Dancing on Oahu ReRun #4

This island doing pretty good all over. Taking it slow but that is all right too. No news from Kokohead, everybody goes to town for that. They should do as they please.

"It is still true that you cannot bring yourself up

by bringing someone else down."

Meanwhile the rest of the island is jumping. We just got some news from Aunty Maili, (Wahaiwa Ballroom Dance Club) and it is all good news. The beautiful poster for those wanting to drive. This is your great opportunity.

Now that is getting the information to the dancers. These people are developing into the most important people in Dance Blogging on this island.

Paniolo Country by Melveen Leed

Also just received from Aunty Maili:
A nice way to spend a Friday evening from Deanie Bates, President of Aiea Ballroom Dance Assoiciation.

Aiea Ballroom Announcement.
Hope you guys can be with us this Friday, 4/10, at the Palladium for our dance. Time is 6-9:30 pm; color theme is PINK w/ any other color you want. Refreshments at half time. Full ballroom. Bert will dj. Deanie

Pub's Side Note: On the Internet, and people do say what they think.
"The property taxes and sales taxes will go sky high, now that the people got fooled into this dumb choo choo train that goes nowhere. Do like any intelligent human being would do, who doesn't want to go broke and end up homeless. Sell your house and move."

Bossa Nova Rerun #1

By Jon Buenaventura, Turtle Bay
Bossa Nova remains to this day, some of the best music in the world with some of the best movements in dance to go with it. And it came into being when there were a lot of fad dances coming in. In the US and Europe, the local ones were backed heavily by the local disciplines and dance studios. The Bossa Nova articulated existing social differences in the United States, those of the elite versus the masses attempting to attain elite status, and the subsequent devaluation of the musical style as a result of its success.

"Dance music doesn't care where you live. It doesn't care who your friends

are. It doesn't care how much money you make. It doesn't care

if you're 74 or if you are 24 because it is for everyone."

In addition, there were fundamental shifts in how musicians arranged Bossa Nova songs in their recordings to cut across those social divisions for mass-market appeal. For this reason, the sounds of the music as recorded or practiced by musicians are as important as the performance  and spectatorship of the Bossa Nova dance for explaining the rapid spread of the Bossa Nova as dance throughout the U.S. The popular culture made it especially true as expressed in print media, recordings, and television programs.

"Corcovado" by Lisa Ono

Bossa Nova’s transformation into a social dance in the U.S. is crucial to its international history, but it had an established social context long before all of that dancing. Bossa Nova as a social movement began in the late 1950s among a group of musicians in the richest areas of Rio de Janeiro’s south zone. The musicians involved, took the basic polyrhythmic elements of urban samba and transformed them to a cosmopolitan perspective that matched the overall mood of the period. At the time, the upper classes in Brazil were experiencing a rush of optimism in country. In the US it went the way of all fads. World wide, it remains as one of the best.

"Social Dancers know there's good deeds and then there's good intentions.

They are as far apart as Heaven and Hell."

Too Soon

The Dance Scene is still on hold. Some places have gotten permission to resume under certain rules, marking a major victory for some dancers after a year of restrictions. Outdoor dancing got a go-ahead from Gov. David Ige, as long as they are supervised by event planners and limit attendance to fewer than 100 people, including staff. Tables may seat no more than 10 people, who must wear masks and have their temperatures taken. Even the dance floor is subject to restrictions — a limit of 30 dancers at once, spaced apart and wearing masks. Unfortunately we have not conformed to the rules. Vaccines or no vaccines, we are definitely not out of it.

"Social dancers and success? There is only one way – to be able to spend

our lives in our own way, without encroaching on anyone." 

 

Dance Studios are doing as best they can. Classes are only for select groups. Temperatures are taken, and masks are required. Trumpanzees are not invited. Couples may sit together but separate from other couples at least seven feet. Hand sanitizers will be available. On the floor couples about seven feet apart. This may be a relatively safe method. Vaccines or no vaccines, the cases are not coming down that much and we are getting more variants. The Tourists, naturally. Remember, "It ain't over 'til it's over." Stay Safe.

"Why animals are bad dancers. - Two left feet."

Patience

We do have some online dance classes on Oahu but we know that it will be only temporary. And there is some classes in studios well planned with carefully picked people. No Trumpanzees admitted. Masks and social distance respected. Vaccinated or not, you can still spread the germs with your hands. Washing hands is important before and after classes. And plans are in the making for dance classes outdoors and are being led by masked Line dancers since they can dance very nicely without a partner. And when will “safe dancing” come along? We don't know. We must all accept that "It is not over 'til it's over."

"Social dancers know that existence is a kind of dancing --

an energy pattern which needs no explanation other than itself."

Dance is a great way to stay in shape. If you don’t like the gym, dancing can bring fun back into the exercise. Dancing is all about moving your body to music and moving your body is a great way to burn calories. How many will you burn depends on how vigorously you dance. In an one-hour session you can burn from 250 to 400 calories. Dance can effectively promote good health by improving cardiovascular fitness, strengthening the muscles, increasing circulation, decreasing blood pressure, lowering the risk of coronary heart disease, reducing stress, and many other positive benefits. Great for improving control over your body, timing and coordination skills. You will learn how to move with grace and poise.

"And then there was that guy who was always too smart for his partners.

He was always a step ahead."

We are stalled

A year ago, Hawaii had made plans to market itself as “the safest place in the world.” and then the Trumpanzees wanted to make some money. We opened up too soon and too much. More than 12,000 people in Hawaii have been diagnosed with the virus. Outbreaks at jails and nursing homes are challenging our ability to manage the disease in vulnerable settings even today. And the virus has established itself so firmly in the community that the federal government has had to step in to help health officials get a grip on the exploding number of cases.       

"The one thing that all social dancers have that nobody else has is us.

Our voices, our minds, our stories, our visions. So we can dance

and enjoy moving to the music as only we can."

We closed up and then the Vaccines came in and we thought it was over. And again we opened up too soon and too much. The QAnon have had a big influence on the Trumpanzees. Then the tourists have been bringing variants to complicate matters. The vaccines are only 90% effective which is still better than zero percentage. But it also means 10% will be infected. The dance populatione has been very respective of the entire dance scene in acceptance of what is necessary to stay safe and protect our fellow dancers. The schools are a big question mark.

How do you make a tissue dance?  You just put a little boogie in it!

Not Yet

Pandemic lock downs might be pervasive throughout the world, but not all our movements have been restricted. This has not led to a slowdown in interest in dance, as people seek fitness, stress relief, healing and connection. Live classes on Instagram and YouTube have proliferated. Living rooms are becoming rave scenes thanks to live-streaming dance parties by celebrity spinners And mindfulness is taking center stage at sessions on Zoom. Some Line Dancing is beginning to form on Oahu, since they can dance with masks and a respectful distance. China seems to be leading the way World Wide for a safe way to partner dancing, mainly outdoors.

"Social dancers know that everything in this world has been done with hope.

So we must not lose our hope."

For us on Oahu, we can remember why we dance. Basic is that, we like to move to music. We have all seen young people with ear plugs and listening to some nice music and they start moving. They may realize that they look silly and stop, look around and smile sheepishly. But we all understand that it is perfectly natural. It is part of the enjoyment of life. Very easy to graduate to deliberate movements to music in the home. The even step is easiest and was the original ten thousand years ago. Just step - left, right, left, right to the beat and keep going. Move the legs, hips, upper body, head, anyway you damn well please. 

"Social dancers know that any kind of dancing is better than no dancing at all."

We don't lose hope

So, on Oahu, this has been dragging on for several months and we don't like it. We want to dance without endangering ourselves or our fellow dancers. Many of us are still wondering when will dance socially again. The answer is still "it depends!" But, a very few that know each very well are find ways to stay relatively safe and still dance in some place. And in the dancing community there are lots of resolves to keep dancing. Fortunately in many cases a good effort to do so, but in a fairly safe way given the situation. Most of the dancing on Oahu is still on hold.

Everything that is done in this world is done by hope. - Martin Luther

But we all long for those great nights at the district parks and community centers and yes, we are all saying “when, oh when?!” The answer is that we don’t really know when we can resume dancing, hopefully by the 4th of July. If we can keep the Trumpanzees from goofing it up. They don't believe in Masks. But until then we can try several other methods to enjoy moving to music. Online anyone? Ask around, and find out what some are doing and get some suggestions. For now, take your vaccine as soon as you can, wear you masks, respect social distance and wash you hands, Stay safe, we shall dance again.

“In every day, there are 1,440 minutes. That means we have

1,440 daily opportunities to do something.”