The Blogging Puzzle

Blogging on Oahu is still a puzzle but of course that is what makes it interesting. Apparently for us, seven blogs is about it. The first step is to get enough Information Contributors (the Two Centers) willing to stick in their 2 cents for the benefit of their fellow dancers. At this point, Richie Fun in Dancing Night blog is the best example of Guest Author blogging.

"In our Hawaiian dance scene,  there seems to be no greatness unless there is simplicity, goodness and truth."

I am learning about hits on the counters. They can be quite late and wrong. Gradually I have been able to get rid of a lot of  scam, spam robot hits. And comparing the different blogs on a spreadsheet,I can get a pretty good idea of what is going on. Store bought hits have always seemed like the holy grail for the new blogger but in my experience, sites that bring you traffic that doesn’t stay are often a waste of time. Those hits don't stick around for long.

"Evergreen" by Barbra Streisand

I have on several occasions calculated where my point of diminishing returns would be and I have been wrong every time. It is ever changing, in our blogs, out  in the middle of the Pacific, I have calculated that a nice round figure would be about 33 average hits per day which translates to 1000 hits per 30 day month. The neighbor islands send us a few routine flyer emails, but they will soon find the value of blogs and the value of direct communication to all of "our" reader/dancers.

"Every Time We Say Goodbye" by Jimmy Borges

We have been deliberately sabotaged on Maui and Kauai,- something about publishing private letters. So by now many will see what we publish, is just from our readership. I have started several blogs which were deleted after a time simply because they didn't cut it. Less than 10 hits a day is not worth it. I am not going to beat my gums for nothing. Even if the whole enchilada is my hobby.

 Calvin and Hobbes dancing the new Kalihi Stomp.

At any rate, the dancers on Oahu are beginning to realize that we are not an "instead of" newsletters, newspaper, radio and TV advertising. We are an "addition to" and since we are a blog we do not charge for we consider communication to our readers, not advertising. It is gonna take awhile before everyone knows. Ignorance is not the same as stupidity.

"Our great social dancers on Oahu are not great because of

their fancy turns, they are great because they love the

 music and have the passion to move to it."

The Blogging Puzzle

Blogging on Oahu is still a puzzle but of course that is what makes it interesting. Apparently for us, seven blogs is about it. The first step is to get enough Information Contributors (the Two Centers) willing to stick in their 2 cents for the benefit of their fellow dancers. At this point, Richie Fun in Dancing Night blog is the best example of Guest Author blogging.

"In our Hawaiian dance scene,  there seems to be no greatness unless there is simplicity, goodness and truth."

I am learning about hits on the counters. They can be quite late and wrong. Gradually I have been able to get rid of a lot of  scam, spam robot hits. And comparing the different blogs on a spreadsheet,I can get a pretty good idea of what is going on. Store bought hits have always seemed like the holy grail for the new blogger but in my experience, sites that bring you traffic that doesn’t stay are often a waste of time. Those hits don't stick around for long.

"Evergreen" by Barbra Streisand

I have on several occasions calculated where my point of diminishing returns would be and I have been wrong every time. It is ever changing, in our blogs, out  in the middle of the Pacific, I have calculated that a nice round figure would be about 33 average hits per day which translates to 1000 hits per 30 day month. The neighbor islands send us a few routine flyer emails, but they will soon find the value of blogs and the value of direct communication to all of "our" reader/dancers.

"Every Time We Say Goodbye" by Jimmy Borges

We have been deliberately sabotaged on Maui and Kauai,- something about publishing private letters. So by now many will see what we publish, is just from our readership. I have started several blogs which were deleted after a time simply because they didn't cut it. Less than 10 hits a day is not worth it. I am not going to beat my gums for nothing. Even if the whole enchilada is my hobby.

 Calvin and Hobbes dancing the new Kalihi Stomp.

At any rate, the dancers on Oahu are beginning to realize that we are not an "instead of" newsletters, newspaper, radio and TV advertising. We are an "addition to" and since we are a blog we do not charge for we consider communication to our readers, not advertising. It is gonna take awhile before everyone knows. Ignorance is not the same as stupidity.

"Our great social dancers on Oahu are not great because of

their fancy turns, they are great because they love the

 music and have the passion to move to it."

Live Music, where?

