Interesting to learn about social dancing which is actually the first term used for these dances mostly based on the American style of dance. Many were introduced during WWII with the large influx of military. There continued to be trickle of more "basic" solid moves in most of the dances. And there was some private teaching on all the islands. Then with the sixties, Aiea Ballroom Dance Association arrived and that was the beginning of the big change to a more formal form of dance.
Of course it could not be done by a single dance club. The spin off was Hawaii Ballroom Dance Association in Honolulu. And a third Club in the Central Valley, the Wahiawa Ballroom Dance Club. That start the whole ball rolling and even a smaller overflow to the neighbor islands. There had been some private teachers and some were beginning to set up a studio even if only in their garage. There was smattering of locally invented dances and some were very good. How many remember the "Double Blues?" One of the best I have ever seen. Now that we are beginning to understand the entire enchilada, we will eventually settle down to an accepted terminology for our type of recreational dance.
Then the Internationals arrived and it was a whole new ballgame. It was a far more restrictive discipline and they taught the "correct" way to make the right moves in Competition Dancing. They were right of course. The judge would judge using the same rules, stands to reason. Then the distinction was further established by most of the American Style instructors in their advice. Learn your American first before you go into the higher class of dance. That did it. Their peak was a year after the opening of the famous Palladium on Honolulu.
"Social dancers believe that the heart supports the rest of the body, physically and mentally.
It could be exercised like the other muscles."
Of course it could not be done by a single dance club. The spin off was Hawaii Ballroom Dance Association in Honolulu. And a third Club in the Central Valley, the Wahiawa Ballroom Dance Club. That start the whole ball rolling and even a smaller overflow to the neighbor islands. There had been some private teachers and some were beginning to set up a studio even if only in their garage. There was smattering of locally invented dances and some were very good. How many remember the "Double Blues?" One of the best I have ever seen. Now that we are beginning to understand the entire enchilada, we will eventually settle down to an accepted terminology for our type of recreational dance.
"Molokai Waltz" by Amy Hanaialii
Then the Internationals arrived and it was a whole new ballgame. It was a far more restrictive discipline and they taught the "correct" way to make the right moves in Competition Dancing. They were right of course. The judge would judge using the same rules, stands to reason. Then the distinction was further established by most of the American Style instructors in their advice. Learn your American first before you go into the higher class of dance. That did it. Their peak was a year after the opening of the famous Palladium on Honolulu.
"Social dancers believe that wealth consists not in having great possessions,
but in having few wants."
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