Did We Say Live Music?

According to the Internet, most DJ's have thousands of songs available with a very wide variety of music types. And the larger the guest list, the more variety needed in the music. And yet most of us are aware, and it stands to reason, the Big Bands and the Big Ballrooms will never return again.

"One mistake won’t kill us, but the same mistake

made over and over again will."

A Salsa Club with a DJ is just fine most of the time but how about a Live Band? Live bands are usually limited to what they can play well. And bands usually know how to play less than 100 and the variety is usually limited. But on the Island of Oahu we have discovered, in this century, the extra value in the Oldies But Goodies even if they are too few and far between the millions that are published daily.

During the course of a typical four hour function approximately 50-65 songs may be played. Are we really prepared to wade through a list of thousands of songs to pick the one's we like? We could remember that we want all our guests, young and old, to have a good time. Fortunately with the Oldies but Goodies, we have enough to sprinkle the entire year without duplication and still enjoy what can be played.

 "Ha`a Hula" by Loyal Garner

There will be a good place for each venue and we will gradually adjust to it without looking down on anyone. Let's be friends and enjoy the music and dancing of our time.

Pub's Side Note: Meanwhile you can check out Dancing Nights blog and see a good example of a Guest Author, Richie Fun and Marie as Contributing Editor, sharing the information for our increasing number of reader/dancers.

Cupola Thursday Oct. 1st! Afro Criollo Saturday @ Dancesport!

Via Marie:

Time to PARTYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!

CUPOLA Thursday:

Divino Ritmo's October Social @ the CUPOLA, this Thursday, October,1st -  1250 Kapiolani, 2nd floor of the Inspiration Furniture,  Honolulu Design Center, 6:30p-9:30p. Food/drink available for purchase. Discounted pupus if ordered by 7p.  FREE social dance, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

Saturday, October 3rd Afro Criollo Latin live band party @ the Aloha DANCESPORT Center:

 350 Ward, 2nd floor. 6:30p-11:00p.  $25 if purchased before 10/3. $30 on day of event & at door. Price includes light buffet dinner, live music & dancing. 

Here is a link to their Facebook: They have some videos you can check out.

https://www.facebook.com/Afro808 

October 31st:

 SAVE the DATE, it's TWICK or Tweet time @ Divino Ritmo's SPOOKY Halloween Party, 6:30p-10:30p, Aloha DANCESPORT Center, 350 Ward, 2nd floor. $25 if purchased before 10/31. $30 on day of event & at door. Price includes light buffet dinner & dancing. Costume contest with monetary prizes.

For more info:
Lucas Jaime (917) 568-3173; divinoritmo@aol.com
Yanna Samkova (732) 499-0407  Yannajs@gmail.com
Website:
www. alohadancesportcenter.com
(808) 200-5540

Enjoy,

R

Back On Top

Just checked the Stats and there had been quite a few scam spam robot hits in Latin Rhythms and well hidden. It has come down to well below Town Dancer which should have been expected. I hope it stays in the 30s.

"Sometimes when we innovate, we make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly,

and get on with improving our other innovations."

Meanwhile I have received good news from Pearl City and I will have an interview on Wednesday. Moving to Senior Housing there will be a big help. I live in Nanakuli and it is an all day affair to go to the VA. Not bad when it was only once per month, but my health has been getting worse and I have to go more often. From Pearl City it would be only a half day. Nice.

"Nothing that is, can pause or stay. - The moon will wax, the moon will wane, -

The mist and cloud will turn to rain, - The rain to mist and cloud again, -

And Tomorrow will be today." ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Got up feeling better and had a nice breakfast in my living room as per usual. I don't have a dining area and I would rather look out at the "calendar" picture of my back yard and "my mountain."

This has been "my mountain" since I moved here and I know they have names, but it took me some time. The name of it is Puu Haleakala. Behind it is the Lanakila Ridge going all the way to the Waianae Mountain range. So how lucky can a guy get? And when I could get around I was living in Paradise, the people are the greatest, none of this chintzy back biting crap. You all know da kine.

The people in town should know that the West Coast does not have many
with computers or access to the Internet.

Technology for West Coast Folks
Chip: Munchies for the TV
Micro Chip: What's at the bottom of the munchie bag.
Modem: What people that got Lawns do to them.
Hard Drive: The drive to town every day and back.
Dot Matrix: Ole Dan Matrix's wife.
Laptop: Whar da kitty sleeps.

