Been dancing for awhile now, but am just learning the Hustle. This is just like the four count swing taught in country and western or as it's commonly known out here, the Rodeo Swing.
Ya- Its a good dance Ghostdancer because it works with contemporary music. Land your 3 basic steps on the downbeats and your rocksteps on the up beat. This is a good key to follow. This way you will keep in time with any song. People sometimes rush the step if they count without feeling the beats. Good luck. Where do you study at. Who is your instructor?
quote:Originally posted by Bob B: Ya- Its a good dance Ghostdancer because it works with contemporary music. Land your 3 basic steps on the downbeats and your rocksteps on the up beat. This is a good key to follow. This way you will keep in time with any song. People sometimes rush the step if they count without feeling the beats. Good luck. Where do you study at. Who is your instructor?
I'm learning it in a six week group class at the 5678 Dance studio in Tucson that's being taught by the owner. I'm picking up on it pretty well; like I mentioned it is like a couple of swing variations with a difference in the timing. I can use the moves I know in swing with little problem.
Check out a video of dancers/teachers like Silvana Gallagher, Arte Philips, & Maria Torres. I danced Country for about 6 years, (miss it!). Since I have been dancing Hustle I have seen many coming in doing what looks like, what we call, SWUSTLE. It resembles West Coast and East Coast. They are putting a rock step in (there is a swivel, but no rock on the "and 1"). Arte Philips and Maria Torres have two wonderful videos on Basic Hustle. Contact Hustle USA for info, I suppose. The timing is so important - do not travel, lead or go forward on that 1. (We count: and 1,2,3)
quote:Originally posted by DancewithE: Check out a video of dancers/teachers like Silvana Gallagher, Arte Philips, & Maria Torres. I danced Country for about 6 years, (miss it!). Since I have been dancing Hustle I have seen many coming in doing what looks like, what we call, SWUSTLE. It resembles West Coast and East Coast. They are putting a rock step in (there is a swivel, but no rock on the "and 1"). Arte Philips and Maria Torres have two wonderful videos on Basic Hustle. Contact Hustle USA for info, I suppose. The timing is so important - do not travel, lead or go forward on that 1. (We count: and 1,2,3)
Thanks, I'll keep those videos in mind.
Have not had a chance to dance any Hustle as the dances I go to have not played any.
Please realize that &1, 2, 3 is not the only way to count Hustle.
In the section of Brooklyn where I dance it, we do Hustle as a single and a triple. So, our count is really 1 2&3.
I guess it depends on how you were trained, and what you were taught. We discourage the &1, 2, 3 count. To us, the single triple Hustle has a much smoother flow to it.
I am not criticizing the &1, 2, 3 count (well, maybe a little), but there are other ways of doing it.
How does 1-2&-3 differ from 2-3&-1? Both have singles and triples. Is this just different way to start or do you dance the steps differently as well? BTW, I learned to dance hustle 1-2-3&.
Yes, GhostDancer- Swing Dancers make great hustle dancers- They adapt REAL fast- which brings me to "SWUSTLE" Yes DAncewithE =Good DJsa Like Nelson Paradise Roman- Bobby Morales, Johnny O, John Lindo and others rock the house with great Swustle tunes(Ones that WCS and Hustle are interchangebly danced). The leaders will usually do the basics in one or the other style- Then crossover during syncopations- I usually do my base in Hustle and LOVE running through swing variations such as swivel walks, and free spins. I notice converted Salsa dancers who incorporate salsa styling into Swustle too. Mike and Blair- Allow me to elaborate and hopefully help-clarify - I was a professional musician before I danced seriously. The thing that many of the best dancers sometimes overlook due to a lack of formal music theory training is that there is only ONE way to count in 4/4 time- and that is in 4/4 time. 1 2 3 4 -(within that count)_ 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and (within that count) 1 e and a 2 e and a 3 e and a 4 e and a ....and so on- leave some numbers out or put some in-it does not matter . Theoretically 4/4 time music is counted in a 4/4 time signature- period. The "counts" in hustle therefore incorrect- anyway its taught- theoretically- as are many other dances variations-But why is there a bit more confusion in Hustle? HERE IS THE REASON - confusion sets in on Hustle Timing "counting " or placement because 1.) The BASIC Hustle step- FINISHES in LESS than a measure in 4/4 time -unlike swing salsa chacha rhumba etc ... . 