Listening Music.

Dance music is not the same as listening music. In Argentina more people listen to tango music than dance to it. How many people like to listen to Waltz music and yet do not dance it? Dancing just to dance may be exhibition and competition dancing. Horse of different color.

 "Ever stop to think, and forget to start again?"

Dancing to "Til I Waltz Again With You" by Teresa Brewer, because both partners like it and it is something unique is not readily understood by most DJs. They really believe that the music that they play is what you should enjoy. Not what you want.

Some times they play a certain style of "From Here To Eternity" almost like a rumba and I can enjoy dancing a rumba to it simply because I like that version.

"Hello, Young Lovers"  ...  Matt Monroe

The best DJs on Oahu are the line dance DJs because they have a Play list which they constantly update and ask for feedback. It does not contain style and other nit picking detail. Just the name of the song and who's version. They hit the nail right on the head every time and the dancers get what they want, not what some expert tells them that they should want. And the dancers get better informed every day.

Most dancers that prefer live music are mainly interested in the sound of live music (with all its mistakes.) The human touch seems closer at hand and then they dance to it because the body wants to move to that music. Most natural thing in the world.

"No Me Voy Sin Bailar"  ...  Ana Belen

This is all coming to pass in the new West Oahu, where the dancer is king (and queen.) Listening is different than dancing, a different outlook and a different receiver. And we are lucky that in the West, we have some of the best DJs and the best musicians on the Island. The entire group is coalescing. No one has to support anybody, you just go where they treat you right. Dis Da Place!

Pub's Side Note:
Blogging seems to believe that 40% of their readers are below average. Whereas, ordinary media, (that puts out "to whom it may concern" data,) figures on 60% of the recipients to be below average. They are both wrong, how you figure?

Listening Music.

Dance music is not the same as listening music. In Argentina more people listen to tango music than dance to it. How many people like to listen to Waltz music and yet do not dance it? Dancing just to dance may be exhibition and competition dancing. Horse of different color.

 "Ever stop to think, and forget to start again?"

Dancing to "Til I Waltz Again With You" by Teresa Brewer, because both partners like it and it is something unique is not readily understood by most DJs. They really believe that the music that they play is what you should enjoy. Not what you want.

Some times they play a certain style of "From Here To Eternity" almost like a rumba and I can enjoy dancing a rumba to it simply because I like that version.

"Hello, Young Lovers"  ...  Matt Monroe

The best DJs on Oahu are the line dance DJs because they have a Play list which they constantly update and ask for feedback. It does not contain style and other nit picking detail. Just the name of the song and who's version. They hit the nail right on the head every time and the dancers get what they want, not what some expert tells them that they should want. And the dancers get better informed every day.

Most dancers that prefer live music are mainly interested in the sound of live music (with all its mistakes.) The human touch seems closer at hand and then they dance to it because the body wants to move to that music. Most natural thing in the world.

"No Me Voy Sin Bailar"  ...  Ana Belen

This is all coming to pass in the new West Oahu, where the dancer is king (and queen.) Listening is different than dancing, a different outlook and a different receiver. And we are lucky that in the West, we have some of the best DJs and the best musicians on the Island. The entire group is coalescing. No one has to support anybody, you just go where they treat you right. Dis Da Place!

Pub's Side Note:
Blogging seems to believe that 40% of their readers are below average. Whereas, ordinary media, (that puts out "to whom it may concern" data,) figures on 60% of the recipients to be below average. They are both wrong, how you figure?

New Dancers in the West

by Fred Chung, Ewa:

The good news that we are getting many new dancers in the West. The interest has always been there, so the expansion was coming. Most have danced before in their younger days in various ways. Now, as adults, they can learn to dance socially, it is fun and it is easy.

"Many of our inventions have been produced by fairly uneducated people -

that didn't know it couldn't be done."

Line dance would probably be your best bet. With no partner to worry about you can learn to enjoy the movement to music in a somewhat prescribed manner. Your ear will get accustomed to the Waltz, Foxtrot, Rumba, Cha Cha Cha and all the types that are danced socially. And you will develop your own styling as you feel like it in moving to the music.

In a sense it could be like learning a new language, a language in which moods and emotions are expressed in movement; a language of rhythm, grace and harmony. It is new, but in a very real sense it is the oldest language in the world, for dancing is the oldest form of art. And when you look around you and take a good look, you will see that there are many people already enjoying this thing called dance.

"Singing In The Rain"  ...  Doris Day

Dancing is a wholesome, natural outlet for the emotions. It develops grace and poise, timing and balance. Men take pride in their ability to lead their partners with assurance and poise. Ladies enjoy the ability to follow their partners smoothly, expertly and correctly. The ability to dance develops personality, and above all—it is fun. And you can certainly learn a lot on the ordinary social dance floor.

"My Cup Runneth Over"  ...  Max Bygraves

Taking dance lessons is a great way to improve your confidence, it is a great way to get fit and did I mention they’re fun? At the moment our recommendations are for learning in small groups. And there are many social clubs offering classes in the American Style of dance in the West.

 University of Hawaii, West Oahu, Dancing? You'd better believe it!

