Cupola

Direct from Yanna:
Let’s dance at Cupola

Cupola is on tomorrow Thursday September 1st
and every 1st Thursday of the month,
FREE social dance at Cupola
sponsored by Divino Ritmo Dance, open to the public, free parking with validation
Drinks and food for purchase from Wine bar/Stage restaurant
There will be complimentary spread of pupus, compliments of Cupola management

for last month's inconvenience
6:30-9:30PM DJ Lucas plus complimentary mini lesson

 (by Yanna who is back from her maternity leave)
Inspiration Design Center building, Kapiolani blvd, 2nd floor

Any questions divinoritmo@aol.com
Lucas cell: 917 568 3173

Pub's Side Note: A couple more days notice would be nice for the readers. And since this is not a commercial enterprise, Yanna could say something more on her "maternity leave" for their readers, this is Social Media.

"Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho

"Most of us are experienced dancers but we can know the feeling: in a new club, with the music coursing through our veins like liquid anticipation. Dry ice, and flecks of Old Spice and the smell of clean human beings are mingling in the air and curling up our nostrils. We want to move - to dance across the floor, manifesting the pounding music in physical form, only our muscles are tense. Our brow furrowed, and instead we stand watching everybody else, one clammy hand clinging to a plastic cup. We eventually will and do move forward and have a happy time." ~ The Dancer.

"The past, present, and future walk into a bar in Pearl City.

Let me tell you, it was tense."

Good News

The Social Dancers are increasing on the Island of Oahu. No doubt about it. And for some reason or another, it is becoming easier to learn to enjoy moving to music. There is a lot of help out there, and yes, we can always get a second opinion. Then in our social partner dancing scene, knowledge of the terminology is becoming more evident, as are the basic skills. We have also found that the terminology is not the same in the disciplines and even different clubs on this Island. We are getting more standardized, so we can understand each other.

 “For us, the dancers, it is far better to grasp the Dance Scene on Oahu as it

really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.”

And who is doing this?  Believe or not the social dancers are the ones that are doing it. When we say a left turn (for the leader) we know what it means without using the "correct" term which is the "Reverse Turn" for the disciplines. The same applies to the right turn. And a Rock Step is a Rock Step and there are many precise instructions on how to do this. In Social Dance, you just rock any way you want and don't worry about anything except feeling good rocking to the music.

"As Time Goes By" from the movie, Casablanca

Floorcraft is an essential part of social dancing and most of us just need the awareness. It is the very simple art of dancing "without" running into someone else. This may require the knowledge of not only of where you and your partner are, but also where the other dancers will be, in at least the next step pattern. We got some good dancers out there. Happy Dancing everyone.

"We dance for ourselves. If someone understands, that is very nice. If not, no matter,

we shall go right on doing what interests us, and do it until it stops interesting us.” 

 

Just Moving

Extrava Danza will still be in the also rans at the end of the month. No new information contributors in sight. Patience, they will come. With the large amount of Social Dancers on Oahu we should be getting plenty of information soon. Enough to make a couple blogs independent by the end of the year. Groups able to make their own rules for their own blogs and I can resign.

"Once we eliminate the impossible, whatever remains,

no matter how improbable, must be the truth."

Then I must look to help the peripherals; Line, Tango, Salsa, Swing, Country, there is room for all. Unfortunately most are tied to Web sites so they feel that they do not need us. At any rate, that is their decision, not ours. There are others that may just be waiting for the opportunity and we will be here to help them.

"Fly Me To The Moon" by Jimmy Borges

We know for sure now that the "Listener" will always be there but the "dancers" are growing in numbers, mainly because of the oldies but goodies. And many people are beginning to realize the great importance of this. As dancers, what is the difference in dancing the new "Hinky Dool" and dancing "As Time Goes By" to a nice romantic Fox Trot? As Time Goes By first appearcd in the Movie Casablanca in 1941. It will probably be good for another 75 years. Just beautiful!

"Somewhere Over The Rainbow" by Bruddah Iz

A very good thing that our reader/dancers are beginning to get more familiar with blogging. That is what is sending the hits to new heights every week. It is just taking time.and we must be patient. Then our readers are beginning to make comments. What?

A jumper cable walks into a bar in Pearl City and orders a drink.

