Randomly generated drawing of a panda

yoko.cool / Feeding my Cookies addiction (6:25)

Cookies pauses for a selfie on stage

Veteran WAWD readers: remember earlier this year when I said that thing about super–zoomed-in videos being too jumbled and confusing? Well, I’m going to eat my words today and show you this video.

I’ve been waiting since this spring for the full-view version of Cookies’ first-place performance from World of Dance LA to surface on the internet and it just hasn’t happened. So for the last five months, I’ve been watching this front-row view instead—at first it was because it was the only way I could watch this performance, but now it’s because I am helplessly addicted to it.

When you’re this close to the stage, you see each of the performers as humans, and it makes their choreography and blocking that much more extraordinary.

  • Sharp, synchronized movement may look impressive from far away, but when you see each person actually doing it (1:32 – 1:42 for example), it’s like a superhuman feat of the body.
  • The close-up view also lets you see the tiniest details, the beautiful lines down to the fingertips (4:10 – 4:20 for example).
  • And of course, great dancers perform with every part of their body including their face, and this front-row version really lets you indulge in that (you can pretty much watch anyone, but I recommend Keone in the #24 shirt because he’s the crew director and tends to be in the front).

Maybe we can just say that Cookies makes performances that scale so well that it doesn’t matter whether you’re watching from far away or up close, from a high angle or a low one. Ugh! I am obsessed with these guys. I think I have a problem.

Watch video!
Obviously, if I see the full-view version come out, I’ll let you know.

Yoko