Training myself to shuffle, Part 1... Aw man, was it so hard? (Sunday 7/1/07)

After my girl went home at late night, i wasn't asleep. I was at the cybercafe meeting up neighbours and we talked about Melbourne Shuffle.

No doubt, they weren't exposed in shuffle. They were just some guys interested to play with PC games, especially MMORPG games.

I'm totally out from the online game era, but i won't forget my own game favorites... Yes, indeed. I love playing racing games, like Need For Speed titles. So far i've informed my friend who worked in the cybercafe that this place should install some new games rather still, Command & Conquer Generals. Of course, they are fans everywhere, unlikely it's been ages to play with. I'm a game fanatic, but i won't throw myself in those things anymore. I'm already 27, there are much much more things for me to deal with.

Deal with... Hmmm, i know i'm kinda losing touch on my dance skills. I know you've expected that i'll say my career or money or some other priorities, this is just part of my entertainment besides work...

Few years ago, when we a bunch of friends still clubbing at R&B clubs and more i've been, i'm sort of bored at things running in long term. Everything changes, even the society and cultures. I'm not saying that R&B clubs becoming flop... (are they?)

Honestly, i'm into Usher's groove. Mine almost similar to Usher's side moonwalk, and perhaps it's been a while i've mastered it... On my own style though, i could say, not everyone noticed that i'm into such style.

Since the last time i went for Melaka's rave, the moments with friends and the happening scene... My friend kept reminiscent that trip, and that doesn't exclude everyone of us, i guess. And what i'm trying to apply here, that i begin to have some interests in shuffle.

So then, i log on and search for the videos. It didn't take me long time to discover a few proper webpages that provides free shuffle tutorials, considered every videos available are homemades, or some taken from other raves, local or overseas. Somehow, i'm surprised that most of the regulars upload their own shuffle videos and shared online with the other newbies.

Please take note that i'm not too over obsessed at this. I mean, i've been questioned many times about what is a shuffle? I'm gladly to answer that i didn't know any shit about it, and i'm quite satisfied of my own style.

Believe me, that's my first time answering this question. By that time, it's about 6 months ago. Could you imagine that i'm quite isolated from outer world? (Where have you been, man?) And thereafter, a few close friends of mine flock the same question to me. Easy boy, i'm not being snobbish, by hypothetical situation, it's like somebody asking me if i'm interested in football...

Since this been keeping me in curiosity for 6 months, i decided to check things out.

I've found quite numbers of tutorials and some live recording shufflers. I watched the tutorials first. What i've discovered that it's not only a person would share this tutorial videos, some other took part and shared the same, but some may just provide advanced styles. I've seen my friends shuffled at that rave, and i could say they're stunning! The moves are glance killers! Just imagine i suddenly flock my Usher's groove and i could get some odd attentions from the shufflers.

Just as i never expect, it never happened. Everyone's enjoying their grooves and the beats. They slid and drifted smoothly from surface. Man, they're so cool, i can't take my mind off their shuffles.

Thus, i got some videos in my cellphone and barely i could let my cellphone go for just an hour or so. (it's not 3gp, i've converted the files in avi for Smartmovie to review. Yet 3gp has been a nuisance on 'connecting' appearances while the file was too big to be played smoothly, it went scattering frames in 15fps. And Smartmovie made the framerates smooth as 20fps (totally smooth), easy to watch the videos.)

I had a PVC floor mat that i could use it for shuffles. Since the day i moved in here, my landlord offered me a bed size PVC floor mat from her sister. I knew she's being nice, but i prefer to have the whole floor covered... It's only a matter of time to me, cuz it's expensive!

I stayed until almost dawn, i went home and changed my training attire...

1. One head band to prevent sweats dripping into my eyes and too sweaty at my face gets me irritated.
2. Truck cap. Come on, everyone shuffles with style, caps are just one of our attire's decoration, i mean... It's cool la...
3. Short pants. I wore the same shit for months and i decided to use it as my shuffle pants. It's old, color faded and some marker pen marks on it. I do prefer shuffling in short pants cuz i won't feel much heat and sweats.
4. Socks. I tried to shuffle on cement floor and soon as i tried for 2nd attempt, i felt like my feet are getting blisters. Shoes are the best but my room's cleared from any shoes or flip-flops.
5. Talcum powder... Yeah, additional resource to make sure the floor you're gonna shuffle, is slippery and easy to grind in any directions.

As my own Trance MP3s on the player, i tried and tried and somehow, i obtained a smooth trick on steps. As more as i eager, i got myself uneasy for the very first few attempts. My legs cramped, and get tired easily. I thought of making a schedule, if i'm for real, i must make it somehow, like the guy in the video that i've embedded just after the 'Attention' at the sidebar. If you don't mind, get it played. After that, you'll catch my drift.

It's almost 9am in the morning and my body's been running 24 hours since yesterday's morning... When this happened, my memories of yesterday was quite twisted, i couldn't even remember! I'm way too weak to remember things, and i found my cellphone being much helpful to store data.

I'll try my best, for the vision to Australia's Melbourne Shuffle scenes... Wish me luck, and if i could really do shuffle, i wouldn't mind to record my shuffle and share in the forum of XES (i don't really wanna fill the link, but i've made a link with a picture of a shuffler, written 'Shuffler Community". Check it out.