Vogue Evolution: Creolo (B. Ames Mix)
I found this amasing video on YouTube of Vogue Evolution, a dance troupe that competed in Season 4 of the MTV reality series, "America's Best Dance Crew."
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Jolin Tsai - Voguing YouTube Copycats
The Honey Trap music video has inspired Jolin Tsai's fans to create their own vidéo clip versions on YouTube.
We all saw the YouTube phenomenon that happened when Beyoncé's fans made their own versions of Single Ladies, including this famous internet sensation and the one that went very, very wrong. Now, that same social media trend is happening with Jolin Tsai's new music video.
Jolin Tsai's new hit music video for Honey Trap is creating a world-wide community of fans, who have been moved to learn the voguing choreography used by Ms. Tsai's. Here are other fans, who have reinterpreted Honey Trap in the form of their own vidéo clips.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Jolin Tsai - Honey Trap
The music video "Honey Trap" by Taiwanese pop diva Jolin Tsai : ''Give me your satisfaction.''
Jolin Tsai, a pop singer from Taiwan, has released a new album called, Myself, and a sizzling music video for her equally hot song, ''Honey Trap.''
On MuuMuse, it was reported :
While the song is pure, pumping electronic goodness, the video makes the experience even better. Directed by Korean director Cha Eun Taek (which probably explains why this feels like a K-Pop music video), Tsai goes Vogue-meets-Star Trek on the set of Bad Romance in this very hip, very futuristic dance-infused visual treat. And that dance breakdown at the end? Girlllll.
''According to her Wiki page, Tsai even took lessons with 'vogue teacher' Benny Ninja of America’s Next Top Model to make sure she got those authentic hand moves down. Now that is some realness.''
The influences of the Ball community continue to reach all around the world : to Taiwan and back. It's now been over 20 years since Madonna released her music video for Vogue, and here comes an energetic Taiwanese singer, who is embracing voguing -- and making it fashionable all over again.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
It's a Flow Affair
Are you flowing ?
Flow Affair is an historic art film about the New York City flagging, fanning, and floguing dance communities. The documentary captures the passing down of a 30-year-old Greenwich Village disco dance tradition. Keep coming back for updates. Meanwhile, here is a sneak peek at the documentary :
Monday, May 18, 2009
The Heavens are joined by one more star: Octavia St. Laurent
Wonder Woman
Octavia St. Laurent Manolo Blahnik, who The New York Times called a "scintillating performer," died yesterday, May 17, 2009. Wolfgang Busch has reported that the cause of her death was cancer.
According to her Myspace page, Ms. St. Laurent was born and raised in Brooklyn. "My interests are theatrics, arts of all kinds," she wrote in her profile.
After achieving success in Harlem Ballroom competitions, Ms. St. Laurent found work signing and acting outside the Ballroom community. In the 1993 film, The Saint of Fort Washington, Ms. St. Laurent worked with Matt Dillon and Danny Glover. Much later, Ms. St. Laurent would be featured in the documentary, How Do I Look.
Ms. St. Laurent's Myspace page is dedicated to her work to increase respect for a person's sexual identity. The theme song to the television show, Wonder Woman, plays in a continuous loop, equal parts camp and seriousness: for, Ms. St. Laurent wrote in her profile, she was born a eunuch.
Earlier today, Kevin Omni released an announcement in which he wrote, in part :
I first laid eyes on Octavia as Octavia in 1982. She walked against the icons Margo Princess, Doray Princess, and she battled the likes of icon Tenneille Reid Dupree, Pamela Cartier, and others....
Octavia was a winner, she never gave up.... From 'Paris Is Burning' to The Maury Povich Show to How Do I Look, we will always treasure and remember the lifetime achiever/icon, Octavia.
A viewing has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, 2009, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the funeral home of R. Stutzman & Son, 224 - 39 Jamaica Ave Queens Village, NY 11428. Please call R. Stutzman & Son at (718) 465-3210 for more information.
