As most of those who read my entries (yes, I know there aren't many lately) should know that I have a dance show around this time of the year.
This year it'll be on May 1st & 2nd as well as on May 16th but today I don't want to talk about this.

I would like to introduce some work done by a friend of mine during her free time.
Please, do not hesitate to comment on this entry or to bring other people to this entry. I will forward all feedback to her.

First here are a few of her photography work.



Next to photography she's also creating some hair accessories




And she's also doing some modeling next to it.

For those of you who would like to see more of her work, you'll find more of her photography work on: http://substitut.deviantart.com/


Once again, as I know that there are a lot of people with interest in those arts on AnD, please, feel free to comment.

2 weeks ago, on March 7th, The Juste Debout 2010  International dance battle took place in Paris.

Like last year, I took a train to Paris early morning and came back to Brussels on the next Day.
This year, I didn't met with many other people from Belgium (except for my house teacher and former hip hop teacher) ADN who was entering the competition (after qualifying in Italy).

On the other hand, I watched the whole show with AnD's official artist StyleRene and her friend.

I was also able to meet some of my Japanese teachers Shuho, Hyrossi, Shingo and a few other Japanese dancers.

The event went very well as far as organization was concerned! the battle ended around at 10:30pm (unlike last year were it ended at 1 pm).
Great work from the DJs with a better choice of music than last year.
This year I would say that the top categories were house dance and locking.
(especially as personally I though that they deserved victory. My teacher ADN and another Belgian Dancer named Karim Flex lost also in quarter final.
The Best 4's team were OG and Adnan (last year's winners) and 3 French teams all members of the same crew, Serial Stepperz (same crew as my teacher)
This year the big surprise was Chinese lockers (China was for the first year on the qualifiers tour) and the Chinese lockers ended up winning the locking category. A well deserved title if you ask me they were awesome. (and defeated Japan's famous Hilti & Bosch in the first round).

Hip hop was ok, and the winners had probably less technique but so much groove that they deserved their victory.
One thing to add is that Undercover, Ibrahim from Belgium and Laura from Paris, made it to the semi finals.

Popping level was OK. Awesome performance again from Salah and Pepito (yes, together).
nice performance of the chinese team too. As well as Japan's KITE & Madoka but the winners were French (Dey Dey & Nelson)

House dance's level was also really good. I'm a bit sad that Shuho and Hyrossi lost in quarter final


Results (copied from Juste Debout's official website):

Popping: Nelson et Dey Dey ( FRance)
HIP HOP: Niki and Marta ( Sweden)
House: Yugson and Malcolm ( FRance)
Locking : Bing Bing and YA ( CHINA)
Expérimental : Skorpion ( France)
Top ROCK : YNOT ( USA NY)

some videos available here: http://canalstreet.canalplus.fr/tendances/juste-debout-2010

Wow, I didn't realize that I haven't blogged since October.

Anyway, last week was awesome.

First He Jing De came to Belgium for a 9 days seminar. As I had to work, I could only follow about 3 days of class but still I really enjoyed. Of course, it confirmed what I already knew my stances sucks and I have lost a lot of my flexibility. Those were far from great in the first place but at least they were OK. Anyway, that only means that I'll have to focus on that from now on.

Also, Mr. Wiggles form Electric Boogaloos (LA) and Rock Steady Crew (NY) and Ynot from Rock Steady Crew (NY) came to Belgium for a 2 days workshop in popping and top rocking. As it was at the same time as He Jing De's seminar and as schedule for the second day was not ideal for me, I only followed the first day. After two hours of wushu in the morning

Those 2 classes were just awesome. They mostly focus on basics but with so much details/input/history (who knows about the one in funk music?) that you learn a lot in 2 hours. Mr. Wiggles was the first person I had learn popping from (I believe there was an entry about last year's workshop). And each time, I feel like I'm learning more than I would in 3 month of a usual popping class (which I'm not able to folow as most of them have schedule that doesn't suit me).
Also as since October, I've been able to learn popping from guys like Fishboy, Jr. Boogaloo, Madoka and, of course, KITE it was even more interesting than the first workshop.

A video recommended by Mr. Wiggles:

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHE6hZU72A4

The main Event of Juste Debout will be on march 7th so I'll be going to Paris on that day.

Discussion about Japanese anime/manga and manga arose quite a few time during the last 2 weeks and as a friend just posted a video that brought me back to my childhood on facebook I though I would do this entry. (as most of my stay is anyway related to dance it's not that interesting to blog about and I will probably just make one or 2 entries about the trip later)

So let's go through a few French themes for some well known anime (at least in France, as some like Saint Seiya seems kinda unknow to youngest Japanese).
If now most anime use the original Japanese songs that wasn't the case about 15 years ago when I was looking at those anime's on Wednesday afternoon/during the week-end.
Most of the times names were changed too

Nicky Larson (City Hunter)

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlbEzMft6IY

Some facts:
-Ryo Saeba is called Nicky Larson in French.
-All Host clubs, bars,... are referenced as vegetarian restaurants (so Shinjuku must be the place in the woirld with most vegetarian restaurants in the world )
-The bad guys only have 3 names: Robert, Roger and Raoul.


Olive et Tom (Captain Tsubasa)

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcWzBiwsPy8&feature=related

Tsubasa is here called Olivier Aton
As for Tom it's actually the goalkeeper that actually  disappear quite fast and if I'm not mistaken doesn't appear that often.

Les chevaliers du Zodiaques (Saint Seiya) (1st theme)

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USiBtiqjM4o&feature=related

 Ranma 1/2

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAEh4bm-t94&feature=related

Ranma is the only one to keep is original name. Akane becomes Adeline,....

Bioman (super Sentai season whatever, if I'm not mistaken)
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k42ZDTmu4oQ&feature=related

Theo ou la batte de la victoire (Touch)


Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTnY8Dz3Aiw&feature=related

Juliette, Je t'aime (Maison Ikkoku)

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-98nh5Ejt4

And last (for this entry, but not least) Goldorak UFOロボ グレンダイザー

first theme
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOO3LgzXdYg&NR=1

second theme

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaSYv2FXoyY&feature=related

There are tons of others but I'm going to stop there

Not much to say about today.

I went to Noa dance academy today too but the studio in Meguro-ku (not the one in Ikebukuro like yesterday).

Original plan was to go to Tatsuo's advanced class and then Hiro's beginner class.
Looking at the schedule I though it would be good to do one more class earlier (which I'm planning from next week anyway) so that I would start with a beginner class. But I was too late so I just walk around in Shibuya and then Meguro.

Tatsuo's class was a killer. It's been months since I've been to a house dance class and couldn't go further than the first few steps.
Class starts with some stretching followed by 10 dolphins (10 each leg, of course). For those who don't know (most of you I guess). The dolphin is a house move where you kinda do a (waved) pushup but with but with one leg up.

You can see Tatsuo, himself, doing it here.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNXSRJukRFI

Followed by crossing the studio with what I'll describe a bouncing duck walking :p
You can see what it is, here around 2:57
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQt5dxBXV0s

Then the class began. First exercise was ok. Then we start the real routine. And I'm quickly lost (unlike most other students). Same move with lots of variation first then some easy stuffs and end with lots of power moves.
That was an awesome class to get move to work on, ... but really difficult at the time as I was lost too quickly (unlike popping's advanced lesson which was OK most of the time, and I'm a house dancer not a popper).

Second class was Umeno's beginner class (as Hiro seems to be in Russia or something). That was a lot more easy and perfect to work on style (though it was a bit too crowded and I was more focusing on not hitting someone or the wall instead of looking at myself in the mirror)