Welcome to United We Dance
Welcome to United We Dance, your monthly digital fix for all things dance!
Each issue, we’ll be bringing you dance news, faculty interviews, features, exclusive choreo tutorials, and United We Dance news from across the World!
In this month’s issue, to tie in with our upcoming UDO World Championships, we’re going global, giving you a variety of features including: working abroad as a dancer, training for #UDOWorlds, a tutorial on viral dance craze #LevelUpChallenge, an interview with top US choreographer Sean Green and plenty more!
Take a scroll through ..
Contents:
- UDO News
- Competition Time #RoadtoWorlds
- Dance News
- Cristina Pinheiro .. on the UDO World Championships
- Tutorial Time .. #LevelUpChallenge
- Going Global .. a feature on dancing internationally
- An interview with .. Sean Green
- Review .. Hamilton West End
- UDO World’s Look Book
- Meet the Charity .. UDOIT! Dance Foundation
- Upcoming Events
- UDO Partnerships
UDO News
The countdown to #UDOWorlds 2018 is on..
Here at UDO, the countdown for the World Street Dance Championships is well and truly on! With crews from all over the world heading to Glasgow, we cannot wait to finally get to the biggest and most prestigious competition of the year.
The global reach of the World Championship event promises to be bigger than ever, with dancers from over 35 countries and 5 continents in attendance.
Most importantly, we are so thrilled to offer dancers the opportunity to learn from such an international experience.
Workshop Weekend Passes: on sale now!
Workshop Weekend tickets have been announced, allowing non competitors to take over 20 inspiring dance workshops with the most renowned choreographers.
Throughout the weekend, workshops will be taking place in a range of dance styles -from locking, popping, waacking fusion, hip hop, choreo styles and more, in beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.
What’s more, you can have access to the whole weekend competition and catch a special dance variety performance from 2009 Britain's Got Talent finalists - Flawless - on the Friday night.
Dancers don't forget you will have access to these workshops in your ticket too!
Whats not to love?
Watch the event live!
Live streaming will take place throughout the World Championship event. You can watch your friends and family representing your country in the Friday night opening ceremony, going head to head in the Saturday night battles, and competing for World Championship titles and glory in selected Sunday finals.
The live stream schedule will be released on our social media pages soon, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for this announcement.
#RoadtoWorlds Competition
We have also announced an exclusive UDO World Championship competiton, #RoadtoWorlds! Head to page 3 to find out more.
UDO goes 2.0
We’re spicing up our events!
Following your feedback over the past year and from our recent survey, we are delighted to be introducing the UDO 2.0 Championships, coming to the UK 2018/2019 competition calendar.
We have revamped a handful of our Regional Championships to introduce two new categories: SuperCrew and Quad qualifiers, which will form the UDO 2.0 Championships.
What's a SuperCrew category you ask?
The SuperCrew category is formed from teams of 18 - 40 dancers performing to their chosen music. This category will allow dancers to truly showcase their creativity and synchronicity as a crew! #SuperSquadGoals
We’ve got the ever so smooth MC Dwayne to tell you a little more ..
We will also be adding in plenty of UDO faculty-led workshops across our UDO 2.0 Championships next year. You can find out more by heading to the link below:
Do you live outside of the UK? Don’t worry, our brand new SuperCrew category will be coming to you! Keep an eye out for more details in the coming months.
Qualifiers announced for UDO North America
It wouldn't be a North American Championships without our incredible dancers from Mexico, Canada and the Carribean!
UDO North America are therefore delighted to announce 2 new qualifying events in Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
The Furia Urbana Championships will be held on the 15th - 16th September in the Dominican Republic. Sean Green (our faculty interviewee this month) will be judging and teaching a workshop, and the top crews will qualify to represent the Dominican Republic in Orlando, Florida.
Enjoy the Dance Grand National, a qualifier for dancers from Mexico, will be held this October 27th - 28th in Acapulco. We will also be qualifying the top teams from this event to head to Florida for the North American Championships.
Follow UDO North America on their Facebook & Instagram page to stay up to date!