Live Music?

By Phillip Luong, Enchanted Lake.

I often prefer live music on CDs to real commercial CDs, why do some people think this way? I am not sure, but I think its because I can feel like I am in the moment and at the shindig and its more of a personal relationship with the musicians. It may be in its very raw, edgy, spontaneous way to listen to music because its a different sound than whats on the same recorded audio.

"The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic,"

Maybe I enjoy the interaction of and with the musicians. Live music has a spontaneous element that studio recordings often lack. Studio recordings are very calculated and "produced". I worked on the Mainland as an engineer, and oftentimes we worked our butts off to try and recreate some of the energy and feel of the artist's original "live" demos. Unfortunately, the artist / producer / label often feels that a live performance isn't good enough for the record, and they suck the life out of it trying to make it "perfect".

"Green Eyes" by Bob Eberly and Helen O'Connell

"Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho

Musicians need people like our fellow dancers on this Island to support them and attend their live gigs. They need to know that the pause that refreshes is very important in music. A little time to relax  and enjoy the silence. They need to know that people care about and enjoy the music they make, instead of just sitting on their butts at home and downloading stuff. Mistakes? So who in the hell is perfect?

Pub's Side Note: Now all l have to do is find a place to visit and blog'em.

Social Dancing?

There are dancing clubs all over the world and in different classifications. On Oahu there has never been differentials stipulated. You go Night Clubbing for instance. All the same? Of course not. But not many will point out the difference. You go to a Social Dance Club dance and all the same? Of course not, but not many make a distinction. And that is coming about specially in West Oahu.

"While some dancers hesitate because they feel inferior, other dancers

are busy making mistakes and becoming superior."

How about in Central Oahu. Dot's in Wahiawa has a very nice social dance crowd of steady customers. But they are not the same as Just Tacos in Mililani with their very nice Salsa crowd of dancers. There will be more and different in Kapolei where they are desperately trying to establish second city in spite of the Present Rail Party. To live, work and play in their own kuleana.

"The Shadow Of Your Smile" by Tony Bennett

And what of our good friends and neighbors who can’t social dance? Many have mainly focused on performing learned steps and figures. They do not spend enough time social dancing with more basic moves and learning to adapt and create on one’s own. I have even seen the cross body lead in Waltz and I believe it is illegal or something. I have never seen it taught on Oahu but what do I know?

 "Abrazame" por Julio Iglesias

Many of our club dancers can be amazing on the stage and execute performances with precision but because of the intense training or other reasons they are not able to make it out to the clubs and learn to improvise. If they develop a Rootzi Tootzi attitude they are sunk. Junk dancer is not an acceptable term in a Night Club.

We like Live Music

Luckily for those in search of the joy of sound, live music is on full display at a host of Honolulu nightclubs, bars and restaurants. And the usual is there, small, medium and large - good, bad and indifferent. There is music just for display and listening. And also music for people that want to move to their favorite music.

"If you live long enough, you'll make mistakes. But if you learn from them,
you'll be a better person. It's how you handle adversity, not how it
affects you. The main thing is never quit, never quit."

From raging bars with rowdy live bands to upscale ocean side lounges with mellow music, Honolulu has it all when it comes to music venues. While many venues on the local music scene are clustered in the Waikiki area, terrific places to hear live music are also found on the North Shore.  And now with the Rail Disaster causing more damage, there will be more in West Oahu all the way up to Makaha.

"Maui Hawaiian Sup'pa Man" by Bruddah Iz

Some of the points we will  cover here might not be true for all groups, we know that most of the particular items will hold true in all of the points we make here. And we shall get some good Contributing Editors with their very valuable opinions. The more the merrier and we shall have Social Media here. Hey...it is our site, after all, right?

So...let's take a look at what's being said ... OK? Contributing Editors - it is in your kuleana, let's hear it from you. I will try to find some place I can visit and blog'em.

Moving On, but slow.

Aha! we have come across the "I’m too good to dance with beginners." in Night Clubs. How about that? There are plenty like that in the strictly social dance circles where most everyone takes lessons. But I did not think there would be any "Rootzi-Tootzis in Night Clubs. They are the ones that over spin their partners, try back flips etc. You all know da fancy kine.