Unfortunately, the studios that teach American Style are mostly in town and lately, Arthur Murray has a branch studio in Kailua, which is for the benefit of the Windward residents. In the West they teach exhibition types only. Yes, we are due for one in the West. Ewa?

You'll make it and you'll have fun along the way.  *  *  *  *

Pub's Side Note: Check up on Richie Fun report in Oahu And Beyond blog. Da kine we gotta get now and then. Just an opinion? That's it, in our blogs, opinions are gold mines.

A Visit to the Ala Wai

By Sue Comparetto,
Dancing USA, March 1996

My trip to Hawaii was not a dancing vacation, unfortunately, but I manage to sneak in two very different dancing experiences. I first called the local USABDA chapter and got many helpful referrals.

"No great person ever complains about the lack of opportunity."

I arrived in Honolulu, Oahu on Thursday the only weekday that there was not a noon Tea Dance at Ala Wai Golf Course Pavilion. I walked along the canal to check out the 12000 sq ft eucalyptus wood floor I had read about in my National Dance Directory from Dancing USA.

I picked up a monthly schedule of dances (and there were many) and I made my plans to return for the Friday noon dance and maybe peek in at the USABDA dance and show. The Tea Dance crowd was casual and friendly. I soon figured out that I was supposed to get my own folding chair from the back and return it when I left.

It was a happy crowd. I can only figure that was because everyone was retired and enjoying life or on vacation. Once the gentlemen determined that I didn't bite, I got asked quite a bit. I stepped all over Phil's feet during our Fox Trot. He did not ask me again, but he did help me locate local danceable Hawaiian music and bands. I  enjoyed a Cha Cha Cha with Charlie, many half dances with a man just overcoming a heart problem.

The most memorable dance, however, had to be a Hawaiian Waltz with a native Hawaiian in lime green pants, whose name I couldn't pronounce. As we counted the usual 1-2-3 he said to imagine a dolphin rising and falling on the waves of the ocean. That would be the feeling of the Hawaiian Waltz. It was the most fun I had traveling across the dance floor. The floor was like glass, not slippery at all, just smooth, dark and shiny - great wood.

For special occasions they open up the divided room to expose the entire 12000 sq ft floor, so I returned Saturday just to see the floor.  Impressive. The Ala Wai Golf Course Clubhouse ballroom has Tea Dancing from 12 to 2 PM four days a week and practically every Friday to Sunday evening to recorded music, rarely to live music. This multi purpose facility is used for dancing of all kinds, including Scandinavian, Folk and Japanese. Let me tell you they dance in Hawaii.   *  *  *  *

Pictures, Pictures

It is becoming more obvious that we need pictures but a library of photos a la Photobucket or Da Kine is not the answer for blogging on this Island. Most of the blogs are doing very well in their presentations of photos, and we have blogs that certainly lack a lot of that photos action.

"Life is a one way street. No matter how many detours you take, none of them leads back."

Now we are starting something new, the slide show. Very difficult to navigate through the set up rigamarole but it can be done. I have one in this blog which is favored by some. I like it because it is in a side bar and does not have to be updated. The downside is that most viewers see the photos in very small sizes. They can of course stop the action and click the photo into full size.

The new slide show that I posted into Central Valley is in, as a post. You must click to see it and then it is full size right away. The downside is that I have to update it every now and then because it is a regular post. Already I got some votes and they are pretty even. I will leave it in Central Valley at least a month, work both them and make changes, update photos and see what happens. I may end up choosing only one method.

"I Walk The Line" ... Ray Coniff

But the need for more photos contributed by the readers will be there. 150 photos contributed by one person is not the same as 15 photos contributed by 15 people of their own personal groups. You will all see that two or three people is wasting space. However, nine or ten people is just too much and not clear enough. Then icing on the cake is getting some pictures that are not peas in a pod, but yet four, five or six people come out looking good in a party environment. We will work into it and all of us will learn and agree, I hope.

I certainly do not like commandments, "Thou shalt not ..."

Da Spin Doctor blogging in the Oahu And Beyond blog on music. The best music information on this Island. Possibly the only person that can initiate the Pau Hana Dance in the West. Will get known throughout the Islands.

Pub's Side Note: Lucky us for all that advertising, (millions of dollars) to stress the fact that to ride the rail, it will be at the same rates and with the rules as the Bus. What they haven't said is the rates on the Bus are going to triple. And the people in the neighbor islands still haven't the faintest idea that they are going to pay for the rail too. You don't think the rich are going to pay, do you? Ask Romney! He He!

You want a blog?

Some organizations that have a Web site are now thinking about getting a Blog site. Seems like a nice independent thing to do. But they must think about "hits," the times a person tunes into their blog. If you are a very famous person you can get thousands of hits daily. Most of us are lucky to get five daily and half of them are bounce (means they got on by mistake.)

"If you want to do the right thing and get ahead, use the one you have."

The same can probably be said about all the Web sites out there. For small blogs like ours you need at least five Guest Authors to spread the different viewpoints and to create synergism. You can then get over 100 average hits per day and that is connecting. So if you are stuck with only one viewpoint, and have a regular run of the mill Web or Blog, you will be lucky if you can ever surpass ten average hits per day.

