tan's dancing is so slayful
Apr. 18th, 2022 05:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yestodayTAN is composed of seven main dancers. This is not something I would ever say lightly.
The footwork for DU DU DU is not simple. This is something that should be clear to anyone who sees it. Most of what makes a dance look so refined is the minute details dabbled in each move. These details are easily skipped over by performers less agile—and for the most part, that's okay, since it's so inconspicuous. But, the main dancers of their respective group do incorporate those movements, which leaves a sort of awkward imbalance in the overview; from the audience's perspective's it may even appear messy.
TAN is not like this. For TAN, every member hits every isolated beat. Even the members not aligned with the dance aspect of a performance. That's what makes it insane! They have pure, evenly-spread talent among all seven of them, which is unarguably rare for products of survival shows. They're so balanced in their energy. I watch every new DU DU DU choreography video that drops, so I've been absorbing their joint stage essence since the beginning; I am still obsessed with their sharpness.
Great dancers on a great dance is such a bliss to my soul... You never realize how we've been lacking the good stuff until, well, we suddenly get something of that higher level of esteem. I'm not trying to be shady, but nowadays, I've mostly been observing mediocre dancers and/or mediocre dances that are stubbornly molded towards trends and aren't able to showcase the extent of some stronger dancers' abilities. Again, I'm not shading anyone specific; come on, guys—you know me—I'm not like that! Not everyone can be that skilled, and that's fine. They're good, still, and I know they've worked hard. I'm sure these idols have their own niche micro-area of which they have a semi-standout talent in, and that's fine. They're good. But where's the magnificent, the outstanding, the mind-boggling groups? Of 4th gen., there aren't too many, that much is... fairly widely agreed upon. Whether it's due to the sheer amount of new groups there are or the speed of which they're being cranked out, the talent pool in the industry has visibly weakened compared to previous generations. This statement doesn't equate to the meaning that there's none at all, of course. Sure, there are more 'dozens' to be sighted at one Inkigayo performance than ever before, but select individuals still obviously outshine—Monday of Weeekly, Hwanwoong of ONEUS, Yuki of Purple Kiss, etc.—and every once in a while, even the occasional group as a whole. TAN is one of the finest examples of such! With that: back to TAN.
(Look at that smooth ass transition back to the topic. The English teachers who stress over tying your essay's body paragraphs back to the thesis better be proud of that one.)
It's a given that TAN has a ton of amazing dancers, but factoring in that they synergize together so fluently is what ultimately seals the deal. There are uncountable groups with multiple notable dancers; even then, however, they aren't always able to produce an appeasing effect on stage when juxtaposed with fellow members. Manipulating your own dancing style to be consonant with a team's is a key skill that can define one's echelon in dance, I believe, and the fact that TAN's strongest dancers are all able to do this exceptionally contributes to the evident finesse of their performances.
For further clarification, what I'm discussing is not 100% about synchronization, either. There is a member who arguably has slightly weaker techniques than the rest, but even like that, he doesn't stand out in a negative light at all! Like, it would literally be impossible to notice—if you haven't been examining all of these men's dancing since the dawn of time on their bootcamp survival show. It's about the way each one of them can fit exquisitely into their places in the choreography that makes their performances that much more captivating and their stages exceptionally compelling.
Besides the boys' own mastery, there's the component of the actual choreography itself, which I really, really love. This is more of a personal thing, as dance preferences vary the same as music tastes. I've expressed my appreciation of this dance before, but I never had the chance to discuss the intricacies and reach into the greater depths on why it attracts me. First, I would like to address that this choreography may only have this effect when there are refined and sharp dancers on it—of which TAN themselves all happen to be, as i just spent the first half of this essay bolstering. This is a very defined choreography; the moves are clean, quick, and precise. It leaves no room for sloppiness, otherwise the entire thing will look like a blur and fall apart at the seems. This is a choreography that is either pulled off or not. TAN do pull it off. I am utterly grateful Choi Youngjun gave this song, and consequently this dance, landed on them out of everyone. (Albeit, I still have beef with this track being titled DU DU DU. It could've been 'Dive In'? It could've been 'Dripping Honey', for the English version? Hell, I would've taken 'Sex Song'—as a matter of fact, in the end, that's the most suiting and methodical of all of these. Can Korea stop being so conservative, so we can rename DU DU DU to any of the phrases from Welcome to the Cum Zone? But, anyway, my pettiness-over-songs-with-an-onomatopoeia-title rant can be saved for another day.)
