Blast from the past # 4 (Vogue by Madonna)

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I think that "Vogue" by Madonna is a very timeless song. There will always be people like me who are interested in fashion and like to dance to good music. Even the lyrics of the song are timeless and took on a different meaning over the years, cause Vogue doesn't stand for the dance itself anymore. It's back to where it all started the magazine Vogue! The Vogue ("Performance") is a form of modern dance characterized by photo model-like poses integrated with angular, linear and rigid arm, leg, and body movements. Although often associated with Madonna's efforts to introduce it to mainstream popular culture, vogue as a subculture was in existence long before the release of her song.












This particular style of dance arose from the Harlem ballrooms back in the early 1930s. It was first called "performance" and has since evolved into the more intricate and illusory form that is now commonly referred to as "vogue." There are currently two distinct styles (or "schools") of vogue: Old Way (pre-1990) and New Way (post 1990). Old Way is characterized by formation of lines, symmetry, and precision in the execution of such formations and graceful, fluid-like action. New Way is characterized by a more rigid, geometric pattern movement coupled with "clicks" (limb contortions at the joints) and "arms control" (sleight of hand and wrist illusions, which usually include "tuts" or "tutting" and locking). New Way can also be described as a modified form of mime, where imaginary geometric shapes such as a box are introduced during motion and moved progressively around the dancer's body to display the dancer's dexterity and memory. This form of vogue is similar to "fixed angle" dancing. Vogue also encompasses other forms of dance and movement, namely modern jazz, ballet, gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, martial arts, break-dance, yoga, etc. Some dance historians even point out that break-dance and vogue evolved together in a state of mutual borrowing, with artists from both sides interacting with each other in New York City's Central Park, West Side Piers, Harlem, and Washington Square Park during the 70s and early 80s. Vogueing has evolved since its beginning and continues to be developed further as an established dance form that is practiced in gay dance clubs in New York and other big cities throughout the United States--mainly Atlanta, Philadelphia, Miami, and Chicago. Though voguing usually takes place in gay clubs frequented by African Americans and Latin American males, it is also practiced by a small number of non-gay individuals and outside of the club scene. Formal competitions occur in the form of balls held by Houses, a term used to describe collectives of dancers and performers. Some influential Houses to note include the House of Xtravaganza, the House of Labeija, House of Revlon, House of Ninja, House of Infinite, House of Aviance and the House of Milan. Furthermore, distinct styles of this art form have been directly associated with voguers such as Willi Ninja, Jose Xtravaganza, Aviance Milan, and Stiffy Revlon. Anyway, I think that the song itself really gives the performer and in this case Madonna exceptional room for creativity and that's exactly what happened when Madonna and her dancers (see Lewis from a previous post) take center stage at the MTV Music Awards back in 1990. "Little detail... Madonna's dress was already used in the tv series Dynasty 5 years before when Alexis Carrington-Colby played by actress Joan Collins needed it to go to a "Carnaval bal"

Here's the link to what I think is Madonna's best performance ever! (and she had many!)ENJOY:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxazg6xxE0k

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