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Thursday, January 31, 2019

Trending Very Nicely

We are gradually communicating to more dancers on Oahu. A person who posts entries to a blog is called a blogger. A blog can comprise text, images, and links to others. Blogs use a conversational style of writing so there is no need for a degree in journalism. Our blogs focus on a particular area of interest, such as ballroom dancing. But we section it out to the differences to provide more understanding. We try to respect our differences and of course blogging allows us to discuss our personal experiences,


“Social dancers believe that you must Dance, Live, Sing, Cry, Love,
Travel and Love again, until the day you have to stop”


The whole enchilada can be mixed with any chili sauce we want. Most of our coverage is Social Dancing because it is based on American Style and it includes most of us on Oahu, And many of our good social dancers do very well in exhibition dances. Although it is generally accepted that the Internationals are the best. But their entire syllabi is geared for Exhibition and Competition dancing. Our next group are the night club dancers a few that started as Street Dancers, in a dance style that has evolved in any available open space such as streets, dance parties, block parties, parks, school yards, and even in nightclubs.

"Fools Rush In" ... Tony Martin


Like any other blog, one good steady information contributor or Guest Blogger and the hits will go through the roof. Why? The different opinions, the different viewpoints. That is social media and that is what will make our blogs. We just increased the average hits per day for February and that means we are going in the right direction. If we do right we should get rid of our best blog by March. The blogs are gradually establishing their differences which is just beautiful. We will be attempting to give a positive rationale for the differences as a guide for the reader/dancers.

"Social dancers act boldly - Standing in the inspiring vision of their future -
and taking every step - large and small - with courage and intent."

Trending Very Nicely

We are gradually communicating to more dancers on Oahu. A person who posts entries to a blog is called a blogger. A blog can comprise text, images, and links to others. Blogs use a conversational style of writing so there is no need for a degree in journalism. Our blogs focus on a particular area of interest, such as ballroom dancing. But we section it out to the differences to provide more understanding. We try to respect our differences and of course blogging allows us to discuss our personal experiences,


“Social dancers believe that you must Dance, Live, Sing, Cry, Love,
Travel and Love again, until the day you have to stop”


The whole enchilada can be mixed with any chili sauce we want. Most of our coverage is Social Dancing because it is based on American Style and it includes most of us on Oahu, And many of our good social dancers do very well in exhibition dances. Although it is generally accepted that the Internationals are the best. But their entire syllabi is geared for Exhibition and Competition dancing. Our next group are the night club dancers a few that started as Street Dancers, in a dance style that has evolved in any available open space such as streets, dance parties, block parties, parks, school yards, and even in nightclubs.

"Fools Rush In" ... Tony Martin


Like any other blog, one good steady information contributor or Guest Blogger and the hits will go through the roof. Why? The different opinions, the different viewpoints. That is social media and that is what will make our blogs. We just increased the average hits per day for February and that means we are going in the right direction. If we do right we should get rid of our best blog by March. The blogs are gradually establishing their differences which is just beautiful. We will be attempting to give a positive rationale for the differences as a guide for the reader/dancers.

"Social dancers act boldly - Standing in the inspiring vision of their future -
and taking every step - large and small - with courage and intent."

Losing hits

One thing I know for sure now and I have been blogging for over 20 years. Not many dancers on the island know enough about the Internet and blogging. In fact I do not know enough. Word of mouth does work and the hits are going up monthly. I try to beat the bushes in other places to get some hits and maybe some good information contributors. With one good steady Guest Blogger in Town Dancer, the hits would soar and I could plan on phasing myself outta heah.

“Social dancers learn that as we grow older we need to learn to dance more softly.”


It would be nice to have all the blogs independently run, get new Guest Bloggers on their own and run the hits up into the stratosphere. Meanwhile, I have my hands full with any remaining blogs. I am 93 years old and I must prepare for my departure. All fun and games and very interesting. It should feel genuinely good for your counter to get hits from your blog — you could be driven by a healthy ambition to succeed and do good for our fellow dancers.