"When some one does something wrong, don't forget

 all the things they did right."

This a category that can hit us from time to time. Especially those who push their limits and need the dance floor to create and enhance their style. We could remember that we were beginners at one point and that if we did not dance with more advanced dancers than we were, we would have taken longer to progress.

Bumper sticker in Ewa:

"I may have my faults, but being wrong is not one of them."

This is not just for "me," it is for all of us to share the moving of music to our favorite music and enjoy dancing socially. If we must separate, it is only by age and that only because the younger ones insist. Though the dividing is gradually going higher.

I always put these made up posters in the  blogs. To give people on Oahu an idea of what things to come. So we can dream, can't we? One of these days one of these dreams may come true. And one thing showing very plainly in Night Clubs is the alternative basic used in American Rumba. Dat's da way ta go.

Around The Island

As far as dancing is concerned there appears to be no dancing in Waianae anymore. I don't know why but they "coulda been a contendah." So a couple of line dance groups could start off the dancing on a regular weekly basis. This for fun moving to music and for exercise too. Of course, there should be more promotion on Line Dancing. It is a great beginner course for wannabee Ballroom Dancers.

"If you have no will to change it, you may have no right to criticize it."

Maili and Lua Lua Lei are just asking for a Community Center or District Park. But as per usual, not enough funds at the moment. You know, the Present Rail Party. Maili Beach Park is probably the best on the Waianae Coast. They call it Sea Country which is an apt description.

From there it should be relatively easy to get some men to kokua and have Ballroom Dance classes and then a monthly dance at the Waianae District Park, probably the best dance floor in the West. But then Kapolei is gearing up to be Second City in spite of the Present Rail Party. And the people in town can look forward to dancing in the West.

"Somewhere Over The Rainbow" by Bruddah Iz

Meanwhile Live Music in town does not have as many fans as I thought. I have all my blogs safely out of single digit average per day hits and most are verging into the 20s. But Live Music is staying at the bottom of the totem pole. A couple Two Centers would do nicely and I have to find a good place where I can go personally and able to blog'em. The trips into town about once per week are doing me much good, both mentally and physically.

Slow Moving, Waiting.

The Two Centers or Guest Authors will be the ones who decide if this blog will continue to exist. Most of the ones who share information do so on International circles. They communicate with Finland, South Africa and Lower Slobavia. So I hope everyone can see that this whole enchilada is not in my control, we are Oahu. I do the best I can and look forward to the day when one of the blogs goes independent. And for one of them, it may happen this year. 

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead,

where there is no path and leave a trail." 

So far one of the best answers for low cost short distance commute.

The Ivory Towers do not have clue, but all the bus drivers and the all the users of what used to be Public Transportation know. Fasi knew, that Public Transportation was for the public not the profiteers. Not this Mayor, bought and paid for by the Present Rail Party. Of course, they have bought a lot of  people. There are millions and millions of dollars in profit. Just started and they are already a "Billion" short.

"It may take a day, it may take a year, but what is meant to be
will always find the way."

Live or Recorded Music

And the different views go on and all with good reason.
By Anthony S. Natale, Ph.D.

One should really examine the advantages and disadvantages of each as well as evaluate the particular band or deejay and keep an open mind on the subject. Clearly, those who are accustomed to live bands prefer them to recorded music while the opposite is true for those used to recorded music. Significantly, a live band provides a certain ambiance that recorded music can not. And, of course, there is the interaction between the dancers and the musicians. There is a certain spontaneity and excitement so that for many, Live Music is the only way to fly.

"There can't be any large-scale revolution until there's a personal revolution, on an individual level. It's got to happen inside first.”

Since recorded music comes from live orchestras, what is the problem? Cost factor and availability is a most legitimate argument for selecting recorded music. Other reasons include indistinguishable beats and rhythms, undesirable dance tempos, unequal variety of dances played.

"Frenesi" by Artie Shaw

The musical effect derived from the number of musicians and the types of instruments used and musical numbers may be too long or too short. During band breaks, dancers can’t dance and for many it is welcome respite to appreciate the music when it starts again.

Til I Waltz Again With You" By Theresa Brewer 

Ideally, a knowledgeable DJ can plan and select excellent dance tempos and medleys, have balance and variety and overcome criticism of live bands and acquire an excellent sound system to come closer to the sound produced by an orchestra. The music is usually continuous, and the floor less crowded, with most dancers getting their fill and pacing themselves.