The bartender says, "Well, Ok, just don't start anything."

The Promenade Walk

One of the most beautiful, comfortable and easy moves to good music is the Promenade  The name comes from the French word for “walk”, and is a good basic description of the dance action. When executing the move, partners move side-by-side in a promenade position, and act as a single unit. Customarily the leader moves to the left of the lady, his right hip touching or almost touching her left hip.

"Don't underestimate our social dancers. They know more than they say,

think more than they speak, and notice more than you realize."

Note that this promenade position is not the same as that promenade position defined in some ballroom dances. The leader usually decides when his left foot is about to go forward or his right foot is about to go backwards. Her front is facing the line of direction and he lets go of her right hand, turns away from her and they face a common front. Takes a little practice, naturally.

"Stranger In Paradise" by Tony Bennett

From there the promenade walk can be done, and go back to basic or do the rest of the movements in any dance. Yes, it can be done in a box step too and limited to only about 100 dances, watch it! We are talking basic dancing moves not disciplines and don't worry about your toe, toe, heel, flat, etc. Just listen to the music, get your timing and rhythm and move it.

"I'll Remember You" by Don Ho

Pub's Note: The latest from the Mainland, in the classier places they do not have Disc Jockeys anymore. Now they have Music Coordinators. How about that?

Live, listen or dance?

Listen or Dance to Live Music.
It has now become pretty clear that there are two different factions in the fan division of Live Music. And many people are in both, with the clear love of music - coming direct from the artists themselves. But the days of huge stadiums are dwindling fast because not only do they want to hear the music but they want to see the performers clearly. And for most listeners, it is "I know what I like." Fair enough.

"Everything we hear may be an opinion, not a fact. Everything

we see may be just a perspective, not the truth."

For Dancers, there are many more options and you can dance in many different styles. You can dance partner dancing, line dancing and even solo. And there are many complications for those that have studied long and hard. For the average social dancer it is just fun and not many complicated moves. Then there was, right after the WW1, Rudolf Labans, 1879 - 1958.

"La Golondrina" by Placido Domingo

The Five Basic Moves in all dances: And Rudolf Labans' advice for social dancers was to use the KISS method. (keep it simple, stupid.)

1. Gesture: Any movement not connected with supporting the body's weight. (same as Posturing.)

2. Stepping: Transferring the weight from one support to another.

3. Loco motor Movements: Any movements that move the dancer from one location to another.

4. Jumping: Any movement without a point of support.

5. Turning: Any movement that changes the position of the front.

The Mayan Indian Civilizations in Mexico had ten different basic moves,

but then, what the hell did they know?

A prime example of the evolution of dancing terminology:
Social turning in waltz, rumba, foxtrot or whatevah, may have the lead turning to his left (the Left Turn) and is one of the most basic moves in any dance. He will lead to his right (the Right Turn) at times but not as often. In the upper echelons of dance, the right turn for the lead is called the Natural Turn. And the left turn is called the Reverse Turn. So how do you like them potatoes? If we think about it, we may find an even more difficult way of doing this. Remember the KISS method.

Da Rail Crisis

The Rail Disaster continues: Hart CEO Grabauskas' resignation comes four months after City Council Chairman Ernie Martin called on the CEO to step down in response to a scathing report by the city auditor. Honolulu auditor Edwin Young said that HART's financial plans were not reliable, that cost projections lacked supporting documentation, and that it had no plans for operating and maintenance costs. Caldwell thought the Present Rail Party had it all controlled. HART Board Chairman Don Horner announced his resignation a few months ago.

"Three things cannot be long hidden, the Sun, the Moon and the Truth."

 

We could have gotten 1000 of these babies for less than one billion dollars.

Ride "comfortable" word deleted in all the Rail Disaster plans.

That's two down, one more to go, Caldwell. More people are getting on the Charles Djou bandwagon and we may get an honest man now. More people know, that it has always been the money, Sonny. That is why they spent ten million dollars to lie about Cayetano. And look at what Caldwell and the Present Rail Party are trying to do to Djou. Millions and millions of dollars in profits have been made and there is more where that came from. The people? They know the project will not do any good for the people but they do know the people are going to pay through the nose - we all know that.

