Butterfly dance

The Hopi Butterfly DanceIn the summer of 1989, my wife and I had the opportunity to attend the Hopi Butterfly Dance in northeastern Arizona. The Butterfly Dance is one of the most beautiful and spectacular of the Hopi social dances. Like most Hopi ceremonies, the Butterfly Dance is a petition for rain, good health and long life for all living things. The dance is a celebration of the harvest that recognizes the butterfly for its beauty and its contribution in pollinating plant life.The main participants are Hopi youth and young adults who are accompanied by a drummer and a chorus of singers. The participating girls each wear an elaborately painted headdress or kopatsoki made for them by their male dance partners. The imagery includes symbols of the girl's clan and sometimes of her dance partner's clan. The boys wear loosely fitting velvet shirts and tailored kilts that are embroidered with cloud and rain symbols. Everyone dances lightly, keeping time with the constant drumbeat. The dancers' gestures interpret and emphasize each song's meaning: lowering the arms depicts the lowering clouds, moving the arms in a zigzag motion denotes lightning, lowering the palms signifies rain, and lifting the hands symbolizes the growing stalks of corn.To watch the Butterfly Dance is to be transported to a way of life rooted in the distant past. The Hopi (The Peaceful People) have carried on their ancient way of life and culture in northeastern Arizona for more than 2000 years. To be Hopi is to strive toward achieving a state of total reverence and respect for all things, to be at peace with these things, and to live in accordance with the instructions of Maasaw, the Creator or Caretaker of Earth. The Hopi observe their traditional ceremonies for the benefit of the entire world. Watch the Hopi Butterfly Dance.

Butterfly dance is one of the traditional dances originating from Bali. According to the Balinese dance historical record, this butterfly dance was created by I Wayan Beratha in 1960. I Wayan Beratha is a Balinese Dance artist born in 1926, in Banjar Belaluan Denpasar. He currently resides in Banjar Abian Kapas Kaja. I Wayan Beratha is living and big in the family environment of Balinese artists. His grandfather, I Ketut Keneng (1841-1926) was also a great Balinese artist of his time.His grandfather was a gamelan musician and also pagambuhan. Because of the greatness of his name and his work, most of his life was dedicated to the family of Puri Denpasar, as a favorite artist from King I Gusti Agung Ngurah Denpasar until the Puputan Badung War erupted in 1906. So deserve the great artist's blood then flowed in I Wayan Beratha and created a work - great for the people of the island of Bali and Indonesia.Butterfly dance is a kind of female group dance that is played by 5 women or more. This dance describes a blue butterfly animal or a flying tarum and perched from one flower to another.Philosophically, this butterfly dance is a depiction of beauty, peace, and also the exotic island of Bali. The graceful movement and dynamic and charming motion composition make the butterfly dance slightly different from the nuances created by other Balinese dances, making it more peaceful to feel at the time of watching it.The blend of costume colors between dark and bright fabrics like golden, blue, and dark green and glittering crowns with golden knickknacks, illustrates beauty in contrasting differences. As in the beauty of nature, the variety of artwork, social conditions, culture and beliefs of Balinese society are united in the harmony of motion. The music accompaniment also uses Balinese

