The Crossover

Many night clubbers are still using the American Rumba basic in Hawaii that was introduced by the Arthur Murray studios in a box of slow, quick, quick. Fred Astaire used it when he started the Fred Astaire Studios. When Arthur Murray complained in the courts he won. Fred Astaire then changed his box to quick, quick, slow and he got away with it. Since his studios took over the American competitions his square box has prevailed in most of the American style competitions.

"And it has occurred to many that there is no such thing as blogging. There is

no such thing as a blogger. Blogging is just writing — not even good writing

at that, just using a particularly efficient type of publishing technology."

In Hawaii there an increasing acceptance of the Salsa-Mambo basic for the Rumba, with the break in the rock step beginning wherever the beat is accented. The rest of the movements just fall into place. This is melding into the Social dance and the Night Club dance that is occurring now - and there is more to come. The good thing is that the social - recreational dancer will be the one making the decisions not someone in an ivory tower.

"Frenesi" by Artie Shaw

The Right Way to dance is becoming evident. Portuguese dancing is just beautiful and how about Hawaiian dancing? The berries. Japanese Bon Dance? Terrific and many appreciate it around the world. And everyone looks upon these people as "Dancers" and we don't have to judge whether or not they are dancing it "Correctly."  For sure we are getting more regular social partner dancers in Night Clubs and the appeal is still the beautiful music to move to - the constant movement, and learning the lead and follow.

"I Can Dream, Can't I" by the Andrew Sisters

We are not standing still, we learn to do turns - we have to put our brain into it. Many men don't like to dance because they have to know the lady's step and of course, they have to know their own step. We have to know the lead. Then we get fussed at when we mess up. Still, it can be done at any level — from new students walking through patterns and learning new muscle memory thought processes to more evolving social dancers.

"If you are feeling good, don't worry about it, you'll get over it."

Our Evolving Dance Scene

I can see that our dance blogs will be the most powerful dance discovery platform on Oahu  – a place where the music players find their fans and dancers find music they love. It will happen not long after I am gone. We are driven by a single purpose: unleashing the infinite power of music by connecting artists and dancing to the fans, whether through earbuds, car speakers, DJs, or live on stage or anywhere dancers want to experience it.

“We can watch a dance and see an array of beautifully presented movements

or we can look deeper and understand that there is a particular message

and meaning to the movements that are being expressed.”

People who love both reading about social dancing and music might waffle Hamlet-like about whether to enjoy a blog or some tunes in their free time. But there’s a way to combine both! I don’t mean reading and listening to music at the same time, though you can do that if you don’t pay full attention to either. I mean reading dance blogs containing some musical  and dance elements.

"Fly Me To The Moon" by Jimmy Borges

Music is so much a part of our lives that its presence in literature can help readers relate to fictional situations and characters. Also, characters who love music are often creative people (as is the case with real-life music lovers), and creative people tend to be quite interesting. In addition, music can give us insights into what makes the protagonists tick: What do they listen to? Do they also sing, write tunes and/or play an instrument? Does music set off memories in the minds of others besides dancers?

Music’s jogging of memory is quite profound and on Oahu we are accepting the "Oldies But Goodies" as a separate parcel of enjoyment to music and how we dance to it. Dancers have found that they may hear a song that sparks a melancholy recollection of a major event in their youth.

"Moloka'i Waltz" by Amy Hanaialii

We are gradually developing a good team on Oahu, of highly informed musicologists that will be analyzing the hundreds of attributes for each musical selection which powers our "Oldies But Goodies" playlist. They will be delivering many hours of personalized music tailored to the tastes of each class of dancers on this Island, making musician and fan connections at unprecedented scale.

Don’t quit when the tide is lowest, For it’s just about to turn;

Don’t quit over doubts and questions, For there’s something you might learn.

Don’t quit when the night is darkest, For it’s just awhile till dawn;

Don’t quit when you’ve run the farthest, For the race is almost won.

