Knock On Wood's 2020 End-of-Year MOVIE!
The DEADLINE for submitting videos has passed - but here is all the info, if you still want to read about the movie!
Knock On Wood Community:
We want YOU to star in our movie!
As we wind down the semester, finding ourselves still tap dancing at home, we want to make a memory of what we can still accomplish in 2020, as a THRIVING and JOYFUL dance community. To that end, we are reaching out to you, our incredible students, our brave Zoom explorers, our at-home musicians, to help us build a year-end video for Knock On Wood’s posterity!!
The brief version is this: you’ll learn a short piece of new choreography by video, review the Shim Sham by video (if you wish), record yourself dancing, submit that recording, and then we will make ONE GREAT VIDEO with everyone sharing a dance, even though we can’t be on stage together. This will all be done outside of your regular weekly classes at KOW.
We’re dancing to a song from Ain’t Misbehavin’ called “Lounging At The Waldorf,” which is quite funny given our at-home situation! While we don’t all live at The Waldorf, home is where the tap shoes are… and that’s all we need!
There is a lot of info below, but please don’t be intimidated. Feel empowered to participate even if you don’t have access to tap shoes or a space to dance in tap shoes. Mindful sneaker and sock tapping is allowed! We want your smiling face on screen no matter what your current dancing circumstances are!
We’d really love as many of you as possible to participate, so we can still showcase our studio’s talent at all levels and ages. If you just want to do the Shim Sham, we’ll take it. If you don’t really know the Shim Sham yet, and you just want to do the choreography for your class’s level, we’ll take it. Got both? Superb, we’ll take it!!
Most importantly, we have a professional editor putting this video together and mixing the audio. We are not asking for perfection, we never have – so relax, you’re gonna be great, and you’re gonna look great! We want this to be FUN. Just keep reading – there’s a lot more detail in the steps outlined below.
Any questions about this project should be directed to one of the following:
Note: There is a downloadable version of these instructions at the bottom of the page, for those who wish!
STEP 1: LEARN YOUR CHOREOGRAPHY
- Please record and submit only ONE level’s choreography (or, you can just do the Shim Sham!).
- We have combined some levels, so look for your class in the list below for our best recommendation of which clip you should learn.
- Students in classes that aren’t listed and KOW Company-In-Residence members should find the level that best corresponds to them on an individual basis, and record/submit that choreography.
- The music can be downloaded from this link.
- Note: There are “beeps” before the track begins, they are supposed to be there, and they are loud (keep reading)
- Breakdown videos of each level of choreography can be found at the unlisted YouTube links below. Please DO NOT share these links or post them online. Anyone who wants to participate will get them from us :)
Adults 1/2 : https://youtu.be/aCxHpGBP9aE
Candace’s Monday 7:00pm
Michael’s Tuesday 7:45pm (level 2)
James’ Thursday 12:15pm (level 1)
Jessyka’s Saturday 11:00am
Age 4-6 : https://youtu.be/LPpJfSyTEcY
Jessyka’s Tuesday 5:00pm
Age 10-13 : https://youtu.be/a3jSZt-AZCc
Jessyka’s Tuesday 7:00pm (level 1/2)
Jessyka’s Thursday 7:15pm (level 3)
Adults 3 : https://youtu.be/cyhbGiZFH-0
Candace’s Monday 6:00pm
Michael’s Tuesday 8:45pm
James’ Thursday 1:30pm (level 2/3)
Baakari’s Saturday 1:00pm (level 2/3)
Adults 4/5 : https://youtu.be/ICGkC1x3HN0
Candace’s Monday 8:00pm (level 4)
Rita’s Tuesday 6:45pm (level 4)
Baakari’s Saturday 2:00pm (level 4/5)
Age 7-9 : https://youtu.be/aoSnaMbeuGE
Jessyka’s Thursday 6:15pm (level 1)
Victoria’s Saturday 1:00pm (level 2)
Intro: https://youtu.be/xGaivEXZdnw
Becky’s Monday 6:30pm
Jessyka’s Tuesday 8:00pm
Victoria’s Saturday 12:00pm
Teachers: https://youtu.be/cm3rKSeibLg
Baakari, Rita, Michael, Candace, Jessyka, Victoria, Max, Sam, Lisa, Becky, Tamara, James, Carrie, Katharine, Gigi, Miles, Ms. Yvonne
Shim Sham & Ending: https://youtu.be/n57_PPM9rhw
Any and all students and teachers!