"Begin The Beguine" by Artie Shaw

Cousin Stella, Cousin Juana and niece Yvonne
If your blog provides genuine value, you fully deserve to earn all the hits your get from it. The suggestions are out there and you will always be looking for them - let's be grateful. It may be good for all us.

"Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho

I hate to see any of our slow blogs go but as per our requisites, the reader/dancers will make the decisions and we shall abide by them. Hits and they shall stay, no hits and it is Aloha.

The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something
you don't know anything about."

 

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Social Studies

Rootzi Tootzis" are a hypothetical group of relatively small size, same as the Creative Researchers And Producers but are dominant within the larger upper class dance society, They have a privileged status perceived as being envied by others of a lower line of "disorder." It became very evident with the opening of the Palladium. This type of oligarchy is in all the dance groups to some degree. Some use the terminology of "politics."
"Social dancers may believe they have everything when they dance -
Everything except a single care to dwell on.”

On the island of Oahu, Da Rootzi Tootzis have two distinguishing characteristics, one, is that they are in a higher financial level than others and that they dance the "correct" way. By default, everyone else dances "incorrectly." They are the inventors of the long ago used term, "Junk Dancer." And that comes from the International Style of Dance which is for competitions and really something else for they are in truth very good dancers.

"Last Dance" by Donna Summer


It's Friday night and you have danced up a tsunami. You get home and realize that your dancing shoes are a tad, - um, - aromatic. And there is another good dance Saturday night - No problem. Pour a couple teaspoons of baking soda in two squares of cotton cloth. Tie the corners tightly, tuck the balls into the shoes and leave them overnight. The next day, your shoes will be fresh as daisies.

"Social dancers believe that the locomotion of the body to music is just an outward
expression of something that is genuine, deep, and resonates with their core."

Night Clubbing 2

There are two main groups going to night clubs. One or two couples and they get at a table to enjoy the music, the dancing and the social conversation between them. What is the purpose of going to a night club if the group is all women or all men? For some, it’s just to experience dancing. If that’s their aim they will have fun no matter what happens. Just dance and be happy. For the rest, dancing can help them achieve other goals, such as meeting new people. When their goal is to become more social, then dancing is the ultimate ice breaker.

"Social dancers believe that you can’t write about what it means
to dance by watching from the bleachers.”


Instantly impressive, dancing can convince people to give others that all important chance to show them how great they really are. So what do they do when they get that chance? When the dance ends and their partner is smiling, out of breath and leading them off the floor they have a few moments to use to their advantage. Compliment them (if they haven’t complimented already) and ask a few general questions about themselves. Ask where they learned to dance. Dancing is what they both have in common, so use it! - An ice breaker is simply a topic they know they can connect on. Listen and add your own input when asked.



Next thing you know you’ll be chatting the night away! And what is there about a new night club about to come into existence in Mililani? I have not heard anything about it for almost a month. I am here to help, specially if they don't have a Web site. Fortunately they are the ones to make the decision, I help or I bother. Ha! It has been very carefully explained to me and I understand perfectly. I am limited physically but with a little help I can blog. Some potential contributors have their own way of doing it and it must be respected. We should respect everyone's opinions.

"Social dancers believe that how people treat them is their "karma,"
How social dancers react is theirs."

Monday, January 28, 2019

The Counters

I am quite sure that no one has ever made a study of the hits on dance web and blog sites on the island of Oahu. But I have accumulated data for the last 20 years and I believe I know a little something. Fifteen years ago most dance web and blog sites had averaged nine or less hits per day. Then the counters began to be removed. With me, any of my blogs that could not get out of this level would be deleted and I have deleted a few. So ten and over average hits keeps the blog in for me but that is not enough, I cannot just coast along.

“Social dancers feel that the dancing school of the social dance floor may give high
quality training and enjoyable atmosphere if you use your entire self.” 

 

I then must do everything I can to get the blog into the 20s in average hits per day. Then I can coast and wait for Guest Bloggers to join and let them carry the blog into the 30s. Thirty Three average hits per day is 1000 hits per month. No one of our Guest Bloggers should feel pressure and commitment. Ir will go much higher with three Guest Bloggers and together we can then plan on making the blog independent and I can resign. They will inherit what will amount to be my best blog.