Let's talk about the expert prop-use. Yeah, let's talk about the satisfying ass umbrella-handling. I'm sure everyone notices that first thing. While I think the prop itself is a little random—like, in context with the meaning and vibe of the song—but that can be excused due to the unparalleled coolness it exerts, because the child in me likes awesome, unique maneuvers. Jiseong sure knows how to work that thing. From the beginning to his verse—when it actually comes back into use—he handles it so impressively, even when the attention isn't on him. I assume that was something incorporated to be practiced in exclusively by the choreographer, since, you know, carrying an umbrella in your arms fluidly while you dance isn't something you just know how to do. (Or does he? It's my 弟弟, Slaychamp Kim Jiseong; he can do anything, so who knows!) That section is likely not something viewers pay attention to or think about, but my respect for Jiseong's ability to manage it so naturally and inconspicuously there multiplies every time.
And to the good part: that sleek fucking umbrella pass. Jiseong is so good at drawing your attention to where he wants it and keeping it diverted there, steady. After his epic umbrella flip and satisfying "airplane mode" movement, he pulls out a bunch of Cool-rapper-hand-gestures—with emphasis on 'Cool' with a capital 'C' because he is so cool—which keeps your line of sight away from the prop that was just at the center of attention a couple seconds ago. You don't track where the umbrella goes until it suddenly reappears in Changsun's grasp. It's borderline a magic trick, given the involvement of the art of distraction and slippery sleight of hand. The way this section flows is so mesmerizing… not to mention, the way Changsun spins it immediately before passing it to Taehoon as he slips it to rest at the back of the stage for later use by hiding behind the formation. This is making me grow even more intense appreciation for the little details.
Speaking of which, this dance has a ton of those. And I love those. I love small details so much in dances; I love when every beat is hit in a way that is distinct, but not too jolty—and elegant, yet not completely watery. My instant favorite move, when I first witnessed this performance in whole, was the wrist flick at the chorus after the "so slow, so slow" line. And then, the beat after "새로운 세상의 입을 맞추고". (How would that be described... It's like kissing the inside of your wrist and then sending it out; Wooseok does this at the beginning of Candyland by UP10TION, right before his first verse transitions into Jinhyuk's. Sorry, that was an obscure comparison. No one even knows that song. But, anyway, that's what it reminds me of.) There's also the beginning in general (and the other brief sections they do this)—the shaking-shoulders-to-the-bass-line in MONSTA X Shoot Out intro style, but like, on steroids—and the pre-chorus with the sharp leg snaps that Sunghyuk and Taehoon centers at the first and second time respectively. I could honestly go on and on explaining ultra-specific parts of this dance that I adore. There's just so many. This is just such a collectively pleasing choreography to me. I'm fairly lenient on my choreography critiques, but I do have certain ultimate favorites, and DU DU DU is one of them—it's probably even up there among the top few, along with Bloom Bloom by THE BOYZ.
These guys are also amazing at filler moves and gestures (as in, the head tilts or fancy stuff they do with their hands when it's time for their individual verse, and they have to insert some special movements for captivation). Notably, I love Sunghyuk's and Hyunyeop's (and Jiseong's, of course, as I mentioned before). This may seem like the bias line inclination pulling through, but I swear to god, theirs just stand out to me on their own (and no, this isn't the reason I biased them either; the root of my story with both of them go way back before debut). Hyunyeop is especially a beast at this. I feel a little insane watching him, because his posture and angling are a little too good. And he's just a little guy... there's so much power in that little vessel of his; I love him so much. This boy can belt and do the most perfect body rolls. For some reason, that makes me so happy, like I'm vicariously living with the contentment of having that crazy talent of his through him, or something. Go best friend! Then there's Jooan and Jaejun. Sex. Don't get me started on Jooan; I'm so serious. Changsun? I think I have enough said on him from the bulk of a paragraph I wrote on the Wild Idol Episode 12 dance evaluation that you can witness all of the glory of here. Now, I need to go to sleep before I start crying over Hyunyeop.
