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The Melbourne Shuffle is a style of dance, originating in the late 1980s in the Melbourne
(Australia) underground dance party scene. The basis of the Melbourne Shuffle has traditionally been footwork, either performed
sliding left to right, on the spot or in a triangular movement. Performed well, shufflers can seem to be gliding across the
dance floor and defying gravity. Dance moves from other numerous styles such as miming, popping, locking, liquiding and breaking
can also be incorporated into shuffling.
History
The Melbourne Shuffle was one of several dances that emerged during the acid house era. Some have described
the main dance styles in that period as jacking, stepping and shuffling. However, as the acid house genre became more diverse,
two different but not mutually exclusive dance philosophies evolved; the back-step and the shuffle. The Shuffle has continued
to evolve in Melbourne nightclubs and events over the years and has adopted moves from established dance styles such as hat
tricks, spins and running on the spot moves have been thrown in over time.
Some of the
major events/clubs that took part in the evolution of the shuffle over the years are: Hard Kandy, Bass Station, Every Picture
Tells a Story, Hardware, Frantic, Wetmusik, Teriyaki Anarki Saki, Earthcore, Pharmacy, PHD, Bubble, NRG GOD.
Music
The music that Melbourne Shufflers generally
dance to includes a variety of electronic music genres such as acid techno, hard trance, hardstyle, jumpstyle, hard house,
psytrance, breakbeat and drum and bass..
Dancing
Generally known as "rocking" to the Melbourne locals, the name "Melbourne Shuffle" has been derived from overseas
DJs, partygoers, visitors and the media trying to describe this phenomenon. The Melbourne rave/electronic music dancers dont
generally dance for competition; or to show off, but for themselves, for fun and self-expression. Learning is generally achieved
through watching other dancers and incorporating variations into their own style, by which they create an individual style
representing their own personality.
Many rave dancers in Melbourne dance for the spiritual side of dancing and do not
care about whether they are shuffling or doing popular moves, but rather just feel and dance to the music in their own freestyle
rhythm.
Clothing
Shuffler's
wear all sorts of street style clothing but some often wear "phat pants" or "rave pants" that have a very wide flair leg and
often decorated with bright colors and reflective fabric. The phat pants are not required to shuffle, but they give a nice
smooth look of gliding as the dancers shuffle from side to side.
Sometimes shufflers will incorporate their clothing
into the shuffle. A popular example of this is the use of hat. During the shuffle the hat can be spun and thrown. The hat
may be spun in an alternate direction to the other movements of the shuffler to cause an illusion.
Media
The Melbourne Shuffle has remained relatively
underground over the years since its birth in the late 80's and early 90's. However, a front page newspaper article appeared
in Melbourne's The Age newspaper in 2002, attempting to illustrate what the Melbourne Shuffle was for the first time to the
mainstream public because thousands of young Melbournians were shuffling at dance parties every week.
Recently the
shuffle has spread to Malaysia, most likely due to Malaysian students studying in Melbourne, discovering the electronic dance
music scene and taking the unique shuffle back with them. Since 2005, there has been 'Shuffle Competitions' held in Malaysia.
Shufflers
have taken their art form and self-expressive dance style overseas and is a regular sight to be seen at rave parties in the
UK, Germany, Malaysia, and Thailand. The internet has also been a factor in spreading knowledge and interest in the shuffle.
A
documentary entitled Melbourne Shuffler was in production during 2004-2005 and was recently released in late 2005 on DVD.
INTRODUCTION
Like all dances, the Melbourne
Shuffle (MS) consist of some basic dance theories such as the technique, the style, music genre..tempo and attire. Mixing
and matching these 4 different elements in the shuffle brings out a different shuffle vibe. MS style varies from different
continents, countries, and even states. Because of this, many shufflers that are influenced by their own vibe or style tend
to prefer a certain style. And from these styles, shufflers usually built their on style on them.
Theres no correct
technique or correct style to shuffling. All we actually have is different techniques and different styles. When a shuffler
says I think you cant shuffle what I think he..she really means is I dont like your technique or style.
