Wot's Doin'?

This century is slowly changing into a new dance environment. In the 1900s, there was a definite rise of the disciplines, the top two being the American and the International styles. Prominent was the competition  and exhibitions dancers and the increase in a different kind of dancer, the spectator. As per usual there were plenty of fads that came and went. And there was another group that evolved slowly but ever bigger. perhaps they were not really dancers, they were "movers to music." They could hear "From Here To Eternity" by Englebert Humperdinck and even though it is not technically a Rumba, it would be danced in the Rumba style with extreme pleasure by  "Social Dancers."

"Social dancers accept that in actual dance levels they are closer to advanced beginners

while so many others are looking for the refinement of more advanced techniques."

Right after the opening of Famous Palladium, some good dancers felt that "they" were the real ballroom dancers. The term "Ala Wai dancer" arose, and in a year another derogatory term "junk dancer." Meanwhile there had been an increase in dancing, in parks, malls, gas stations, school cafeterias, district parks and community centers. Very few fancy steps but for sure the people were having fun with the music, dancing and the sociability of the occasion. The term "Social Dancer" arose without apology.

"Tiny Bibles" by Don Ho

We had been getting more spin offs from long time large clubs that had a tough oligarchies. Of the top five clubs at the Palladium, number five has been replaced by a relatively new one, that had been in sixth place. Some are experiencing the reduction of membership. I see a definite increase in social dancers and specialty dances, some of which are in the fad stage. Salsa, Bachata and Tango have made tremendous strides. Not too much in town, the traffic problem, Perhaps two new social dance clubs in West Oahu in this coming year.

"Social dancers try to understand what the other dancers are saying.

In the end they may disagree, but because they disagree, they

want to know exactly what it is they are disagreeing with."

Who was the greatest dancer?

We all have our stories and as far as most of us are concerned, all of those great dancers were great. I like this story by the fans of Fred  Astaire. - In the last century, and many decades ago, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and Gower Champion were sharing a limousine to MGM. A short distance from the studio, however, they found to their dismay that a bridge they needed to cross had collapsed, leaving them across a fast-flowing river from the studio.

 "Dancing in the Dark" by Artie Shaw

Undeterred, Fred declared, "We're dancers! We'll 'dance' across!" Having spoken, he gathered himself, spun around a couple of times, and nimbly danced across the surface of the river. Gene agreed, "Good idea Fred!" He jumped up, and also danced across the surface of the water.

Gower Champion said to himself, "What Fred and Gene can do, I can do too!" So he took a deep breath, and jumped out onto the water - and promptly sank. Not wanting to lose out, he climbed out, took another deep breath, leaped - and promptly sank again.

Across the river, Fred and Gene watched as Gower kept falling in and climbing out and falling in. Finally, Gene turned to Fred and said, "Do you think we should tell him where the stones are?"

And Fred looked at Gene, puzzled, and said, "What stones?!"

Received from my niece in California

May God help us see the opportunities that are always around us to do good.
Remember ..... just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more
than standing in your garage makes you a car. Each and everyone one of
us may be going through tough times right now, but God is getting

ready to bless you in a way that only He can. Keep the faith.

Who was the greatest dancer?

We all have our stories and as far as most of us are concerned, all of those great dancers were great. I like this story by the fans of Fred  Astaire. - In the last century, and many decades ago, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and Gower Champion were sharing a limousine to MGM. A short distance from the studio, however, they found to their dismay that a bridge they needed to cross had collapsed, leaving them across a fast-flowing river from the studio.

 "Dancing in the Dark" by Artie Shaw

Undeterred, Fred declared, "We're dancers! We'll 'dance' across!" Having spoken, he gathered himself, spun around a couple of times, and nimbly danced across the surface of the river. Gene agreed, "Good idea Fred!" He jumped up, and also danced across the surface of the water.

Gower Champion said to himself, "What Fred and Gene can do, I can do too!" So he took a deep breath, and jumped out onto the water - and promptly sank. Not wanting to lose out, he climbed out, took another deep breath, leaped - and promptly sank again.