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


This blog is in the middle level of our blogosphere and still looking for its niche. It is not too bad but it could be better - patience. We seem to be getting new people all the time, and that is what is moving this entire enchilada.  I have sort of planned on it being the West Oahu blog but I will have to take whatever it becomes and let the Information Contributors and Guest Bloggers decide the direction it goes. The dance blogs will be for the dancers.

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who
mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

The Counters

I am quite sure that no one has ever made a study of the hits on dance web and blog sites on the island of Oahu. But I have accumulated data for the last 20 years and I believe I know a little something. Fifteen years ago most dance web and blog sites had averaged nine or less hits per day. Then the counters began to be removed. With me, any of my blogs that could not get out of this level would be deleted and I have deleted a few. So ten and over average hits keeps the blog in for me but that is not enough, I cannot just coast along.

“Social dancers feel that the dancing school of the social dance floor may give high
quality training and enjoyable atmosphere if you use your entire self.” 

 

I then must do everything I can to get the blog into the 20s in average hits per day. Then I can coast and wait for Guest Bloggers to join and let them carry the blog into the 30s. Thirty Three average hits per day is 1000 hits per month. No one of our Guest Bloggers should feel pressure and commitment. Ir will go much higher with three Guest Bloggers and together we can then plan on making the blog independent and I can resign. They will inherit what will amount to be my best blog.

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


This blog is in the middle level of our blogosphere and still looking for its niche. It is not too bad but it could be better - patience. We seem to be getting new people all the time, and that is what is moving this entire enchilada.  I have sort of planned on it being the West Oahu blog but I will have to take whatever it becomes and let the Information Contributors and Guest Bloggers decide the direction it goes. The dance blogs will be for the dancers.

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who
mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

Exhibition Dancing on Oahu

We have been fortunate that from the beginning we had American style of Dancing. We developed some of the best teachers in Hawaii. The proof has been in the pudding, the results have given us some of the best dancers in the Pacific. This includes our excellent Exhibition dancers. It can sometimes seem like there is no part of a dancer's body that is not under scrutiny. For an exhibition dancer it's may be easy to get obsessed when they are in front of a mirror, trying to fit a mold. Yet the traditional ideals have been changing every day and we know that the days of carbon-copy dancers are over, except in competitions.

"Social dancers believe that dancing is more than the locomotive movement
of the body because of a good rhythm. It may be in the heart."


Only when they are confident in their own bodies can they start truly working with what they have, While the striving may never end, there can be unexpected benefits to what they may think of as their "imperfections. After doing their first exhibition, along with elation comes the realization that they were still missing vital parts of their technique. They tend to look for a partner in social dancing that will complement their learning. To learn more requires interest, time and perhaps a new teacher with a slightly different perspective.

"Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho


The terrific teachers on Oahu may work on rebuilding their technique, refining where and how they are using their moves and building the strength to maintain it. The exhibition dancers need a visual image to understand how to change, and there were so many other good dancers around to help. A continuous effort and the push to improve themselves never ends and they still set goals in their weekly class. They never skip class and take it a little more seriously, It is an insurance policy to keep their moves and techniques getting better.

"Dancing, for us, is just discovery, discovery, discovery."

As Walter Cronkite used to say when closing, "And that's the way it is."

Sunday, January 27, 2019

Night Clubbing in Honolulu

By Robert Goodman, Kahala

In Honolulu, many of us have likely been out more this last year than usual. We have had both high and low points in our mission to convince ourselves that nightclubbing is a fun activity. Many nights have been fun, with good company and memorable moments. All adding to the good music and in spite of our questionable dancing which may raise a few eyebrows. Our conclusion thus far is, we remain wholly unconvinced by the whole experience of looking past our limited dancing abilities.

"Twelve midnight and I have drunk the night and swallowed the stars. I am dancing with abandon and there is not a thing I do not love. There is not a person I have not forgiven."


We may seem to spend most of our time in these dark, loud buildings either looking for someone to dance with or having a dance with someone. And going to the bathroom or awkwardly standing about with a drink in our hand while others around us look at total peace with the madness around them.  We cannot however deny that on some level it is good fun. We try not to let our anxiety about social situations take control and with time we are slowly and surely pushing ourselves more.

