Born in Chicago, footwork is a frenetic form of street dance, driven by hyper-speed foot routines that would give Michael Flatley a nervous breakdown. It rose in popularity alongside the musical genre of the same name, a jittery offshoot of ghetto house with a tempo that sprints past drum ’n’ bass, fuelled by intense rhythms and loops.
It can be a jaw-dropping spectacle when performed by a pro, and now two such masters are flying over from the south side of Chicago to school you in the ways of footwork, as part of the excellent Clock Strikes 13 party series. Litebulb and Chief Manny, part of acclaimed footwork crew The Era, will be leading daytime dance workshops on Saturday November 7 at Pineapple Dance Studios, teaching introductory fast-paced footwork skills. There are two classes, one starting at 3.30pm, one at 4.30pm, both lasting an hour. Both cost £8 in advance.
In the evening, bust out your new moves at south London club Corsica Studios, where revered producer Kode9 – founder of Hyperdub Records – is launching his new album ‘Nothing’, which mashes up footwork beats with various other mind-warping electronic business.
There’ll also be a stellar supporting cast, including footwork DJs Spinn and Paypal, plus Hyperdub royalty Scratcha DVA and Cooly G. Litebulb and Manny will be performing at the night, so if your feet get tired, just kick back and watch the masters.
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