As promised, here comes an itnerview with UK Hiphop dancer - Simeon Campbell. First I gonna publish it in original, then, when I find time to translate I will place it in Polish as well.
Sneakers & Pointes: So let's start from scratch. What's your story Simeon? When did you start dancing and why? What did you do before that? Did you have any role models? Did you try any other styles apart from hiphop?
Simeon Campbell I started dancing kind of late actually, i didnt really take dance seriously untill i was 17-18? I was always more of an actor before i stared studying musical theatre a college, where i picked up singing, music, acting and technical dance skills. This is where I have touched in contemporary, ballet, tap and a few specialist styles like flamenco, salsa, samba and capoiera. Because i started dance so late i didn't have many role models at the time, but like everybody else, was in total amazement at Michael Jackson!
Sneakers & Pointes: What do you like the most in dance?
Simeon Campbell Jheeeeez! ummmm....so much! i wouldnt know where to start! but i think mostly travelling and meeting new people and friends, and how dance is a international language wherever you go!! sharing work with people, and learning from others! But PERFORMING has to be my number 1! Cant get that feeling anywhere else! :D
Sneakers & Pointes: Do you travel a lot doing workshops or you prefer to focus on your dancing rather that teaching?
Simeon Campbell To be honest, I've probably spent more time teaching! i would like to concentrate more on being a dancer in some aspects, but i love to teach! i love to share and grow amd of course travel and meet people.
Sneakers & Pointes: Hiphop dance is quite wide term right now. To some oldschool cats hiphop is only popping, locking and hiphop dance that you do on battle jams. New school dancers especially those from LA do a hiphop that is very precise, isolated and very often danced to the words or to the beats of a specific song. Which of those elements are the closest to your own style of dance?
Simeon Campbell Hehehehe, i hear you!! :D For me, ummm i'm much closer to a new skool dancer, i love LA style, and have alot of that influence, i like to play around wit beats and lyrics to specific songs and sometime like to have a detailed routine, or something with lots of isolation! But i do appreciate old school hip-hop, because without it we would have nothing! and wouldnt of been able to evolve into all of this different styles of hip-hop!
Sneakers & Pointes: What do you think about hiphop battles and freestyle? Do dancers in UK (or other countries that you had chance to work in) freestyle a lot? Do you freestyle?
Simeon Campbell Freeestyleeeee!!!! :D:D :D first of all, i do loveeeee to freestyle!!! the way i work, if i couldnt freestyle, i probably couldnt make my choreography!! I think its such an important thing to have as a dancer, epsecially if you are working professionally, because you can put on the spot at an audtion or anything at anytime!!! And the thing is that people forget is that ANYONE can freestyle! because you cant be wrong!! you are just expressing yourself and what the music is telling you at the time! all u must do is practice enough to be confident in what you are doing! its literally just what you tell yourself in your head!! Dancers in UK do freestyle yes, there is always room for more! But fortunately getting better! especially with the younger generation now. In my opinion the battling scene has always been around here in the UK, but i think in the past few years it has taken a fresh turn with more stykes eing used or even old styles becoming very popular again, like house! In UK you now find Popping battles, Krump battles, Nu Style battles, Hip-hop battles, breaking battles, House battles, Locking battles, Jerkin' battles , waacking battles, vougue battles and many more.
Sneakers & Pointes: I know you take part in dance tournaments. Do you dance alone or with your crew? Can you tell us about a competition that was the most important in your career? Are there any new competitons ahead?
Simeon Campbell I dance with my group 'RUTHLESS' and we've been running about 6years now? My most important one was probably my most recent experience which was 'SOULPLEX' in Hannover Germany last month! It was the first time we have left the UK as a Dance crew, and were being judged by some of my idolsin dance such as Jun Quemado, Brian Puspos and more. And i was eager to impress them with our group! it wasnt really about winning, but more making a statement, because we would want to be known as a crew all over the world! At least for now, we gonna break from competitions for a while, get back to training working on material, but performing small showcases around the place to keep us going! :D
Sneakers & Pointes: This last question I ask all the dancers and choreographers that I interview. What would be your advise to young folks in Poland taking first steps on dancefloors. What should they focus on the most?
