WBDC Cinco de Mayo Social

From: auntymaile@aol.com

Date: April 29, 2018 at 10:27:48 PM HST

Subject: WBDC UPDATE AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF CINCO DE MAYO DANCE!

Aloha Dancers!

Thank you all for coming to Wahiawa Ballroom Dance Club 49th Anniversary Dance, "SAKURA" Because of you, it was a successful and enjoyable celebration! Thank you to Herb Nakagawa and Senseis representing the Haleiwa Jodo Mission. We really enjoyed the Bon Dancing and the special way that we honored our past WBDC members.

We also thank and give appreciation to Herb Nakagawa for going out of his way to lend us his many Japanese Hapi Coats and Yukatas wardrobe collection. As a reminder for tomorrow, please do not forget to return these garments back to Herb. Thank you.

WBDC's next upcoming dance is happening this FRIDAY!

SEE YOU SOON!

"Vaya Con Dios" by Les Paul and Mary Ford

Tango Anyone?

By Ray Matapang, Ewa Beach

I got this from various sources, what do I know? Many of us love Tango and in Tango, there is a closed position as in other types of ballroom dance, but it differs significantly between types of tango. In ordinary partner dancing, the closed position is a category of positions in which partners hold each other while facing at least approximately toward each other. Ballroom dance refers collectively to a set of Partner dances which originated in Europe and are now enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world.

"The tango is a direct expression of something that poets have often tried to state in words, the belief that a fight may be a celebration." ~ Jorge Luis Borges

In Argentine Tango, the "close embrace" involves continuous contact at the full upper body, but not the legs. In American Ballroom tango, the "close embrace" involves close contact in the pelvis or upper thighs, but not the upper body. Followers are instructed to thrust their hips forward, but pull their upper body away, and the ladies, shyly look over their left shoulder when they are led into a "corte. "In Argentine tango open position, the legs may be intertwined and hooked together, in the style called, in Spanish, El Pulpo, (the Octopus).
 

In Pulpo's style, these hooks are not sharp, staccato ganchos, but smooth ganchos. Ballroom tango steps stay close to the floor, while the Argentine Tango includes moves such as the boleo (allowing momentum to carry one's leg into the air) and gancho (hooking one's leg around one's partner's leg or body) in which the feet travel off the ground. Gancho means "hook" in Spanish and Portuguese, and describes certain "hooking actions" in some dances of Latin American heritage. Not done very often on Oahu, it is just tricks and too fancy.

“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.” ― Aldous Huxley,

Line dancing?

Line Dancing, A Dance Floor Favorite
By Treva Bedinghaus, North Shore

Line dancing is exactly what its name implies: people dancing in lines to music. Line dances are choreographed dances with a repeating series of steps that are performed in unison by a group of people in lines or rows. All of the dancers performing a line dance face the same direction and perform the steps at exactly the same time. Line dancers rarely interact with each other during a dance, as the steps are performed by everyone at the same time. A growing fun dance in West Oahu and picking up the best men line dancers on this Island.

"Social dancers believe that line dancing can be fun for everyone.

great exercise, increases stamina and it's cheap."

Although many popular line dances are set to country music, the first line dances did not originate from country and western dancing. Line dancing is believed to have originated from folk dancing, which has many similarities. Contra dancing, a form of American folk dance in which the dancers form two parallel lines and perform a sequence of dance movements with different partners down the length of the line, probably had a huge influence on the line dancing steps we are familiar with today.

The Electric Slide is done to the song, "Electric Boogie."

During the 1980's, line dances began to be created for popular country songs. Basic line dances focus on movements of the legs and feet, with more advanced dances including the arms and hands. The movements of a line dance are marked as "counts." Generally, one count equals one musical beat, with a particular movement or step taking place at each beat. A line dance will have a certain number of counts, meaning the number of beats in one complete sequence of the dance. (There may be more information later.)

