This week, we're kicking off a new series on innovations happening inside the street dance community, either in LA or around the world. Many of these discoveries are coming from personal observations or word-of-mouth passed around within our community. These innovations could be in the area of technique, approach, use of dance, historical significance, or cultural context. So, we're spreading the net very wide as we touch on different topics. Today, we're sharing a video clip of popper Jsmooth talking about his creation of a new style of finger tutting - Transformer style. Check out the clip here:
Many poppers in LA and across the world know that Jsmooth has popularized finger tutting through demonstrating it during international competitions like Juste Debout and U.K. BBoy Championships. He also showcased a set during the recent TED conference in Long Beach, causing Dance Spirit Magazine to refer to his movements as that of a "master puppeteer." Few other poppers in the scene have had as high of a profile as Jsmooth when displaying this style, so it's significant that he is naming a style and owning it. It's as if he's taking familiar pantomime hand movements and bringing a new level of articulation and complexity to them. For poppers, there is now a new level of detail added to their dance - primarily in the fingers of their hands. In 2008, finger tutting was all the rage in the online dance community. Now, it's evolved. Jsmooth's description of imagining panels that open, build, and close like a Transformer is an inspiring concept that proves you can find the kernel of a great idea anywhere.
Its crazy because most people who finger tut are doin sets, thats why it looks so complicated. J-smooth has a philosophy, and its just creativety to the max. Its sick what some dancers can do in terms of creativity.
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