The big problem is many DJs are far from ideal. The very same criticism applied to live bands can be applied to DJs. To find a compromise, some locations are using both live bands and recorded music. Some DJ's are discovering "the pause" that refreshes, incessant music can be counter productive.

"Stranger In Paradise" by Tony Bennett

Cost aside, if you were offered either of two bands that played continuous perfect dance music and variety or one DJ that did likewise with excellent sound, which would you choose? Since you won’t be offered this choice very often, you will have to compromise and usually take what you can get! But let’s keep trying to improve the quality of both!

"Blogging is best learned by blogging ... and by reading other blogs.

Oahu Dancers

Apparently Town Dancer has been too lucky and some of our best bloggers have been perhaps too good. But that has been Honolulu. Others do not wish to get in and "compete" with these good bloggers. And we cannot blame them. However I must stress that we are not all alike and in social blogging we are all an "addition to" not an "instead of." SOS is our prime fault throughout Oahu.

"How High The Moon" By Les Paul and Mary Ford

For us, all peoples opinions are valuable, simply because they are unique. And opinions are like noses, every one has one. And the easiest way to get in would be just by emailing the information in to any one of our Guest Authors and they probably would publish it. If you don't want to use your name, use a pen name, but skip the "anonymous." We have too many of those and most are spam and are deleted.

From there, any time you feel ready, you can go the next step and become a Guest Author yourself. This is guaranteed to increase the hits in all the blogs, simply because we are getting different viewpoints. SOS can only go so far with ordinary dancers doing it. But a fresh, new, honest opinion is worth diamonds because everyone is interested in other opinions. Simple.

"The history of our dance scene and each individual's experience, is sown thick with evidence

 that a truth is not hard to kill and that a lie told often is immortal."

Music

By Kazushi Sakuraba, Waipio

Everyone has such good opinions on the subject but that does not make us experts. On Oahu we are getting closer to answering the fundamental question of why music is so essential, And we are in general agreement. Why should we focus on the universal gems of music - like how we can better use music to improve the quality of our lives.

"Belief in the truth may begin with the doubting of all those
“truths” we once believed."

It can also enhance our performance in other academics or careers, improve our relationships, or even to help us stay balanced during life's more challenging times? Shouldn't the first level of understanding a subject matter, especially such a powerful form of intelligence, be an insight into why it has value?

If we knew the "why" of music, and recognized the value and potential benefits already available to us, wouldn't it naturally increase our desire to learn more? Science has already shown, and continues to demonstrate, how music can improve human development in countless ways.

"Blindman in the Bleachers" by Loyal Garner 

"White Sandy Beach" by Bruddah Iz

It is a pleasant drug for the brain, the ultimate mood enhancer for emotional balance, a golden key for unlocking creativity, the secret code behind health and longevity, and the connective fiber between human beings of all races, nationalities and generations.

Good Dancers

We are coming up with some good dancers in the clubs. We have the "experts" that know what they are doing because "because they grew up with it," Some of these dancers actually know what they are doing in one or more particular styles based upon essential elements of dance that was passed down by others in their culture.

"From experience and error to error, one discovers the entire truth."

But many don’t and do not realize that they may be doing things a little wrong. Women do not like these dancers since they do not understand how to work with their partners natural movements, momentum and counterpressure. Often enough these dancers may be on beat but stepping between on 1 on 2 and more, this happens to make it very hard for the follow to adapt to. But this does not mean they are wrong, they are going out and having fun and that is what really counts. And the more you do it, the better you may get.

"In This Life" by Bruddah Iz

There are a lot of young people who will never be creative. And there a lot of old people who will never stop. Creativity is about making a lot of quick connections - about the things you know, the things you've seen. The more you've seen, the more you've done, the easier it is to make that jump into Creativity.

"How Great Thou Art" by Loyal Garner

You don't have to be an Einstein, just yourself is good enough. I have a learning disability in my old age. New type computer systems throw me, they are just too difficult to absorb. So I compensate by being creative and at present I am having a very interesting creation, this blogosphere. The great thing about creativity is that you don't really need anything special to do it. You don't even need free time. All you need is an open mind. It is also nice to know that I am going to give it all away.

Whatsup?