The footwork for DU DU DU is not simple. This is something that should be clear to anyone who sees it. Most of what makes a dance look so refined is the minute details dabbled in each move. These details are easily skipped over by performers less agile—and for the most part, that's okay, since it's so inconspicuous. But, the main dancers of their respective group do incorporate those movements, which leaves a sort of awkward imbalance in the overview; from the audience's perspective's it may even appear messy.
TAN is not like this. For TAN, every member hits every isolated beat. Even the members not aligned with the dance aspect of a performance. That's what makes it insane! They have pure, evenly-spread talent among all seven of them, which is unarguably rare for products of survival shows. They're so balanced in their energy. I watch every new DU DU DU choreography video that drops, so I've been absorbing their joint stage essence since the beginning; I am still obsessed with their sharpness.
Great dancers on a great dance is such a bliss to my soul... You never realize how we've been lacking the good stuff until, well, we suddenly get something of that higher level of esteem. I'm not trying to be shady, but nowadays, I've mostly been observing mediocre dancers and/or mediocre dances that are stubbornly molded towards trends and aren't able to showcase the extent of some stronger dancers' abilities. Again, I'm not shading anyone specific; come on, guys—you know me—I'm not like that! Not everyone can be that skilled, and that's fine. They're good, still, and I know they've worked hard. I'm sure these idols have their own niche micro-area of which they have a semi-standout talent in, and that's fine. They're good. But where's the magnificent, the outstanding, the mind-boggling groups? Of 4th gen., there aren't too many, that much is... fairly widely agreed upon. Whether it's due to the sheer amount of new groups there are or the speed of which they're being cranked out, the talent pool in the industry has visibly weakened compared to previous generations. This statement doesn't equate to the meaning that there's none at all, of course. Sure, there are more 'dozens' to be sighted at one Inkigayo performance than ever before, but select individuals still obviously outshine—Monday of Weeekly, Hwanwoong of ONEUS, Yuki of Purple Kiss, etc.—and every once in a while, even the occasional group as a whole. TAN is one of the finest examples of such! With that: back to TAN.
(Look at that smooth ass transition back to the topic. The English teachers who stress over tying your essay's body paragraphs back to the thesis better be proud of that one.)
It's a given that TAN has a ton of amazing dancers, but factoring in that they synergize together so fluently is what ultimately seals the deal. There are uncountable groups with multiple notable dancers; even then, however, they aren't always able to produce an appeasing effect on stage when juxtaposed with fellow members. Manipulating your own dancing style to be consonant with a team's is a key skill that can define one's echelon in dance, I believe, and the fact that TAN's strongest dancers are all able to do this exceptionally contributes to the evident finesse of their performances.
For further clarification, what I'm discussing is not 100% about synchronization, either. There is a member who arguably has slightly weaker techniques than the rest, but even like that, he doesn't stand out in a negative light at all! Like, it would literally be impossible to notice—if you haven't been examining all of these men's dancing since the dawn of time on their bootcamp survival show. It's about the way each one of them can fit exquisitely into their places in the choreography that makes their performances that much more captivating and their stages exceptionally compelling.
Besides the boys' own mastery, there's the component of the actual choreography itself, which I really, really love. This is more of a personal thing, as dance preferences vary the same as music tastes. I've expressed my appreciation of this dance before, but I never had the chance to discuss the intricacies and reach into the greater depths on why it attracts me. First, I would like to address that this choreography may only have this effect when there are refined and sharp dancers on it—of which TAN themselves all happen to be, as i just spent the first half of this essay bolstering. This is a very defined choreography; the moves are clean, quick, and precise. It leaves no room for sloppiness, otherwise the entire thing will look like a blur and fall apart at the seems. This is a choreography that is either pulled off or not. TAN do pull it off. I am utterly grateful Choi Youngjun gave this song, and consequently this dance, landed on them out of everyone. (Albeit, I still have beef with this track being titled DU DU DU. It could've been 'Dive In'? It could've been 'Dripping Honey', for the English version? Hell, I would've taken 'Sex Song'—as a matter of fact, in the end, that's the most suiting and methodical of all of these. Can Korea stop being so conservative, so we can rename DU DU DU to any of the phrases from Welcome to the Cum Zone? But, anyway, my pettiness-over-songs-with-an-onomatopoeia-title rant can be saved for another day.)
