Double Dutch Speed
Molly is fast. REALLY fast.
Molly is fast. REALLY fast.
There is a Double Dutch Contest taking place in Japan on March 25th at CLUB CITTA’ Kawasaki. This promo video reminds me of the Double Dutch Holiday Classic at the Apollo. If you’re in the neighborhood, you should definitely check it out, especially considering teams from Japan have won “Best in Show” at the Apollo 8 of the last 10 years.
The Double Dutch Holiday Classic is held every year at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. Teams compete in speed and compulsory events, but the main attraction is the Fusion event. I’ve only recently discovered the Fusion format online, but I wish I had known about it years ago. Fusion features some of the most innovative Double Dutch Freestyle happening anywhere in the world. Fusion routines can have anywhere from 3-6 team members and are set to music. They combine elements of dance, gymnastics, and jump rope into an electrifying visual display.
Since the format allows up to 6 people, it reminds me of the Double Dutch routines we always saved for the finale of staff shows at workshops and camps. Those were always my favorite routines because that’s where we traditionally had the most innovation. It was in one of those staff show finales where we introduced “The Subway” to the world. Unfortunately we only got to scratch the surface of what was possible because everyone always came from different parts of the country and we never had enough time to practice. Imagine what could be done if you focused on perfecting one of those routines all year long. The result would be a “Fusion” routine.
Here’s a video report on the Double Dutch Holiday Classic from the NY Times: