With the 4th of July just past, I am reminded that as bad as we may things are these days, the United States as served as an exemplar other people have sought to emulate.
I use that as a really weak pretext and segue to recall a video I posted some years back of an excerpt from the documentary Detours – An Experimental Dance Collaboration.
As I posted, the documentary:
alternates between B-Boy and dance/movements that preceded and inspired them from ethnic dancing, martial arts and films. Some of the sources have been obvious, but it was intriguing to see some of the more obscure origins of some of the moves.
While B-Boy dance has always been impressive to watch, viewing this video segment has increased it in my estimation as integrating that which is best of human physical expression.
Be warned there Strong Language in Interview Section at Start and End. But I think the guy at the start says it best when he notes no one has made up a single new move, “All we are doing is manifesting shit at a different time.”
About 4 years after Detours came out, Kirby Ferguson released his excellent series, Everything’s A Remix which delves into the concept a bit deeper.