Let's talk about the expert prop-use. Yeah, let's talk about the satisfying ass umbrella-handling. I'm sure everyone notices that first thing. While I think the prop itself is a little random—like, in context with the meaning and vibe of the song—but that can be excused due to the unparalleled coolness it exerts, because the child in me likes awesome, unique maneuvers. Jiseong sure knows how to work that thing. From the beginning to his verse—when it actually comes back into use—he handles it so impressively, even when the attention isn't on him. I assume that was something incorporated to be practiced in exclusively by the choreographer, since, you know, carrying an umbrella in your arms fluidly while you dance isn't something you just know how to do. (Or does he? It's my 弟弟, Slaychamp Kim Jiseong; he can do anything, so who knows!) That section is likely not something viewers pay attention to or think about, but my respect for Jiseong's ability to manage it so naturally and inconspicuously there multiplies every time.
And to the good part: that sleek fucking umbrella pass. Jiseong is so good at drawing your attention to where he wants it and keeping it diverted there, steady. After his epic umbrella flip and satisfying "airplane mode" movement, he pulls out a bunch of Cool-rapper-hand-gestures—with emphasis on 'Cool' with a capital 'C' because he is so cool—which keeps your line of sight away from the prop that was just at the center of attention a couple seconds ago. You don't track where the umbrella goes until it suddenly reappears in Changsun's grasp. It's borderline a magic trick, given the involvement of the art of distraction and slippery sleight of hand. The way this section flows is so mesmerizing… not to mention, the way Changsun spins it immediately before passing it to Taehoon as he slips it to rest at the back of the stage for later use by hiding behind the formation. This is making me grow even more intense appreciation for the little details.
Speaking of which, this dance has a ton of those. And I love those. I love small details so much in dances; I love when every beat is hit in a way that is distinct, but not too jolty—and elegant, yet not completely watery. My instant favorite move, when I first witnessed this performance in whole, was the wrist flick at the chorus after the "so slow, so slow" line. And then, the beat after "새로운 세상의 입을 맞추고". (How would that be described... It's like kissing the inside of your wrist and then sending it out; Wooseok does this at the beginning of Candyland by UP10TION, right before his first verse transitions into Jinhyuk's. Sorry, that was an obscure comparison. No one even knows that song. But, anyway, that's what it reminds me of.) There's also the beginning in general (and the other brief sections they do this)—the shaking-shoulders-to-the-bass-line in MONSTA X Shoot Out intro style, but like, on steroids—and the pre-chorus with the sharp leg snaps that Sunghyuk and Taehoon centers at the first and second time respectively. I could honestly go on and on explaining ultra-specific parts of this dance that I adore. There's just so many. This is just such a collectively pleasing choreography to me. I'm fairly lenient on my choreography critiques, but I do have certain ultimate favorites, and DU DU DU is one of them—it's probably even up there among the top few, along with Bloom Bloom by THE BOYZ.
These guys are also amazing at filler moves and gestures (as in, the head tilts or fancy stuff they do with their hands when it's time for their individual verse, and they have to insert some special movements for captivation). Notably, I love Sunghyuk's and Hyunyeop's (and Jiseong's, of course, as I mentioned before). This may seem like the bias line inclination pulling through, but I swear to god, theirs just stand out to me on their own (and no, this isn't the reason I biased them either; the root of my story with both of them go way back before debut). Hyunyeop is especially a beast at this. I feel a little insane watching him, because his posture and angling are a little too good. And he's just a little guy... there's so much power in that little vessel of his; I love him so much. This boy can belt and do the most perfect body rolls. For some reason, that makes me so happy, like I'm vicariously living with the contentment of having that crazy talent of his through him, or something. Go best friend! Then there's Jooan and Jaejun. Sex. Don't get me started on Jooan; I'm so serious. Changsun? I think I have enough said on him from the bulk of a paragraph I wrote on the Wild Idol Episode 12 dance evaluation that you can witness all of the glory of here. Now, I need to go to sleep before I start crying over Hyunyeop.