“Social dancers believe that we are designed to dance. To move our bodies

as weapons of grace, beauty and intrigue to music." 

Hawaii

This blog is no longer at the bottom of totem pole but we still got to do something to get hits. We are slowly making contact with the neighbor islands and that is very welcomed. As long as the news is about our dances, our social dance clubs and of course our favorite night clubs.

Just be kind, it doesn't cost anything but it means a lot.

We must move in a more constructive manner to inform the readers about blogging so that we get the maximum use of this information. The output or input on your computer is digital, so your speakers or earphones should be able to pick up anything that is digital. I give out many USB drives and always with a song video in it in digital format. If you have good speakers or good earphones, you can hear everything that is available in digital and the sound can be very good. Although the visual may not be so good. And it can be be transferred or copied just like any other digital file.

"Tiny Bubbles by Don Ho

El Ranchero

You're losing it when you start flailing your arms in any dance situation. If you don't feel comfortable on the dance floor, then don't make motions that practically beg the crowd to look in your direction -- unless you have moves that would have made Michael Jackson envious. Jumping up and down. This is something you would do if you were at a frat party or rock concert, leave it for those occasions. We should try to be nice in our dancing.

“Have you really seen a social dancer, dancing? He is totally aware of himself

and dances his way in a manner that is decided by his heart.

Da Big Island

The Big Island has a different definition of nightlife than Honolulu. They don't have places than are open till 4 a.m. with laser lights and booming bass. The Big Island is home to a wide selection of bars and restaurants that serves drinks into the night with a rather casual ambiance. Locals and visitors alike chat and get to know each other, dancing to a sound system or a live local band that entertains night owls. It's an overall friendly and somewhat intimate experience except that the good time ends early.

"Oye, Como Va" por Carlos Santana

Kailua-Kona is the central place for nightlife. Long standing bars like Lulu's serve as the local watering hole. Lively spots like the Kona Brewing Co. and Humpy's Big Island Ale House offer live music, dancing and a late night bar too, in the heart of Kona near the ocean. If you're really looking to party, Kailua-Kona is the place to be.

"El Reloj" por Luis Miguel

Over in Hilo, it's really about smaller bars/restaurants for late night fun. Cafe Pesto and the Hilo Bay Cafe offer delicious custom cocktails and local brews in a lovely ambiance, but not too late. Enjoy the Big Island after sunset, by going casual to places the locals go.

“Social dancers are totally aware of themselves and dance their way

in a manner that is decided by their hearts."

Wahiawa Anniversary

I woke this Saturday morning with my usual depression because I live in a prison of my own making. But I soon got out of it with my errands, like taking my medications and getting on my computer. Then I had to plan the day to be ready by 5 pm, when the Handi Van would  arrive to take me to Halemano Plantation Camp 808. And the Van was late but no hu hu, they do a good job. I arrived about 6:30 and the place was jumping.

I did not want to make a grand entrance so I went in slowly and found a new place to set my walker down right next to Carmen Mendoza. Slowly I said hello to most of the nice people there. Got some people to take some pictures but somebody pressed the wrong button somewhere and I only got 8 photos. I usually am able to get pictures if I don't have anybody waiting for me to take it. I do not know what I am doing right or what they are doing wrong. Fortunately Maile emailed me most of the photos in this blog.

"Stranger In Paradise" by Tony Bennett

I took my mix, found a nice plastic cup and a nice lady got me some ice cubes. Voila, I had something to sip while enjoying the scenery. Terrific music by DJ Leland  and it was evident that the dancers were having fun, If course, for me the Bon Dance was the high light of the evening. I had never seen anything like that in the forty years I have lived here. Beautiful music, simple steps, similar to line dancing except that these people were with each other, though by themselves. They seemed to be a group of good friends, individuals and apart, but together.