Across the river, Fred and Gene watched as Gower kept falling in and climbing out and falling in. Finally, Gene turned to Fred and said, "Do you think we should tell him where the stones are?"

And Fred looked at Gene, puzzled, and said, "What stones?!"

Received from my niece in California

May God help us see the opportunities that are always around us to do good.
Remember ..... just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more
than standing in your garage makes you a car. Each and everyone one of
us may be going through tough times right now, but God is getting

ready to bless you in a way that only He can. Keep the faith.

The Take Over

Our five dance blogs are going up in average hits per day, but not good enough. For our social media blogs, we need opinions from any readers of these blogs. The Waianae Coast and the North Shore has some Two Centers that contribute information and/or photos to share with their fellow dancers. No commitments, no registrations, just email any time you wish, all up to you and you can pick the blog of your choice. Later on if you wish, (your choice) you can get in on your own as a Guest Blogger. It is an easy set up and with enough Guest Bloggers, and over 100 average hits per day. I can resign and it is all yours.

The junk blogs will remain mine and let's face it, I am getting old. We should realize I cannot last forever. So there may be a blog in your future and you people can take over and take your pick. I can coach by email.  I am setting the entire enchilada up to share these blogs with whomever is interested. I did not know much about blogging at the beginning of this century but I have sure learned a lot. Many Web Sites have deleted their counters, and now, they have nothing to gauge the interest from any potential readers. I have attempted to try, my way and it may help us as a guide for the dancers on this entire State of Hawaii.

"My Molokai" by Willie K

Meanwhile I beat the bushes to get people interested in reading the blogs and it is showing up in the hits on the blogs. I got Facebook under my pen name, also Twitter, Pinterest and Word Press. Though with those the aim for some people, is to get read World Wide. Nigeria? Norway? Argentina? Not likely for us. However we are getting hits from Oahu.  Strangely enough I am getting quite a few people interested in Social Dancing.  We may have some differences from the disciplines, but American and International dancing are doing a great job.

"Social dancers look to be treated by others as they have treated others."

Our dancers on Oahu

Dancing on Oahu, Who? What? Has anyone ever thought of couple dancing? It could change your life! Ballroom and social dancing is the term that had been used to describe Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Quickstep, Viennese Waltz, Rumba and many more, for one hundred years. But in this century it has gradually been contaminated with new fads and the new competition and exhibition kind of dancing and those people can became very rootzi tootzi about it. Actually our night club dancers are the ones that had been leading the way to avoid constricted dancing by the "Disciplines."

"Social dancers know for sure, that they are not performance or display driven as in formal dance organizations."

Now we have a much bigger group of "Social Dancers" They were getting happily away with the simple basics and enjoy new simple movements to live and DJ music. Now we are talking a somewhat different language. In Hawaii, dance blogs are now enabling hundreds of dancers to express their opinions with reduced political risk simply because of the sheer number of like-minded opinions online. We are getting some feedback. Facing these independent voices, the old clique machine starts to crumble. And then lately many of you have been more aware that we have some excellent exhibition or competition dancers.

"Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho

We cannot deny that. They dance for how it looks and we all accept the fact that there is a proper place to be judged And then there has always been group that is interested in viewing. Hey, what's wrong wi dat? These groups of Viewers will be interested in attending the big functions. So we could just accept that each person interested could make their own decision. Our readers seem to know how to read and reading is fundamental. You can get smarter by reading anything of interest to you.

Those of us in this entire island should pride ourselves that

"Through These Blogs Read The Most Informed Dancers

In The Pacific."

Aloha Dancesport Center

Social Dance Parties on Oahu are also known as a “social” or “party.” They are also a social event consisting of DJ’d or live music and open dancing. It can be held in a variety of venues: studios, clubs, halls, cultural centers, hotels. However it can also be a nice time at a studio taking classes.