Two big players in the blog game are Google and Word Press. These are by no means the only two, just two well known and popular ones. Tumblr is coming up very strong. The new Dancer - West blog is on Tumblr. Word Press is also very strong in Web sites. Many of our dance clubs are on Word Press.

"Mr. Sandman" ... The Chordettes.

Blogger is Google owned and you don't install Blogger on your server, you just give it your password and everything is in the cloud. WordPress, the other popular choice, installs the software on your web server. You then simply log in and type your post.

Conventional wisdom and the "hit" factor seems to moving over to claims that most people would be happier with a blog than with a website.They both satisfy the need of publishing your content to the world, be it business and product information or just personal thoughts you wish to tell others. We expect to see a lot more Blogging on these Islands.

Pub's Side Note: Only three blogs have over 100 average hits per day and all in town. Town Dancer, Oahu And Beyond and Honolulu Dance Guide.

Blog Development

The blogs in the West are there, and stumbling about in the dark and not getting too much of any place. They could be used by someone, that would do good for themselves, the dance community, the blogs and anything else having to do with us.

"Collect as precious pearls the words of the wise and virtuous."

Town Dancer. with the addition of Calvin and Debra Ota and Richard Sun, has been on a roll for a while and still number one on the hit parade of our blogosphere. Not many people realize that the addition of Guest Authors is the secret to our Social Media success. The different points of view are crucial to make the blogs interesting to our reader/dancers. No cookie cutter blogs needed here.

Oahu And Beyond is doing well because of Richard Sun and Da Spin Doctor. Also for the same reasons, the synergism produced by different type blogs and different points of view. That is what is most desperately needed in the West. With a huge dance population in the West it should be easy but unfortunately most are downtown oriented from - way back.

"One More Time" ... Gordon McCrae

Speaking of town: I heard it again, and I certainly wish someone would make the write up for one of our down town blogs. And it could be just an opinion. One dance studio in town has consistently over the decades, produce the best International dancers on Oahu. I don't know enough about Competition dancing but it should prove interesting to the entire dance readership. After all they are interested in competition, it may as well be here and now.

Meanwhile back at the ranch: First we need photo contributors because that is easy. Just put into your computer from your memory card and email it to anyone on the blogs. A sentence or two to accompany the photos would certainly enhance the presentation. And next of course would be the information contributors to share the dance experience with your fellow reader/dancers. From there, when you feel ready, you will be a Guest Author.

Our key targets are those without Web sites so we don't interfere with their ongoing. Right now it is Pearlridge Chapter HBDA, Aliamanu Chapter HBDA and Mililani Chapter HBDA. If we can get some photos, dance information, everyone will come out just fine. And who knows perhaps a permanent Guest Author. These blogs, all of them, belong to the reader/dancers, only they don't know it yet.

"Hey There" ... Rosemary Clooney

In the Nanakuli Ridge blog there is Computer System for sale and originally meant for Nanakuli residents. But they have not shown much interest. Anyone else from the Waianae Coast vicinity and readers of this blog are eligible. This deal is for "our" friends. The person that buys will ultimately realize the bargain they got. It will be difficult because of the kind of "selling" going on nowadays so be careful.

Competition Dancing in the West?

By David Ching, Kunia

I have heard that some of our cultural dancers are preparing to go into competitions. Certainly nothing wrong with that. Many people do it everyday throughout the world. However, how are you doing in your regular social recreational dance. Ah Ha!!

"Perhaps you cannot be a star, but you need not be a cloud."

Meanwhile, let’s explore this new world of competition dancing, just to demonstrate some interesting points. At most competitions, the circumstances in which you dance are very controlled — you know the dance you’re doing, who you’re dancing with (your partner), the level at which the others are dancing (your class or difficulty level), the time you’re on the floor (a single heat is usually only a few minutes long), the steps to do (the syllabus), and the music is a certain tempo (set by rules).

Spectators are usually other dancers, who appreciate the hard work involved, and judges, who are looking for specific, pre-defined things to put into your score. So you’re doing a controlled thing (dancing) in a controlled environment (at a competition) for pre-defined reasons (where do you rate on the scoring sheet?) for an audience who knows something about what you’re doing.

"Green Eyes" ... Jimmy Dorsey

If you like competition dancing, you’ll want to know there are two “flavors” — amateur and pro-am. Amateur only means the participants don’t make living by teaching dancing. An amateur dancing with a teacher is pro-am. Amateur couples are scored by their performance and, in a pro-am competition, the amateur is the one being judged.

Some competitions have only one couple participating and the result is only one winner, and at some of those comps some folks don’t place or win anything. Other, less “serious” competitions may award everyone a first place, because you’re judged alone (and not against the field of other dancers in your category.

Now that so many are learning how to dance "correctly," (and it is going to cost you,) perhaps we will have some serious International Style competitions in the West, probably at the new Dance Pavilion at the Patsy Mink Recreation Park, if and when they build it.

Pub's Side Note: And if you are thinking of getting to any of these places on the bus. Fougeddaboutit. All the money now going for the advertising of the Rail. Big, Big Bucks to be made in Profits.