Judging faculty revealed for the UDO Asia Pacific Street Dance Championships
The judging faculty has started to be revealed for the inaugural UDO Asia Pacific Championships! The first two have been the UK's Gemma Hoddy, and South Korea's Jay Kim. Who will be next? Keep your eyes on the UDO Asia Pacific social media to find out...
Competition time..
#RoadtoWorlds
What's your #RoadtoWorlds journey?
With #UDOWorlds less than 20 days away, we want to hear about your team's journey to the UDO World Championships.
How have you been preparing? How has your journey been so far? What moves will you be bringing to the floor? What are your training rituals? Just how excited are your team?
Tell us, and you could win an exclusive interview for your team at the World Championships, a social takeover on the UDO street dance pages, PLUS World Championship goody bags for the whole team!
To enter, simply share a video that represents your team's journey to Worlds (for example, a video of a routine you're working on, how you preparing) tag us and include #RoadtoWorlds in the caption.
You can be as creative as possible! The winners will be announced on Monday 20th August.
Good luck!
Dance News
We’ve dedicated this month’s dance news to our top 4 YouTube choreographers from across the globe!
Nowadays, the million-mile-an-hour world of Instagram and YouTube is the place to be posting your dance videos.
Dancers get followers, exposure, and can even gain work from their YouTube presence. John Legend’s recent film Breaking Through dealt with this contemporary phenomenon, and we wanted in on the action. We give you our top 5 YouTube dance accounts - all featured on our UDO Loves playlist - that any fan of street, hip hop, and commercial dance needs to be following.
Erica Klein @Erica_Klein
Instagram sensation Erica has been posting videos since 2013. After a couple of shaky dance class videos, she began to post her competition solos, featuring her own choreography. Since then, her channel – and career – have exploded; she is now a regular feature at Hollywood’s premier studio Millenium Dance Complex (@mcdance). Her own choreo blends her contemporary training with commercial, popping and locking, giving her choreography a unique strength and flow. Her page now boasts collaborations, solos, vlogs, combos and classes.
Sabrina Lonis @sabrinalonis
A Parisian choréographe, Sabrina posts a wide range of videos, from contemporary routines shot in the streets of the French capital, to studio-based hip hop sequences. She has choreographed for shows like Got to Dance, France’s Got Talent, and Shake it Up. Her recent uploads feature pop hits, and are mainly street or contemporary routines taught in trios. Elle est vraiment douée.
Brian Esperon @besperon
Competitive dancer and choreographer Brian makes slick, stylish videos. He often features crews, rather than the trios we see in many trending dance videos. His choice gives him an edge in the YouTube world; his work is instantly recognisable as his own. He posts videos weekly, presenting a variety of hip hop sequences, new combos, and tutorials. He films dancers from his own studio in Guam, and includes the occasional contemporary video along with his street dance showstoppers.
WilldaBeast Adams @willdabeast_
Arguably the most prolific on our list, WilldaBeast has a YouTube presence to die for. His videos are broken down into his own subsections, with his personal brand shining through in each one. The graphics that accompany his dance videos are second to none, and he chooses tracks that allow dancers to hit it hard. At our UDO North American Hip Hop Dance Championships, you’ll actually have the chance to train with him at his Build a Beast Florida event. Who knows, you could even end up featured on his YouTube channel…
Cristina Pinheiro .. on the UDO World Championships
With our most prestigious championship just around the corner, we are feeling incredibly excited here at UDO.
And we want to know the questions on everyone’s minds ... how do you best prepare? What are the judges looking for in everyone’s performances?
We’ve asked Cristina Pinheiro, an esteemed UDO Worlds faculty member to give us the low down ..
Hi there Cristina, we can’t believe the World Championships are just 2 weeks away! What are you most looking forward to about judging at the UDO World Championships?
I’m looking forward to not only seeing the improvement of the teams that took part in the European Championships, but also how dancers compete in terms of both choreography and freestyle. For me as a judge I feel excited when I see a dancer drop everything on the dance floor.
What are you looking out for in the dancers performances?
Creative performances really! It always catches my eye when I see a performance that is different to everyone else with regards to music choice and movement.
What advice/ tips would you give to our dancers who are set to compete?