"Walk With Me Through Paradise" by Melveen Leed

Maile got me a good dish of food to take home and then they gave me another. I have enough for three meals. After nine I got ready for the Handi Van but he did not get there until 20 minutes later. But that's still fine with me. He got me home by ten thirty. And first thing I did was eat. Somehow I always get such delicious food from these people.

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

This social dance club is doing what many other successful clubs do. You got to do what you can to make the party as pleasant as possible for the members. They always decide what the theme of the party is and many of the dancers were dressed with some type of Japanese clothing. This was it, good music, good friends to talk story with, dance and dance and of course there is always those ono grinds.

"Social dancers hope that they may - live - every day of their life.”

Latin Dancing

Most of us do not define the possible music that we wish to dance to. We dance to what is offered and we take it or leave it. But shouldn't our choice of music come first, then we dance to it? There are many people that simply do not understand that. In Latin America waltz should be the first, simply because it is not so localized in one country or particular section of one country. It is danced more or less the same all over Latin American. Has anyone on Oahu ever danced a waltz with rock step and a chassé?

 “Social dancers believe that they should take action towards their dreams. Walk their talk - dance and sing to their music. Make the day worth remembering.”

If you have a computer with good speakers or good earphones. Copy and paste this
 on your browser and enjoy, "Sabor A Mi." sung by Koreans in Mexico City.

https://youtu.be/Gk1iZ8na42I

Some of the best Waltzes ever composed have been by Latin composers from Argentina to Mexico. It may be illegal in the Caribbean. I think Rumba should be next because it evolved long before it got to Cuba via the Mayan Indian route. Probably just the rock step and the slow count and done in whatever ways the music and the beat asked for. It has also evolved into the sexiest dance in the world. There was none of that Clave stuff either. The sticks were only played in a five count measure. Cha Cha Cha is probably next but not that watered down and fancy business which we have today.

"Sweet Someone"  by Don Ho

I mean Cha Cha Cha with all the frills, whistles and bells. We must find a way to reinstall the finer sounding way. There has just never been as good a sound anywhere at anytime. My opinion? -- Yes. "There has got to be a more difficult way of dancing?" In this day people can and will dance on all counts. As long as it is one consistent basic throughout the music, the couples are in sync and having fun. That is the name of the game. Unless you are a competition dancer and that is different game.

“Social dancers realize that there are some dancers that care

if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance anyway.”

Argentina - Tango

How do you ask a woman?
By Ken Haas, Lahaina

The old dancer sat before me in Cafe Tortoni in Buenos Aires. Quiet years in the sun had bleached his hair a yellow-gray and made a dry red river bed of the back of his neck. I had to imagine how he looked in 1950, a nocturnal youth, with a pencil thin mustache and raven hair shiny with Gomina. He was telling me about the tango.

"Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are."

Carlos Gardel

He told me about Carlos Gardel, tango's famous hero/singer, who sang of revenge, the vagaries of love, tango's profound melancholy, and the brooding sense that life exists on in a Promise Land. He was killed in a plane crash in 1935.

"Cuesta Abajo" por Carlos Gardel

He described the fights, the feuds, the spiked heels, who danced the best and how the great ballrooms looked. Finally he shared the secret of how to ask a woman to tango. It seems the men would line up on one side of the hall and the woman on the other, like gladiators. The man would fold his arms or push his hands in his pockets and scan the room, trying to look as unconcerned as possible. When he finally saw a woman he fancied, he signaled by the slightest raising of an eyebrow. If the woman was not interested, she would ignore it, it was gentle but unmistakable. If, on the other hand, she was receptive, she would respond with a lift of her eyebrow, flutter her eyelashes, or the sudden brightening of her eyes.

"El Dia Que Me Quieras" por Carlos Gardel.

"And then you went over to escort her to the floor?"

"Gracious, no," he replied, "Then you took a firm and careful look around. You see, this is a subtle art, and you didn't want to cross that floor only to find that she was calling the man beside you. The walk back, my friend, is the longest you will ever take." ***

“Social dancers don't cry because the club social is over, they smile because it happened.”

