Dance Styles

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Vogue 101 | Javier Ninja Discusses “What Is Vogue?” [Video]

Posted by Jasmine McGee ⋅ January 22, 2013 ⋅ Leave a Comment

If there is one thing I wish I knew how to do, that thing would be vogueing. Man, I so wish I knew how to vogue! I mean, I think I could learn, but I’m always so in the moment and then I’m like “oh shoot, I should have watched YouTube and learned some basic vogue moves.” Well maybe this year, I will learn how to vogue. But there is so much to learn, but luckily Javier Ninja shows us how it’s done.

From the legendary House of Ninja, which is iconically associated with the legend Willi Ninja, the fabulous Javier Ninja is known for his insane vogueing skills. Simply type his name in YouTube and you’ll be amazed by what you see; perhaps fits of jealousy will settle in. Argh, I want to vogue! But in order to truly learn how to vogue, you have to understand what vogue is.

There is an art form behind vogue and their are so many different styles (new, old, waacking, etc) and Javier Ninja took some time out at Waackfest 2011 to discuss all things vogue. It’s a great Vogue 101 for those who love vogue culture or those who want to learn more. Either way, watch it! Javier Ninja is fabulous!

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Classic House | Donnie Mark – “Stand Up for The Soul”

Posted by Jasmine McGee ⋅ December 22, 2011 ⋅ 8 Comments

Some house tracks have such a spiritual vibe to them. Even if it’s not gospel house, a track can still have this soulful spiritual vibe that gets you into the zone. It’s just something about the soulful vocals that have you singing high praises and shouting hallelujah!

If you’ve got a house track and add the vocals of Barbara Tucker, Kathy Brown, Jocelyn Brown, or Martha Wash, then it’s bound to have this gospel vibe to it. All those leading ladies of house have had there fair share of time being on tracks that are solemnly gospel, so it’s no surprise that that spiritual vibe carries over onto their house tracks. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve cried on Barbara Tucker’s “Most Precious Love.” Man, now that song right their is a revival! Honestly that song is perhaps one of my favorite songs (I’ll post it), along with “Inspiration” by Arnold Jarvis.

Some songs may not feature the big divas of house, but they are still classic tracks. One of those classic spiritual tracks is “Stand Up for The Soul” by Donnie Mark. The track originally came out 1993 on Simply Soul/Submerge Records. It’s one of those tracks you might not have heard unless you’re a major house music junkie and studied the history of house (unless you were alive in that era.) Sadly enough I’m only 20 and wasn’t alive during the days of the Paradise Garage, so my experience with house has been research, research, and appreciation. My constant researching is what makes me such a lover of house music, and I’m so happy when I run across classic tracks such as “Stand Up for The Soul.”

The track is so uplifting. You literally want to just “stand up for the soul.” It’s a song that you want to listen to when hanging out with your friends or dancing with strangers a club, and the soulful sounds of house serenade your body. Everybody just has to come together for the love of house, for the of the spirit, and for the love of the soul. It’s house music baby. You can’t resist it, it’s a spiritual thang. So don’t let the worries of the day stress you out. The weekend is almost here, you’re alive and well, and at the end of the day you’ve just got to stand up for the feeling, the soul, and for the love of house music. Yeah, now that’s deep…..

©Jasmine McGee.ThinkSoul25. http://thinksoul25.com

An Insanely Dope House Track: “Race of Survival” (thinksoul25.com)
Deep House: Aki Bergen ft. Carmen Sherry – “Into My Soul (Spiritchaser Remix)” (thinksoul25.com)
Monday R&B & Soul Vibes (thinksoul25.com)
The Joyful Sounds of House (thinksoul25.com)
Morning House Vibes (thinksoul25.com)
Soulful House: Stephanie Cooke & Diephuis ft. Han Litz – “Beautiful Life” (thinksoul25.com)
90s Deep House: Eddie Perez aka Mentalinstrum (thinksoul25.com)

Check Out Mary J. Blige’s “25/8″ Music Video, Jamile McGee Is in It!

Posted by Jasmine McGee ⋅ October 29, 2011 ⋅ 1 Comment

Good afternoon!

It’s a wet and snowy day here in Maryland, but I plan on spending the day inside playing Battlefield 3( love the online play and amazing graphics) and doing some school work as well. I know a few weeks ago I posted information about my brother, dancer and choreographer Jamile McGee dancing with Gloria Estefan on The View, but he was also on The Rosie Show and Jay Leno. He did a great job performing and had a lot of fun working with Gloria and the other dancers, but I also forgot to mention that while he was in New York tapping on The View, he had gotten a direct hire to dance in Mary J. Blige’s video “25/8″.

Through out most of his dance career after making it big on season 1 of So You Think You Can Dance?, Jamz (Jamile) has had the opportunity to work with many great artists and appear in their music videos, as well as commercial, television, and tour work. He’s met some pretty cool people, but he did say that Mary J. Blige was very nice and so down to earth. Her new song “25/8″ is such a great song and the video features some pretty nice dance scenes as well. I’m so proud of Jamz for being such an amazing dancer and showing people that you can make a career out of dance, you just have to believe in yourself, and being insanely talented doesn’t hurt either.

Check out the video below! You can see Jamile in some of the dance scenes. At one point he’s in front on the ground next to Mary J. Blige and she pushes his head back with her hand. I love how she looks in this video, so powerful, confident, and just doing her thing!

Mary J. Blige – 25/8

A Must See: Jamile McGee Dancing on The View w/ Gloria Estefan (thinksoul25.com)

Boogie Down: Gigamesh “When You’re Dancing” [Cassian Remix]

Posted by Jasmine McGee ⋅ October 11, 2011 ⋅ 2 Comments

Gigamesh “When You’re Dancing” [Cassian Remix]

Whenever I hear Gigamesh is coming out with a new track I get goosebumps all over my body! Every track that Gigamesh produces is bound to get me up and dancing. Well, a lot of music gets me up and dancing, but Gigamesh has a lot of tracks that have that “boogie down” vibe.

I first heard him about awhile ago while jamming to Foster the People “Pumped Up Kicks (Gigamesh Remix).” He’s this producer from Minneapolis, MN and his latest track “When You’re Dancing” has been making its way throughout the podcast circuits. I’ve heard it on a few different podcasts so far and I figured I might as well go ahead and share it with you guys.

The track features Induce, and the remix by Cassian is funky! The song reminds me of a funky Chromeo beat, but a lot subtler. I feel as though I’m in the disco era and stepping out onto the dance-floor. It just makes me want to strut my stuff and tastefully flirt with some hotties tearing it up on the floor.

Yet not everyone on the dance-floor is a hottie, but there are those guys that may not be a dime but they sure know how to have a good time. I can just imagine what it would be a club like in the scene from A Night at the Roxbury. Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell were so hilarious in that movie! All they wanted to do was go to the hottest club, show off, and hopefully snag a couple of ladies. What makes that movie so funny is the fact they think they are so cool, but in actuality they are just a bunch of goofballs; but those goofballs sure livened up the club.

Every club needs a few folks like that to just pump up the crowd and add a silly vibe to the night. I can’t stand going on and trying to get my “boogie” on when everyone is so uppity and acting like it’s a fashion show. Dude, clubbing should be like Paradise Garage and Soul Train; there shouldn’t be a bunch of unspoken social rules and hating. That’s why I love house music and dance music; nobody cares what you’re doing, it’s all in the name of good-fun-music!