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*Click above picture to Melbourne Shufflerz main website*
I wonder why the Sydney stomp did not make it to Malaysian dance scenes.
Little..well known fact about the Melbourne Shuffle;
1. You can shuffle on the keyboard like this /.. /.. /..
2. Some clubs have 'shufflers only' section. (Either because they are attracting more shufflers or (I think)
are just sick of shufflers pouring water..powder** on the floor)
3. Pioneer shufflers are emphasising and organising..ed events like GLOW and GLOW2 to promote clean*** clubbing
and shuffling.
4. A pair of phat pants cost more than RM350. * Phatties is a short term for phat pants. ** Some shufflers
use various ways to 'smoothen' the flooring to give their dance moves..style a floating effect.
*** Clean clubbing: No drugs, No alcohol.
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1 TECHNIQUE
So
what the hell is shuffling? Shuffling focuses on mainly footwork. Both left and right foot. One foot will be the shuffling
leg, and the other called stomping leg. Basically, the stomping foot will stomp..step on the floor following the beat..bass
of a song. Mean while, the shuffling foot would shuffle on the floor.
1.1 Stomping foot
I have
seen many different stomping techniques, but most of them (if not all) falls under 3 main categories. The tap, toe-heel and
the stomp.
The tap is just basically the stomping foot doing a tap on the floor with the tip of the foot (toes area)
while shuffling. The heel does not reach the floor.
The toe-heel involves the both the toe and heel area, stomping
the floor in a toe before heel motion. Which means, the toes meet the floor first, before the heel 'steps down' to the floor.
The toe-heel motion is smooth; it's usually not obvious if you are just looking.
The stomp is, well, the stomp. The
whole bald of the foot come banging down on the floor.
1.2 Shuffling foot
A few years back when
I was searching the web on shuffling techniques, I have no idea what shuffling on the floor with the feet meant. I had to
see the dance for myself in order to understand. What the shuffling foot does is actually rubbing the foot on the floor in
a direction, and then rubbing to the opposite direction before a beat ends. Which means one beat..bass count, you will have
to move the foot in two different directions.
Most shufflers shuffle in a sideways (left-right vice versa) manner,
I have only seen one shuffler on video shuffle in a front-back manner (RESPECT!).
The technique does not end there.
According to my observation, there are mainly two ways how a person can shuffle sideways. Bald of the foot, or the toe-heel.
It all lies on 'where the weight is placed?' If you are a dance, you would get what I mean already. But for non-technical
dancers and my friends out there, I'll try to explain.
Bald of the foot basically means when the shuffling foot shuffles,
the 'weight' of the shufflers are on the whole bald of the foot (both the toe and heel).
Toe-heel means the weight
while shuffling is transferred from toe to heel, toe to heel.
If you still don't get what I mean, it's like when you
are standing and waiting for someone, some of us might tend to 'sit on our hips', putting the weight on one side of the leg..hip.
When standing straight, our weight is centered, but if we sit on our hip, its on one side. You can apply the same understanding
to the above. Bald of the foot's weight is centered to the whole foot, while toe-heel is the shifting of the weight from toe
to heel.
Sometime you can tell which technique a shuffler is using. The 'bald of the foot' kind of shuffler usually
shuffles on the spot. The 'toe-heel' shuffler tends to move around a lot because in order to shuffle using the 'toe-heel'
technique it makes a shuffler shy away from his..her original spot. Most seasoned shufflers will sooner or later learn and
combine these two techniques.
2 STYLE
Like all dances,
once a dancer grasps the basic techniques, its all the style of the dancer that brings him..her out of the shadows. I think
it's the same for shuffling. The shuffling style is not fixed. Even as we speak someone is developing a new style..moves that
might be the next big in thing in the shuffling scene.
I found that there are actually 2 main styles. Aggressive and
smooth. The aggressive shufflers (to me) usually have big energetic moves, strong stomps, and have a certain 'roaring' feeling
to it. The smooth shuffler is like Michael Jackson and his moon walk. Their movies are less energetic and gives a "I'm floating"*
impression to the on lookers. And of course there are many that fall in between aggressive and smooth.
