Side Gliding

learza · **Side Gliding -** 09-27-2003, 05:32 PM

let me start off by saying that this site has helped me out greatly, and through browsing the forums most all of my questions have been answered.

either way, i have absolutely NO access to any of the videos (can only get online at work), so all ive been able to look at are guides about side gliding. now, i have been practicing a good amount, but i cant seem to get the transition down.

for going left, i angle my left foot out, and my right foot on its toes. then i glide the left foot out, and pull the right one after it. after that, it just gets fucked up, i cant find any guide that explains that particular transition (after pulling the right foot), only to repeat the same steps. i know im at a pretty big disadvantage not seeing the videos, but it just doesnt seem that simple to me, to just repeat the steps..

any help would be greatly appreciated.

B LeVe · 09-27-2003, 06:21 PM

you can do what I did and just figure it out yourself.

AWESOME HAPPY!!!

learza · 09-27-2003, 06:42 PM

i tried figuring it out myself, and it just didnt work, all i have to go off of are the guides online, and no videos. dont know anyone who dances, its just kinda my own thing.

BBoy_J-Man · 09-27-2003, 11:45 PM

don't worry B Leve's just an ass hole... I can glide but not that well so I wouldn't want to write a guide for it but i'm sure someone will see this and post one

Kumar · 09-27-2003, 11:46 PM

I'm not sure exactly what you have read from the guides on this forum so I may be repeating some stuff here, but telling you how I learned to transition may help you out. First, learn to just heel-toe going left. I'm sure you can do this, but it helps to be able to do it well. Then, practice doing it so that your heel and your toe don't land at the same time. Alternate them so that if you go left, starting with your feet pointing outward, you begin by pivoting on your right heel and as you put your right toes down onto the ground (should be facing left), raise your left heel. When you do it this way, your knees take turns flaring outward, giving even a regular float a walking illusion. When you add the push/pull to make it glide, try leaning forward when your on your right toes a little bit.

I think what messes a lot of people up on transitions is that they don't point their toes the right way. Make sure that when you are dragging your right root in front of you that your right toes are pointing left, and then when you shift onto your right toes, you pivot as you lift your heel. Glides are hard to explain, hope some of this made sense.

Remember: Glides are just floats with a push/pull added. Work on the heel toe motion if you get stuck.

www.bboy.org/ · 09-27-2003, 11:59 PM

like 99% of the people that say they cant figure stuff out and need help know exactly how to do it and just refuse to admitt that they cant do it because they dont have enough practice. There are only so many guides you can read. I suggest find 3 guides cause ive seen some bad shit then practice.

Poppin Smurf · 09-28-2003, 11:09 AM

if it a minor prob then prac heel toe movement n excrss eg moving up n down from heel 2 toe or floatin on ur toes n heels then in no time u shud have gliding in the bag!! but if u want the whole package go to mrwiggleshiphop.net on the right side in the red box shud b definitions go there!!!

FlawlessSkillz · **Gliding..gliding. -** 09-28-2003, 10:14 PM

well lets see here...the glides take practice...well good glides do..
dont listen to ppl that give ya negative shit like B leve..cuz honestly he tuts good..but doesnt really got the foot work..hehe
anyways...the glides u have to use the heel toe action...dont think about it tto much and dont read directions on gliding it will only confuse ya...all ihave to say I practice practice with the stuff ya /know now and build off that..who knows maybe u can develop your own style...peace dogg good luck

Peace

B LeVe · 09-29-2003, 01:14 AM

not like your response is any better flawless... heehee.

and at least my negetivity does not go without reason...

believe me... guides are worthless. Figure it out yourself. Learn from someone else in person. Reading words will not help your dancing. payce.

and everything about my dancing is superior to yours flawedskills. don't step unless you really think you can take me.

learza · 09-29-2003, 08:01 PM

thanks kumar, that actually helped a lot. ill start tryin that out, and it does sound like gliding should just come naturally after practicing mixing it up like that.

and i probably havent practiced enough, because you never really can.

either way, thanks for the help

Kumar · 09-30-2003, 01:21 AM

Yeah, I went to see Bring on da Noise Bring on da Funk when Savion Glover was in Seattle last year and he used it in his routines a lot. He'd tap his heel/toe this way so that he'd get 4 taps per beat and he used to do it in a circle a lot when he'd wipe his sweat. He's really a good dancer, a lot of hip hop elements and I get a lot of inspiration from dancers with classical training. Anyway, thought maybe I'd change things up and actually try to help somebody when they ask for it.

liquidpop · 10-01-2003, 05:36 PM

For going left, all your pressure should be on your right foot. Your left foot should barely be touching the ground. If you know the heel-toe illusion then it should all come with balance and practice. Remember that glides are an illusion. One leg bent while the other straight moving in a direction that doesn't look like the direction you're walking. Practice by walking to the left on only your right leg, then work the left leg into it. Like B-leve said, I could show you but I'm not going to try and explain it. Practice, watch someone. Peace.

Kumar · 10-01-2003, 06:08 PM

Another reason why practice is so necessary to be able to glide is because not only do you need huge amounts of technique and balance, which you can only get through repitition, but you also need strong ankles. Glides should look effortless, and so the stronger your ankles are the easier you should be able to make them look. Even with other styles of dance that require insane lower leg strength (ever seen a ballerina's calf muscles?) nothing emphasizes the whole range of motion quite like popping does. Honestly, though, ballet makes you do some crazy shit with your toes. Thank god I'll never have to do that.

I have a question for people who glide well. Do you make it look like a walk or like a float? More specifically, do you lift the toe of the foot you are dragging or do you keep it flat? I've always kept it flat but I've started lifting the toe as I drag it and I think it looks kind of nice.

Ok, another question, and I know most of this comes down to personal preference, but how wide do you keep your legs? MJ does his side glide with his feet real close together so that his toe actually slides under his heel, but lots of others do it so their legs have a wider split. Wider legs mean you kind of have to rock back and forth with each step and I think that helps keep the glide as a part of the music (when MJ glides he pops his chest to the music so he doesn't have to worry about not keeping the beat).

Ok, done.

liquidpop · 10-01-2003, 07:10 PM

Answer to first question: I normally try to make it look like a walk, but sometimes depending on conditions (floor texture, type of footwear), I'll make it look like a float.

Answer to second question. With backgliding I try to keep my legs as close together as possible without being too close. I try to find a medium which is hard to do in making it look fluid. With side gliding I always try to keep my legs as far apart as possible, it looks like you're covering more ground. Peace.

FlawlessSkillz · **yo b leve -** 10-04-2003, 12:52 AM

britng it on cuz..lol...i know u got madd poppin skillz..but ive imporved too ya see