Live Music is on Oahu, I know that much. I just don't get enough information about live music to share with our fellow reader/dancers. I get a few that are willing say something and much of it is very interesting, but on Oahu, they do not want to make any commitments. It isn't that way at all but the few that we have know that.

"You may not have saved a lot of money in your life, but if you have saved some happiness for some people, you may consider yourself pretty rich."

I believe partner dancing on Oahu has the power to connect people and bring people closer. And that is just about anyplace. Besides dancing, many of us enjoy discovering hidden gems in this island, finding great music and taking photos and generally living a good life.

Live Music is one of those things we seek in dancing simply because that seems like Da Reel Teeng. On the Internet most of us can get just about any music we wish. And if we have good speakers connected to the computer we have no need for a CD player. But I no longer do this because it is only the music. I like to see the panorama of the song. The  stage, the band, the singer and all of it and the song video is more like Live Music.

"A problem defined is a problem half solved."

I am getting particular on that. I prefer, several scenes in the background while the singer sings the song. a sort of playlet pertinent to the words and music. It can really be beautiful. I am now building two different kinds of albums. The singers and the songs by each in each singers folder. Then I have another which is more interesting to me. An analysis of each song with six or seven versions of the same classic in chronological order by different singers. Yes, I am willing to share with anyone interested.

So the basic item is our need of the information contributors. Just hard

to find. I asked one of the DJs, if it was ignorance or apathy. He replied,

"I don't know and I don't care." Clear enough for me.

Why Dance?

By Mary Yamaguchi, Makaha:

It is a profound question... here on Oahu as well as on mainland where I use to live. Why do I dance? It is like asking, "Why do I breathe? Why do I laugh? Why do I cry?" It is so natural, so intricately connected to every aspect of my life for as long as I can remember. Whether I was floating around the house in my mother's wilted tutu as a young girl or regarding my sister with great reverence as she donned her leotards and tights for ballet class, dance has always been there.

"You not only have the power , but the power to control

your thoughts and direct them."

"Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes" by Perry Como

But Dancing and Performing are different things. Dancing is just that, expressing your feelings  through movement to music. For everyone, it may be for your lifetime. Performing is an exchange, it is many layers and many complexities that can be exquisitely rewarding and challenging.

"Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho

Performing a dance is as personal as any art form could possibly be. You, yourself are the instrument. Your body is the voice and you have to be willing to give yourself completely to finding the right voice for every role.  And it can be very satisfying.

"Heart Aching Blues" by Willie K

This commitment starts very early. In my own life it was an easy sacrifice of my time because I loved it. But, as often happens, there does come a time when one struggles, when one wonders if the right path has been chosen, when excitement about what is to come is sometimes matched with anxiety.  But this is not exclusive to dancers. This is a part of discovering and defining yourself.

"Morning Dew" by Melveen Leed

In my own life, I found that these periods of struggle serve a purpose. They strengthen your character and help develop a deeper understanding of yourself, even if in retrospect, you realize you made mistakes. In the end every decision, every conflict and every accomplishment becomes part of what you bring to the stage,  if you are willing.

But the rewards are immeasurable. Not only the gratification of arriving to create something of profound
beauty and then developing freedom to express it fully, openly and generously, but the entire journey, the people who come and go, the music, your partners, the audience, the theaters, this all becomes your life.   ~  Mary

"Dreams may not be what you leave behind in the morning.

They can be the stuff that fills your every moment."

Social Dancers

By Warren Chung, Waipio

Generally, in West Oahu, the ones with the worse technique in social dancing have more fun. But part of the goal of having good technique is to help our dance partners have more fun. If we just want to have fun, we don’t need good technique, just a "partner" with good technique.

"Easy Street is always a dead end or a blind alley."

But if we want our dance partners to have more fun, then "we" need good technique. There are elements of social dance that are purely social, where smiles, friendly conversation, succeeding in moving to the music and doing a few basic steps, override whether our partner is leaning on us, yanking us off balance, crushing our hand, stepping on us or whatevah. But an amount of technique that enables us to feel good and helps our partners to look good and feel good can only enhance our dance experience.

"I Love The Simple Folk" Don Ho

Some competition technique does look stilted on the social dance floor; we all know that, but a lot of the technique taught by competition coaches are things that make the dance feel more in balance, more fitting to the character of the music, and smoother to both ourselves and our partners.

