Street Hip Hop Block

Tracks:
1. I Can Transform Ya - Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne & Swizz Beatz
2. Choose - David Guetta feat. Ne-Yo & Kelly Rowland
3. Buzz Buzz Buzz - Black Strobe
4. Pump It Harder - Black Eyed Peas

The first hip hop block I choreographed for Cardio Fit #7 was a complete mess. There were some good parts, but there were sections where the counting is totally weird. Not to mention the members, even I get tripped up by it!

I have earmarked "Choose" and "Buzz Buzz Buzz" for the past few months. I just couldn't find the proper genre to slot them in. I initially brainstormed for a Krump routine (BodyJam 40 was great!) but I didn't have enough hardcore songs to really do a proper block.

Then I saw "I Can Transform Ya" being used on SYTYCD US season 6, and I was... "Wow!" Cheesy as it is, there are some great beats and melody within.

"Pump It" was used as the Breakout track for BodyJam 46's Tribal Explosion block and it was really effective. On principle I try to avoid using the same tracks as Jam (see my first post), but then I found this mash-up version on BEP's E.N.D. album. Combining Danzel's "Pump It Up" with the original "Pump It" resulted in a surprisingly great track!

Street Hip Hop is just a label to excite members, not that I learned it from the streets or anything. In fact, I would say it's more to a club feel in the middle so I might just change it to Club Hip Hop or something...

Moves-wise, I'm looking at a combination of moves from some Jam releases (very minor copying) and some things I learned at the Crunch Fame! class at Asia Fitness Convention. There'll be kriss-kross travels, knee lift/finger schnapp, step ball change + body wave, and others which I haven't put it in yet.

Choreography-wise, I want to slow it down a bit. Pauline has commented (and I concur) that my routines in Cardio Fit 11 are pretty fast. And from seeing members struggle with catching up in the MTV Hip Hop and Old Skool House blocks really tortured me. So for future blocks I have to space out my routines with more holding patterns to let them soak up the moves.

More as I finish choreographing it.

Warmup: Million Dollar Bill (Freemasons' Remix)

Whitney Houston - Million Dollar Bill (Freemasons' Remix)

I've been a big fan of the Freemasons remixing team ever since Ring The Alarm was used in BodyJam 41. They have found the perfect concoction of synths and beats to totally transform any song into a club-banger, and this is no exception.

The moment I heard this song, my head was filled with just one word - "Warmup!" Singalong moments and uplifting music combine to make a welcoming entry for any class.

I've already got the basic moves figured out: 4 step touch drags (dynamic hamstring stretch), 8ct arm wave, and a diagonal walk back combo.

Anyway, I read the sizzlers for Les Mills next releases and as expected this song has been picked up too. BodyStep 79 uses it for Step Warmup, and BodyJam 52 *might* possibly use it for the Bonus Pop Block. I say *might* coz the sizzler didn't mention it outright but just said "Whitney song". And I know Gandalf just can't resist a good Freemasons' remix!