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The first Movement Party jumps off tomorrow night (Friday) at 8 PM, and what a party it promises to be. Here's why you should be there:

1. We've got the best DJ's in Buffalo. If you like real hip-hop music, rooted in the best of the jazz-soul-funk tradition, then Cutler and LoPro are your people. They've proven they can get a crowd moving without sacrificing their creativity and originality.

2. You'll be joining the fight for social justice in our city. The proceeds go to the Partnership for the Public Good--a network of community-based groups working on issues like poverty and the urban environment--as well as Massachusetts Avenue Project, which teaches urban youth about the fruits of urban farming and the beauty of eating local. What better setting than Langston Hughes for a movement party. PPG affiliated groups include Ujima Theater, ReUse, the WNY Homeless Alliance, Buffalo First, PUSH, CEJ and MAP.

3. There will be crumpers and b-boys on the scene to lead the way.

4. There will be a puppet parade led by Buffalo's creative collective (Kyla Kegler, Pat Cain, Gabe Guttierez) at some point in the night.

5. Russell Pascatore, a leading light on the local poetry scene, will bless us with an ode to the absurdities of late-late capitalism. No better way to respond to the financial crisis than with a prayer by Russell.

6. We will DANCE and Flying Bison will flow.

"The Movement"
Friday, October 3rd, 8 PM
Langston Hughes Institute
25 High Street, near Main and High
$5 at the door
This is a 21+ event

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e:Lauren and e:FellyConnelly frequently go to the Battle at Buffalo held at Verve Dance Studio, 910 Main Street, the last Saturday of every month. I went with them Sept. 27 and I'm very glad I did! If you don't know anything about this subculture (like I don't), go with Lauren & Felly. Lauren's a very knowledgeable guide and wrote at least one research paper on breakdancing for which she interviewed studio owner Shane and several b-boys and b-girls. They attend classes at the studio, too.

I took my camera - it was a challenging situation with low light levels and fast action. (Flash photography is a no-no in these kinds of situations - distracting and dangerous to the participants.) I took about 700 shots - if these are the best, you can imagine how bad a lot of them were :-) It's very difficult to capture the "toprock" elements like popping without the dancer just looking awkward. (e:Lauren - feel free to correct me on my presentation.) A couple of the dancers looked more like skaterats... is there an intersection between those groups?

Shane, Verve Dance Studio owner, emcee:



The DJs - Miss Shing-a-ling and DJ Simple... I'm finding out that I really like good DJing. I can't describe how awful the DJs are at home.


Interplay between the dancers heightens the sense of "battle"







The youngest (looking) participant held his own among the older dancers.


Teddy Krueger (aka Theodore Krzykowski in his real job at the Buffalo dance company LehrerDance) has amazing flexibility and strength. He won a Lipton Iced Tea competition for this video:

And here's video of another Battle at Buffalo competition between Teddy and Pete Nasty.




Lauren pointed out that observing dancers will slap the floor for technical inaccuracies - Teddy's background in gymnastics, stunts and professional modern dance serve him well in performing complicated, difficult tricks but he gets a lot of floor slaps, too.

Pete Nasty might have been my favorite, but I think I need to go back to be sure :-)



I definitely want to see more b-girls. There were only two that night.








The view from the rooftop outside the studio was great!

I need to be a way for a few days and China Cat Sunflower says she's willing to go with me, but would rather stay here. Anyone have recommendations for someone who would stop by once a day to make sure she's got food and water and give her some lovin' if she wants it? (Allen Street)

(excluding specific people)

1. Stars
2. Mountains
3. Dirt roads
4. Joneses' Pond (that's what the sign says)
5. Pirate's Rock
6. Feeling like I've accomplished something just about every day
7. Nisha (my dog)
8. Kitten
9. The office
10. The Bear Ass Bar & Grill
11. Cast & Crew
12. My library


Pirate's Rock in October a couple years ago