By Jhoni Jackson
Famed soul DJ Jonathan Toubin travels the states with his various dance parties, all of which are now fueled solely by vintage 45s—first pressings at that! Tomorrow night, Atlanta finally gets to play host to one of Toubin’s hip-shakin’ shindigs: the Soul Clap and Dance-Off.
That’s right—there’s a dance competition. On the judges panel is Creative Loafing’s Chad Radford, Bradford Cox of Deerhunter, Cole Alexander of the Black Lips, Malissa Sole of 4th Ward Heroes and Allie Bashuk of Scoutmob. The prize? A hundred bucks, plus the unparalleled glory of bragging rights.
We’ve pooled together some tips from the judges to give all the tiny dancers a little help. Allie Bashuk said she’s looking for “gumption and sweet reason” in the winner’s fancy footwork.
“I’m looking for that special something that makes me wanna join them on the dance floor,” Malissa Sole revealed. “Although I’m not sure that’s allowed.”
Toubin said he usually MCs the dance-off and hands of spinning to somebody else. If a second party is involved, we can’t be sure of the dance-off soundtrack. But Toubin did some of these tunes might be played: Peg Moffett’s “The Socker,” ‘Sir Raggedy’ Flagg’s “Mama-Papa-Romper-Stomper,” Roy Lee Johnson’s “Busybody” and Mighty Hannibal’s “Fishing Pole” and “Jerkin’ the Dog.”
“The best dancing for the kind of contest we do is highly individualistic and doesn’t involve a specific move,” he added. “You kind of have to be there to feel the power of what it is.”
Good luck!
DJ Jonathan Toubin hosts the Soul Clap and Dance-Off this Saturday, Nov. 24. The Coathangers and Writer will also perform.
