MSO (Melbourne Shuffle Oldskool): Shufflin Forum

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Shufflin Forum

Last year Bongerz and a few others thought it’d be a good idea to get a Sydney based Melbourne Shuffle forum going. They called it Shufflin

I caught up with Leonard Hall (Len) on Shufflin to get some more details of the forum and the Sydney Melbourne Shuffle scene

MSO- Do you shuffle yourself?
Len - Yep, I'm in a couple of the earlier Shufflin vids, but I've missed out on the last few because I'm usually the one holding the camera!

Where did you learn the shuffle?
I'd known about the shuffle for a few years but it wasn't until early last year about the time that Shufflin started that a group of friends and I started meeting a lot more shufflers. Just meeting and watching shufflers dance with a real sense of passion boosted our own desire to learn the dance even more. Shufflin created a community where we were all progressively learning from each other. And of course, a few trips to Melbourne clubs were always useful in helping pick up some new tips and tricks ;)

What prompted you to start up the shufflin forum?
I wasn't the original founder of Shufflin, however I had met and stayed in touch with one of the founders a couple of months prior to its launch. I'm more well known on Shufflin for contributing the music videos showcasing shufflin dancers. A link to one of my videos is always displayed on the front page.

What is WeDanceHard.com ?
I started up wedancehard.com to give my videos their own home, but also as a way of compiling footage scattered throughout youtube and similarly, and to give a summary of how the dance is currently being expressed.

Homemade Hardstyle - March 2007

Shuffle Shakedown - March 2007

shufflin@gasaholic19jan2007

shufflin@energy27jan2007

Kryal Castle - Rave Roundup

What sort of cam do you use for your vids?
Just a basic Olympus digital camera with a video mode haha. The quality is decent enough for stuff on YouTube. The main problem is getting enough lighting in the clubs. I filmed a few of the vids with one of the first generation HDD video cameras however it unfortunately went missing at a big event =( So I'm currently cameraless.

What sort of software do you use to make your vids?
Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0

Do you have a particular style of music you prefer shuffling to? (Hardstyle, trance etc)
I've noticed that the various types of hard dance music has given rise to a number of distinct shuffling styles. Recently I've been influenced by the harder styles of shuffling, emphasizing a stomping action to reflect the tougher hardstyle beat. But I've always been a fan of pure trance, where the music takes you away into a smoother more relaxed and flowing style of shuffling.

Have you any background in the music/dance industry DJ/promoter/producer etc?
Nope. Just luv to dance. And besides, there'd be nothing to promote if we didn't keep showing up to the clubs every week ;)

What is it you like about forums?
The ability to communicate with a large audience in an easy and timely manner. The forums create a place where people from all sorts of backgrounds can gather and discuss anything to do with shuffling and the scene.

Have you met any people on the forum at clubs/parties etc?
I've met many people via the forums, and have made many friends in the process. Especially in the early days where there were fewer members, a club called "Energy" was targeted towards Shufflin members, so this gave everyone a place to meet up every week. The forums grew very quickly because the community was growing both online and offline in clubs and raves. A set of t-shirts was also released for some of the original members, so you'd typically meet a lot of new people who knew about the website and introduced themselves when they saw the shufflin logo. A second release of shufflin t-shirts and also hoodies have been released and to my knowledge these are still available for purchase via the forums.

LINKS:
Shufflin: http://www.shufflin.com
We Dance Hard: http://www.wedancehard.com

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ABOUT: The origins, history, culture of the underground dance style called the Melbourne Shuffle, commonly called 'shuffling'.

> The Shuffle mission : To really give a damn (Scooter. J'adore hardcore)

> This is a Melbourne Australia based blog by Melbourne born and based artist Garry Shepherd

> The Melbourne Shuffle was created in the underground arts community of Melbourne (Australia) in the early 1990's.

> The Melbourne Shuffle has 3 main genre's: Party, Rock and Goth. Each genre has it's own distinctive moves, fashion, art and lifestyles.

> There are no fixed steps in shuffling. It is largely a free form dance tradition. Each shuffler has a set of moves they shuffle around to suit their mood and setting.

> Shuffling skill is judged on the choice, sequence and presentation of the moves. Individual shufflers are encouraged to create their own moves to mix in with established moves.

> Shuffling can be done anywhere at anytime, alone or with others. Original oldskool shufflers broadcast their moves on underground TV in the 1990's. Today, Youtube is the favored medium.

> The Melbourne Shuffle has it's own unique dance pants called, PHATS.

In the time of the ancients, the Melbourne Shuffle was originally called STOMPING

Locals pronounce Melbourne - Mel-BeN

ERA's
Oldskool: 1990-96.
Commercial: 1997-2003
Global: 2006-today

DANCE CONCEPT
The Melbourne Shuffle is a dance concept. It uses all sorts of moves like building blocks, and you shuffle these moves around to suit your mood. The basic moves are easy to learn, but will take years of regular practice to reach pro level.

SHUFFLE MOVES
Stomps, turns, spins, shuffles, back steps, hand moves, lifts, jumps, hops, arm moves, elbow moves, hi-kicks, lo-kicks, glides, running man, kick behind, ...and always adding ;)

SHUFFLE GENRE'S
Oldskool, Hardstyle, Rock, Competition, Freestyle, Group Formation

SHUFFLE TERMS
Style: A collection of shuffle moves.
Sequence: A fixed order of shuffle moves.
Routine: A choreographed combination of shuffle moves.
Meet-Up: A casual gathering of Shufflers usually free in a public place, mall, carpark etc, to meet other shufflers and Shuffle.

Shuffle Vid: A youtube video of someone shuffling.

Shuffle Comp: A shuffle competition for individuals and crews.

Shuffle Crew: A group of friends who are interested in Shuffling.

Shuffle Team: A shuffle crew who perform or compete in Shuffle competitions.

Pro: An experienced and talented Shuffler.

> SHUFFLE CULTURE
Shuffle is 'All about the DANCE'. It's a dance culture, the Shufflers are the focal point. Where as RAVE culture is 'All about the music' it's a DJ culture, where the DJ's are the focal point.

> SHUFFLE RULES
The Shuffle saying 'There are no rules' came from the reality nobody in the oldskool would bother obeying them ;) But here's some general principles we're happy with.

> The Shuffle is based on freedom and mutual respect. Violence, hate, aggression, racism and sexism are not tolerated. The real world has plenty of that, and Shufflers are not interested in them.

> There is no restriction to creative freedom in shuffling. You can Shuffle to Express and Impress.

> The Shuffle can be danced solo or in a group. Both male and female can Shuffle.

> Group Shuffling can be unstructured like at a meet-up or structured in a Crew.

> The Shuffle can be spontaneous freeform or a choreographed style.

> You can Shuffle for fun, fitness, art or comps, or all the above. There are no restrictions.

> There is no limit to where you can Shuffle. In the street, carpark, mall, dance party, at home, outdoors in a forest, a city, a suburb, where ever you want to.

> Individual Shufflers are encouraged to add moves to the artform. Saying the Melbourne Shuffle is just one set of steps, is like saying spinning on your head is the only dance move in hip-hop.

> And who decides which new moves are part of the Melbourne Shuffle? Anybody! It's an inclusive artform. The Shufflers make it what it is.