High Cost of Live Music

Yes we all know and we should understand that it might be worth it. In addition to more participation, I think there may be another reality that should be recognized by those who are concerned, Oahu bar and club owners offer bands to please live music fans, They want the customers to dance, get thirsty, and buy more drinks. They don’t pay bands simply because they like music. By far, the most profitable part of any bar or lounge business has been liquor sales, and that is usually the primary reason they offer dancing

"Our greatest weakness may be in giving up. The most certain way

to succeed is always to try just one more time."

But, as had been often observed by many dancers themselves, they don’t drink much – booze, that is. Costs and benefits drive business decisions. So, perhaps one of the reasons for the loss of so many dance venues on Oahu might also be due to the costs of paying a band ($400 to $800 or so) which is not offset by a break-even point or increase in liquor sales. No business can keep up a net loss for long.

"Ala Moana Annie" by Amy Hanaialii

"Adoro" by Armando Manzanero

On the mainland it has become more successful to emphasize more income on "chopstick" food and a Juice Bar. There are so many pupu delicacies available and the juice bar can feature three or four different types of juice mixtures every evening. But, very few bands (more than one musician) with higher costs can survive on "pass the hat" donations. And, gigging for the fun of it gets old, fast. The Cover Charge will increase, and I think it might be helpful to understand what is happening to local dance venues and perhaps why there have been many closings.

“There are thousands of wines that can take over our minds.

Don't think all ecstasies are the same!” 

We Still Have Hopes

Our blogs are not replacing traditional conversation on the dance floor. It is just one way to help facilitate it and add to it. It also allows for the conversation to occur outside of dance hours and for those ideas to be discussed at the next dance. There will always be dancers who do not want to participate. Our goal could be to find ways to encourage dancers to speak up, and social media might be the way. Let's get those dancers to open up and start to speak at the dance functions.

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.

Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_motivational.html

Currently our blogging situation is clearing up and we are getting clearer hits from dancers that are interested in dancing. However so far this month the stats are very lopsided. But these blogs are mostly me and that is referred to in blogging terms as SOS (same old shit) So I am sure, that our Social dance blogging on Oahu cannot have only one opinion. All of us need to know what the rest of us think about the entire enchilada.

Fortunately we are beginning to get some good Two Centers, those willing to contribute their 2 cents of  information for the benefit of the readers. HBDA, Kapolei Chapter is leading the way in Kapolei. Wahiawa Ballroom Dance Club is leading the charge in the Central Valley. These people are definitely part of the dance scene on this Island. And they are going to get better.

This section of dancers seem to be interested in moving comfortably to their favorite music. Standing a woman on her head is not it. Throwing her over your shoulder is not it. All right for some and we can applaud at the right time, but it is not for the rest of us. We are more than willing to let you dance your way. - But - may we dance our way?

"Drinking good wine, eating good food and dancing in good company
is one of society's most civilized pleasures."

Blogging

Now that we have gotten rid of most of the robot hits, we still have some search engines and that is something we must accept. But they do give us hits that are not really the kind of readers we are interested in. And there are many dancers on Oahu that are not quite sure what a blog is about. Blogging, as an online activity has witnessed a tremendous surge in the past few years and it still holds a bright outlook for the future. Blogging has put power into the hands of online users to publish their skills, expertise and thoughts on the Internet and communicate with each other.
 

"We can start by doing what's necessary; then we try to do what is possible;

and suddenly we may find ourselves doing the impossible."

We have many dancers that are interested in our Night Life on the Island of Oahu. And they read whatever they can get and they do realize that most of it is advertising. No hu, hu, understandable. but blogging still remains an essential part of online communication and manages to engage and educate the online masses. Blogging is still one of the world’s most top online activities and it has been much enticing to the non Web site types.

We stress the fact that we are social dancers and yet in this day and age, there are many that are into the fancy stuff in the night clubs. And it is alright as long as they do not interfere with the social dancers who are just enjoying the moving to their favorite song. We can accept and even respect the other kine dancer. Each one of us is a separate unique person.

Whachu drinking?

By Rene Martinez, Pupukea
Beer seems to be the preferred drink in dance Night Clubs on Oahu by men dancers. It is easy to price, pick your brand, convenient even without a glass and can be timed to be drunk at a nice speed. Many can be very loyal to their brand of beer. Though there is an elite group that want theirs "tailormade" - "crafted."

“Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus when the limo breaks down.”

Hard liquor drinks have more varied customers but not so many. And dancers have a reputation of not being drunks. The easy drinks are the favorites. Scotch on the rocks, Rum and Coke. The fancy ones are a fetish with some dancers, I don't believe I have ever had a Mai Tai. And women seem to have preferred fetish type alcoholic drinks and in small glasses.

"Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho

However, wine is becoming an increasing choice of drink for dancers. You just sip, then sip and then take another sip. Some prefer Red and some prefer White wine. Many seem to know the different classes of wine and even understand the difference in the smell. Wine also seems to be more healthful than any of the other drinks.