Don’t quit when the hill is steepest, For your goal is almost nigh;

Don’t quit for you’re not a failure, Until you fail to try.”

Where?

The news on Live Music is not coming in. However, Platinum Horseshoe is doing good because of Dance information from Kapolei Chapter, HBDA and from Wahiawa Ballroom Dance Club. Now a little information from Dot's in Wahiawa and Just Tacos in Mililani, and we got it going for Live Music in the West. But if they wish to keep it a secret from us, we promise to respect.

 “A dancing lie from downtown Honolulu can travel all the way to Kapolei while the truth is just putting on its dancing shoes.”

And WBDC has a beautiful occasion coming up for Independence Day, which will be appreciated by all the reader/dancers. They will be coming down from the North Shore. You can check into any other of our blogs very easy by just clicking the blog graphic in the side bar. Social media, can be a two-way street that gives you the ability to communicate too. It is easy to confuse social media with social news because we often refer to members of the news as "the media."

"Contigo Aprendi" by Luis Miguel

You can read our Guest Authors and you know you are getting good information because they get around. It may be all about the place you missed or even attended. But your view point is very likely different than the writer's viewpoint, and bringing out those differences is social media to da max.

Because social media is such a broad term, it covers a large range of web and blog sites. But the one common link between our blog sites is if you are able to interact with other sites and interact with other visitors. That interaction is what is going to be "our" blogs and it will take some time for everyone to understand and make use of them. Everyone will be connected but there will be the very minimum of commitments. 

So where is all the Live Music on this Island of Oahu?

News from Augie and DRD

Aloha Friends, Listening & Dancing Fans.

Please see the attached flyer. Two dates you may want to know about. Saturday July 2^nd  and Thursday July 7^th.

 

 

Saturday July 2^nd another evening of dance and fun at the beautiful dance studio of Divino Ritmo Dance. In the Aloha Dancesport Center on Ward Ave across from Sports Authority. An Independence Day Celebration, RED, WHITE & BLUE Party time! If you have never been to this studio you are in for a real treat. Admission is only $25. It is a Family Style Celebration. “POTLUCK, and BYOB”. Dress Patriotic if you dare! But don’t forget your Happy Feet and Dancing Shoes. Music Live by Augie Rey and DJ by Lucas.

(BYOB = Bring your own booze) J

 

And don’t forget we’re back at Cupola’s on Thursday July 7^th.

 

Aloha,

Augie Rey

More choices, more fun!

R

Slowly

This blog just staying the course pretty much like it should. However like all the rest it needs more input of dance information to share. Naturally, if we can get some photos, it is icing on the cake. Photos of the gang are real gravy, every one of our reader/dancers sees it and is happy. The sender is happy. The participants in the photo are happy. I am happy. It is a win-win situation.

"The undertaking of a new action brings new strength."

My counters are still imperfect but they do tell me something. They work the same on a Web site as on a Blog. There are search engines which are a necessary evil and I just take them into consideration. But I must find out if someone will see or read these blogs. How many people know the answer to these questions on their sites?

" Morning  Dew" by Melveen Leed

After we get some Two Centers with their very valuable contributions, they can start to think about becoming a Guest Author. It amounts more or less to the same thing, getting your opinions and photos into the blog for the benefit of the reader/dancers. Except that instead of just sending it all by email and then having someone incorporate it into a blog you can do the whole smash yourself. You will in effect have your own blog within the blog and a ready made audience.

"Football isn't a contact sport; it's a collision sport.

Dancing is a contact sport. " ~ Vince Lombardi

Blooming

All of our Dance Blogs are doing a very good job of gradually defining themselves by just doing their own thing. Every bit of information from the readers makes it so. Even if we don't get enough of the Live Music Scene to share. We take pride in our differences and the reader/dancers are slowly realizing that bloggers are not a bunch of bums. Most blogs are racking up the hits compared to Web sites and that means people are reading them. There is a big big difference from the rest of the Social Media and "you ain't seen nuttin' yet."