Da Big Bash

I got some news of what is happening in our dance circles this week but not much. With time I may get more notices for our schedule Blog, Dance And Live. It still has a chance. The other blogs are plodding ahead but need feedback from the reader/dancers. Those dancers willing to share their pearls of dance wisdom with their fellow dancers.

“Social dancers believe that we are designed to dance. To use our bodies

as weapons of movement, grace, beauty and intrigue."

Of course we must acknowledge Aiea Ballroom Dance Association and their terrific Anniversary dance at the famous Palladium. And we must acknowledge that coming up is the big one for the Central Valley. And that is the Anniversary dance  of Wahiawa Ballroom Dance Club, sister club with Aiea. These two "old" clubs are the hub of social dancing in West Oahu. We are going to get one more that is for sure. We are getting more social dancers that identify with West Oahu.

"Kahalaopuna" by Amy Hanaialii

Meanwhile, line dancing in West Oahu is already an accepted part of the Social Dance scene. We have some good line dancers in Wahiawa. So men wannabees can get more into that, even if just for the fun of it and just let it roll. "That's it!" The basics are Waltz, Foxtrot, Rumba, Cha Cha Cha, Samba, Swing and Tango. As social dancers, you already know the rhythms, just get in there, join the crowd and move to that music, you will enjoy. Of course some of it does gets too complicated and you can just cancel.

“What you do does make a difference, and you have to decide

what kind of difference you want to make.”

Palitos - Claves

 Claves by Sylvester Wong, Whitmore Village

Claves  are a percussion instrument, consisting of a pair of short, thick dowels. Traditionally they are made of wood, typically rosewood, ebony or grenadilla. In modern times they are also made of fibreglass or plastics. When struck they produce a bright clicking noise. Claves are sometimes hollow and carved in the middle to amplify the sound. The basic principle when playing claves is to allow at least one of them to resonate. The usual technique is to hold one lightly with the thumb and fingertips of the non-dominant hand, with the palm up.

“To be inspired is great, but to inspire is an honor.”

This forms the hand into a resonating chamber for the clave. Holding the clave on top of finger nails makes the sound clearer. The other is held by the dominant hand at one end with a firmer grip, much like how one normally holds a drumstick. With the end of this clave, the player strikes the resting clave in the center. Traditionally, the striking clave is called el macho ("the male") and the resting clave is called la hembra ("the female"). This terminology is used even when the claves are identical.

 "La Golondrina" por Los Lobos

A roll can be achieved on the claves by holding one clave between the thumb and first two fingers, and then alternating pressure between the two fingers to move the clave back and forth.This clave is then placed against the resonating clave to produce a roll. Claves are very important in Latin music, such as the son and guaguancó. They are often used to play a repeating rhythmic figure throughout a piece, known as clave, a key pattern (or guide-pattern, timeline patter, phrasing referent, bell pattern) that is also found in African music and Brazilian music Among the better known rock recordings featuring claves are the Beatles' recording "And I Love Her," and "Magic Bus" by the Who, and much of which missing in today's Latin music.

"Social Dancers know that they are not there yet, but

they are closer than they were yesterday."

Paladium Dancing Night

I received my ticket in the mail and I had plenty of time to prepare most everything for the trip. I got butterfingers and must take my camera and get somebody to take some pictures to post in the blog. I got lucky on Saturday, I got enough pictures to post in Town Dancer, Platinum Horseshoe, and include a collage on this blog.

"Social dancers believe that experience only teaches the teachable."

You do not have to dance in a Night Club to dance at night. On Oahu we dance mostly to the rhythms of our DJs that make up the rich fabric of the "Ballroom" classics. If you want to make new friends, learn a new dance and just have some FUN while getting fit, go to any social dance and you can meet people that dance. Of course, the periodic socials on Oahu are open to all who love music and dance! However some people come late like a Saturday and leave at nine or so and go to a night club for couple of drinks and a couple of hours. Not bad.