From Consumer Reports: On Facebook

Its position as the king of social networks has made Facebook the custodian  of arguably the nation's largest collection of details about consumers' personal lives. "Any time you have a party with a large amount of data, there's reason for concern." says Justin Brockman, director of consumer policy for the nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology.

Already use of that data by outsiders is widespread, it might not be news that people have been fired because they posted ill considered status updates or photos. And job recruiters check Facebook to find out who people are connected to. You must be very careful.

One recruiter told us that headhunters have used social network data to make sure job candidates are a fit with their clients. So if you lost out on a job because of Facebook, it might not have been because of just one indiscretion. You might have been rejected because an employer or recruiter found telling details in your postings, even though such a rejection might constitute discrimination.

"The trouble with people is twofold. They cannot learn truths which are too complicated

and they forget truths which are too simple."

As far as Bloggers are concerned, we are just fine where we are at because our readership is much smaller in territory. Most of us do not miss the hits from Sweden, or Nigeria or Thailand. On Oahu we deal mostly with our friends, neighbors, relatives and fellow dancers. And we may be including others from the neighbor islands soon. Our blogging is more personal and forgiving. And most know that anything of ours on the Internet is about 9 average hits per day or less. That is why we have reduced the number of blogs in our blogosphere to seven. Just about right,

We Are Not Standing Still

The micros are doing very well in bringing in the hits for the blogs, however they are getting much too crowded. I can hardly find mine in there. So I am starting to prune, Any in there that are not from the Hawaiian Islands are being weeded out. In Twitter, anyone that has too many followers and following.is going out. You want Greece, Bulgaria, go to Facebook.

"Every truth always bends and reshapes itself or

more likely is reshaped by other forces"

"My Isle Of Golden Dreams" by Melveen Leed.

We are having fun with the 30 thousand local dancers on these islands and we are beginning to know each other. Then the only thing holding any blog from hits is the need for some Two Center willing to share dance tidbits with their fellow dancers. Those special persons with their own unique viewpoint are not SOS. (same old shit.) These new people have a refreshing unique viewpoint that will be of interest to our reader/dancers.

The top three blogs have still not been determined but we are getting there. This month will pretty well tell us where we are. One thing for sure, Live Music does not seem to have qualified to be a special group not long ago. Though I believe Richie Fun is the first one to print it in a blog. So we all learn, what the hell, we are beginning to get them into our blogs.

"Shores of Haleiwa" by Loyal Garner

One good Two Center from this section would probably get Live Music into the top three. But like I have stated several times, the readers are the ones that will make the decisions. And there are many places with Live Music that will be glad to be in this blog for the benefit of all the dancers. A good solid studio would be an interesting addition. This is a Dance Blog.

Slow Going

We should have some understanding of the problem. Too many places and bands have enough advertising. Radio, TV, Newspapers and Magazines. Not to mention that many have flyers and most have their own Web sites, (no counters of course.)  Many feel that they are at the top of their world and they could be right.

"It is hard to believe that a person is telling the truth when you know

that you would lie if you were in their place.

So Blogging for many is still an unknown product. For what?!! We suggest that it may help those that are not yet at the top and still struggling to make a name for themselves on this Island of Oahu. It will take a while for the reader/dancers to see it. But it is slowly coming about because it is free and it is dancers helping dancers so that we can all enjoy the benefits of dancing to our favorite music.

Most blog sites are free and anyone can contribute information to be shared with the reader/dancers. No, not in Finland, or South Africa or Australia. You have to use Twitter or Facebook for those. We only have da kine local, mostly on Oahu. Our Friends, Neighbors, Relatives, and Fellow Dancers. We must find those that could use our help in their public relations. It will evolve into Social Media and we will all know it when it happens. Meanwhile we also have to find out what kind of dancers we have in the evenings.

"Island Feeling" by Loyal Garner

We have many evening dancers that push themselves to do things better and better with precision and musicality. They wish to be out in front, a natural human tendency. At times, they will push themselves beyond limits and it will seem that they are over focused on dance. Fortunately, most of us are just social dancers and just want to enjoy moving to our favorite tunes.

"Pearly Shells" by Don Ho

Of course, some dancers can either be very friendly in the clubs and dance with lots of people or stand offish and only dance with friends or other good dancers in order to push their limits. Most of us will know the difference. We don't have to get mad or get even, just have a little understanding.