Creativity. Andre Blackwell on Adding Personal Style

Part 2 of the interview with Andre Blackwell focused on adding personal style to your dance. A few nuggets of wisdom from Andre Blackwell from his experience and background in Chicago-style stepping.

“Master the basic”

– ‘DRE

How did you put your personal stamp but still keep it authentic Chicago Style?

Basically, I mastered the basic eight-count or six-count – first to the point where I did it every day, if not every day all day. When I am not doing anything I am doing the basic. Like right now, if I am not doing anything today I would be practicing my 8-count.  I practiced to the point that I just got tired of doing it. Then I created footwork and some hip movement to take it to the next level. I tried a lot of different things. If somebody is leading me in the dance, I am following, I am doing the 8-count and I don’t miss anything there ain’t nothing they can say. Ain’t nothing they can say but “Damn that boy is good!” I am creative and focused at the same time. I am doing the 8-count while doing new things within the count and following altogether.

What inspires your creativity?

When a person challenges me that turns me on. It’s like a drug. When you challenge me in anything it turns me on. It makes me start creating, makes me get better in everything I do. It makes me practice harder. If I get bored, I get creative.

Is creativity all about footwork?

98% of it is about footwork but at the same time the small two percent is your body movement and arm movement. Create different styles of movement on your own, but the footwork is tremendously important. It is definitely important.

Can you teach footwork?

You could but you really don’t want to do anybody else’s footwork. Don’t want to be a clone. You want to create your own footwork. You can teach somebody a certain couple of moves or steps. At the same time, you want to originate your own style, your own footwork – your own. There is no problem teaching it.

How do you inspire creativity in your students?

I tell my students and everybody to practice the 8-count whatever you do. You will always know where the woman is going to be if you practice the woman’s eight steps. This is what I do. I practice the woman’s eight steps. I’ve been practicing for years to the point I probably know the woman’s step probably better than the woman, upside down, back and forth, inside out. If I do a backflip I could probably do the woman’s basic 8-count. I say that to say, if you know a woman’s pattern of the dance upside down back and forth, your creativity can expand because you really don’t have to do the basic 8-count anymore. 

You know the woman is going left 3,4,5,6,7,8 and you know where she’ll be. It’s like a figure 8 that she’s doing. As she is doing all these steps you kind of know you can create these types of turns and different kinds of movements with your feet. You can do all kinds of different moves if you know her feet. You don’t have to do the eight count. You just have to have it in your head. The woman just follows through with all things you create because she is doing what she knows how to do already. She is just doing it in a different way. Using different turns, different arm movements, different footwork- all that.

Okay! SIDEBAR: Have you ever thought about doing a woman’s workshop on following?

No. I never thought about that. We are trying to step the men up. The women are already good or they catch on faster than the men. It takes some men two hours to catch a minute so I am trying to enhance the men because they are the ones behind. You need men to dance with unless all women want to dance with each other and that is not always attractive. I never thought of an all-women’s workshop. There are a lot of women that believe only a woman should teach another woman and that is not necessarily true, but I can do the lead and follow flawlessly if I really want to.

“Practice until you can’t get it wrong.

-‘DRE

What about the spin? Where did that come from in Stepping?

I practiced spinning as much as I practiced the 8-count. They go hand in hand. I do the 8-count and I spin. I mastered the spin as well because I practiced. Here is a story for you.

I was living in a basement in Chicago and I had a small kitchen. I didn’t really have any cabinets, so I had a divider to store canned goods and all the things I need in my kitchen. Since I had no cabinets the canned goods and jars, tomato paste was put in this divider. I practiced spinning so much one day to the point I knocked the divider down.

Fully dressed to go out, I knocked the divider down, spilled tomato paste and all kinds of canned goods and shit hit me upside my head. I had on cream and red with tomato paste all over me. The knot on my head was the end of me going out that night. I took my clothes off, cleaned stuff up, and started spinning all over again so that I would never knock the divider down again. I never knocked the divider down again.

Is there ever a time that you are stomped? How do you get past that point?

I am always trying different moves and things. I am always making up different things as I go. Once I am doing the 8- count or 6-count and I have a woman that can follow me well to the point that I can try anything, it’s golden. That is me as a dancer – my creativity ignites. If I have someone that is a really good dancer, there is no telling what I can do.

What is your advice to young and new steppers on creativity and individuality?

Just be yourself and do you. All this advice people give to you, try to stop you from being you.  Do you and whatever makes you feel good. People tried to stop me from being Dre and I damn sure don’t know anything about being anybody else. I don’t have a clue. Create and be yourself but always keep the six and eight-count involved. Always keep that in your mind and a part of your dance in Stepping.

Credit for photos: Facebook: Photos AnnetteNewborn

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