"Little things mean a lot" by Kitty Kallen

Photos taken by Vickie Hiramoto

"Thank you, Joe for coming and doing this blog. What fun 63rd Anniversary party

we had. Thank you dancers, Aiea board, and volunteers. See you at our next

dance at the Palladium, Friday, May, 11th. 6 to 9:30 PM." ~ Deanie

Aiea Ballroom Anniversary

Got there easily, the Handi Van got there in nice time, but coming back was horrible. Missed my Handi Van, long walk to the bus and got the first bus going to town. Then waited an hour for a bus to get me back home in Pearl City. Lucky when I got home and checked the camera. Vickie took some excellent pictures of who? Just us and that is the name of our game.

"Stranger In Paradise" by Frankie Laine

It was a very pleasant evening, watching all these nice people dancing and socializing. Good social dancers. Of course there were others too, of the deluxe kind and many are so good they could become professionals very easily. And the Palladium has plenty of room for their kind of dancing. And since everyone is having fun doing their thing, no hu hu. I posted two collages in the Town Dancer blog and had enough left over to get another collage in here.

"Aiea family, good fun, let's dance." ~ Glen Hiramoto

All photos taken by Vickie Hiramoto

"Thank you, Joe for coming and doing this blog. What fun 63rd Anniversary party

we had. Thank you dancers, Aiea board, and volunteers. See you at our next

dance at the Palladium, Friday, May, 11th. 6 to 9:30 PM." ~ Deanie

And this Saturday, Wahiawa Ballroom Dance Club will have their Anniversary Dance. Everyone was invited, I think.

Another Fun Party just waiting for us.

"Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho

Brazil

Brazilians have a reputation for knowing a thing or two about throwing a good party. Maybe its because of Carnival, maybe it's because of its diverse mix of cultures, or maybe its just because they really do like a good old fashioned fiesta. The country's got a great climate, beautiful landscapes and an even more beautiful population, so it only makes sense that they like to celebrate. Brazil's music festival scene ranges from intimate charmers on the beach to extravagant urban behemoths. It wasn't easy, but someone had to do it.

 “Social dancers think that life may be just a dance with different kinds of rhythms

depending on what music is playing in the background."

There are two big gifts from Brazil in music and dance. The Samba and the Bossa Nova which strangely enough competed with each and contributed to less Fans throughout the World. The Samba evolved from the Indian dances which in South America, most were on the two count. The Portuguese had a chassé step duplicate of the Samba basic and that did it. By the time of the arrival of the Africans, the Samba was pretty well fixed in Brazil under different names, for it is the largest country in South America.

"Chica, Chica, Boom, Chic." by Carmen Miranda

In the US we are still expecting something closer to Da Reel Teeng. Somewhat different than our disciplines, some of them have three and even four basics, when most social dances have only one. The night clubs are getting a little experience in it. The Brazilians with the use of more of the ordinary basic chassé into more familiar patterns similar to other dances. And the Samba music is getting better all the time, slow for ballads, the medium speed for a swinging samba.

“Social dancers who love the song playing, sometimes focus on the lyrics

too much and forget to dance to the music. So who's perfect?”

Clubbing

Night Clubs on Oahu furnish the people for "street dancing." They usually use the most basic, simple moves that will let them enjoy the music. Little is for show, though the good ones can get a nice look about them dancing. We don't have much actual street dancing anymore. Perhaps we could call it Night Club Dancing. Some amalgamation is occurring in Mainland Night Clubs. For Bachata Tango you basically incorporate the bachata footwork to the Tango music. We don't know yet what will develop with this. It may just be another flash in the pan. Samba-Tango fusion we covered last year, but haven't heard a thing since then. It probably is still there, just not taking the world by storm.

“Social dancers know that Dance resides within us all. Some express it through celebration

of movements; and then there are those ... whose existence is dance.”