"Molokai Waltz" by Amy Hanaialii

  
Aloha Dancesport Center Presents:
TWO INTERNATIONAL LATIN WORKSHOPS
with US National Professional Latin Finalists
Roman Italyankin and Alexandra Bokova
SUNDAY  FEBRUARY 2nd, 2020

12:30 pm International Chacha with Roman
1:30 pm International Rumba with Alexandra
No partner needed, all levels
$30 per person per workshop, $50 for both workshops
$10 juniors, youth per workshop
Cash or Check payable to Aloha Dancesport Center
yannajs@gmail.com
350 Ward Ave 2nd floor, Honolulu

“Social Dancers think, that if they believe they can, they are halfway there.”

The Social Dancer in Hawaii

In both disciplines that we have on Oahu, the American and the International, there are the three basic divisions, Bronze, Silver and Gold. And each one has over fifteen different patterns. Yet, there are over five hundred documented patterns in most dances. How you figure? Anyway it is nice to know any of the patterns in both disciplines. Social dancers can usually pick from the Bronze and modify whatever they wish.

"Social dancers are well aware of those that can give them a hard time,

or expect perfection. They will try to avoid them."

Rudolf Laban, the pioneer of modern educational dance, 100 years ago,

analyzed the five basic bodily movements that occur in dancing.

The First is gesture: which is a movement not connected with supporting the body's weight.
The Second is stepping: which is transferring the weight from one support to the another.
The Third is locomotion: which is simply getting the body from one place to another.
The Fourth is jumping; which is a movement without a point of support.
The Fifth is turning, which is just changing the position of the front.

"Maui Waltz" by Loyal Garner

If you are doing any of these movements to music, you are dancing. Social Dance enables us to better understand ourselves and the world in which we live. In our social atmosphere others can learn to recognize the contribution of all cultures to the fabric of our society and increase the understanding of diversity and values of all people. Social dance lends itself well to this task through learning traditional American style dances and creating new ones based on our feelings. Dance also enhances skills of perception, observation, and concentration which will undoubtedly help all of us in life.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,

but people will never forget how you made them feel.”  – Lao Tzu

 

My Blogs

Town Dancer is my oldest blog and the one that has most always been number one in average hits per day according to my stats from the available counters on this island. The counters on all the dance Web sites were deleted some years ago. And there is only one dance blog on this island beside our five that has a counter. The two top blogs have been losing some hits as the lower blogs gain month after month. And I am aware that all six could get more hits if they could all get more feedback. There are plenty of dancers on this island that have some pearls of dance knowledge to share with our fellow dancers. One sentence? - or more? One photo? - or more? Whatever, the decision should be yours.

"Experienced social dancers may on occasion be performance
or display driven on some fancy pattern that they
have been able to accomplish."

With our blogs, the dancers on Oahu may find themselves more on the Internet to enjoy dance information on the Micros. They may discover Twitter, Facebook and others that are more international. Facebook alone has over fifty million posts daily. You might find someone reading your post in Nigeria or Pakistan. But not our blogs, though you can be sure they are being read on the Island of Oahu. And I look forward to see an increase in readership when we start to get feedback. Email it in, and I will post to the first available blog. Or it can be the blog of your choice and I will post when the time comes. Each blog is published about every three days.

"Molokai Waltz" by Amy Hanaialii

I had closed the comment section on each blog a year ago. I was getting too many scam spam comments. I will open the comments section on Town Dancer today and hope for the best. And I still get some scam, spam, robot hits but too few to worry about. Anyone that becomes a regular information contributor can become a guest blogger, whenever they wish. In effect a blog of your own within any one of my blogs. You can get in, post, edit, close or delete, publish and get out, all on your own without having to say "boo" to anyone.

Blogger's Law #41: All gossip at the Palladium is true.

Do not be misled by facts

The Granada LA

The social dance scene on Oahu is evolving just beautifully and the different groups are tending to accept each other without some of the animosity of the last century. They all have their ways of dance and if you are not dancing their style you are just dancing your style. Fine. It is slowly defining itself as the Social, Night Club, American Style and International Style. And each one has a good reason for its existence. Our local night club scene is moving very nicely. They no longer try to do the same as another successful club, they are willing to try their own method and we are seeing some good results.

'Social dancers are not performance or display driven as in formal dance,

they just want to move to their favorite music in their own way."