Wine has a long history dating back about 8,000 years at the start of Agriculture. It is thought to have originated in present day Georgia or Iran. Wine later evolved into Europe over the next millennium specially in the area of Bulgaria and Greece and gradually move into Rome. 

"My Cup Runneth Over" by Max Bygraves

It was a very common commodity in classical Greece and Rome. Wine has also played an important role in religion since ancient times. The Greek God Dionysus and the Roman God Bacchus represented wine. Wine has also played an important role in ceremonies in the Christian religion such as mass. There was no knowledge of the disease "Alcoholism." which was discovered in the 20th century.

"Just In Time" by Bobby Darin

From the Rubaiyat by Omar Khayyam one thousand years ago:

"As much as wine has played the infidel
and robbed me of my robe of honor.
I wonder often what the Vintners buy, 

one half so precious as the stuff they sell."

Starting May

This is the defining month for these blogs. If I get a steady, information contributor all will be well. However if do not then I will seriously have to consider the elimination of one blog. I now know for certain that I, an unknown in Oahu dance circles, have the capacity of about 15 to 20 average hits per day on seven blogs.

"Truth has power, and if we all gravitate toward similar ideas,

maybe we do so because those ideas are true."

I have seen the effect of the several information contributors that I have had over the years. I am certain that every good steady information contributor is worth, 10 to 15 average hits per day. And I have had Guest Authors run up to 25 average hit per day. Of course, not every one can do this and I must have patience. It must be their decision, all I can do is hope.

We are slowly separating and bringing together the different groups of dancers on Oahu. You want to Line Dance? You certainly have this right. You want to dance Argentine Tango? You certainly have that right. By the same token, may I dance my dance, my way? No hu hu, we can just accept our differences, and we are all separate and unique individuals.

My foot is improving and I may begin to get around next month. I have not taken a bus in over a month. The Handi-Van has been a wonder to me at least once per week. But I expect to be able to use the #53 bus which stops a block away on Waimanu Home Road in Pearl City. Goes all the way down Kam Hwy to Aiea and then on the Freeway, getting off on Vineyard in Town.

I hope to make contact with a dance organization in this route. I can take my camera and pass it around, get maybe six to eight photos and some written items from a couple of the attendees. I can make one nice blog of interest to our reader/dancers and we can all see the results in the hits.

Starting May

This is the defining month for these blogs. If I get a steady, information contributor all will be well. However if do not then I will seriously have to consider the elimination of one blog. I now know for certain that I, an unknown in Oahu dance circles, have the capacity of about 15 to 20 average hits per day on seven blogs.

"Truth has power, and if we all gravitate toward similar ideas,

maybe we do so because those ideas are true."

I have seen the effect of the several information contributors that I have had over the years. I am certain that every good steady information contributor is worth, 10 to 15 average hits per day. And I have had Guest Authors run up to 25 average hit per day. Of course, not every one can do this and I must have patience. It must be their decision, all I can do is hope.

We are slowly separating and bringing together the different groups of dancers on Oahu. You want to Line Dance? You certainly have this right. You want to dance Argentine Tango? You certainly have that right. By the same token, may I dance my dance, my way? No hu hu, we can just accept our differences, and we are all separate and unique individuals.

My foot is improving and I may begin to get around next month. I have not taken a bus in over a month. The Handi-Van has been a wonder to me at least once per week. But I expect to be able to use the #53 bus which stops a block away on Waimanu Home Road in Pearl City. Goes all the way down Kam Hwy to Aiea and then on the Freeway, getting off on Vineyard in Town.

I hope to make contact with a dance organization in this route. I can take my camera and pass it around, get maybe six to eight photos and some written items from a couple of the attendees. I can make one nice blog of interest to our reader/dancers and we can all see the results in the hits.

What is a blog?

They have asked me and I don't really know for all our blogs are in a progressive stage of development. I cannot make many decisions and we are the island of Oahu. Most will be made by the readers, the information contributors and the Guest Authors of every blog. And every blog will evolve their own unique kuleana.

" If we do not plant knowledge when young, it will give us no shade when we are old."

A dance blog is a similar to a website but it is usually arranged in chronological order from the most recent ‘post’ (or entry) at the top of the main page to the older entries towards the bottom. The results are a much more current information source. At the moment the primary area being covered by our seven blog is the Island of Oahu. There could be ramifications going to the neighbor islands and it most certainly will cover any Big Island events   We will give them all the publicity with any information made available to us.

"Be My Love" by Mario Lanza

Where the Internet is about availability of information, blogging is about making "information creation" available to anyone. Therefore, any new bloggers we will get from the dance circles on Oahu will be crucial to expanding the readership of all our blogs. The probability increases that we could get an excess of 67 average hits per day for this blog and that means independence from me. It is in my plans before I go.

"Fly Me To The Moon" by Jimmy Borges

Our new bloggers will not have any real commitments. No annual or monthly meetings or dues. They should blog at least once per month, but no one will be keeping track. Otherwise we carry their names just for the sport. They make the decision of the subject matter of their writing and they will probably get adequate feedback from their fellow dancers.

"Remember back when everyone was disco dancing and

then we did it and that was the end of that?"