"Let's Dance" by Benny Goodman


We can feel that something as benign as nightclubbing and the nice people there are assisting in this greatly, however awkward we feel. With time any negative views we have at the beginning about this activity will have dissipated and we become less cynical and more positive. Any social dancers reading this can only hope for such. Many have yet to release the true party animal which lives inside everyone of us.

"Social dancers occasionally stumble over the truth, but many of them pick
themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."

Friday, January 25, 2019

The Central Valley

Well, the reader/dancers are communicating. Of course many don't even know that they can still convey information by not doing anything. Anyone out there interested? There you are, not a sound. Proof enough, so I can plan on just keep on telling the readers that their opinions are valuable and welcomed in these blogs. And opinions are like noses, everyone has got one. The situation is not really that bad, our blogs are going up in average hits per day and I keep looking for some dance group that we can kokua with.

“Social dancers learn quickly that dancing doesn't always go the way
they want it to, and that's okay, they still plod on and enjoy.”


We are making some contact with the Waianae Coast and the North Shore. That will take some time. The Central Valley looks more promising, simple because I live here in Mililani. Few have Web sites so they should be open to a blog site as a natural to get the word out. And perhaps others could see it and get the same idea. Then we have a commercial establishment, Just Tacos and their Salsa in Mililani, When I get my special shoes and I can walk, I will make the effort to "Case the Joint."

"Fight For Your Right" by Beastie Boys (1986)


Then there is Dot's In Wahiawa. Unfortunately, they have a Web site so they may not think too kindly of a blog site. So from there I am sure we have some line dancing in the area. Perhaps someone can notify them and see what we can do for them in this blog. We must make more contact with the area and get some news and photos for our reader/dancers. Wahiawa Ballroom Dance Club is going great guns and is due to get even better yet.

"There are not that many facts in dancing, but there are plenty of interpretations."

 

The Central Valley

Well, the reader/dancers are communicating. Of course many don't even know that they can still convey information by not doing anything. Anyone out there interested? There you are, not a sound. Proof enough, so I can plan on just keep on telling the readers that their opinions are valuable and welcomed in these blogs. And opinions are like noses, everyone has got one. The situation is not really that bad, our blogs are going up in average hits per day and I keep looking for some dance group that we can kokua with.

“Social dancers learn quickly that dancing doesn't always go the way
they want it to, and that's okay, they still plod on and enjoy.”


We are making some contact with the Waianae Coast and the North Shore. That will take some time. The Central Valley looks more promising, simple because I live here in Mililani. Few have Web sites so they should be open to a blog site as a natural to get the word out. And perhaps others could see it and get the same idea. Then we have a commercial establishment, Just Tacos and their Salsa in Mililani, When I get my special shoes and I can walk, I will make the effort to "Case the Joint."

"Fight For Your Right" by Beastie Boys (1986)


Then there is Dot's In Wahiawa. Unfortunately, they have a Web site so they may not think too kindly of a blog site. So from there I am sure we have some line dancing in the area. Perhaps someone can notify them and see what we can do for them in this blog. We must make more contact with the area and get some news and photos for our reader/dancers. Wahiawa Ballroom Dance Club is going great guns and is due to get even better yet.

"There are not that many facts in dancing, but there are plenty of interpretations."

 

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Swiing

By Charlie Smith, Niu Valley
This blog is definitely at the bottom of the pile when it comes to average hits per day. So by default it becomes a personal blog and most of us do what we can to promote the other blogs. There are some "Swing" groups in Hawaii and most are on Oahu. In social dancing, swing is always included in the dance menu. Swing dance is a group of dances that developed from the "Ragtime" to the swing style of jazz music in the 1920s–1940s. During the swing era, there were hundreds of styles, but those that have survived beyond that era include: Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and Charleston.

