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Sunday, October 25, 2015

Another Big Change

I have adjusted the blogs again. This time they are going to once per week. The hits will tell me where we are at, now that I plan to leave. I think I should make Richie Fun an administrator same as Calvin Ota, for back up and then phase myself out of it and let them run it the way they wish.

"Happiness is always a by-product. It is probably a matter of temperament, and for anything, it may be glandular. But it is not something that can be demanded from life, and if you are not happy you had better stop worrying about it and see what treasures you can pluck from your own brand of unhappiness."

The blogs will now be a once per week basis. The hits will come down but they will tell me what to do next. I have several months to wind this down, but I wish to do it as good as I can. I have had so many good readers on this Island, it is very gratifying.

"Twist and Shout" By the Beatles

For sure we need more Guest Authors and information contributors for all our blogs. That is information which no one else has, except you and that is what the reader/dancers want to read about in our blogs. And all our readers will know that it is not SOS. It is a win win situation for everyone.

"Maui Waltz by Loyal Garner

From Whine & Noises:
Today is the Tomorrow you worried about Yesterday — I am much too young to be as old as I am — If you can’t convince them, confuse them — This is probably as bad as it can get, but don't count on it. — Sorry, I'm just having a senior moment — Hope is the pillar that holds up the world.


Waipio at one time was designated as the central spot for dancing in West Oahu. They even had programmed a "Dance Pavilion" in the Patsy Mink Recreation Center. Of course, the costs were too much and the City & County gotta give the money to the Present Rail Party.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Divino Ritmo Dance Group Classes Schedule UPDATE:


Via Marie.

Next Week Tuesday October 27th NO Swing Class at 8pm Due Studio trip to KONA
 

Wednesday October 21st at 8PM 
International Samba- Technique and Principles with Yanna
1st of 4week session, intermediate level

Thursday October 22nd at 7PM
last Viennese Waltz with Lucas


Friday October 23rd at 7:30-10pm

Dress Rehearsal - Social Party
Come to watch and cheer on your fellow dancers as they prepare for Aloha Ball Competition held on October 25th in Kona.
Each Competitor will perform one dance ( one of the routines prepared for Kona).
Social dancing, complimentary soft drink, B.Y.O.B
Regular Social fee applies ( $15 at door, $10 for ADC and DRD students pre-sale)

Saturday October 31st  6:30-10:30
SPOOKY Halloween Party
Buffet dinner, costume contest, social dancing
Admission: $25 per person pre-sale, $30 at door


Saturday November 21st  6:30-11PM
Afro Criollo Sound Latin Band Social Party
Admission: $25 per person pre-sale, $30 at door

Divino Ritmo Dance
ALOHA DANCESPORT CENTER
350 Ward Avenue 2nd floor, Honolulu
 
Lots happening @ Divino Ritmo as usual!
 
R

Monday, October 19, 2015

What's Doin' This Week?

So many different types of dancers in our Dancing Nights group. We just should accept that all of us are different and unique in this world. That is why the different viewpoints are so acceptable in our blogs. Most of us are Average and that excludes beginners and those top dancers of the entire world.

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. 
Art is knowing which ones to keep."


The ones that are trained well in our social dance clubs will utilize smooth movements and subtle hints to let their partner know that they are interested. They will dance with a lot of flirting while keeping the musicality and proper execution of moves. Both partners will do what is necessary to dance well together. If necessary one or the other will slow it down to adapt to their partners skill level.


Many night club dancers just do moves to turn their partner on and will use tactics to get close and thinking a certain way - their way. Again nothing wrong with this as long as the partner does not mind. Many will go along some will not. It happens. How about social dance club dancing?

 "You Are My Sunshine" by Melveen Leed


The only thing is that if you are one of these dancers please learn some essential movements so that you are not tossing and dipping the girl unnecessarily or taking her off her weight shifts because you are executing your moves the wrong way.

"Stranger In Paradise" by Tony Bennett

With a little more time we will get along just fine, after all we have something much in common, "We Dance In The Night."

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Surprising

The way this blog is doing with a new name is astounding even though we know that many of the hits come from the prior blog readers. However, it is in the solid double digits average hits per day. Wouldn't surprise me to see it go into the 20s by next month.
  
"What you are is God's gift to you, what you become is your gift to God."



The new social media of dance blogging has completely transformed the way dancers and friends gather news and information not only on Oahu but also on the neighbor islands. While it has created many new opportunities, it has also brought about numerous challenges to traditional media and even contributed to, what some consider, dying business models.


