My review on the Tiesto DC Armory show

This past Saturday (April 9th) Tiesto played at the DC Armory for 10,000 people. I was there at the very start for all the openers and there till the very end when they kicked everyone out.

Since I was dancing, I didn't experience some of the things that others had said were problems, such as beer lines and prices ($9.00) as well as limited bathrooms. What I did experience... was pure amazingness.

I was not a huge fan of the openning acts simply because they sounded really... quiet. Almost polite? I just didn't get that "omg I need to rage!!!" feeling. Not to say they weren't good.. I guess compared to Tiesto they just seemed weaker, which is how it's supposed to be, right? I mean, it wasn't their show.
I thought Tiesto's set was awesome, and so far everyone who was there has said the same. He was on point and had a really nice mix of new and old. There wasn't a single song I didn't like. Though, I wish people did not have to focus on the fact that he played dubstep- he played 2 SONGS people!! I was happy and it surprised me but I wish people would get over it! Everyone posted videos and reviews on how we played dubstep but that really is not representative of the night as a whole since he played lots of other music.

The crowd had great energy!!! I was so happy I was just skipping around the whole place and everyone just gave off good vibes. I was completely sober so I know I wasn't just having a great time cause I was rolling my face off or something. There was at least one fight that broke out, but I didn't see it nor did most people because everyone else was too busy having the time of their lives.

I think people are right when they say that Fur is simply too small for these big name DJs. I love dancing there but it sucks for the people who are crammed in a tiny sweaty place and have no room to dance. Especially when these people are seeing their favorite DJ or don't go out to clubs a lot- they end up feeling frustrated and discouraged to go out again.

9:30 club capacity: 1,200
Fur nightclub capacity: 2,500
DC Armory capacity: 10,000

I think what made the Armory so great was that it was big enough to fit all those people and everyone was comfortable. The jam packed crowd was up front and in the back there was lots of room to mingle or sit and talk. The VIP section was not the best place to go crazy wild, but the view was unlike any other. You could see the whole Armory below and there were a lot of great videos captured from up there.

The best part besides the music would have to be the production. Jumbo screen, smoke, lazers, awesome visuals. It really was a whole light show and it really made it an experience.

Tiesto Audition and Tips for Auditioning

Two weekends ago we held tryouts for girls to dance on stage with Tiesto in front of 10,000 people.

Being an official dancer for Tiesto at a huge mega venue in front of 9,999 screaming fans. What a crazy awesome opportunity right? I mean, who the hell wouldn't want to see the greatest DJ of all time for free? And share the spot light with him and a bunch of other cool girs? And wear amazing outfits.

I thought there would be a hundred girls fighting for the chance.

Well, not really. Try 10 to 15 girls. All the girls were really cute but I think about 4 of them made it.

When I saw how little girls showed up I was thinking "WTF?!" ....but then it kind of made sense. REJECTION.

Rejection sucks. Period. Check the end of this video:

I almost didn't show up for my gogo audition. I didn't even tell anyone I was auditioning just because I didn't want to be embarassed if I didn't make it. I sort of assumed I wasn't really the "gogo type" (I'm more of a little hippie type). Auditioning is really scary. It takes a lot of guts to go out and strut your stuff while people judge you- do you move well, are you fat, sexy enough, too stiff, too pale, awkward etc. etc.

Some pictures from my audition (photos by Christopher Shea):

Not coming because you are scared you won't make the cut is a lame excuse. You might be better than you think. Besides, you will be more prepared if you ever want to audition for another dancing position. It shows you how the auditions function and what they are looking for.

Auditions can be open (anyone can just show up) or closed (you need to provide some experience/references beforehand) as well as video submissions, etc. For an open audition you just come, sign up, and dance to music with a few other girls at a time. You might be in front of a crowd or just a few other dancers and staff. If you score a solo audition, you show up on a given night and dance with the rest of the dancers and they see if you are a good fit. This is more laid back because it's dark, you're in the atmosphere and you aren't directly competing with a bunch of other girls.