"The best preparation for tomorrow, is to do our best for today."

In Web 2.0 terms, a website just gives you information, but does not interact with you while giving you that information. Think of regular Web media as a one-way street where you can read a newspaper or listen to a report on television, but you have very limited ability to give your thoughts on the matter. So that updates are not that important in a Web site and with good reason.

"Fly Me To The Moon" by Jimmy Borges

For us the ideal would be at least three Guest Authors in every blog, which would be of their choosing. Even if each one blogs only once per month, that is good up to date information of the dance scene for their readers. You interested in Live Music? Dis da blog. Night Clubbing, try Dancing Nights. Latin music and dance, try Ritmo Mestizo. And of course, the leading blog at this time is Platinum Horseshoe which covers West Oahu. The Commentaries and the Two Centers will eventually come in heavy because we try to make it easy for them.

Happy Dancing.

Getting There

The Night Club scene on Oahu is beginning to get more interesting in this blog. I meant for it to go in that direction but as always, the information contributors will make any final decisions. The night club scene is still pretty diverse and clearly divided by the young - and - the more experienced dancers. There is much solo dancing among the young whereas the more experienced ones are into partner dancing. A couple good line dances at intermission is just fine for them.

“It's a smile, it's a kiss, it's a sip of wine ... it's summertime!”

The interesting thing about the athleticism and/or the exercise quality of dance — when someone goes into a dance studio on Oahu looking for exercise, if they know anything about dancing, they come in asking about the swing, salsa and the cha-cha-cha. What they don't realize is a properly-done waltz or a properly-done rumba is much more exercise-oriented and physically exhausting than a swing dance and you may enjoy it more. You are using your muscles, but you're using them in a more of drawn-out control method than haphazardly running through a pattern. There's a lot more control involved and perhaps joy.

Fortunately, more people on Oahu realize that living, working and playing on the outskirts is much better than in downtown Honolulu. And most know that the situation in town is going to get worse with the Rail Disaster. The Waianae Coast, the North Shore and the Windward Coast are looking very good. And so are the coasts of all the neighbor islands.

“Wine may be one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most
natural things that have been brought to the greatest perfection and
it offers a great range for enjoyment and appreciation.”

Comments?

In my view, there’s an interesting cultural difference between a blog that allows comments and one that does not. Ours does not at the moment. A blog or web site that doesn’t allow comments seems to me to be saying “this is the final word on this topic.” To me it seems there’s something formal about such publications and it is possible that they distance themselves from regular users. They hold themselves up as a paragon rather than engaging “on the level” with users. But that should not be a blog site, that is usually a Web site.

 “There seems to be no such thing as ruining your life.

Life is pretty much a resilient thing, it turns out.”

Maybe on School Street far away from the Rail Disaster.

Here, we had asked for comments, we wanted to engage, and we had aimed to build a creative dialog that enriched the initially published content. However we have had few comments in all our blogs. Web sites provide straight-up news and reviews of technology. In our adjustments we have now omitted comments simply because they seem to be not wanted. But we will see what we will see in a few months. We have stated over and over again, that the reader/dancers will make the decisions, these blogs will be theirs, not the other way around.

"Moliendo Cafe" by Azucar Moreno

So perhaps this site is less about community than about providing information. Perhaps facilitating on-site dialog isn’t central to the site’s strategy. Perhaps cementing the blog's position as The Last Word on a given topic by relieving the site of comment facilities does, in fact, support that strategy. I just think the reader are not aware of their importance and the effect they would have in our blogging.

"Young At Heart" by Frank Sinatra

What about our blog, though? Do you think we could successfully pull off removing comments? Would it upset our readership? Would it undermine our relationship with them? In short: how important are blog comments to our own engagement with our audience? Can we say anything about Live Music?

"Vaya Con Dios" By Les Paul and Mary Ford

Pub's Note: Comments - Information Contributors - Contributing Editors. What are they in our book? The definition for our blogs is still in process. And nobody knows.

