I Learned to Dance Like Lindsey Stirling to See How Difficult It Really Is

Lindsey Stirling is one of the most popular violinists in the world, but her career has often been met with skepticism from classical musicians due to her unorthodox presentation of music and doubts about her level of talent. To get to the bottom of this controversy, I spent 12 hours learning the violin part on viola and learning the dance routine by Lindsey Stirling for Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" to see how difficult it really is to perform like her.

Lindsey Stirling's cover of Kashmir by Led Zeppelin:    • Lindsey Stirling - Kashmir (Lollapalooza P...  

Background music: Old Farmer John by The Dolphins    • The Dolphin Miniatures: a 7-movement work ...  

This was a crazy video! sorry for low video and audio quality--I was at my parents' house for winter break without my camera and microphone. It's been about a week since I finished filming this and one reflection to add is that this experience really made me realize how much more I can actually move when I perform. My default stage presence for a while was to be an unmoving pillar and I have gradually loosened up over time with the influence of my quartet, but the feeling of literally spinning around in circles with my viola, headbanging, and fully engaging my legs was totally different and exciting. I had a lot of community-oriented performances this past week and I found myself moving my entire body much more, not just to feel the music but to show the audience the vibe, since movement now feels much more possible and natural. So what I'm saying is maybe this whole dance crossover thing is a good idea for more musicians to try out!

0:00 Intro
0:55 Training Arc
5:48 Performance
9:18 Reflection