Web sites that use to have such a commanding presence in our dance world, (even in just having one,) have seen a decline as social media. Facebook of course has led the way to the downfall of many, and has been losing out all over. Specially with all the unacceptable methods they were evolving there, according to Consumer Reports.

 "Tennessee Waltz" by Melveen Leed


Some traditional media enterprises have embraced our new media with great success. Others, however, have not had the same experience. One of the biggest blows, if you will, to traditional media has been that dancers have become reporters themselves. Just look at Twitter, Tumblr and Google+

Friday, October 16, 2015

Night Clubing

A nightclub (also known as a dance club or club) is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night all over the Hawaiian Islands. A nightclub is generally distinguished from bars, pubs or taverns by the inclusion of a "dance floor." And the busiest night for a nightclub is Saturday night. Most of us know all that.

"Those who undertake to set themselves up as a judges of Truth and
Knowledge will be shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods."

The music in nightclubs is either live bands or, more commonly, a mix of songs played by a DJ through a powerful PA system. Most clubs or club nights cater to different kinds of music genres. And it has often brought together people from all walks of life and backgrounds

Much of the dancing has been a genre for young people to explore sexuality and push the envelope on the dancefloor. Dance clubs have acted as an escape from depressing environments and acted as a fantasy that  marginalized peoples could escape to forget the difference in social classes.

 "A Lover's Prayer" by Don Ho

By the late 1970s Hawaii had thriving disco club scenes which were centered around discothèques, nightclubs, and private loft parties where DJs would play the latest disco hits. The DJs played a smooth mix of long single records to keep people dancing all night long.


Some of the most prestigious clubs had elaborate lighting systems that throbbed to the beat of the music. And some cities had disco dance instructors or dance schools which taught people how to do popular disco dances such as "touch dancing", the "hustle" and the "cha-cha-cha".

"Morning Dew" by Melveen Leed

As always we need the Information Contributors. I make the offer to everyone but each one must make their own decision - tomorrow, next week, next month. Somebody has got to take the blame, and it ain't gonna be me.

Big Band: The name applied to the large orchestras that were popular before WWII. Gradually gone into obsolescence.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Contact

Comments would have been the easiest to give and to receive for our blogs but little was there after 20 years. So we must rely on the information contributors which have no requirements. Of course, this blog is already leaning towards Live Music. But information contributors can just use their common sense and contribute information from their point of view and whenever they please.

"A failure is not always a mistake, it may simply be the best one can
do under the circumstances. The real mistake is to stop trying."


They can use any pen name they like. Just try to make it the same one all the time. One or two words, good or bad, would get your feet wet and you might like it. That is the beginning of Social Media. You can contact anyone of the Guest Authors and that person will be glad to print it in whatever blog you would like. You can pick the blog with the most hits if you like. We are also accepting anyone from the neighbor islands that might want to try our Social Media.


There are plenty of people traveling through the neighbor islands, Yes I know, not as much as if we had the Super Ferry, but big bucks shot that one down. The Fat Cats couldn't get as much as they wanted. We just have to do the best we can.

"Maui Waltz" by Loyal Garner

Even Rhythm: A combination of steady, consistent beats that are identical in the meter and get the same time value - Merengue, - Waltz.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Around This Island

The news is picking up just a little, perhaps with the coming holidays we will get more. Waianae is still thinking about Latin Dancing and I think the best place would at the Best Dance Floor in the West and that is at Waianae District Park. I  don't believe it has ever been used for dancing but what do I know?

"It is possible to give away and become richer. It is also possible
to hold on too tightly and lose everything."


The North Shore looks brighter every day. Of course there are many that wish to stop any actions there. They want everyone to go to Honolulu. The Present Rail Party does not want any kind of job creating Business Parks in the area. (I coulda been home in 20 minutes.) Cholo's Homestyle Mexican is doing just fine with Salsa. And there is another restaurant less that a block away, Luibueno Mexican Seafood that could go Latin Dancing.

 "Young At Heart" By Frank Sinatra


"Music, Music, Music" By Theresa Brewer

The interest in dancing in the Central Valley from Whitmore Village to Kapolei is developing very nicely. Wahiawa Ballroom Dance Club has been there a long time. And Dot's In Wahiawa is not doing badly. If I get a place in Wahiawa, I may get around to these places and blog'em. Then Just Tacos has Salsa doing good too and Greg Henry recommends them.