"The Social Dancer may dance as thankfulness or celebration for no reason at all, for this tremendous gift of music that makes us want to move to it and that goes on showering on us,"


Today, the most well-known of these dances is the Lindy Hop, which originated in Harlem in the early 1930s. While the majority of swing dances began in African American communities as vernacular African American dances, some swing era dances, like Balboa, developed outside of these communities. Somewhat surprisingly, "swing dance" was not commonly used to identify a group of dances until the latter half of the 20th century. Historically, the term "Swing" referred to the style of jazz music, which inspired the evolution of the dance.

"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham!  (1984)


Jitterbug is an umbrella term that denotes all forms of swing dance, though it is often used as a synonym for the six-count derivative of Lindy Hop called "East Coast Swing." It was also common to use the word to identify a kind of dancer, a "jitterbug" might prefer to dance Lindy Hop, Shag, or any of the other swing dances. The term was famously associated with swing era band leader Cab Calloway because, as he put it, "The dancers look like a bunch of jitterbugs out there on the floor due to their fast, often bouncy movements."

"As the evening closes with the promise of tomorrow ... may your
gratitude rise up and with strength answer, - yes."


The Blogs Need Feedback

"Game changing innovations are few and far between. They are usually simple
concepts to describe but when they arrive it takes time to fully realize their
importance and impact. Television was a game-changer, mobile phones
were game-changers, Web and Blog sites are also game changers."


Of course, there are many small groups that find their fun in the Micros, such as Facebook and Twitter because they have possible contacts with the entire world. Maybe a reader in Nigeria, or Finland. Don't knock it, if they are having fun, that is the name of the game. However our readers are over 90% residents of the Island of Oahu which amounts to less the 40 thousand dancers. But we have real value in our blogs for they enable us to communicate with each other on a much broader scale than word of mouth.

"With A Song In My Heart" by Frankie Laine

Received from Maile Yagi
We are just finding out about a possible night club in Waianae. Then Kapolei is looking good. If either of them can get a dance floor of over 400 square feet, they got it made in the shade. Let us know and we will write it up. The North Shore has already made several attempts. They know that the difference between a Lounge and a Night Club is a "dance floor." However for us old time dancers, a ten by ten is not a "dance floor."

"Social dancers may think that the dance is poetry born out of the
sheer joy of moving to one's favorite music."

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Social?

By Richard Kim Kapolei.
American pop culture in the '90s offered up movies like swing-themed "Swingers," and retro big bands on the radio. Americans, quick to latch on to a trend, hit the dance floor. Suddenly they understood what their grandparents already knew, organized dance moves could be fun, and a great way to meet the opposite sex. A few years later, ABC began airing Dancing with the Stars, the reality show in which has-been celebrities paired up with professional dancers.


“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching, Love like you've never been hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening, And live like it's heaven on earth.”


The show's ratings soared. Popular films like Shall We Dance? the Mad Hot Ballroom and Take the Lead fueled the fire. The Hawaii dance studios were roaring with a good men/women ratio. And then the Palladium began to settle in and some people began to sense that something was going wrong. Some have hinted of too much of a good thing. Competition, competition, competition. Now in this century, many people have gotten the point. The regular social dancer is the important one and anyone can move in joy. The young do that very often and are moving into our social dance circles more than ever.

"Fly Me To The Moon" by Jimmy Borges


Unfortunately as they get older they learn to subdue their inclinations. But moving to music is quite naturally different, as anyone can see when some person with earphones on is trying to keep from moving in public. The music is first and foremost with a Social dancer. Then is when they want to move and they want to move differently to different music. In the disciplines they can dance full routines with nothing but a metronome and some may look that way too. These blogs will hopefully evolve for the social/universal dancer.

"How pervasive are blogs today? Three of the top 10 social networking sites measured
in a recent Nielsen report on the state of the media are blog providers —
Blogspot, WordPress, and Tumblr."



Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Starting the Year OK.

Wow, I am making some contact with dancers on this Island of Oahu. Many groups have newsletters, ads in newspapers, magazines, radio and TV. Some have web sites and even have contact with Micros such as Facebook and Twitter. They may be seen on the Mainland, Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Our reader/dancers are mainly on Oahu and a very few on the neighbor islands. So I admit we are limited. You got something you are willing to share with Oahu, email it in and I post to the blog of your choice.