On Oahu, the night clubs are pretty much the same, there seems to be an accepted format of what a night club should have. And they make their adjustments according the amount of space available. For the last fifty years, the "ballroom" dancers have developed a bad reputation for not being drunks. But there plenty of reasons for drinking responsibly. And in many places on the Mainland, the actual bar may be smaller. And there are soda pop and even snack machines to pick up on the action. And of course, the cover charge helps.

There maybe more singles at a night club but all clubs will have a few in two or three couple groups. They can tell you the most romantic dance of all?  Most of us know that in dancing, whether that's Rumba, Waltz, Salsa, or Country Western - pairing off in each others arms and or to confidently asking "may I have this dance?" puts you on a level all its own in the romance department. So we are looking forward to having more night clubs in West Oahu. The Rail Disaster has convinced a lot of people all the way up to Makaha.

“Social dancers know that when the music starts, the mission that every

moment seeks to accomplish is to dance.”

Still Looking Good

This blog still in front of Town Dancer but still not far enough to conclude anything. For sure a Guest Blogger would make a difference for either one of the blogs. Patience, while we enjoy our dancing and learning how to better ourselves to enjoy more. We may learn more of the basic simple moves that enable all the elements of physical activity to better our physical fitness. The Even Step is pretty simple and used in other activities such as walking. Then we have the Rock Step, very useful to move to music and used in a thousand dances. And next is the Chassé, like the Rock Step, essential.

“Social dancers believe that when you dance, your whole body dances,

even if is not moving.  Your skin and bones, the roots of your hair.

When you stop dancing, you stop living.” 

The social dances in town seem to be doing quite well. Many have their own websites and a few are on Twitter and Facebook. It is impressive that Facebook has 50 million photos submitted daily. The results are that most have packed houses and may not need a dance blog to increase their public relations. They are certainly entitled to their preferences. Meanwhile we have two anniversary dances coming up. Wahiawa Ballroom Dance Club on Saturday, April 21st and Aiea Ballroom Dance Association on Saturday, April 14th.

"I'll Remember You" by Don Ho

The higher up you go, the more mistakes you are allowed. Right at the top,

if you make enough of them, it's considered to be your style.  ~ Fred Astaire

Pineapple, Claves

The first encounter between the Spanish and a pineapple occurred in November, 1493, when Christopher Columbus, on his second voyage to the Caribbean region, lowered anchor in a cove off the lush, volcanic island of Guadaloupe and went ashore to inspect a deserted Carib village. There, amidst parrot-flecked jungle foliage and wooden pillars spiraled with serpent carvings, his crew came upon a fruit the Indians called Nana, which means "Excellent fruit. There was also another fruit that they encountered earlier which was called Banana.

"Social dancers know that with Love songs – they may get the best of both,
poetry set to music. And they also know that they can't dance to poetry.”

The illegal aliens ate, enjoyed and recorded the curious new fruit which had an abrasive, segmented exterior like a pine cone and a firm interior pulp like an apple. As the years rolled by, the Spanish began to like the music and the dancing by the Indians. Eventually, the lower class illegal aliens joined the Indians in their dancing. They did develop their likes and dislikes. They preferred the two, three and four beat. The Indians had the five, six and even seven beat measures. The seven count disappeared in the first fifty years. then the five because of the Pallitos (sticks) were applied to the four count measure.

"What A Wonderful World" by Bruddah Iz

Halemano Plantation

Easy to play in a five count, just skip a beat, 1-3-5 and then 2-4 in the next measure for a five beat Pallitos. But they favored the four count and of course it was very difficult. They are still trying to define the way of playing these sticks in a four count measure, which is now called the "Clave" beat. Clave means solution or the key to the problem and it was applied as the new name for the Pallitos. The difficulties arose from the beginning and no one even now is absolutely correct in their way. You can play it your way and if it sounds alright, good.

"Maui Waltz" by Loyal Garner