I graduated from high school in 1981 and had the privilege of having older siblings who graduated in the early 70’s. So, I had the advantage of genres of music spanning over a large portion of time. Then to add to the mix, my father played “Country & Western” music. No not Country music or Country Rock which is known today as Country. I mean Country & Western, such as, Gene Autry, Johnny Cash, Roy Clark, Merle Haggard, Kitty Wells, Conway Twitty, Hank Williams (not Jr), Jim Reeves, Roy Rodgers, Ernest Tubb, Hank Snow, Grandpa Jones and many more. So between the Country music, Elvis Presley, Monkees, Beach Boys, Beatles and all the Rock & Roll singers, I had great musical influences from my family.
Then, I had to switch it up, entering my high school years I was intrigued by the fast pace and beat jumping music of disco. Disco is a style of dance music which took the world by storm around 1972 and reached its peak around 1979 just in time for me to experience the excitement. If you loved to dance and listen to Disco, it was a part of your life. Forget the downloads of today's music - this is the real deal, it was Disco and we all loved the Disco era. While I can't go back to those days dancing the Hustle at the Disco inferno, and re-live my favorite Saturday Night Fever with the Bee Gees.
I am able to walk into my kitchen, and witness the new generation of music craze. But then again, is it just history repeating itself with a new label or is it really “New”. As I see myself in the images of my middle son getting all caught up by the electronic music. Where he shuffles on hardwood floors which is great for the sliding and stomping style of dance. I watch him mimic the “running man”, “robot” or currently known as "popping", “moonwalk”, “sidewinding”, “break dancing” with the “four on the floor” beat. His moves or shuffles are free styling patterned dance. Hey, just a second… is that Disco he is doing? Or is it the evolution of Funk, Techno and Hip-Hop. Not sure what it is but he call it, the Melbourne Shuffle. This style of dance, originating in the late 1980s in the Melbourne Australia in the underground scene. The movements are typical jazz dance steps incorporated with a modern twist. It’s a combination of fast footwork by sliding, shuffling on the spot, and in a triangular pattern with a very energetic step. There are 5 basic moves: the running man, shuffle, slides, spins and kicks. Then you add in the miming, popping, locking, liquiding, running man and breaking to get the modern rave dance called “Hard Style Dance”. This phenomenon gives this generation of dancers an opportunity for competition or show off their style which being creative as an individual style representing their own personality. This Hardstyle music genre is beating in my kitchen today… as I did in my bedroom in front of my full-length mirror 30 years ago.
So, is history repeating its self or is the New Rage something completely different. I feel this is just revolving, that the music behind us influences and molds into modern time. It’s fun to watch my son, as he spins, shuffles and collapse to the chair with exhaustion. Now it’s the next step… getting the clothes to go with the dance. Yup, you guessed it; fashion styles also repeat themselves too. Do you remember the “Parachute Pants”, “Jumpsuits”, “Phat Pants” or “Baggies”? Well then you know what I am referring to, but now they are “Rave Pants”… same style just different fabric and embellishments.
Its fun growing old, cuz I can watch our children repeat our fads but with a different twist. So “Rock On”, “Gnarly Dude!”, “That's Lame” to “I got skillz”, “that’s tight”, and “chill”. So, parents out there in the same situation… enjoy and keep smiling… and think how your parents thought about you!
Then, I had to switch it up, entering my high school years I was intrigued by the fast pace and beat jumping music of disco. Disco is a style of dance music which took the world by storm around 1972 and reached its peak around 1979 just in time for me to experience the excitement. If you loved to dance and listen to Disco, it was a part of your life. Forget the downloads of today's music - this is the real deal, it was Disco and we all loved the Disco era. While I can't go back to those days dancing the Hustle at the Disco inferno, and re-live my favorite Saturday Night Fever with the Bee Gees.
I am able to walk into my kitchen, and witness the new generation of music craze. But then again, is it just history repeating itself with a new label or is it really “New”. As I see myself in the images of my middle son getting all caught up by the electronic music. Where he shuffles on hardwood floors which is great for the sliding and stomping style of dance. I watch him mimic the “running man”, “robot” or currently known as "popping", “moonwalk”, “sidewinding”, “break dancing” with the “four on the floor” beat. His moves or shuffles are free styling patterned dance. Hey, just a second… is that Disco he is doing? Or is it the evolution of Funk, Techno and Hip-Hop. Not sure what it is but he call it, the Melbourne Shuffle. This style of dance, originating in the late 1980s in the Melbourne Australia in the underground scene. The movements are typical jazz dance steps incorporated with a modern twist. It’s a combination of fast footwork by sliding, shuffling on the spot, and in a triangular pattern with a very energetic step. There are 5 basic moves: the running man, shuffle, slides, spins and kicks. Then you add in the miming, popping, locking, liquiding, running man and breaking to get the modern rave dance called “Hard Style Dance”. This phenomenon gives this generation of dancers an opportunity for competition or show off their style which being creative as an individual style representing their own personality. This Hardstyle music genre is beating in my kitchen today… as I did in my bedroom in front of my full-length mirror 30 years ago.
So, is history repeating its self or is the New Rage something completely different. I feel this is just revolving, that the music behind us influences and molds into modern time. It’s fun to watch my son, as he spins, shuffles and collapse to the chair with exhaustion. Now it’s the next step… getting the clothes to go with the dance. Yup, you guessed it; fashion styles also repeat themselves too. Do you remember the “Parachute Pants”, “Jumpsuits”, “Phat Pants” or “Baggies”? Well then you know what I am referring to, but now they are “Rave Pants”… same style just different fabric and embellishments.
Its fun growing old, cuz I can watch our children repeat our fads but with a different twist. So “Rock On”, “Gnarly Dude!”, “That's Lame” to “I got skillz”, “that’s tight”, and “chill”. So, parents out there in the same situation… enjoy and keep smiling… and think how your parents thought about you!
