The LXD!

[swan_tower]

Ballet is so the wrong icon for this, but it's the only dance icon I have.

The LXD has FINALLY started airing! There's material up at their site, but it's easier to sort out what's what at the Hulu page, where episodes are clearly numbered. So far there are two; I'm not sure how often new ones will be added.

My one gripe so far is that the episodes are short. Well, it's a web series; what did I expect? Awesome dancing, though -- especially in "Antigravity Heroes" -- and I'm looking forward to them getting past the introductions of the characters and into the story itself, since after all, that's the other half of the draw: awesome dancing in the context of a superhero story.

One thing that really struck me in both episodes is, you actually see guys dancing with each other. Not just on the same floor at the same time; they physically interact, with holds and lifts and such, and if you come out of a more classical background (as I do) that's a really unusual thing to see. Men and women dance together in pas de deux; women join hands and such for corps de ballet numbers; you don't really get guys partnering up. It's just one detail of what amounts to an entirely foreign aesthetic for me. (I said after watching Stomp the Yard that it was like a foreign film with no subtitles: a character would do something, and I would know from the reactions of those around them that it carried a particular meaning, but I couldn't translate it myself, because I don't know that style of dancing at all.)

Anyway, I know several of you were excited about this when I linked to it before. So if you've been waiting for the series to actually launch: it's here at last.

Comments

[srallen.livejournal.com]

I was wondering if you'd seen this. I shouldn't be surprised.

My only gripe is with all the slo-mo. I love watching this type of dance at full speed and to see it slowed down so much feels off.

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

It's actually chance -- I had stopped checking regularly because there was no announced date, and then a week or so ago I randomly took a look and saw the Facebook page had "7/7/10" with no further explanation. Then today I remembered, and lo, there were episodes.

I hadn't noticed the slo-mo myself, but then I don't watch a lot of this kind of dance, so what I did notice were bits that almost made me think they were sped up -- which were probably being played at real speed. In general, though, I appreciate that Chu knows how to film dancers; he gives you full-length images, he doesn't cut too often, and when he goes in for a detail you can trust (because this was choreographed with the camera in mind) that you aren't missing anything cool outside the frame.

[ninja-turbo.livejournal.com]

I did the happy dance this morning as the first episode was loading. There will be embloggination upon this subject, much embloggination.

Hmm. To use my comics/supers icon or my tango (dance) icon? I'll err on the side of supers, since you went on the side of dance. Balance!

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

We shall have dueling icons!

[cloudshaper2k.livejournal.com]

Funny you should mention the men dancing together. There's a pas de trois in Ib Andersen's Play for three men - complete with lifts and holds. It's one of my favorite parts of the performance.

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Nifty! It also makes me think of the skating performance that put a whole bunch of men together to the tune of "A Little Less Conversation;" again, it was such a change from what you usually see.

[cloudshaper2k.livejournal.com]

I think you'd enjoy Ib's choreography. If you're ever in the Phoenix area, try to time it for a Ballet Arizona performance. You won't be disappointed.

[prosewitch.livejournal.com]

Neat! I actually just watched their TED performance today by chance. I am intrigued by the concept but a tad wary; there will be ranty-pants in my LJ later...

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

I will keep an eye out for the rantypants.