{"id":385,"date":"2021-12-29T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-29T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thetravelingyogi.com\/?p=385"},"modified":"2024-07-19T14:47:59","modified_gmt":"2024-07-19T14:47:59","slug":"dance-magazines-top-8-stories-of-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/thetravelingyogi.com\/index.php\/2021\/12\/29\/dance-magazines-top-8-stories-of-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Dance Magazine\u2019s Top 8 Stories of 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

With its massive ups (live shows back in theaters!) and massive downs (COVID-19 cases<\/a> and supply-chain issues<\/a> canceling far too many of those shows), 2021 has truly been a year like no other. Throughout it all, Dance Magazine<\/em> has worked to cover the trends, the changes and the inspirations that have kept us going. Here are the eight stories you loved the most this year. <\/p>\n

The Dancing That Made Gymnast Nia Dennis Famous<\/h3>\n
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Nia Dennis. Photo by Don Liebig\/UCLA Photography, Courtesy UCLA Athletics<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

UCLA gymnast Nia Dennis was popping up all over social media in January with a floor routine that incorporated stepping and iconic social-dance moves like the Soulja Boy and the woah. Editor in chief Jennifer Stahl interviewed both Dennis and the team’s choreographer, BJ Das<\/a>, about how it came together. Later in the year we looked into what was behind the overall trend<\/a> of college gymnasts going viral because of their dance moves. <\/p>\n

Our 2021 “25 to Watch”<\/h3>\n
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Our annual “25 to Watch” feature, highlighting up-and-comers we believe are on the verge of breakthrough, is always a favorite, and this year<\/a> was no different. After publishing the list on January 1, we spent the year watching these artists make waves throughout the field. <\/p>\n

The Dancer Who Holds a Surprising Guinness World Record <\/h3>\n
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Claudia Steck, Courtesy of Sarah Louis-Jean<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of our more unexpected breakout hits of 2021 was a profile of a dancer with an unexpected story: Sarah Louis-Jean took home a Guinness World Record<\/a> for the most boleadoras taps made in one minute (385, if you’re curious). Our intern at the time, Breanna Mitchell (who’s now, for obvious reasons, on our roster of regular writers), wrote about how the Black Canadian woman became a master in the Argentine folk dance that’s traditionally performed by men. <\/p>\n

A Look at What Makes a TikTok Dance Challenge Catch On<\/h3>\n
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Kara Leigh Cannella<\/a>. Photo courtesy Cannella<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the start of 2021, TikTok was already a major destination for dance, and it’s only grown over the course of the year. Writer Siobhan Burke looked into the unparalleled appeal<\/a> of the platform, and why dance is such a natural fit for it. <\/p>\n

Boston Dynamics’ Robot Choreographer<\/h3>\n
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