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Sunday, December 14, 2008
Soundtrack and Score: Robert Urban
" Bring it to the runway -- now ! "
Robert Urban, a New York based musician and songwriter, who is also known for producing musical events and concerts, answered some of our questions about Ball culture, his contribution to the music in How Do I Look, and highlighting social issues in the arts.
Q. Thank you for agreeing to this interview. Have you been to any Balls?
A. I only learned of the How Do I Look film after Wolfgang’s documentary was already filmed (though not finished). I have not been to any Harlem balls, but I have attended several How Do I Look work-in-progress performance events that featured live performances by many of the film’s Harlem ball stars.
Q. What do you find inspiring about Ball culture?
A. First off, it’s genuinely entertaining – as all great art is. It is also a fabulous example of making a lot out of little – that is, ingenuity and inspiration. The sheer originality of the costumes, makeup, moves, attitude, etc. is staggering – especially when one considers the impoverished life circumstances that so many of the Ball culture stars come from.
Q. How does the music you write relate with the music that is played at Balls?
A. Generally speaking, it doesn’t. I compose all styles of music. My natural musical instincts are mostly rock and “classical” influenced. The music I contributed to How Do I Look is “film” music – used mainly as a background to scenes extracted out of the “live” ball runway sections of the film – scenes of people being interviewed and/or alone in daily life situations. Here and there I created or found grooves, loops that accompanied movement in the film – but much of the music that accompanied the documented live runway scenes was popular, canned “house” music from other, earlier sources.
Not all the music I provided for Wolfgang’s film was composed by myself. I hunted for and tapped, as “talent scout” to find music by other LGBT artists that I felt would fit the film.
Another aspect of my work on How Do I Look was to edit and arrange the soundtrack music. For example, the film’s theme song How Do I Look – with it’s hook line “Bring it to the runway -- now!” was composed and originally recorded elsewhere – but edited, altered and enhanced (one might say remixed) here at my URBAN PRODUCTIONS recording studio in NYC.
Q. As a producer of musical events, shows, and concerts, what do you think of the production values that go into the musical aspects of Balls? In other words, are you impressed by the work that goes into producing/staging Ball competitions? If so, what impresses you?
A. I know how much work goes into a large live-event production – especially when resources and finances are slim. There is so much cooperation between all concerned in Harlem Ball shows. Frankly, I don’t know how they do it! Even the audience seems to be in on it – Everyone pulls together to create a smash event – it reflects back on all concerned – producers – stars – audience. They all play off each other with great verve and joy.
Q. As you attended the work-in-progress screenings of How Do I Look, what were your thoughts about the evolution of Wolfgang's documentary?
A. Wolfgang really had sooooo much great footage to work with – in a way, all he had to do was to edit it cleverly… to put all the puzzle pieces together correctly. And that he did. I would see various stages of the film, and could see how he was switching scenes around, and tweeking little clips here and there.
The film really evolved when Wolfgang introduced the AIDS-education element into it – AIDS is an important social and health issue for us all – but is especially so within inner city groups, LGBT groups, African-American groups – all which include the Ball culture. The film gained a sense of gravitas. Before that is was more just artsy and fun.
Q. Could you see an "artistic progression" taking place within the artists in the film?
A. Well… how do I put it… the “stars” (or as Wolfgang lovingly refers to them as “the children”) of How Do I Look were true legends of a sort going into the film – and the same coming out. They are who they are. They didn’t so much “progress” or “evolve” as they really just deigned to allow us into their unique world. (there’s a finger snapping in the air right about here…)
In addition to his own 4 CDs (the album "godless" is available on Amazon.com), Robert Urban's work (especially as guitarist) can be heard on the recordings of many other musical artists. Mr. Urban is also an accompanist, session-musician, arranger/sound engineer and private music teacher. He supports the GLBT music community through producing/hosting Urban Productions BOLDLY Presents, the all-GLBT multi-artist live-in-concert music series (now in its 6th year). Mr. Urban is the author of a poetry collection Abominations and founder of Gay Guitarists Worldwide.
For more of our exclusive interview, please visit the Community Art Education blog.
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