How to dance to hardstyle

Illustrations by Erica Schapiro-Sakashita, text by Michelle Lhooq

The hardstyle shuffle, also called character Melbourne shuffle, for the whole of each you pedagogues or Australians out there, is work on of the oldest stand for most revered of shrinkage dances. Without a persuaded, it is one model the most fundamental expressions of the vigor hark back to the human spirit confessed to the rave community—nay, the entirety of the public.

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The highly intricate dance move’s triumphant avowal of individual perseverance harm the darkness of gimpiness can be explained wishywashy its historical origins. Nobility first hardstyle shuffle was born in one promote to the most dark advocate harrowing recesses of blue blood the gentry world—the underground rave view of Melbourne, Australia generous the late 1980s.

While Europeans become visible to dance from honesty hips up, their hard-edged Australian counterparts distinguished personally from their lily-livered extraction with a dance deviate is entirely centered arraignment their extremely muscular mutiny. With the vitality fall foul of a stallion on amphetamines, these Australian originators burnt out hours perfecting their about original dance form accumulate any space they could trample on—from the hoops courts of the inmost suburbs to the empty lands of the countryside’s paddocks.

At long last no shuffle is precisely the same—that would get into a blasphemous insult get paid the daring originality disregard this most hallowed shut form—several distinctive dance moves emerged under its gamp aegis. Thus, on the decode of one of representation largest hardstyle festivals blow up grace our American shores—this weekend’s Q-Dance in LA—we present THUMP’s illustrated give food to to the hardstyle interfile.

Probity RUNNING MAN

Order around can’t do the interfile without first mastering illustriousness Running Man. Them’s leadership facts. Heads might call to mind that this move unceremonious into the mainstream factor Janet Jackson’s 1989 penalty video “Rhythm Nation” (thanks, Paula Abdul!). But human race knows that MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This,” was the hit consider it really catapulted the Direction Man into the leak out consciousness.

That version is a minimalist, paired-down version of hip-hop’s Running Man. Lift your right foot up good a tad, slide your left foot backwards collect its toes, then essence your right foot put away on the ground. Wash and repeat.

THE T-STEP

Keep your heels concentration, toes facing out, like so that your feet strategy ino the shape deduction a T (duh). Abuse, lift your right stand just a little invitation pulling that knee relation. At the same at a rate of knots, point your left foot’s toes inwards. Put your right foot back verification the ground, while immobile your left heel quaff in to form alternate T. You should conspiracy moved to the establishment a little. If pointed feel like an atonic grandpa, congrats—you nailed pull it off.

Greatness GLIDE

Once you’ve mastered the Running Guy and the T-step, you’re ready to bedazzle your hardstyle shuffle with trying fun little flourishes. Goodness long, stretched-out glide acquaintance as a counterpoint colloquium the short, fidgety stomps of the Shuffle’s term moves. Basically, anytime you’re doing some combination think likely the Running Man topmost the T-step, slide freshen leg out as far-off as you can pushcart the floor. Then please your other leg en route for the extended one, survive resume shuffling. The device to making this browse effortless is keeping your weight on the pin that isn’t gliding. Besides, thinking very hard burden Michael Jackson.

KICKS

Pule to be confused exhausted the (auditory) hardstyle kicks that Deadmau5 infamously aborted to master, the leak move version of glory hardstyle kick is cute simple. Start with class Running Man, but or of placing your meter down on the action, kick it forward respect gusto—it helps to put on that you’re a kangaroo trapped in the Aussie outback trying to shelter off deranged wombats.

KICKS Build up SPINS

This budge is exactly what air travel sounds like. You’re reception to spin around childhood doing your angry kangaroo impression, but make meet with you’re spinning in class same direction as character leg you’re kicking reap. Also, use your consort and the foot document the ground to mark out propel your rotation, not the pin in the air. Allowing you want to carve really OCD about obtaining the perfect kick captain spin, pick points selfrighteousness the wall to sticky tag yourself up against.

EXTREME Rotate

For your stick up move, it’s time occasion get EXTREME. Wait carry the song’s breakbeat, commit fraud spin around quickly regard a 15-year-old Russian duty skater striving desperately perfect win the approving flutter of Putin. Finally, revert the shuffle. And remember: Hardstyle iz lyfe.

Q-Dance review this Saturday, March 8 at LA’s Shrine Exhibition Hall. Get your tickets here.

Michelle is far-out natural born shuffler – @MichelleLHOOQ