Think QUALITY over quantity, always!
Do you have any advice to share with our dancers about dealing with pre-performance nerves and preparing for a competition?
I believe that as a dancer, you will always feel nervous, and that's not necessarily a bad thing; it means you want to both show the best of yourself, and show that what you're doing is important. If you didn’t want to show how important and amazing your dancing was, you wouldn't be nervous!
I’d suggest to go over the performance to help you to be confident, but don't over do it! Stretching and practicing your breathing techniques usually helps to both keep you focused, and ensure your body is calm and ready.
In regards to preparation, the key is unity with your crew. Use everyone’s strengths, and think of everybody's weaknesses while considering how you can overcome them as a unified team. This will help on your identity and creativity as a group. Don't forget to be very precise when it comes to how clean the performance is (details matter!).
What can you tell us about the workshop you are teaching?
Well, without giving too much detail as it is a surprise, we will be working on freestyle concepts applied to choreography. It will be a very different and powerful class, as it will help understandings of choreography and freestyle.
Catch Cristina judging - and holding a workshop in Hip Hop (intermediate) - at the UDO World Championships this August 23rd-26th.
Photo Credit: Duke LDN
Tutorial Time ..
#LevelUpChallenge
At UDO, we want to keep up with the latest viral dances. Social media has been going crazy for the dance challenges lately, starting with the #InMyFeelingsChallenge, based on Drake’s number one track. Personally, we prefer dance challenges that don’t involve jumping out of moving cars…
For us, it’s been all about Ciara’s hit Level Up, with the #LevelUpChallenge truly going global. Ciara‘s video became an overnight sensation, and with it she challenges celebs, dancers and fans to learn the choreo and ‘level up’.
Originally choreographed by Parris Goebel, this routine is so slick – can you keep up?
To learn the original choreo, we are loving this easy-to-follow tutorial from Chop Daily’s Nifé (@itsjustnife on Insta).
Want to mix it up? See Hamilton Evans’ interpretation of the #LevelUpChallenge in his Millennium Dance Complex class here:
With her dance craze, Ciara challenged her celebrity friends and her fans to #LevelUp on something important to them. Check out what they had to say!
Let us know how you 'Level Up' via social media!
Going Global .. An Experience as an International Dancer
Social media is exploding with beach snaps, gorgeous sunsets, and cityscapes as far as the eye can see. We wanted to know what it’s like to go global as a dancer; an opportunity of a lifetime, or a jetlag nightmare? We chatted to UDO faculty member Emily Golding-Ellis to find out.
For dancers fresh out of training, going global has a huge appeal; Emily couldn’t have spoken more highly about her time working abroad.
Emily Golding-Ellis .. on going Global
"My first professional contract was performing in a Hip Hop and Circus show at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi. As this was my first ever professional job, I was like a kid at Christmas bursting with excitement, the thought of being paid to do what I love was a dream come true!"
Working abroad gives huge opportunities to gain international experience, and Emily certainly noticed it’s benefits.
"A really great part of the experience was getting to work with the international choreographer Supple Nam."
However, a contract abroad isn’t the only way to get your air miles in; many dancers also seek to tour for the varying experience it allows them. The minute Emily arrived back from Abu Dhabi, she was straight onto the audition circuit for the Thriller Live! Tour. Despite thinking, “there’s no way I will get it, I’m just going for the experience,” she got through to the final round, and was booked for the tour of the UK, Europe and China.
International tours can be the making of professional dancers, as it can teach them so much in terms of professional, social, and personal development. Emily’s time with Thriller Live! taught her the “do's and don’ts” of the professional dance world, and encouraged her to be more flexible and focused.
"If you are a dancer who is in the role of a “track”, always have your eyes wide open in rehearsals, as the likelihood of you having to swing other tracks is very high," she advises.
It’s not just the professional advantages that draw dancers abroad; the social and cultural benefits are not to be missed out on. According to Emily, “each contract becomes like a new family”, and life on the road bonds new groups over the highs and the lows of tour life. It also allows dancers to experience new cultures and places; “we are so used to a certain way in life in London”, Emily explains, “and [touring] really opened my eyes to other ways of living.”
