Even if you’ve never heard of footwork—a battle-style dance genre out of 1980s Chicago—Kootenay Co-op Radio wants you to come out to their live-to-air fundraiser broadcast this Saturday and bust a move.
“Footwork has become more popular in Western Canada recently, and there are a lot of local artists releasing this sort of music right now. Percolate is meant as a night to showcase what people are doing here,” said DJ Ghostwhip, who will be joined that evening by Mooves and Brothel Cats.
Percolate will also showcase ghetto house and booty-style tracks.
Because the genre has yet to catch on in the Kootenays, organizers figure it’s unlikely any footwork aficionados will be there to showcase the style—but they hope someone will.
“For all we know there might be someone who comes out to do the dance, and they just haven’t had the venue to do it yet,” said Mooves.
Footwork involves very little upper body movement, while the dance-steps are manic and lightning-quick. A number of videos celebrating the style have proliferated online.
Mooves said it’s challenging.
“Once you really get good at it you have to move your feet really, really fast and to keep up that level of cardio takes a ton of practice. If you watch it on YouTube it looks really easy, because they’ve obviously practiced, but if you do it for 30 seconds it’s like being in the gym.”
Ghostwhip said one thing that sets the genre apart is the abundance of Canadian producers.
“Unlike historic developments in homegrown music scenes, Footwork has been taking a different approach. For instance, Toronto’s jungle scene in the early 90s began with parties and DJs taking music from the U.K.”
But that’s not the case with footwork.
“It’s Canadian producers and labels that have led the way and only now are we starting to see the parties.”
He said footwork has gained momentum in Vancouver and Calgary, but hasn’t yet made an impact in Nelson. He’s hoping to change that.
Some of the musicians whose work will be played that night include Homesick, Ganjoid, Taal Mala, Self Evident, Philthkids, Mat Tescon, Librarian and Mat the Alien.
The night will also include an art installation from Hussy-Bot. Things get kicked off at 9 p.m. and donations will go to Kootenay Co-op radio.
For more information visit Percolate Nelson on Facebook.