"Somewhere Over The Rainbow" by Bruddah Iz

The Dance Pavilion at the Patsy Mink Recreation Center in Waipio, was cancelled by Caldwell to pay for the increase cost of the Rail Catastrophe.  Perhaps it will go back in the plans and please the entire dance community of West Oahu. Only one group will not be pleased - the Fat Cats in the Present Rail Party. Of course there is a new one, the ABC party. Anybody But Caldwell.

Just received the latest on the Caldwell dance. "All you have to do is take three steps forward, two steps backward, then side-step side-step and turn around." 

Live Music Can Evolve

For a dance to exist, there must first be music but of course, we all know that this may not apply to exhibition dancers. This obvious statement implies that an understanding of music is essential to a social dancer. Yet, strangely enough. most social dancers and many teachers have limited knowledge of music. They are able to keep time automatically but would be hard pressed to explain how their movements are actually tied into the music of a particular dance.

"Dancers should have the courage to use their own reason,

for that is our new enlightenment.”

Listener fans of music have an easier time to explain their fondness for one song or another. "I like it and I know what I like." Fair enough. They are different from dancers, but it would widen their appreciation of music if they learned just a little bit more. None of us are experts but we can have an awful lot of fun learning.

"Stranger In Paradise" by Tony Bennett

What kind of dancer are you? Do you wonder, do you know? Within these blogs sooner or later you will feel a lot closer to the solution and very clearly. You may even want to be a champion competition dancer someday and willing to work for it. And no one should hold you back. Most of us will be more than glad to clap for you.

"Happy Together"  by The Turtles

For most of us, the enjoyment of our favorite music while dancing is one of the pleasures of this earth. That along with good friends tops them all. Coupled with the fact that every day we learn something new, and it is a normal fact of life. So we are lucky, we don't have to talk stink about anyone.

That's what he said: Yes I admit, the last fight was my fault. My wife asked me "What's on TV?" I said, "Dust."

Lookin' Good

Everything seemed to go like clockwork when I lived in Nanakuli and I accomplished most of what I had to do. I was living in Paradise and I was somewhat unaware of it until now, that I am in the dumps. I cannot even wear shoes at the moment so I cannot really go anywhere except to the VA. Another week I guess.

“In small towns, gossip travels at the speed of boredom.” 

Meanwhile, I received from Yanna Samkova

Aloha Pepe,
can you please put this info/poster to your blog.

Professional exhibitions on Both Nights Friday and Saturday,

Dance camp (workshops and private lessons) on Sunday October 23rd more info at

www.alohaballdance.com
Special kama’aina rates, tickets and reservations
alohaballdance@gmail.com

Thank you

"Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho

This a good example of going in the right direction. This photo was sent PDF and much bigger than this one. I could not open it unless I had the special gadgets that are in the program. This one is JPEG and the normal for all photos in digital transfers from and to computers. However it is only 13 KB, very small, but I ran it through Photoshop and not great but not too bad. If I can get JPEG photos of 50 KB or larger, Wow!

This is the kind of info and photos we can share with the reader/dancers. This blog will also be shared with Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Google Plus. So whatever we blog gets around quite a bit. Mahalo to all and Happy Dancing.

Astounding

This is getting good and we accept that many people have their own opinions. Of course, some will be contaminated by the Creative Researchers And Producers and it will be evident to most of us.  Constructive Criticism is one thing, Nit Picking is another. Most people with a little common sense will be well aware of the difference. Translated from the Spanish. "We do not get mad and we do not get even. We understand and we accept,"

"Don't worry too much about those who talk about you behind your back.

They are behind you for a reason."

We have seven blogs (The Magnificent Seven) and have diluted the readership, but the whole enchilada still continues to grow at a slow but steady rate and we must realize that it has to slow down somewhere. The law of diminishing returns is already here. Some of our reader/dancers are beginning to contribute a few words and some have contributed a few photos. The fans of Live Music will certainly help.

"Heart Aching Blues" By Willie K.

Everyone will gradually see that the results are a benefit for everyone. We must continue our search for Information Contributors. We need more information on what's doin'?  The rules are very strict. You contribute whatever information you think is pertinent and you do it whenever you damn well please. And you can pick the blog you want it to go in. We gotta run a tight ship here, All the blogs are according to my parameters until they go independent. Then they will make their own rules.

"I Will Dance With You" by Willie K.