2.)The step is often started on an upbeat (rockstep) (in between 1234)- and therefore wont finish fully into the same spot in the next measure due to # 1 - LIKE most other dances do. The upbeat is a pivot step- unlike the other dances like mambo and swing where the basic pivot steps are on downbeats. Where to Start the Count? How to count? That becomes subjective- From what Ive seen in competetions - and ive seen the BEST Hustle dancers on the planet- Is that they tend to start their routines at the end of any given measure on a push off or rock step. Most of the bronze and silver competing couples will also usually begin- or at least pose prior to the start of the dance in closed position, as it looks better to the judges and audience . Whether they lead off on a rockstep or take it on a 1 2 or 3 or even count 6 into the next measure of music does not seem to matter in the scoring- so long as they look good doing it In conclusion I hope this helps -BTW I just got back from this years Hustle USA , I think i shall post a new topic on it tommorrow - as it was great this year ,
Bob, I tend to agree with your fine explanation more so than others in this thread. Hustle was the dance that eventually lead me(no pun intended)to all of the other partner dances (ballroom & latin). As an amateur musician most of my life (piano/keyboards), I struggled for years with the &123 timing of NY-style hustle. I was convinced that what was being taught in the studio was not what was being danced by my favorite club hustle dancers, and sought to find the "secret" of what was really going on. (Most) club/disco dance music is in 4/4 time, and as a very technical musician, I was determined to fit the dance of Hustle into 4 beats of music. It never worked.
It was not until many years later, after learning how to DANCE, that I learned how wrong I was. Since learning that dance is as much about movement for movement's sake, as it is about exact timing to a particular piece of music, I began to see the many things that were actually happening when viewing the best dancers. It is not only about counting rhythms, but is about many things like flow, momentum, body isolation, connection (partner dancing), and more (I am sure you folks can come up with others, as can I).
So let us qualify that when we talk about THE basic rhythm and count of Hustle, this is to give us a recognizable, reproducable, lead & follow-able, & teachable basic form of a social dance. By counting Hustle &123 we establish a standard basic count from which all basic figures are developed. Since Hustle is a dance where there (typically) is no body (ie, "hip") action to accentuate the rhythm, so it is important that the feet maintain this rhythm. All of this happens "below", while the upper body presents a smooth, flowing apprearance that corresponds with the typical (old-school) disco music. This does lead to somewhat of a paradox where you are only "on-time" every 12th measure of music after you start your Hustle. Trained musicians may have a hard time with this at first, as with 6-count swing timing. But if you allow your analytical brain to "turn off" for a while, you will find that this actually works!
Now as a social dance, Hustle does have many influences from the dances which preceded it (swing, mambo, tango, etc.) and variations may pop up. Also, when developing higher level figures or "open" choreography, there are many possibilities for "gray-areas" when it comes to timing. This can look exciting, and feel great to dance. It's all good. But they are just that - variations. Also, when social dancing, the aspect of relating to your partner may occasionally take you a bit "off time" and a little "fudge factor" to get back on track it perfectly permissible.
That being said, I have never taken any hustle instruction here on the east coast that counted anything other than &123. This includes Maria, Arte, Angel, Billy, Debra, Diane, and many, many more. Where Mr Yusim has come up with his version, I do not know. Nor do I see any benefit from it. I do not have a problem with any way he chooses to dance, or count or whatever. I do have a problem when he begins to teach something non-standard for no appreciable benefit other than promoting his (and his only) "technique". If you want to develop a dance to another level, then move upward beyond what it being done at the current highest levels. Do not tear down the foundation. When you do, you have a whole different dance. That's fine too, just don't call it Hustle.
JPelg - Yes I like to do "SWUSTLE" these days. Its better than the original IMO. On the count- You have to look around but you will find it counted differently-Diane uses that 6 count these days. Once agin- it does not matter-IMO if the foot pattern is the same- The dance is the same, it may be a variation of the same theme. Swustle for me is dancing hustle using swing and some salsa syncopations. Any song I dance Hustle to I will always try to step the steps on the downbeats within the 4/4 time- It makes it that much easier to be on time and for the ladies to follow. Where are you from?