The problem we face after we learn what good dance technique feels like, is that we become more sensitive to the bad habits of our partners. Sometimes ignorance is bliss, but the better social dancers are adaptive rather than ignorant. Those who can’t or don’t want to learn to adapt can end up paying their professional dance instructors lots of money.

"The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise."

By Les Paul and Mary Ford

Otherwise, we stop being concerned about our partners having fun, and just concentrate on having fun ourselves; try Club dancing, or local Dance club places for Social dancing. where people tend to be less anal-retentive about "technique" but nonetheless enjoy dancing together. Fun is primary, because fun is what motivates people to "continue" dancing.

If they happen to enjoy learning tons of technique as dancers, have the money, and they want to move right into competition styles, fine - but I don’t think that’s true of most people. What else is social dancing about, if not getting enjoyment for yourself and pleasing your dance partner? Hey, I wanna dance.
Warren.

Who said? "Life is too short to drink cheap wine."

Social Dancers

By Warren Chung, Waipio

Generally, in West Oahu, the ones with the worse technique in social dancing have more fun. But part of the goal of having good technique is to help our dance partners have more fun. If we just want to have fun, we don’t need good technique, just a "partner" with good technique.

"Easy Street is always a dead end or a blind alley."

But if we want our dance partners to have more fun, then "we" need good technique. There are elements of social dance that are purely social, where smiles, friendly conversation, succeeding in moving to the music and doing a few basic steps, override whether our partner is leaning on us, yanking us off balance, crushing our hand, stepping on us or whatevah. But an amount of technique that enables us to feel good and helps our partners to look good and feel good can only enhance our dance experience.

"I Love The Simple Folk" Don Ho

Some competition technique does look stilted on the social dance floor; we all know that, but a lot of the technique taught by competition coaches are things that make the dance feel more in balance, more fitting to the character of the music, and smoother to both ourselves and our partners.

The problem we face after we learn what good dance technique feels like, is that we become more sensitive to the bad habits of our partners. Sometimes ignorance is bliss, but the better social dancers are adaptive rather than ignorant. Those who can’t or don’t want to learn to adapt can end up paying their professional dance instructors lots of money.

"The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise."

By Les Paul and Mary Ford

Otherwise, we stop being concerned about our partners having fun, and just concentrate on having fun ourselves; try Club dancing, or local Dance club places for Social dancing. where people tend to be less anal-retentive about "technique" but nonetheless enjoy dancing together. Fun is primary, because fun is what motivates people to "continue" dancing.

If they happen to enjoy learning tons of technique as dancers, have the money, and they want to move right into competition styles, fine - but I don’t think that’s true of most people. What else is social dancing about, if not getting enjoyment for yourself and pleasing your dance partner? Hey, I wanna dance.
Warren.

Who said? "Life is too short to drink cheap wine."

Dance News

From the Dance News, New York:

The last century was the information age of dancing, America was unusual in that it had its own active dance "documenters" who did more or less the same thing in the U.S. that the English did in England. However the U.S. was much less influential in the dance world, so their style didn't spread as fast or as far.. The English had the British Empire where the sun never set. and the English simply enforced their standards more broadly. Later on, they mostly decided who won the "International" competitions.

"The creative dancer is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others."

"Be My Love" by Mario Lanza

Many years ago, "ballroom dancing" was  very different. Dancing was developed in different environments, and for different reasons. But in this century, the dances in the two disciplines  grow a little closer, until now, the distinctions are mostly technical. At the same time there are new dances introduced weekly simply to avoid the technicalities that have evolved in the disciplines.  It has caused many of us recently to start questioning the American style, asking, "Why are we doing this? What is it about American style that makes it unique and worthwhile?"

"PS, I Love You" by the Hilltoppers

The revolution in ballroom dancing is at hand and fusion is coming in from all sides. The world of "social dance" recognizes that Foxtrot and Jive are American not English. Waltz is not English either. And everyone knows that Paso Doble is Spanish. The Latin dances are increasing and becoming more solid in our social dance environment. Rumba and Cha Cha Cha remaining as the most solid of the Latin social dances in Hawaii and throughout the world.

"To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak." ~old Hopi Indian Saying