If you are worried about what to expect or bring, you can always email them beforehand. Typically though:
-Wear a sexy but simple 2 piece gogo outfit (one that is very comfortable to dance in)
-Have hair and makeup done and look very clean/presentable
-Bring water (helps reduce cotton mouth if you're nervous)
-Wear whatever the standard footwear is for your position
-Introduce yourself and smile (pouting the whole time you dance is not as sexy as it seems in your head)
-Make friends with the other auditionees (it's nice to know others are going through the same thing as you)
-Don't overthink it (you will just end up looking awkward)

To all the girls that did come to the audition on Friday, props to you!!! It works if you work it ;)

-PineApple

Rave vs. Club Dancers

The best way to sum up the difference between a club gogo and a rave gogo is this:

"You should decide which type of gogo dancer you see yourself being. the 2 most common being rave or club dancers. these two are not to be confused. rave dancers can wear fur & outfits that are more ravecentric. club dancers are expected to wear gogo boots only & high heels. they dont usually wear glowing items or fur very regularly since it has become considered unprofessional. fur & boot covers can be worn on occasion but are dissapearing more & more as time goes on. I highly recommend not wearing anything to a club audition that resembles rave style outfits if you want to give yourself a real chance at landing a position. make sure you are wearing gogo platform boots & not tennis shoes. keep in mind that if you present yourself as a club dancer you will always have the option of dancing at raves later but it doesnt tend to work the other way around. " -Ms. Easy

 

When I go to a club the dancer is usually in just a bikini-type outfit and heels with a few cute accents. It's all about being sexy. That also applies to the type of dancing. Club dancers don't use glow toys and most of the time the only props used are environmental things like handles, cages, bars, and walls. One can easily tell the gogos apart from the attendees at a club/lounge- girls go to clubs wearing dresses and heels. Gogos don't wear dresses.

I notice that gogos at raves get away with wearing kandi and crazier things than club dancers. Rave gogos tend to make their costumes really elaborate with a bunch of colors and fluffies or giant platforms. It's kinda funny because the girls who get paid to dance and the girls paying to dance at a rave typically wear the same types of clothes. Girls going to raves come in with neon bra underwear sets with fuzzies and it's perfectly normal. You show up at a club in your underwear and all hell breaks loose! A rave gogo will also incorporate stomping, shuffling, tutting, etc. as well as use glow sticks, poi, orbits, and other toys.

 





Technically I am a club dancer and I should probably always wear heels when I dance, but I love my fluffies. I waited WAY TOO LONG before getting my first pair because I did not want people to consider me a "raver". Then I realized I shouldn't care. It's the only way I can wear a dress or something sexy while still wearing sneakers and not look crazy. Well, I guess fluffies look a little crazy ;) But I'd never wear kandi while dancing on stage. Sometimes I'll use an LED hoop, but frankly I need to get better before I bust that baby out again. I think both types of dancing styles and outfits are awesome in their own ways and most dancers mix them anyway.

<3 Pineapple

The Beauty of Youtube GoGo Dancing Videos

I just started working as a gogo dancer less than two months ago. However, since I am addicted to documenting everything that goes on in my life (through writing, photos, videos, etc.) I thought it'd be fun to start a blog about it!

There are soooo many things I want to write about... I don't even know where to start. First of all, the girls I work with are all amazing and I feel so lucky to be a part of the team!!!

That being said, I decided that my first post is going to be about youtube dance videos because they really truly helped me become a much better dancer. I've always been dancing but being not so confident made it a lot less fun. No wonder most guys don't like to dance. Going to a lot of different clubs, shows, and raves definitely helped get me out of my shell. Once confident enough to enjoy myself, I still just danced like any other person at the club. I wasn't really aware of my body and either had my hands at my side or in my hair. I looked kind of, well, boring.

October of 2010 was the start of me trolling the internet trying to find a decent example of quality gogo dancing. Let me just say, what a task that was!! Most gogo dancing videos consist of a girl shaking her ass and sloppily wiggling around. Though I must say I certainly learned what NOT to do...
(Not trying to insult the girls dancing... just an example of what too much ass shaking looks like)

Once I found a few good videos I'd watch them and pick out what I liked and what I didn't. I tried to copy a few moves but it looked like shit because it just wasn't natural. Trying to imitate someone's dance style doesn't look good or feel good. I still watch videos because they continually give me inspiration and make me excited to dance.

These were just a few I liked:

Here are a few things I also want to include in here:
(Tell me which one to do next and if you have any other ideas let me know :)

-Advice on becoming a gogo dancer
-Shuffling vs. Hardstyle dancing, tecktonik as well
-Other people you work with (promoters, photographers, owners, etc)
-Hooping with LED hoops and fire
-What I did BEFORE auditioning
-Difference between a good dancer and a bad one
-Types of street dancing
-What people think about gogo dancers and why
-Two types of gogo dancers: club dancers vs. rave dancers
-Outfits (pros and cons)
-Body image and "dancer type" bodies
-Dancing to dubstep/ hardstyle/ DnB
-Music and dancing styles that go with them
-Other skills to enhance your performance
-The auditioning process
-Drama that comes with the fun

Well, this concludes my first post!
<3 Pineapple