Simeon Campbell HAHAHA! i get scared at this part, because i never wanna tell kids the wrong thing! looooooool!! I would say, take time to learn your styles! Training is probably one of the most important things as a dancer! Make sure u go to classes, or at least do a jam with people that have experience and learn from those who know their styles well!
Simeon Campbell I started dancing kind of late actually, i didnt really take dance seriously untill i was 17-18? I was always more of an actor before i stared studying musical theatre a college, where i picked up singing, music, acting and technical dance skills. This is where I have touched in contemporary, ballet, tap and a few specialist styles like flamenco, salsa, samba and capoiera. Because i started dance so late i didn't have many role models at the time, but like everybody else, was in total amazement at Michael Jackson!
Sneakers & Pointes: What do you like the most in dance?
Simeon Campbell Jheeeeez! ummmm....so much! i wouldnt know where to start! but i think mostly travelling and meeting new people and friends, and how dance is a international language wherever you go!! sharing work with people, and learning from others! But PERFORMING has to be my number 1! Cant get that feeling anywhere else! :D
Simeon Campbell To be honest, I've probably spent more time teaching! i would like to concentrate more on being a dancer in some aspects, but i love to teach! i love to share and grow amd of course travel and meet people.
Sneakers & Pointes: Hiphop dance is quite wide term right now. To some oldschool cats hiphop is only popping, locking and hiphop dance that you do on battle jams. New school dancers especially those from LA do a hiphop that is very precise, isolated and very often danced to the words or to the beats of a specific song. Which of those elements are the closest to your own style of dance?
Simeon Campbell Hehehehe, i hear you!! :D For me, ummm i'm much closer to a new skool dancer, i love LA style, and have alot of that influence, i like to play around wit beats and lyrics to specific songs and sometime like to have a detailed routine, or something with lots of isolation! But i do appreciate old school hip-hop, because without it we would have nothing! and wouldnt of been able to evolve into all of this different styles of hip-hop!
Sneakers & Pointes: What do you think about hiphop battles and freestyle? Do dancers in UK (or other countries that you had chance to work in) freestyle a lot? Do you freestyle?
Simeon Campbell Freeestyleeeee!!!! :D:D :D first of all, i do loveeeee to freestyle!!! the way i work, if i couldnt freestyle, i probably couldnt make my choreography!! I think its such an important thing to have as a dancer, epsecially if you are working professionally, because you can put on the spot at an audtion or anything at anytime!!! And the thing is that people forget is that ANYONE can freestyle! because you cant be wrong!! you are just expressing yourself and what the music is telling you at the time! all u must do is practice enough to be confident in what you are doing! its literally just what you tell yourself in your head!! Dancers in UK do freestyle yes, there is always room for more! But fortunately getting better! especially with the younger generation now. In my opinion the battling scene has always been around here in the UK, but i think in the past few years it has taken a fresh turn with more stykes eing used or even old styles becoming very popular again, like house! In UK you now find Popping battles, Krump battles, Nu Style battles, Hip-hop battles, breaking battles, House battles, Locking battles, Jerkin' battles , waacking battles, vougue battles and many more.
Simeon Campbell I dance with my group 'RUTHLESS' and we've been running about 6years now? My most important one was probably my most recent experience which was 'SOULPLEX' in Hannover Germany last month! It was the first time we have left the UK as a Dance crew, and were being judged by some of my idolsin dance such as Jun Quemado, Brian Puspos and more. And i was eager to impress them with our group! it wasnt really about winning, but more making a statement, because we would want to be known as a crew all over the world! At least for now, we gonna break from competitions for a while, get back to training working on material, but performing small showcases around the place to keep us going! :D
Sneakers & Pointes: This last question I ask all the dancers and choreographers that I interview. What would be your advise to young folks in Poland taking first steps on dancefloors. What should they focus on the most?
Simeon Campbell HAHAHA! i get scared at this part, because i never wanna tell kids the wrong thing! looooooool!! I would say, take time to learn your styles! Training is probably one of the most important things as a dancer! Make sure u go to classes, or at least do a jam with people that have experience and learn from those who know their styles well!
Like it! memory of unique days. :D
OdpowiedzUsuń