On Oahu we are beginning to phase some dance lessons into the night clubs. And we are beginning to phase some night clubbing into our dance studios with very pleasant results. So I take this opportunity at the beginning of the year to introduce The Granada LA, located in Alhambra, California. A premier entertainment venue, with something to offer everyone. Featuring a Ballroom/Latin Dance Studio, Nightclub, Banquet facility & Restaurant/Bar Available for all occasions, from wedding receptions, quinceaneras, formal banquets, birthday parties, and so much more!!! It is a three-story entertainment venue decorated in tasteful and timeless 1930's style.

"Perdoname" by Camilo Sesto

They have elegant ballrooms available for rentals for receptions or other formal events. The Granada LA is a home to Ballroom, Latin, Salsa & Bachata dance studios with Los Angeles hottest dance instruction. They have 25 classes a week and private lessons available by appointment. They offer several nights with live entertainment and dancing to show off all that the students have learned. Thursdays is Bachata Night, Friday and Saturday nights their main dance floor becomes Los Angeles Best Live Salsa Club! with Saturday a extra room for Bachata on 3rd floor and Hip Hop on patio. We are over due for one on Oahu.  It is coming.

 "Social dancers may believe that if you change your thoughts,

you may change your world and happiness is not something

  ready made.  It comes from our own actions.”

Yvonne Rusinsky

Received some good news from my niece Yvonne and some nice quotes.

Most social dancers on Oahu are aware of this in our dance scene.

And they all dance in California.

I am sure, the family will have a good year in 2020

Evolving very nicely

The Big Cover Up in the Impeachment Trial.

They are doing everything they can to get it over with

before the people find out about the Trump Extortion Plot.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, we are not expanding the way we should and blogging is only one way of communicating.. There are other methods for Social Media and many people are using others such as Websites, Twitter and Facebook to communicate with our fellow dancers on Oahu. We  are five blogs and mostly blog every three days.  We need FEEDBACK to share with our readers. You got something, email it in and I will post in the next blog. Or you can even specify your favorite blog.

"Maui Waltz" by Loyal Garner

Many people are finding Facebook and others places to share information and photos. Facebook gets 50 million entries per day. You are doing just fine. Some of your entries will be seen in Pakistan or Nigeria. Lucky You. In our blogs we are lucky that the people that read our blogs are from Oahu. But anyway what do we know? We are all learning and for us, communication is the key. Wherever I am invited on Oahu, I go and  blog'em. In my old age, it is my favorite sport.

"In all revolutions, the Masses, are the overwhelming amount of people
that die on both sides of the conflict."

Evolving very nicely

The Big Cover Up in the Impeachment Trial.

They are doing everything they can to get it over with

before the people find out about the Trump Extortion Plot.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, we are not expanding the way we should and blogging is only one way of communicating.. There are other methods for Social Media and many people are using others such as Websites, Twitter and Facebook to communicate with our fellow dancers on Oahu. We  are five blogs and mostly blog every three days.  We need FEEDBACK to share with our readers. You got something, email it in and I will post in the next blog. Or you can even specify your favorite blog.

"Maui Waltz" by Loyal Garner

Many people are finding Facebook and others places to share information and photos. Facebook gets 50 million entries per day. You are doing just fine. Some of your entries will be seen in Pakistan or Nigeria. Lucky You. In our blogs we are lucky that the people that read our blogs are from Oahu. But anyway what do we know? We are all learning and for us, communication is the key. Wherever I am invited on Oahu, I go and  blog'em. In my old age, it is my favorite sport.

"In all revolutions, the Masses, are the overwhelming amount of people
that die on both sides of the conflict."

Oahu Dancing

The entire island dance outlook seems to be changing but the challenges are still tough and the status quo has many protectors. Fortunately the entrenched cliques in Honolulu are losing their grasp for many have realized the damage they have done. And we are getting more good people. New blood (the under 60) is helping us set meaningful targets in terms of measurable goals achieved by some of our local dance groups.

"Social dancers believe that one shouldn’t feel pressured when social dancing

to show off, or dance in a particular way."