If they build a nice dance pavilion (still in doubt) at the Patsy Mink Recreation Center, 5000 square feet would be good enough. (less than half the size of the Palladium.) Then do not make it into a Multi-Purpose facility. Make it for dancing only. Ballroom, Country, Swing, Tango, Line, Portuguese, Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Vietnamese, South American etc. It would probably require a job of 25 hours a day, 8 days a week, but worth it. Unfortunately, the Present Rail Party wants the money.

Mini-Lesson: A short lesson given during the regular session of dancing at a night function. They may teach a specific new point and sometimes to remedy a common error. Often an extra attraction for the night of dancing.

Sunday, October 11, 2015

On the West Coast

They tried Salsa dancing at "Tacos And More" in Waianae but apparently there were not enough Salsa dancers there for a quorum. Now they are thinking again, but this time of Latin Dancing. There are a lot more people in the West Coast that can dance Rumba. There are many that can dance Cha Cha Cah, Samba, Merengue and even Tango, (American and Filipino.) Could be the beginnings of the first Latin Dance Club in Hawaii.

"If we spend a life time making mistakes, it is not only more honorable,
but more useful than a life spent doing nothing."


Of course, there has been some talk of a Latin Club in Kapolei but the Present Rail Party doesn't like that. And most people know how they have screwed everything up. 12, 13 hour work days mean nothing to the Fat Cats in Honolulu. Not when there is all that easy money out there. What happened to the first billion dollars? No one knows yet. Ha!


At any rate, with the Kalealoa Harbor and the Kalealoa Airport expanding their very necessary business, that is going to a very prominent section. And with a couple of business parks in there, Wow!. So many happy residents will be living, working and playing in their own version of Paradise, without Honolulu.


Another thing that emerges with time is the many teachers of dance in the west who insist on the basics very thoroughly. The even step, the rock step and the chassé are very basic, specially in the Latin Dances. And you will always hear it somewhere, that a couple who have been taking lessons for several years and learned to dance very well, "Yes, it is time we go back to basics."

The Contributing Editor


At small magazines the title may imply a staff member with regular writing responsibility and some editorial duties. When a "contributing editor" is listed on the title page of a book, the term generally designates a person who has served as some kind of consultant in the book's preparation but who is not responsible for the book's final content.

“It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble.
It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.”

As with magazines, the title with us may be largely honorary and slightly different in name and use. However, our Information Contributors merely email information and perhaps a photo or two. And they do so only when they damn well please. There are no deadlines for our people, and they can decide when and what to contribute.

"Do I Love You?" by Loyal Garner


However the big difference is that as an information Contributor they can also make the choice of becoming a guest author. They can then open the blog, write what they wish, post the photos they wish and get out without asking permission from anyone. In our social blogs the title becomes somewhat self explanatory and hopefully we will get many more guest authors.


Most people think that is too much commitment. But it is in the same vein as comments or information contributor in which they can blog whenever they damn well please. Easy? No monthly or annual meetings and no dues or fees required. And the hits will go through the ceiling. Hey, you want egg in your beer?

"Stranger In Paradise" by Tony Bennett

Two friends are about to enter a club in Waikiki. One of them has a wooden eye. He said ''If someone says something about my eye, I'm gonna flip.'' They get there, and after one drink, he asks a girl if she would like to dance. She says, ''Would I?'' He flipped.

Saturday, October 10, 2015

We Are Getting Tnere

Good evidence that the amount of blogging has an effect on the hits. I pulled the levers back on all blogs and the results show the results. the hits went down, So I cannot do it all by myself, I am not famous, and from all our past experience, the blogs are all at a plateau.

"Nobody really cares if you're miserable, so you might as well be happy."


I am also certain that the biggest key of all is also very prominent in my stats. The Contributing Editors are key. If we get just one more Contributing Editor in each blog, the hits will increase very noticeably and not only in that blog but the entire plateau will lift even if only a small amount. All you have to do is be willing to share a little information and maybe a photo or two. Our blogs cannot exist as a one man show, I have no fame. It must be Social Media and with seven blogs it should be just about right.

"Wooly Bully" By Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs


There are plenty of web sites and other blog sites throughout the islands but no one wants to find out if anyone is reading the material they are posting on the Internet.  Most are fixed items and they have their own reasons and it should be respected, but I have to do something about it on my blogs and for our Reader/dancers. Up to date items should be the most welcome items. A couple photos and it would be a smash hit.