We are limited in the photos we can download for our blog because of the copyright in most of the Web sites. We do not have a copyright on any of our blogs so you may see many of our posters in the search engines of the internet.

Slowing Down

While all of our other dance blogs on Oahu are going up, even though slowly, this one is going down slowly. Only Ritmo Mestizo is farther down than Dancing Nights. May only be temporary. If we can get a couple of information contributors and another Guest Author, it might go to the top. Since most of us on Oahu do not know much about blogs, we just have to play it by ear.

“Words spread because words will spread even though they may not be true."

From where we stand, it seems like the Night Club scene is going strong. Bachata - Salsa seems to be predominant at the moment in both the DJ and Live music parts. We are not aware of the Salsa scene in the Neighbor Islands yet. But the Search Engines have a lot of work ahead of them in music and dance in Hawaii.

"La Paloma" by Placido Domingo

The top bands on Oahu all have their own Web sites so they believe they do not need additional help from Blogs. Patience, they will eventually realize the facts. And we try to avoid commitments from anyone. It is only when you want to share the information. Another two or three years will do it. Meanwhile those that do not have Web sites, try using one of our blogs. You will see more recognition very soon. The cost? Wow!

“We all need something to help us unwind at the end of the day.

Quite harmless if we had a couple of glasses of wine."

Songs, Live and DJ

A DJ can play songs that are shorter than the ordinary three minute social dance kind and they play non-stop. It means more than 20 songs per hour and you are not going to get that much in live music. We all understand that it is a much different environment. In a live environment the songs may be longer and you will get 12 to 15 depending on the crowd. If the crowd is quiet and they are waiting then the band has to play. If the crowd is having a ball talking story and saying hello to their friends, the band can delay the play a full minute.

“Most of us have the deficiency of not having a bullshit meter

that can read someone's statement as false.”

It has been a long time when the great composers of the 17th century agreed that the silence in music at the right time is priceless. In live music you get it automatically. In social partner dancing, it is invaluable to have the opportunity to exchange opinions, go to the restroom, get another beer, say hello to that special friend, whatevah. Next time you go out on a live musical jaunt, look around you and see what you enjoy the most.

"Mi Son Maracaibo"por Rene Touzet

How about a Latin NIght Club? In a 60 song agenda, a Latin club requires most of the music to be in Rumba and Cha Cha Cha. Perhaps 10 Rumbas, and 10 Cha Cha Chas. and each one would be played every sixth song. There would be at least, 8 Merengues, 8 Sambas and 8 Tangos and at least 6 waltzes, 3 of each kind. That would leave them 10 to test the winds and the dancers could make the decisions. How about a nice Fox Trot? In Hawaii?

"Ir does not have to be end of a perfect day, to have a glass of wine" 

Steady

This blog is no longer advancing the way it was. At one time it was in 3rd place with the help of some scam, spam robot hits and some search engine hits. Now about even with Dancing in the Dark. But all the blogs need more information contributors to spread the word. Patience.

“All that is important is that one moment in the movement to music.

To make that moment important, vital, and worth living is dancing.

The communication from the blogs to share with other blogs is going very well. Any of my Blogger blogs is connected to share with Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Google+. Every blog has five separate contacts with readers. Then I also use Word Press blog named Dancing On Oahu and it is connected to share with Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Tumblr. Each blog has five separate contacts with the readers.

"Pearly Shells" by Don Ho

They are all proceeding very slowly because they are limited to me and SOS (same old shit) and that is definitely not social media. A few regular steady information contributors could do very well in making these blogs into social media. Then it would be fairly easy to get a Guest Author and the hits would go through the roof. 100 average hits per day and I could resign and the blog would go independent. The Guest Authors could make their own rules.

"Lonely Summers" by Carol Kai

Meanwhile in town most have their own Web Sites and do not know that Blog Sites are not an "instead of," they are an "addition to" whatever you have now. Simple? My best blog will go independent this year, the junk blogs remain mine. And we shall keep on dancing.

"Welcome to all the new people coming in. You will meet other new

people who have different points of view. But you may just

live a little better life, one that you will be proud of."