Cameras

For a starter at the HBDA function it did not go so bad. I messed up, the batteries were low and I lost a lot of photos, but I learned a lot. If I take a working camera and get a couple people that know how to work it, I can take my pick and have enough photos for the blog. Looking good.

“The truth is not for all dancers but only for those who seek it.”

Perhaps someone can recommend the best simple point and shoot camera to get and I will buy it and take it with me everywhere I go. You don't have to be a professional or have a fancy SLR camera to take pictures for a blog page. Sure, a professional could probably do a nicer job, but your picture is ready immediately and that simple picture may turn a dull page that not many thought much about into a page that will receive compliments for all time, just because we added your photo. Our blog site is a public place and I will put the best photos up for view on it. That in turn will send the hits on any blog through the roof.

"Fly Me To The Moon" by Jimmy Borges

Meanwhile there are over one million new tunes being recorded daily.  From there fully 90 per cent are maybe not junk but just a tune that may be played somewhere by a few DJs. They are constantly in search of the new. That leaves 100 thousand that may be pretty good. But you can whittle that down to maybe ten thousand super good tunes for all time and those are the ones that are enjoyed most by the "Dancers." Referred to on Oahu as the "Oldies But Goodies." And that brings us back to Live Music and the audience is the Experienced Social Dancer (over thirty.)

"For a complete life, one must have Wine, Music and Dance."

Night Club Dancing

No it is not the same, but the differences are getting smaller and smaller in fusing with regular social dancing. Many more beginners are now taking lessons. The Waltz remains the American Waltz and most dancers will shy away from the Viennese Waltz. From the fox trot, to swing, the salsa and the cha-cha, we can illustrate dances in ways that showcase not only the way a body can move, but the way it can command strength. Social dancing is more than just physically demanding, it can also be relaxing. It also is social - it is therapeutic - it is emotional and it is mental.

“There are many of us that have come to the conclusion that people who wear

headphones while they walk, are much happier, more confident, and more

beautiful individuals than someone making the solitary drudge to work

without acknowledging their own interests and power.”

When we first start dancing, we wouldn't say it was that great of a workout because you have to learn different patterns and movements. But with time, as you move farther into it, it becomes more cardiovascular and requires more muscle control, movement control - you're constantly moving. In any one given dance situation, you will surpass many, many steps, because dance is movement. There is remarkable interest in this on the Waianae Coast and the North Shore.

"The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise" by Les Paul and Mary Ford

The dance studio industry on Oahu is expected to generate at least $10 million in revenue this year. There has been an average annual revenue growth of 1.2 percent over the past five years. The popularization of dance-inspired television shows like Dancing With the Stars and rising interest in dance as an alternative form of exercise have positively impacted the industry over the past five years. Plus the different methods of dancing in single fashion.

"Adoro" por Armando Manzanero

The prognosis is good for the Island of Oahu. Even with so many fad dances coming in that will soon fade away. There will be new social clubs and new night clubs in the West with less oligarchy principles and the Creative Researchers And Producers will become obsolete. Fewer will mention the "support" that they think they are entitled to.

"Tomorrow is an extension of today - and likely will not be any better or

any worse than today - unless we make so." 

Live Music, not for Dancing?

It has come to my attention that when "they" are talking about live music "they" are talking about "listeners" not dancers. Big, Big difference. About the only place where we can be sure it is for dancing is when "they" are talking Salsa. So our quest in this blog is to find the places where we can dance comfortably and socially to Live Music. Yes, we know it ain't gonna be easy. Any Comments?

“Most dancers occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened.”

The case against comments is usually that comment moderation is too time consuming to be sustainable. If, as some argue, the commenting populace is only a small portion of the overall audience, those comments are unlikely to lead to significantly higher traffic levels. As has been pointed out by many of the people who’ve commented (via Twitter and other avenues) on this move, removing comments means less garbage, faster page load times, and a better user experience.

