vintage Jazz Dance Society. Fortunately, new blogger, Jazzpirations is on the case. This is the same contest that produced the moving “Why I Dance” video I posted previously and also the Clayzapoppin video that’s been making the rounds on people’s Facebook walls. Check out the rest of those innovative videos on Jazzpirations. This frees me up to talk about the Harlem Hot Shots' huge week. Last weekend they performed in the show “The Last Bounce” which is supposed to be the last show featuring the Stockholm based dance company Bounce. As you’ll see from the video, it was a huge arena sized show in front of thousands of people. According to the website they did five shows in front of a total of 54,000 people!
The reason the Hot Shots were part of it is probably because one of the founding members of Bounce is David Dalmo who was also a member of the Rhythm Hot Shots, the predecessor to the Harlem Hot Shots.
Old school Lindy Hoppers used to refer to David as the Lindy equivalent to Jesus back in the day. He’s a multi-time Swedish Lindy Hop Champion and one of the first World Lindy Hop Champions. Although he went on to bigger things with Bounce, you can still find him teaching at Herrang Dance Camp most summers.
Then on April 29th, the Hot Shots went head to head with hip hop crew, Streets ‘R’ Us at an event called the Oldschool Battle 2010 Round #2. This is a follow up to a similar event that was held last year. I posted one of the videos from that in my 2009 review.
The concept is pretty straight forward. Lindy Hop vs. Hip Hop. Winner takes all.
I’m only posting highlights here. There are over 20 videos from this event at http://www.youtube.com/user/susannedr. Also, if you can. Check out these great pictures on Facebook.
So who won? See the last video.
Round 1: Harlem Hot Shots-Rhythm Jam
Round 2: Harlem Hot Shots-Nagasaki
This features a routine originally done by the Four Step Brothers which I talked about in a previous post. They changed the opening to feature the Hot Shot ladies. Now there's a title you wished you had.
Round 3: Streets ‘R’ Us responds
Round 4: Harlem Hot Shots-That’s A Plenty
Round 5 Streets ‘R’ Us
Kick ass slow motion sequence and it is on!
Round 6 Harlem Hot Shots
Check out "Slick Rick" and "Stretch" taking it downtown.
Round 7 Streets ‘R’ Us Running Wild by Glenn Miller
Streets return the favor.
Round 8: Harlem Hot Shots Ladies-Lindy Hop by Lil' Hardin Armstrong
Round 11: Streets ‘R’ Us
I don't know who that dancer is, but that's killer solo.
Round 12: Harlem Hot Shots & Chicken-Salt Peanuts by Dizzy Gillespe
The Hot Shots go a little avant garde.
Round 13: Streets ‘R’ Us She’s Got The Look by Roxette
The great equalizer: 80's music.
Round 14 Harlem Hot Shots She’s Got The Look II
Round 15: Free for all-We Are The Champions
Round 16: Free for all-We Are The Champions part two
Round 17: Harlem Hot Shots-modified Big Apple
Something happens to Frida Borg at the beginning of this sequence and we don't see her for the rest of the videos. This doesn't stop the other ladies from taking up the banner.
Finale: Harlem Hot Shots-Swingin' Down by Earl Hines
Good effort but the Hot Shots look tired here.
Finale: Streets ‘R’ Us
This leaves an opening for Streets to step up too.
And the winners are . . .
Classy guy Sakarias Larsson tells us what it’s all about.
Thanks again to Susannedr for posting these videos so quickly. Don't forget to check out the other videos from this event on her YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/susannedr