Perfecting the Hip Hop Butterfly DanceThe Butterfly dance move is an iconic staple within the hip hop dance realm that captures the essence of the ’90s groove. It sends dancers gliding with elegance and flow, reminiscent of the gentle creature it’s named after. This rhythmic wave of motion not only adds a dynamic flair to any routine but also serves as an excellent way to add a touch of nostalgia to your dance repertoire. Embrace the freedom and grace as we break down the enchanting steps of the Butterfly and learn how to incorporate this mesmerizing move into your dance arsenal.Video DemonstrationDance History of The ButterflyThe Butterfly dance move wafted into the hip hop scene in the 1990s, capturing the fluid, expressive nature of that era’s music and dance culture. While there’s no single identified originator, it quickly spread across clubs and dance floors, popularized by music videos and party-goers who were drawn to its playful and accessible style. The Butterfly resonated with the vibrant energy of hip-hop during this time, becoming an enduring symbol of the period’s creative spirit.While the Butterfly found its fame in the hip hop circles of the 1990s, it shares this kinship with the Caribbean rhythms, reflective of a diverse blend of musical influence. When dancing to the Butterfly, the potential for Reggae-inspired improvisation adds another layer of richness to this dynamic move, showing how hip hop often meshes distinct cultural beats into a unified expression of dance.Step By Step InstructionStarting Position: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.Lower Body Movement: Shift your weight to the balls of your feet. Bend your knees slightly and sway them inwards towards each other, then outwards, creating a fluid in-and-out motion.Upper Body Synchronization: As your knees come together, lean your torso slightly forward. As your knees move outwards, bring your torso back up to a neutral position.Rhythm and Flow: Keep the movement continuous to mimic the natural rhythm of a butterfly’s wings. The upper and lower body should move harmoniously, and the tempo should match the beat of the music.Final Touch: Add your personal flair by incorporating hand gestures or varying the intensity and speed of your movements.Here is a great tutorial from HowCast on how to do the butterfly dance.Tips For Learning The ButterflyBegin practicing slowly, focusing on the coordination of your knees and the corresponding torso movements.Mirror practice can be highly beneficial for visual learners to maintain the symmetry of the Butterfly’s “wings.”To avoid strain, ensure you warm up your knees and legs before attempting full tempo.Feel the music and allow it to guide the fluidity of your movements—it’s more about smooth motion than precision.ConclusionThe Butterfly transcends time to remain a beloved part of hip hop dance culture.

If you had any doubt of Dancehall Queen Carlene still knowing how to do the iconic ‘butterfly,’ rid it.Jamaica’s first Dancehall Queen showed that she still has the moves in a recent virtual dance class for the Versatile Dance & Culture Camp 2020.Given name Carlene Smith, the 90s dancing and waistline prodigy first captivated a wide audience in 1992 when she earned the Dancehall Queen title. Her reign continued for several years, aided by her mysticism, signature blonde hair, exotic leather costumes, ‘butterfly’ dance creation, video, and stage show appearances, and a Slam condom brand deal, which boosted her sex symbol status.Smith, 47, was the dancer in the yellow outfit and white hair in Chaka Demus & Pliers’ video for their classic song Murder She Wrote (1992).After becoming pregnant for former partner Beenie Man, she hung up her dancing boots to be a full-time parent, though she also pursued other ventures in traditional media. Since her daughter graduated high school in 2016, Smith has become more active in the dancehall space, from appearing at dancehall lectures, hosting a weekly live show at House of Dancehall in Kingston, to even orchestrating a dancehall road march which would have unfolded this month had it not been for the coronavirus.Dancehall Queen CarleneIn an unprecedented move, Smith hosted an online dancehall workshop on Saturday at Kingston’s Versatile Dance Studios, where she provided a lecture on the history of Dancehall, and spoke about paving the way for the Dancehall Queen culture. The icing on the cake was undoubtedly when she ditched her sandals and got comfortable in her leggings, as she broke down her timeless ‘butterfly’ move, whining techniques, and other popular Jamaican dances.“Whenever you dance, practise in the mirror, catch that beat so you’ll slow it up or speed it up,” she told attendees.

The new movie I’m writing a strongly worded email to Disney Pictures.Level of difficulty: Can’t front, this dance is a lot harder than it looks and the steps aren’t that intuitive. Props for pulling off all those moves in jeans that baggy.The song that started it all: Soulja Boy, “Crank Dat (Soulja Boy)”4. WobbleThe dance: The tale of “Wobble” is so weird. I remember when VIC dropped the song circa 2008 or so and no one batted an eye. Y’all were too busy listening to Tha Carter III or something. But three or four years later, it suddenly became the premier black wedding line dance song. This “new” dance was older than the ring bearer!Level of difficulty: Jump back and forth, wave your arms like you’re checking your armpits to see if you need deodorant. Step back and forth, wave your arms like you’re checking your armpits to see if you need deodorant. Easy. Unless you need deodorant.The song that started it all: VIC, “Wobble”3. The PercolatorThe dance: If you aren’t familiar with the House dance scene, you probably have no idea what this is. What a poor, deprived childhood you had then. You missed out on flailing around like a maniac to the sounds of a bubbling coffee pot. No wonder our knees are so bad today.Level of difficulty: I swear most of the songs on this list are just versions of the Butterfly. This is no different. But instead of the Butterfly, this is the drunkest, sweatiest moth