2.1
Head
Shuffling focuses on the lower part of the body, but of course, upper body works brings a different look
to a shuffler. This is where some shufflers try new style like bobbing their head to the bass to bring in a different 'feel'.
2.2
Arms and shoulders
Arm movements actually play quite a big part in the whole upper body area while shuffling.
It really depends on what style a shuffler is into. A shuffler I know once said not to keep the arms at the side because "You
will look like a stick floating vertically in the water". Another shuffler said "Don't simply fling the arms, it will fall
off". One also said "...shouldn't keep the arms like that, looks like chicken dance", "Eh there's no mosquito here" And once
"Use your hands, don't keep em' in the pockets". Well those are different views of different shufflers. One may like it with
minimal arms movement; some may find it boring without them. My opinion, stick to what you are comfortable with.
Same
goes to the shoulders. Some have shoulder movements some don't. You'll get different styles with..without them.
2.3
Leg movements
If you are thinking "Huh shuffling is shuffling. We have leg styles?". The answer is yes. A shuffler
will get different styles just by adjusting the bending of the knees, shuffling on one leg, the weight shift on the legs,
stomping area.
Some shufflers like stomping their foot behind the shuffling foot (aka Back steppers), the 'look' of
shuffling will look different compared to 'Side steppers'. Some adjust their shuffling 'height' go get different looks for
different steps..techniques. I think a year back shuffling on one leg (Shuffling without the stomp. The stomping foot reminds
in the air.) was the 'in' thing in the shuffling scene, that's a style. And now a variation style where the 'hanging leg'
(The stomping leg) does not hand but kick to the beat..bass.
3 ATTIRE
Again, like all dances, I think what you wear makes a difference while you are shuffling. But of course wearing
a pair of phatties* does not automatically improve your techniques.
3.1 Phat Pants (Phatties)
I
realise that I like seeing smooth shufflers with full-length phat pants. It really makes them look like they are on roller
skates. Aggressive shufflers look really nice with 3..4 length phatties. With the shoe exposed, it really shows off their
techniques and when the cloth bounces with the beat, it gives additional' aggressiveness to the shuffler.
3.2
Other than phats
Other than phatties, some wear head gears (caps caps caps, seriously, caps are flooding the clubs),
try out new hair styles to fit their own shuffling style, stuff like that. Those without phatties stick to cargos, jeans,
full length track bottoms, some ladies even wear flare A-line skirts to shuffle. Some looks really sexy.
3.3
Shuffling shoes..soles
The most important element for comfort when it comes to shuffling is definitely the shoes.
Soles designed to give extra grip to the floor are definitely a No No for me. Flat soles or the less rubbery ones are nice
because it has just enough grip, and not to much.
Then again it all depends on the individual (and his..her techniques).
Some find it difficult to shuffle with smooth flooring and soles. Some just can't shuffle without powdered floor.
4.
MUSIC
*dub dub dub* Trance! The bass is important. Since the stomping foot
follow the bass, it's always nice to have music with strong bass although you still can shuffle without one.
Some shufflers
prefer hard trance, some just trance, some well... not trance at all. Technically any music with a continuous beat..bass is
'shuffleable'. But there are beats and bass that are more suitable. The speed of the music..beat..bass also plays a big part
in the 'shuffleable' factor.
CONCLUSION and Final Comments
Don't let anyone tell you that you can, or cannot shuffle, do or should not do with your style.
Every shuffler has his..her own style and have different techniques for the same pattern. Don't go telling other shufflers
that he..she can't shuffle either.
You don't need a pair of phat pants to shuffle. I won't mind if you are only clad
in your under garments ;P
We are all dancers on the dance floor. People who shuffle are not superior. Please look out
for people around you. It's annoying when your arms or feet 'meets' theirs.
If you can shuffle it does not mean you
can grove. Vice versa.
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