STEP 2: SET UP TO RECORD YOURSELF
- SPACE: Remember we can see everything in the background, so remove anything you don’t want in the background of your video. DO NOT use artificial virtual backgrounds, just your natural background.
- LIGHTING: If it’s a beautiful day, go outside! Natural lighting is fantastic! Otherwise, make sure you can see yourself well on your computer screen indoors. You may need to add a lamp here or there to illuminate yourself entirely.
- FRAME YOUR SHOT: If you’re using the camera on your computer, its default settings are fine. If you have to use a phone, set the phone HORIZONTALLY on its side so it records a wider shot. Make sure your ENTIRE BODY is in the camera’s frame...we want to see your feet and arms and smiling faces!
- SOUND: Don’t fret if you miss a step, or if your audio recording is not “perfect.” We are mixing the audio and using a professional video editor. So just DO YOUR BEST and we will make you look good!!! When you record, you can play the music out loud however you normally would, as long as you use our special track with the beeps - the beeps are important, and will help our editor synchronize your video with everyone else’s.
- We need to hear these beeps in your video! And it is very important that you play the entire track from beginning to end, without stopping or skipping any part.
- 4-6 year-olds can just record their level choreography and stop the track early (we know they don’t have the Shim Sham yet, and it can be hard to wait).
- VIDEO QUALITY: Don’t worry too much about this. The default quality on your phone or computer is fine. For iPhone users, you might consider recording at a higher quality by going to Settings -> Camera -> Record Video -> 4k at 30fps
- COSTUME: Grab your favorite Knock On Wood T-Shirt! If you don’t have one, any solid-colored shirt will be fine. Add some black pants of your choice, your biggest smile, and you’re ready!
STEP 3: RECORD
- Our professional video editor has created a special audio track for you to use when you record. This audio track is linked at the top of this file. You must use this exact audio track in its entirety when you record, including the series of beeps at the beginning.
- DO NOT turn the camera off mid-song, or fast forward the music. You need to have one continuous recording from the beginning of the track to the end. Just hang tight and enjoy the song if you’re waiting for your section or the Shim Sham :)
- 4-6 year olds only – follow the instructions in your video (you can submit a partial song).
- Optional: When the song is complete, before you stop recording, approach the camera so ONLY your face in is the frame...put one index finger in front of your lips and mouth a “shhhhhh.” We especially encourage our younger students to do this!
- Optional: With only your face in the frame (like with shhhhh), record 1-2 seconds of a smiling face, and/or a silly face at the camera
- When you’re ready to get your recording, press record on your camera first. Then begin the audio track. Dance where you dance, wait where you need to wait, and let the song finish completely. When the audio track completes, come up to the camera for a “shhh” and a smile, then end recording.
STEP 4: NAME YOUR VIDEO
- Before submitting, please use the following format to save and name your video file. This will make it MUCH easier for us to organize all the pieces when building the final video.
> Level choreography & Shim Sham in video:
Example: Candace_Turitto_Adult3_SS
> Level choreography only:
Example: Candace_Turitto_Adult3
> Shim Sham only:
Example: Candace_Turitto_SS
- This tells us the correct spelling of your full name as you’d like it to appear in the
- credits with proper spaces (as underscores) and the level of choreography [i.e., “Adult3”] and/or Shim Sham [i.e., “SS”] you’ve recorded.
- Again, submit only ONE video, with the full track playing all the way through.
STEP 5: SUBMIT YOUR VIDEO BY DEADLINE (June 20)
- Each student will submit one video of the entire track. Dance the sections you would like (including any or all of your level choreography, Shim Sham, Shave and a Haircut, shhhh, and a funny/smiley face) in one continuous video. Record as many times as you like, but only submit your best version!
- After naming your video, upload it to Dropbox by clicking on this link:
https://www.dropbox.com/request/PtTfzLtawiZpR9BVjUJ8 - There is absolutely no required cost for participating in any way in this video. However, if you do have the means and motivation to donate $5 or $10 to support the professional production of this video, we would be incredibly grateful! Donations to the studio (which are tax-deductible) can be made online via this link.
STEP 6: CELEBRATE!
- Throw your hands in the air, have a solo dance party, or take a nap – you’re done!
- We will work as fast as we can to complete the editing, send the video out to all of you, and post this to our social media platforms. You are also encouraged to share the video yourself - spread it far and wide and be proud of what YOU’VE helped create :)
Sincerely,
Candace Turitto, Board Member and KOW Teacher
Jessyka Bagdon, KOW Teacher and District Tap member
