These people TOTALLY stole my idea. I’ve had the vision of starting a double dutch team on the brain for several months, but I don’t know how to do it, and I don’t know enough ladies who’d be interested. So…. buttons.
The Austin Style Watch chick is one of the double dutchers, and has a new site based on Hel-Looks.
Sometimes I’m not so sure I like this fashion scene in this town (Austin, TX), and the things that go along with it like hipster crafts and double dutch teams and wannabe breakdancing. I mean, I like clothes and all, but to me it’s all kind of a fake creativity. None of the heart-wrenching pondering or Zen-like blankness or genius humor it takes to make a really good painting or poem.
By the way, my portfolio website is down till I find a new web host. That means no pics will be visible on my blog for the moment.
So far this year, I’ve been on the path to some new artistic endeavors and connecting with various sets of fellow geeks and need an informal outlet for my thoughts, so here I am again.
I agree. Poetry or artwork is so fulfilling because it comes from within. Besides, sometimes the pictures on Austin Style Watch look like the cover of Fruits.
Believe it or not it is possible for one person to simultaneously appreciate the hot pink Lisa Frank unicorn aesthetic as well as the Louvre.
Not everything has to wrench hearts, sometimes it’s just for fun and to inspire whimsy. Double Dutch Will Take You Higher wasn’t started to blow people’s mind with an artistic expression of bouncing and rope turning..in fact I’d say the real art of it emerges when the four of us are laughing and cheering each other on and accomplishing something that we previously thought impossible all while challenging racial conceptions and keeping our bodies healthy as we grow out of our youthful metabolisms.
I also think that’s a hypocritical statement coming from an artist to start distinguinshing between what is “real” and “fake” creativity. Is the reclamation of a traditionally female art such as rug hooking or embroidery any less creative or respectable than Pollock throwing around buckets of paint or koonz making a giant dog out of flowers? I don’t find either of those to be particularly “geniusly humorous” or “zen-like” so are they art by your standard? Is someone who choses to use their clothing and bodies as a canvas less important than someone who uses paper or marble or metal?
There was a time when Duchamp turned a urinal on end and called it art. Some people laughed, and some people realized he was reinventing the definition of art. sounds like you might have been in that first camp. And you know what? It’s art, so neither of those reactions is wrong.
Keep your zen-like blankness. I’ll be out skipping rope and snapping photos.
As one of the founders of DDWTYH:A (there’s a Cleveland branch, too) I just have to say that we didn’t start out- almost 10 months ago- having any concept of being high art. Our goal was to bring people together and have fun while fulfilling the needs of girliness and performance for which we missed having a proper outlet in our Grown Up lives. As it turns out, we achieve those goals quite well.
Additionally, I do find that DDWTYH is a fantastic physical and creative outlet, (and come on, can you even define creativity as “fake”?), and even better, it’s intensely fun, and there are few things that I look forward to more than concocting new tricks and dance moves and teaching new people how to jump a rope or two. In fact, you should come try it for yourself. We practice two or three times a week at Shipe Park. See you there!