Latin Live

There are at least four good Salsa dance bands in Hawaii. All of them billed as Salsa, on their Web sites, newspaper ads, radio and TV advertising. At any rate, they are playing Latin music - Live. We have all heard it, somewhere. "I'll take great music, performed in a great venue every time. Not only is the music more involving, but the energy of musicians playing with and off of each other adds another dimension to the story-telling." So be it.

“For social dancers, it may be far better to grasp our Oahu Dance World as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.”

The truth is, everyone likes to look down on someone, here as well as anywhere else. The core of the problem is how we want to define “Latin Music.” That music is either delivered - they connect with an audience - or they don’t, and on Oahu they do very well. For some, that audience is a few thousand wanna be Latin dancers and some critics and of course there are always a few outstanding dancers that could very easily become pros.

"Cien Ańos" por Pedro Infante

Those connections happen because the music successfully communicates something real about the human experience. Sure, there is trashy music that does really well, but that’s because there are trashy facets of humanity, such as increasing the number of steps or patterns you can dance to the music, Auwe. What people value in their music - and Latin may be what they count as music - really tells you more about them than it does about the music.

A colorful parade in Latin America, with live music and dancing.

Then there is distance. Many years ago they had many concerts at the coliseum in Los Angeles. The seats in the upper rows were always the last to go. But the sound of the live music wasn't very good and from the distance you could not see much. Concerts are all much closer nowadays, Blaisdell is fine, Aloha Stadium, no good. If we can go to Night Club on Oahu, where we are sitting in the same room as the band, we are very lucky indeed. Not only that but for many of the regulars, they can say "hello Mary, hello John" which certain makes for the start of a beautiful social evening.

Wrong Ad?: A superb and inexpensive restaurant.

Fine food served by waitresses in appetizing forms.

Host Bars

We have plenty of Hostess Bars throughout the Hawaiian Islands, but we may be getting something else soon. Here’s a description taken of Wikipedia that discusses what these hosts do everyday, but not in Honolulu yet: While hostess bars in Tokyo often have men out on the streets getting clients to come into their clubs, hosts often go out onto the streets to find customers (referred to as "catch,") but these are usually the younger, less-experienced ones.

“If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least

once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.” 

The more experienced already have a list of semi steady customers and a little free time to spend talking story. A common look for a host is a dark suit, collared shirt, silver jewelry, a dark tan, and bleached hair. Recently clubs where hosts wear casual clothes have been increasing, but still the norm is the smart suit look. At these clubs there can be a (shifukud) or "own clothes day" where the hosts can wear their normal clothes.

"Sakura De Amor" by el trio Los Panchos

Pay is usually determined by commissions on drink sales with hosts often drinking far past a healthy limit, usually while trying to hide their drunkenness. Because the base hourly wage is usually extremely low, almost any man can become a host regardless of looks or charisma (depending on the bar). However, hosts who cannot increase their sales usually drop out very soon, because of the minimal wage. The environment in a host bar is usually very competitive, with thousands of dollars sometimes offered to the host who can achieve the highest sales.

Sign in Pearl City: Dog for sale, Eats anything and is fond of children.

The Velvet Chord

Oahu and Beyond:
Everyone has a free pass to get inside the Velvet Cord of our blogosphere from the beginning. But it has slowly come out that some choose not to participate in our endeavors which should still be just fine with all of us. Usually it is an honest opinion and they can easily change their mind if they see the light some day.

"It seems that any full grown, mature adult would have a desire to
 be responsible, to help where they can in a world that needs
so very much and that threatens us so very much."

However, there is one way that guarantees they will never get inside the Velvet Cord. Lie about me and/or our fellow reader/dancers. They will have made it plain that they want out and they shall remain out. We would rather not be associated with these type of people.

"Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho

 There shouldn't be any further problem with that. We do not have to talk stink about anyone. No hu hu, they can ignore us and we can ignore them, easy. We will be too busy trying to please so many of the good kind of people. There are over 35000 dancers on the Island of Oahu and they are going to have a say so.

"Green Onions" By Booker T. & The MG's

Next is to denigrate our publications. Then they will have really made it very plain that this is not their cup of tea and they can count on us to respect their wishes for the rest of their lives. Third we must accept that some have made the decision for an entire group or club. So be it - and the members should be made aware of it.

Meanwhile, Live Music in the Central Valley and the North Shore is moving along very nicely and there will be another place before the end of the year.

"Arrogance is the obstruction of wisdom."