Because one of these blogs will go independent, I should know by the end of the year as to which one it will be. The one with the most Contributing Editors will be it. Simply because the average hits per day will mandate it. Once the blog becomes independent, they will double in hits simply because everyone will know that no one person will be running the show.

"Ei Nei" by Loyal Garnere 

He turned sixty some years back and took  a little ribbing from his wife. Now his wife was turning 60, he thought he would get even. So he told her he had never made love to anyone over 60. She replied, “Oh, I have, and it’s not that great.”

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Fad Dancing

By Jeremy Myong, Kokohead

Fad dances are dances which are characterized by a short burst of popularity. Dancing style fads have for some centuries been a part of social dancing, sometimes gliding smoothly into tradition after their "newness" has faded, and sometimes simply fading away into oblivion.

"It is when we find out we can make mistakes that
we know we are on to something."

Since the Renaissance, the courts of European monarchs and nobles played host to a long succession of dance fads, many of which became social 'crazes' that spread into general society and many have long since faded into obscurity, but their rhythms were preserved in European classical music.


In modern times new dance "fads" arise and disappear much more frequently. This is certainly spurred by modern communication improvements (printed media, radio, movies, television, internet). In the early 1920s a string of dance crazes swept the world, including jitterbug and the Charleston.


Perhaps the most significant of all these early 20th century crazes originated in Argentina and came to the US in the early 1900s. The tango swept the world in the late 1910s and early 1920s, sparking a worldwide craze that was fanned by its use in Hollywood movies, and the style was soon appropriated to become part of the standard dance repertoire.

"La Media Luz" por Julio Iglesias

The tango was the first in a series of 20th century Latin music dance crazes that included the Merengue, the Samba, the Mambo, the Rumba and the Cha Cha Cha. Each new Latin style enjoyed massive popularity, and many transcended their fad status to become standardized styles in the repertoire of western popular dance tradition.

"Begin The Beguine" by Artie Shaw

Latin dance styles also exerted a huge influence on the direction of western popular music; this was especially true of jazz, which was profoundly altered by the advent of the first wave of Latin music in the 1940s and then by the bossa nova craze of the 1960s, which also had a massive influence on American pop music.


From the 1950s to the 1970s, new dance fads appeared almost every week. Among the dozens of crazes that swept the world during this fertile period were the Madison, "The Swim", the "Mashed Potato", "The Twist", "The Frug" (pronounced 'froog') and "The Watusi", "The Shake" and "The Hitchhike"; several '60s dance crazes had animal names, including "The Pony", "The Dog" and "The Chicken" (not to be confused with the later Chicken Dance).

And they are still coming and still mostly for the young. The experienced dancers will generally be happy to enjoy their few dances in sheer joy night after night after night. "Don't Quit Now, Jack"


Monday, October 5, 2015

What Snew?

Now I have received the really bad news in the latest Consumer Reports. More than 5 million households experienced some type of abuse on Facebook in the past year, including virus infections, identity theft, and for a million children - bullying.

"Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness,
to pull another hand into the light."

And consumers are at risk in myriad other ways, according to our national State of the Net Survey of 2000 online households conducted earlier this year by the Consumer Reports National Research Center. It will be worse later, they gotcha on their terms and they are not about to let you go. They are beginning to interfere with your computer like Adobe and Microsoft with annoying spam.

"Living on earth may be tough, but it includes a free ride around the sun every year."

I am awfully glad I got out of Facebook. I have been reading too many things bad about them. They have that, "I gotcha sucka." Even if you notify them that you want out, you are still in according to their records. Even if they disable you, you are still in according to their records. Seem a little nasty to me.


Dancers are in unanimous agreement that the Ala Wai Multi-Purpose Recreational Facility has been a huge success for all the users. With the best dance floor ever seen in the Pacific it has been especially appreciated by the International dancers. However it was planned as a Multi Purpose Center and they are stuck with it.

"Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho


However there are social dancers in other parts of the island and also in the neighbor islands that need a place to dance. The one most needed is the one that was originally planned in Waipio. But of course it was designed too big and the Present Rail Party has appropriated the money and it will never get built. But a good Community Center with a floor 50 by 50 (about 2500 square feet) one fifth of the Palladium, would be perfect any place in the West for Social Dancers which are the bulk of the dancers on this Island.