"Somewhere Over The Rainbow" by Bruddah Iz

With the growing wealth of social media at our fingertips, site owners could find that avoiding a single channel that’s not proving advantageous is of benefit, clearing the decks and making it easier to focus on the kinds of communications they do best — and where. And if, like some have said, the blog is big enough, and its following loyal enough, people will talk about, recommend, and consume the site’s offering regardless. But what would you do as it happens to us and we have no comments at all? They are all open now, I may close them all.

Blogger's Law #28a: No matter where you go, there you are! 

Recorded Music

And we can have music wherever we go: Most DJs on Hawaii are not just your average music player. Most have been spinning records since a young age, Many are even good dancers. And their presence in Hawaii's music scene is solid. Oahu's DJs want your repeat business and your recommendations in these blogs will be welcomed.

"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see

is a perspective, and not necessarily the truth."

Most on Oahu are not the type DJ who simply plays what's popular or what HE thinks sounds good, but he listens to his contractors and truly reads his crowd. All of them have been DJ and performers at other spots on Oahu and the night club crowd pretty well knows who they are. They are good guys and known for their showmanship and ability to truly connect with the dancers.

We are lucky to have so many good DJs on Oahu, we just don't get see anything in blogging Public Relations for them. We welcome any them that would like to communicate with the dance crowd on any of our blogs.

"Dancers may be like wine - some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age."

Los Angeles

We don't seem to get them from Oahu but we are starting to get them from the Mainland. Hooray. I wll have another Rum And Coke on that.

Velvet Margarita, by Lino
Mexican restaurant Velvet Margarita has always featured top-notch DJs, but they've just started featuring bands on their patio during their "Cahuenga Block Party," a summer shindig co-promoted with St. Felix (where yours truly deejays). Those parties have been so successful, we've learned, that Velvet will have more live rock and roll besides the Lain Sound, on its patio this summer. 1612 N. Cahuenga Blvd, Hollywood, 90028. (323) 469-2000

Barrio Tiger at Velvet Margarita.

Fortunately we are also starting to make connection with the neighbor islands. As long as we have music and dance information for our readers/dancers we will get more readers. This seem to be certain as we go into the second half of the year 2016. Sooner or later we will get some local Oahu venue to write up in our blogs, but it must be their decision. Patience, we are at their service.

For us, photos are a great way to dress up a blog site. They add color and liveliness to pages and are just fun. In our blog environment, people love to look at them because they are familiar with the background and the people in it. And perhaps even more if they appear in the photos themselves. In our dance environment they are surely a win-win situation and can liven up an entire blog. A word to the wise should be sufficient.

"Truth is so well disguised and lies are so well established that

unless  we love the truth we shall never recognize it." 

Live Music

It has spread quite broadly throughout the Hawaiian Islands. The residents have been very fond of Live Music and with good reason. I have met many that confess that they feel a certain joy in dancing to Live Music. If there are mistakes made, they are all part of the fun and the known environment. So to each his own.

"The willingness of America's veterans to sacrifice their lives

for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude."

We got this from Facebook but could not find a copyright. If anyone objects,

it will be deleted immediately if not sooner.

I realize that this is mostly, at present, a matter of semantics, but really we must get accessible information on all types of dancing to put them all in their proper place. And from there, we, the dancers can make a reasonable choice of where we want to be. Most of us do not know many of the viewpoints. And if you get your information from the Creative Researchers And Producers you're lost. All of your local blogs will be your best method of staying informed on the overall picture.

"Cherokee" by Charlie Barnett

We must inquire a little more and perhaps we can find the promised land. Look into the Night Club scene with real interest and see what they are dancing. Look into the specialties, line dancing, swing dancing, salsa dancing, tango dancing, country dancing. Then you may get close to a proper conclusion. You can be a social dancer and be damn proud of it. You can dance just for the pure enjoyment of moving to the music of your choice. And to be able to dance with most people in the same level of social dance..

"Every time we dance, we turn into a better version of ourselves."