So, what is the main motivation behind going global: the steady income? The global experience? The friends for life?
As I hadn’t long graduated, I believed it was best for me to go and develop my professional understanding of dance in the initial stages of my career, and begin to build my business and brand in London afterwards," Emily says, revealing more of her level-headed yet laidback mentality.
"Also, I was really keen to see new places and cultures, as I have always loved traveling."
In terms of advice, she encourages dancers to make the most of global opportunities. “Things can be very different to what you may expect in the UK,” she notes, “but overall I would just say to seize every opportunity, even if you are tired from the shows; it’s not every day you will be in that country or city.”
You can catch Emily throughout the 2018/2019 year at our Championship events.
Thanks for chatting with us Sean! Let’s get down to it; where did your passion for hip hop start, and how has it developed over time?
My passion for hip hop started when I was in 6th grade, dancing at all the social events, talent shows, and parties. Throughout the years in high school, I found more of a passion to be creative in making up dances, and creating hip hop routines myself.
You’ve worked all over the world, and on a massive range of projects; from choreographing the Super Bowl to propelling your group to win international championships. Now, you’re the successful owner of your own studio Sean’s Dance Factory, which keeps going from strength to strength. What’s been your career highlight so far?
My Super Bowl experience was incredible. Back when I was in High School, I entered and won a dance contest by submitting a video to MTV. After going to New York to pick up the grand prize, every news television station was airing my team’s victory. By the time we arrived back to our hometown, we were greeted with an overwhelming response from the media and from new fans. That was when I got a phone call from the Super Bowl, and before I knew it they had asked me to choreograph a dance insert in the pregame Super Bowl 29, the Chargers vs 49ers. I gladly accepted; it was an amazing experience that I will never forget.
Aspiring dancers would love to work on projects like yours! What advice would you give to dancers hoping to make dance a career?
The advice I would give to dancers hoping to make a career is to believe it in their heart, conceive it in their souls, and know that they can achieve any goal; their “attitude determines their altitude".
We’re so excited to have you on our faculty for the UDO World and North American Championships. What are you most looking forward to at these Championships?
At the UDO Championships, I’m looking forward to seeing the variety of crews and the creative brackets that they will bring. Everyone has their own way of interpreting dance, and it’s such a beautiful thing to see the community come together in a positive manner.”
Your own dance studio – Sean’s Dance Factory – is so well respected for its positive impact on the surrounding community. Could you explain a little more about your work with young people?
“Sean’s Dance Factory was founded on the basis that all children deserve a bright future, and the studio is built on a paradigm of diversity. I teach more than just dance in my classes; I teach personal and professional development, so [that] those kids can be ready and prepared when opportunities arise. The principle value upon which I was raised was to love and respect others, so I teach the importance of supporting and respecting one another in class, and encourage children to have discipline. I always say, “discipline is the bridge between our goals and our achievements”, as I like to share positive quotes with students to strengthen their minds every day. At Sean’s Dance Factory, we believe our “Attitude will always determine our Altitude”, and nothing can stop us from achieving our goals.”
Sean will be judging at UDO Worlds this month, and at the Dominican Republic Championships in September. On top of this, his dancers will be competing at the UDO North American Championships in December! He truly is part of the #UDOfamily.
Catch Sean on Facebook & Instagram - his class videos are next level!
Review.. Hamilton West End
This month, we want to bring you even more from the dance world; we’re reviewing Hamilton, an incredible theatre production. Based on the story of one of the founding fathers of the United States Of America, Alexander Hamilton, this musical is an eclectic fusion of hip hop dance and theatre…
After taking Broadway by storm, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hotly anticipated hip hop musical landed in London’s West End. From the moment it arrived last year, Hamilton has been selling out performances every single day. The Victoria Palace Theatre welcomed the outstandingly talented cast with open arms, and Hamilton has been a hit with locals and tourists alike.