“Rock and roll, big band, the blues. He loved them all. He would close his eyes and with a blissful smile begin to move to his own sense of rhythm. It wasn't always pretty.”


I try and I try and that is all I can do, is try. I am definitely not going to force anyone to do anything they do not wish to do. They kokua or ignore me, they make the final decision. It is getting easier as I stay out of the hospital with no chance of blogging. In this sector there is one dance organization that is moving ahead very nicely. And they have their own way of doing it and their own particular way of doing good for the dance community. Stands to reason that we must and will respect their wishes.

"Morning Dew" by Melveen Leed

Received in Email from MaileYagi. Mahalo

For now the order of popularity according the average hits per day is Town Dancer, very comfortably in front. Dance And Live and Social Dance Oahu nip and tuck for second. Bringing up the lowest are Dancing Night and Dancing in the Dark. I have included in my stats only one other (has a counter) and they run right behind Town Dancer. Any other dance blogs that have a counter are welcomed to get on the list at no charge, of course. A small poster in the side bar and an intro by them at the right time in the blog. We are informing the reader/dancers of all the Islands. So for the next blog we welcome a comment or two from Dance Fever Oahu.

"With courage, we will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate,
and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity."

Starting the Year OK.

Wow, I am making some contact with dancers on this Island of Oahu. Many groups have newsletters, ads in newspapers, magazines, radio and TV. Some have web sites and even have contact with Micros such as Facebook and Twitter. They may be seen on the Mainland, Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Our reader/dancers are mainly on Oahu and a very few on the neighbor islands. So I admit we are limited. You got something you are willing to share with Oahu, email it in and I post to the blog of your choice.

“Rock and roll, big band, the blues. He loved them all. He would close his eyes and with a blissful smile begin to move to his own sense of rhythm. It wasn't always pretty.”


I try and I try and that is all I can do, is try. I am definitely not going to force anyone to do anything they do not wish to do. They kokua or ignore me, they make the final decision. It is getting easier as I stay out of the hospital with no chance of blogging. In this sector there is one dance organization that is moving ahead very nicely. And they have their own way of doing it and their own particular way of doing good for the dance community. Stands to reason that we must and will respect their wishes.

"Morning Dew" by Melveen Leed

Received in Email from MaileYagi. Mahalo

For now the order of popularity according the average hits per day is Town Dancer, very comfortably in front. Dance And Live and Social Dance Oahu nip and tuck for second. Bringing up the lowest are Dancing Night and Dancing in the Dark. I have included in my stats only one other (has a counter) and they run right behind Town Dancer. Any other dance blogs that have a counter are welcomed to get on the list at no charge, of course. A small poster in the side bar and an intro by them at the right time in the blog. We are informing the reader/dancers of all the Islands. So for the next blog we welcome a comment or two from Dance Fever Oahu.

"With courage, we will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate,
and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity."

Feedback - information - share

Yes we get most of our information from dance blogs nationwide and much also comes from our fellow dancers on Oahu. Very little from the Professionals. And that seems to be just fine with the readers. The view from the Ivory Towers is much different in the courtyard and even more so outside of the Castle walls. This has really been a long time coming and this diversity of information  is surprising many dancers.

“Social dancers believe they should dance while they have strength.
Dance while they can move their being. Think great, be great"


Spreading the word by conversation continues and it seems to be the method of choice. Slowly the hits are increasing as more people realize the currency of the information and the fact that it comes from members of our "own group." I didn't realize it until recently, but this group is forming all on its own. And of course these are the people that will help the most. Stands to reason. I expect the top group to increase to about 30% by the end of the year.

"We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister (1984)


We are aware that dance clubs and other dance organization in the neighbor islands are pretty well tied up in other commitments so we cannot ask them for anything. However, if they wish, email it and I will post in the blog of your choice. Individuals can still do what they wish to do. So we invite photo contributions, snippets of dance information and perhaps you can even think it over to becoming a Guest Blogger in the blog of your choice. I need help to get rid of my best blog.
 

"And it has occurred to me that there is no such thing as blogging. There is no
such thing as a blogger. Blogging is just writing — even bad writing,
using a particularly efficient type of publishing technology."