Thread by @JiminUncut

[Black Swan Jimin Solo Dance Analysis]

So. Jimin did THAT. And we HAVE to talk about it. Let’s dive into the incredible solo dancing Jimin displayed in the Black Swan MV and how beautifully he pulled it off.
#JIMIN #BlackSwanMV @BTS_twt

Let’s start this solo dance with #JIMIN flying through the air like the graceful swan he is. I will never get over how high he can jump and how, by kicking back his legs and keeping his upper body calm, he can make it look like he’s suspended in the air while he’s up there.

#JIMIN hits this beat with a jerking motion, as if suspended by puppet strings. Then he raises his arms, creating a moment of stillness and suspension before sweeping into a beautifully controlled fan kick. Winding up the leg gives him the momentum needed going into the kick.

It should also be noted that in preparation for a fan kick, the standing leg often transitions from a plié to a straight leg, and can go into a rise (up on the toes) as well. The extra push from a plié up to a rise gives the dancer even more momentum to work with.

But notice how #JIMIN stays in plié the entire time. That means he is relying on the momentum from the kick alone. The advantage of staying in plié, of course, is that you can achieve greater flexibility with the stretched leg - it’s easier to bring it closer to your head.

Notice also how #JIMIN is not simply kicking his leg straight up and down - he is using his strength and leg muscles to draw the full circle and control the descent. Not only that, but his relaxed and open hips mean that he doesn’t strain while bringing the leg around. @BTS_twt

Opening that leg up to the side and KEEPING it just as high while keeping your hip down requires a good deal of strength and turnout. Striving for maximum height while ignoring proper form can end up giving the audience a terrible view.

cr. LIVESTRONG.COM

OKAY, moving on. Let’s watch in awe as Jimin breathes life into his movements, drawing out his arms and creating beautiful lines all the way down to his fingertips. Embodying the fragile white swan on the verge of change. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

Can we take a moment to admire these two still shots side by side?? THIS is what happens when you train to the point where body lines come naturally to you and you understand them instinctively. At any time in the middle of your movement, a picture is taken - and looks like this.

#JIMIN LOVES this turn. I would venture to say it’s one of his strongest turns or the one he’s most comfortable doing (since turning in general is one of his many strengths). It’s characterized by the outstretched preparation of the right leg before he turns towards the left leg.

After all, it’s the same turn he did BLINDFOLDED. You’ve got to have next level confidence in your turn to be able to do THAT. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

It’s time...to talk about this move. 😭 Jimin combines a one-handed reverse illusion with a hook kick to create this stunning move. Confused? Let’s break it down. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

A regular illusion in dance is a move where you kick your back leg up and around while your head swings down by the standing leg. If your left leg is going up, your torso should be swinging counter-clockwise around your standing right leg.

cr. Auti Kamal

Typically the move is done with no hands on the ground, but you can modify it to use one or both hands. Also notice the standing foot pivot in the middle. The leg going up more or less follows an up and down trajectory. It’s the pivot that makes it look like it’s swinging around.

Now a REVERSE illusion means you are swinging in the opposite direction. If your left leg is going up, your torso should be swinging clockwise around the standing right leg. Reverse illusions tend to be more difficult than normal illusions.

cr. Michelle Christa Smith

You may have noticed the illusion is done with a straight leg up in the air. So let’s add a little taekwondo, shall we? This is what’s known as a spinning hook kick. As you turn, you hook your leg into a kick.

cr. Alex Wong

You can see that in the middle of #JIMIN’s illusion, his leg starts to hook, bringing him around and out of the move. With TKD hook kicks, you try to keep your chest up as much as possible, so you can spot the target and stay on balance when you absorb impact from the target.

But since Jimin doesn’t need to worry about that, he can combine it with the reverse illusion, put a hand down and just GO FOR IT. Notice how fast this move is - he really has no fear and knows exactly what he’s doing. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

Okay time for what is possibly my FAVOURITE part. And not because it’s overly technical. It’s just...ART. The way he arches, the outstretched leg, the placement of the arms - it creates such an exquisite body line backdropped by the single spotlight. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

Before moving a second further, we have to stop and admire the placement of every. single. finger. His fingers here are splayed out so deliberately, they look like the feather tips of his wings. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

And then he breaks free of whatever was restraining him so he can launch himself into the air and FLY. Again, gorgeous arms here. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

I love this moment as well - Jimin arches his back so much towards the sky, we can almost imagine his wings unfurling. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

And then the Black Swan collapses, having danced himself to exhaustion after delivering the perfect performance. Incredible the range Jimin has in depicting a creature so strong in one moment and so frail in the next. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

This was small, but it still struck me how he extended his leg here as he turned on his back. It kept his body line beautiful, showing an artistic grace even when the dance was supposedly over. And then he rises anew as the Black Swan. #JIMIN @BTS_twt

Overall, this was just an exquisite piece from #JIMIN. I’m guessing it was primarily free style, with Jimin expressing the music through his body however he saw fit. He really has developed his own style at this point, blurring the boundaries between genres. It’s Jimin genre. 😉

Further reading: Jimin’s unique turn technique

https://twitter.com/jiminuncut/status/979493977660342272?s=21

https://twitter.com/jiminuncut/status/979493977660342272