I just read all the posts in this thread and have made some observations.

First of all, LanDroid, those dancers are awesome. I do love watching break dancing and all sorts of urban dancing. Good stuff, so thanks.

I've known Frank for a looong time and he is far from judgmental or hateful. And his post using the word "bug" had me cracking up. My observation is that this online world of posting messages back and forth leaves far too much room for interpretation. Frank types as he talks in real life and he has an awesome sense of humor. No harm is meant by it. And I really think his above posts should have elicited laughter and comical replies, not the accusation that he is being judgmental or hateful. He is typing fast and having fun.

Krunking does indeed look kind of wacko. The dancers do look like they're pissed off and making threatening gestures at each other or the world or at something. And if you run a search for krunking and read about it this is exactly what they are trying to communicate. Krunking is supposed to be a form of language through body movements and each motion has a purpose. There are actually names for those flailing motions. LOL I am seriously laughing. I find it interesting how I can laugh my ass off at Frank's approach or "judgment" of Krunking while others have a totally different reaction. I disagree with Frank, but his words are pretty funny. Heck, my brother makes fun of country music whenever I bring it up and it makes me laugh. We're all different. Krunkers do look like they are having spasms. Krunking is all about spasms. I bet the best Krunkers have epilepsy. ROFL Do NOT let that get you mad.

Thanks Chris... I'm glad somebody gets it.

Later

Golly, Frank, "the lady protests too much, methinks."

My response that you are quoting here wasn't directed at you or your experiences. It was in response to your claim that I couldn't help comparing people with mental health issues, who were having episodes, to bugs. I was just explaining why I would not

Rose
It was in response to your claim that I couldn't help comparing people with mental health issues, who were having episodes, to bugs.

Actually I was saying that you couldn't deny the similarities between the mental health wacko spaz and the dancing in the first video.

Rose
I was just explaining why I would not

Frank wrote:Actually I was saying that you couldn't deny the similarities between the mental health wacko spaz and the dancing in the first video.

No the comment to which I was responding was this:

...if you had seen a "bug" wig out I doubt that even you could deny the similarities.

And all I said was that I wouldn't note similarities between people with mental health issues, who may be acting out, and bugs. That's when I explained why I would not draw such comparisons.

Nobody said you would or should call anyone bugs, you do not have to call them bugs to recognize the similarity of movements between that dance and a violent mental fit.

O.K. Frank. I was merely explaining why I wouldn't draw any comparisons whatsoever between people and bugs. When you stated that even I couldn't help but noting similarities, I felt it necessary to state that I wouldn't even consider the comparison, so I wouldn't note any such similarities. And, further, that I wouldn't use such language with regard to people. My comments were directed to why I wouldn't draw the similarities

Frank
...if you had seen a "bug" wig out I doubt that even you could deny the similarities.

By that I did mean the similarities between the dance and the bug wigging out.

The rest of your comment I get.

Later

Now, hopefully, turning this discussion to something ever so much more interesting

I would expect some of the audience is watching simply out of curiosity, weather you like the style of dance or not it is certainly a head turner.

Later

And I would add that the middle-class audience member's curiosity is evidence that krumping is at least mildly successful. If the point of krumping is expression, then drawing an audience is critical. Drawing an audience of your peers is usually the first step -- establishing the credibility of the dance form as expressing this or that social circumstance -- but it's a very limited step compared to that of gaining visibility outside of your peer group.

But I think it might, or could be, more than just a mere curiosity. If it were, I'd expect I would be more intrigued by breakdancing than by the krumping. At least, that would be my guess. And I think that's partly what Mad might be getting at when he speaks to the success of drawing an audience outside the peer group.

As I said, I didn't particularly like very much in the first video, though there were some good pieces. I think part of that is watching it on the screen is very different than watching it standing in an impromptu crowd, with music echoing off the concrete walls of the subway tunnels. Watching those street performances can be electrifying in a way that going to theater is not. It's pure, it's passionate, it's amateur, it's aggressive. But I'm not quite sure why it speaks to me. But krumping certainly speaks to me in a way that a lot of professional dance that I have seen, for the most part, does not. And yet, I'm not a disenfranchised youth.