The groundbreaking musical charts the rise and fall of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the United states of America. It may sound dry - a musical about Brexit probably wouldn’t sell quite as well - but this million-mile-an-hour musical is anything but. Miranda wanted to reflect the tumultuous time of the American Revolution by using rebellious, revolutionary music with which a contemporary audience could relate, hence the hip hop soundtrack. The show’s music takes its inspiration from America’s diverse mix of influences; think Nicki Minaj-level rap sequences, Beyoncé style sass, and raps that Eminem would struggle to keep in time with.
The choreographer was keen to keep the hip hop dance influence running through the show, too. He enthuses that “choreographing Hamilton is a once-in-a-lifetime gift...for me, Hamilton has been about taking everything I know about dance and crashing it together with everything I know about life”.
Each routine is as complex as it is beautiful, with street dance stepping into the spotlight in every sequence. The amalgamation of street and contemporary dance styles complements each fast-paced, rich rap sequence, elevating the show to a height of success unparalleled by any other West End production. Currently starring Jamael Westman, this masterpiece truly breaks boundaries of traditional theatre dance.
It was an ambitious move to bring Hamilton – an exemplary American musical – to the capital of the UK, but it has definitely paid off. Tourists from across the globe seem to relate to the story of morality, rivalry, and heartbreak. The diversity of the cast further reflects the universality of the story; dancers, actresses and actors of multiple races and nationalities don the Revolutionary garb. The show is enriched by its diversity, and empowers everyone who dances on stage, or who watches from the audience.
Worlds Look Book
With the hotly anticipated World Championships around the corner, we know our dancers will want to turn up in style!
We’ve dedicated this feature to give our top looks from Brand B1, Ratchet, and our official World's merchandise so you can #represent UDO Worlds.
UDO World Championships - Official Merchandise
Ratchet Clothing ..
Brand B1 ..
Meet the charity .. UDOIT! Dance Foundation
UDOIT! Dance Foundation is UDO’s partner charity. Founded in 2014, we provide opportunities for young people through the power of StreetDance. We have a prime focus on inclusivity, and we aim to inspire, engage, and empower young people through participation and leadership opportunities.
What do we do?
We have been working in partnership with UDO, Sport Wales and Sport England. Working with these and other partners such as StreetGames, the Youth Sport Trust, the Premier League, County Sports Partnerships - and more importantly, local dance schools - we take StreetDance to those who can’t access dance opportunities. This could be due to lack of confidence, financial restraints, or no provision in their area.
By working with Sports Leaders and the UDO Academy, we also encourage young people to take their first steps on the leadership ladder. We support the training and upskilling of keen individuals who have the potential to make a difference in their communities through Dance Leader Courses, the StreetDance Foundations Course, UDO Syllabus training, and workshops.
How can you get involved?
To continue to make a difference to young people’s lives through StreetDance, we have a fundraising campaign “Road To Worlds”. This was a massive success in 2017, and raised over £8,000 for UDOIT & our chosen partner charity Teenage Cancer Trust.
Debbie Jones, Regional Fundraising Manager at Teenage Cancer Trust, commented: “The amount everyone has helped to raise could help us fund one of our specialist nurses for more than 130 hours. That’s incredible! Thank you everyone involved.”
Road to Worlds 2018 campaign is now in full swing, and this year’s aim is for our fundraising ambassadors to walk 1.1 million steps, which is how many steps it would take for them to walk from their hometown of Plymouth to the World Championships in Glasgow this year.
If you would like to make a donation towards the Road to Worlds 2018 Campaign, raising money to change lives of young people with UDOIT Dance Foundation & Teenage Cancer Trust, Visit our JustGiving page.
Or text: RTOW18 followed by: £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 to 70070
UDOIT Dance Foundation continues to grow, however we can only achieve our aims with the help of the street dance community.
Why not get in touch?
We would love to hear from any dance schools, teachers, faculty and dancers who would like to get involved. Whether that’s sharing your own stories of inclusive dance education, discussing the local partnerships you have or need, or if you would like to inspire and empower young people with us, then contact us!
Natalie Davies our Development Manager: natalie@udoitdance.co.uk
Or Daran Bennett our CEO; daran@udoitdance.co.uk
For more info, visit our website here. Follow us on Twitter or find us on Facebook.
Credits:
Created with images by robertlischka - "sony lens walimex camera focal length close"