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Da New One

I don't have much incoming email so I just have to ask and this the result. We can try it for a month and If it stays at double digits average per day hits, it will be it. Some of the wheels in the dance community need to be dragged, kicking and screaming into the 21st century. I will not do that. If they do not want it they shall not have it. But the sign on the door I leave open still says welcome

"When you fall, I will be there to catch you."
with love, -  the Dance Floor.


It has now been very evident that for the most effective use, for our blogs is Twitter. Word Press and Tumble are right behind. Facebook and Linkedin are out first, Google+ is next, too much complicated crap. Others try to force you and make it very difficult to get out. Pinterest I am still working on. Seems like they are not going to let you delete anything. So they may also be on the way out.

"The Maui Waltz" by Loyal Garner


"Morning Dew" by Melveen Leed

The hits are steady so the most important thing on our blog horizon is the Information Contributor. That one person willing to share a photo or two and a few comments for their friends and fellow dancers, the readers of the blogs. They can forget about writing absolutely correct, forget all the rules. Forget about being published. Just write for themselves and their immediate friends reading our social media blogs. And of course, hopefully they will eventually want to get on as Guest Authors. And they can pick the blog of their choice. We can still get these blogs into Social Media.

Friday, October 2, 2015

Night Dancing?

Most of us dance at Night. There has never been a law against dancing in the daytime. So why? Even in the evening, dancing is stratified into three different kinds. The Tea Dances have been from about five in the evening to about 8 or 9 in the evening. Regular social dancing has usually been between 7 to 10 or 11 pm. And then the young Salsa dancers are usually in line before eleven and go until the wee hours.

"We should never waste our time trying to explain who we are to people
who are committed to misunderstanding us."


AM Ballroom Dancing, which is also called Jiaoyiwu in Chinese, literally
meaning “Friendship Exchange Dancing” has been enjoying an
increasing popularity in today's China.

Unlike the English term, ballroom dancing in China has nothing to do with the place where people dance. In addition to ballrooms, many Beijing local people also dance in public places, especially in the summer. Whether it's early in the morning or at dusk, many people are seen strutting their stuff in  parking lots, parks or squares, and it has become a unique scene in Beijing as well as in other cities in China. Usually there is an organizer who brings along a huge ghetto-blaster, in goes a disk, and everyone is dancing under one or two good dancers' teaching or guidance.


"Wheel Of Fortune" by Kay Starr

According to Fu Yujun, who hosts a TV series teaching ballroom dancing, it's estimated that 600,000 to 800,000 people go ballroom dancing in Beijing. They range from 4 year old toddlers to people over 80. And ballroom dancing is a major activity in the nation-wide fitness campaign. People like it because they can both relax and build a strong body, all to the sound of beautiful music.

"Mister Sandman" by the Chordettes


Although it seems that most of the dancers practice in public places, like parks and squares, there are still many ballrooms in Beijing as well. Take Beijing Youth Palace for instance. In the past, it was a bit pricey, and oriented to those who earned higher wages. But two years ago, the ballroom slashed the ticket prices and changed its policy in favor of ordinary people and now it gets packed.

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Competition Dancing

By Ralph Matsushima, Punaluu:

Going back far enough, "winning" might simply mean the result of running faster or quicker if being pursued by some hungry carnivore. As time went on, from the Olympics in Greece to the weekly plethora of sports, thanks to television, millions can feed their craving, albeit vicariously, for this primeval need within our soul, the elation of winning.

"It is hard to believe that people are telling the truth when you know
that you would lie if you were in their place."


As was said all those years during the introduction of the World Wide World of Sports - "The human drama of competition, bringing you the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." In our modern and complex society, technology has opened vast new areas of further human competitions. Contests of uniquely human skills involving instruments and materials are being constantly being refined and developed.

"Vaya Con Dios" by Les Paul and Mary Ford


"Because Of You" by Tony Bennett

As of this wasn't complicated enough, we even devised a way of having other humans "decide" who was the winner based on their evaluation of a performance or demonstration of skill. Unfortunately it can be tainted. It was really the only way to produce a winner, at least in the minds of the participants and aficionados of such endeavors as diving, ice skating and ... competition dancing.


At one time we had ballroom dancing in the Aloha Games and no one has come up with a good excuse of cancelling the event. It was a good idea to develop the competition spirit among our good amateur ballroom dancers. International events are just fine of course, but we need a local deal somewhere.