Hello, This is Remix  the_remix and I am a new admin for the Dancer Furs page. I discovered the fandom about 4-5 years ago and was instantly drawn to fursuiting and the dance competitions. Eventually I started to learn how to dance and now i have been dancing for almost 4 years now. I want to dedicate my life to dancing and become one of the worlds greatest teachers. I hope i can help those in the fandom who are dancers or those aspiring to learn =). Now... onto the topic.

What is "biting" ?

Biting is basically copying or stealing another person's dance moves, set, or style

Biting is looked upon as negative and shameful but i do believe that biting has a small beneficial/positive side as well.

I will first go into the only positive aspect of biting. There is a saying "If you don't bite, you can't eat". When people first discover dancing and get into it, there is an early stage where you are entering this brand new world and are hugely inspired by certain dancers you have seen on YouTube or in person.

For example. You see the Les Twins dancing for your first time, you become absolutely infatuated with their style and movement and say to yourself "I want to be able to dance like that someday, what they do is so amazing" They are now a huge inspiration in your dancing. The next thing new dancers usually do is imitate the dance moves that the Les Twins are doing probably unaware that the Les Twins have worked years trying to develop their own style and personal moves. What the dancer is unknowingly doing is stealing and copying those dance moves. It's okay, we all make this mistake in the beginning or at some point but this is generally how you get your feet wet in the dance world. I don't encourage biting but when we start dancing its just something we might do. Eventually you come to a point where you start learning about foundations of dance styles, and your world and knowledge is expanded. You no longer see just the Les Twins, You see multiple dancers that you look up to, you see different styles, you see how each dancer has personalized their moves. Dance is an art and we all should strive to create our own personal art style. The only positive about "biting" is that it allows you to become more involved in the dance world. I'm sure at one point in an artists life they have traced something because they really wanted to draw a picture like that but eventually that artist learned the foundations of art styles and then went off to create their own unique style.

The rest of biting is negative.

Copying another dancers set or routine or a signature move is not good. At all. Copying someone else's move or style and claiming it as your own is pretty much plagiarism. When you have been dancing enough to get started you should not be copying anyone else anymore, trust me its so much funner and you feel so much more accomplished when you create your own moves and style.

"Also there are many signature moves people create. Routines too. When others duplicate that its also seen as biting. I agree. Nothing wrong to learn them, you might see something you like so you learn it, but before you enter a contest/circle/battle/ and do it, make sure you learned it so you can create your own twist to it, and I don't mean "he did it with the left and do it with the right arm", hehe, I mean really put
your own feel, character, etc on it. Change it up and switch it around, find other transitions from it, you will be surprised how different it will end up looking. You now didnt bite, you only used it for INSPIRATION." - Wave-o-matic

"Biting can also be attributed to styles, not just set of moves. If someone comes out and dances exaclty like another dancer, same fell, same character, same look, etc, they might not be biting moves per say, but they are mimicking other attributes that make up a dancer. These are cats that don't need to be fed anymore, but still like to eat off others plates. Now there is a thin line there. Some might really look up to an approach someone does, feels it so much they find themselves in that style, that feel, it becomes natural." - wave-o-matic

"Many dancers teach their moves/styles/approaches to their students, friends, etc, and they give them their moves. This is not biting, but the artform being passed down. I have seen other call cats biters only later to find out their teacher taught them that and gave them that move. It's when you take whats not yours, then act like it is when biting is the most unforgiving." - wave-o-matic (like how i gave credit back to the person who wrote that? :p )

Foundations of dance:
The foundations of dance are like the foundations of a house, they are the base, the beginning, the start. Each style has its own foundational moves and fundamentals, for example in the Popping dance style the foundational moves are the fresno, boppin', hitting, arm waves, robot etc... Foundational moves cannot be bitten as they are meant for everyone, they are the core of a certain style or other advanced moves. (You gotta start somewhere right?)

Originality [uh-rij-uh-nal-i-tee]
- noun
the quality or state of being original
ability to think or express oneself in an independent and individual manner; creative ability.
freshness or novelty, as of an idea, method, or performance

4 main components of Originality ( Terms taken from the F.A.T.E.S. judging system)

1. Character

A character or personality that is your own.

2. Style

A style can become individual through uniqueness/choice in steps, even if a Dancer's character or moves are generic and/or universal.

3. Technique

A technique (move) can be unique if it is done in a fresh/never seen before way, even if a Dancer's character or style is generic and/or basic.

4. Concepts

New possible concepts are infinite because the combination of possible existing moves and styles is infinite. Concepts, at their most basic level, tell 'stories.' This is usually done in two ways:

(These example refer to breakdancing but can be interpreted with any style)

1. Telling a story through action.
e.g. A burn where the opponent's stomach is 'cut' open and his/her intestines are 'pulled' out, which are then used as a rope to 'lasso' his/her partner during a commando.
2. A series of moves/steps/styles that show a repeated pattern.
e.g. A B-Boy/B-Girl brushes off his/her foot in footwork, then brushes off his/her foot in powermoves, then goes into a freeze and then brushes off his/her foot.

NOTES:
Being creative and original does not necessarily mean that you have foundation or universal moves.
Having foundation or universal moves does not necessarily mean that you have creativity or originality.

MORE NOTES:

Listening to music and daydreaming:
A good way to come up with some creative moves and style is to listen to music and daydream. Imagine yourself doing things that you never thought you could do, imagine yourself battling in international competitions or even dancing at a convention, then transfer those thoughts to reality the best you can. I listen to music and daydream almost every day and it really opens up a lot of possibilities for my dancing. (You can always find some downtime in your day and take advantage of waiting times etc. to just listen to music and daydream)

Excessively watching dancers:
We all have our favorite dancers but watching them too much can cause us to really want to be like them and then we unknowingly begin to imitate their style and moves. Try laying off watching your favorite dancer too much and really focus on yourself.

Similar Creativity:
Dance is an art and artists can come to the same creativity. If you truly know you are the one who created that move, then you ARE the one who created that move, that does not mean the other person is copying you and that does not mean you are copying them. This happens much more often than you think. Regardless of creating the same move you two should have different styles of dance and different transitions so the move is actually not the "same" but similar.

The main importance of this journal is to inform you about what biting is, the do's and dont's, how to create your own moves, and tips and information to further your creativity and knowledge. As an artist you should strive to create your own style and focus on being yourself and expressing yourself. That is what dance is at its root, expression.

"With dance or any art form, you've got to eventually make it a reflection of who YOU are. Your style, philosophy, and teachings should be coming from your personal beliefs and experiences. Passing along what your mentors taught you 10 years ago does not add to the art, it merely keeps it in a box. Create. Expand. Inspire." - Jardy Santiago

And.... Here is an extra video on how to flip a dance move and not bite.

Thank you for taking your time out and reading this and there is also another journal by  skyryd3r that i hope really encourages you in those times of doubt. http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5629583/