With the introduction of intense competition dancing in the last century, some parts of our dance world had become indifferent to tradition and past reputations, unforgiving of frailty and ignorant of custom or practice. Our social groups now are slowly defining our type of dancing. Success will go to those individuals, and organizations which are swift to adapt, slow to complain and open to change. There will be an increase in social dance clubs for the next few years. A few may become more democratically inclined and increase their membership.

 "In This Life" by Amy Hanaialii

A few of the rest, as we have seen already, will go by the wayside. The good changes on the Mainland remind us of what is possible in education. And the task for the top people in charge is to ensure that their members and education systems rise to this challenge. In our blogs, a few regular contributors and a couple of Guest Bloggers will introduce us to Social Media and the hits will go through the roof. If we are missing anyone, please let us know. We want to help all dancers and organizations and they could realize - free public relations.

"May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions!"

 

Dance Clubs

On Oahu Dance Clubs have a fairly good reputation. They are loosely organized as a Democratic organization but they eventually become an Oligarchy. Granted, a "benevolent" Oligarchy but the structure remains and it does benefit the members. It becomes a natural evolution because of the three classes of members.

  How do you make a tissue dance?  Put a little boogie in it.

The top, - the class, - the valuable are the members that may help in everything they can make the club a better place to enjoy. No one is on the payroll. The officers and board members are picked from this group and they can resign at a moments notice. The quality of this group differs and it is what makes the Club.

"Maui Waltz" by Loyal Garner

Second class are the good members, who regularly attend classes to better their dancing and attend all socials that are for the social benefit of all the members.This includes all paid functions of dinner and dance. Third class and still nice people that are just interested in a little dancing and a little socializing but they have other things to do. So for them it is just now and then and this is accepted very nicely.

"Morning Dew" by Melveen Leed

I still keep hearing about a new dance club in the North Shore area. Stands to reason, that area is wide open.  Except for the fact there are not enough residents in the immediate area. If anyone knows of anything please let me know. I may be able to help. Of course, the main thing that is holding anything like this back is the lack of a good Community Center in which to dance. Cholos Homestyle has Son Caribe playing there, now and then. I don't know about a dance floor.

"Social dancers believe that what you do speaks so loudly

that they cannot hear what you say.”

The Cocktail Lounge

From the old fashion definition on the Internet:

A room located in a hotel or restaurant to drink alcoholic beverages. - Yes but!

"Our entry into this world was not a voluntary act on our part; nor will our exit be. But the quality of life in the interim is certainly, in a large part, within our control."

Coming in Kapolei because of the devastation in the Rail Fiasco Corridor, is the modern island Cocktail Lounge. An independent bar in a Shopping District. The residents from Makakilo to Honokai Hale can enjoy specialty cocktails and local hand-crafted beers along with an array of appetizers and weekday happy hour specials. 

"Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho

Good enough to expand with a small dance floor, it could become a favorite watering hole for fashionable locals and trendy travelers alike. Those looking for the perfect neighborhood lounge with a relaxing feel in a stylish setting, this is it! You can get a good idea from Dot's In Wahiawa.

Or they could go the Max. The Night Club-Dance Studio.

The studio by itself is so-so, and the Night Club can only make money on weekends. So we have the prefect combo. The best example on the Mainland is the Alhambra. - Studio, Night Club and Restaurant. Making money hand over fist.

Social Dancers are getting there

I have been meeting some people that tell me that a group in the upper bronze level of American Style of Dance can learn from videos. It can be a less expensive way to learn new movements. And  if you have a group, you will all find yourselves helping each other. Going to the same club dances or night clubs you can have a lot of fun changing partners and enjoying the music with your new movements. Terrific, if it is working for you. However, on Oahu, you can have a more extended sociability being a member of established dance clubs or studios.

"Social dancers know that you don’t need other people to validate you

or your dancing, you’re already valuable."

None of the videos that I have seen have the "even" step. If the music is a two count, you jump up and down, left, right, left, right, one, two, one, two. If it is on the three count, it is left, right, left, one, two, three. And if it is on the four count, it is left, right, left, right, one, two, three, four. And it has been danced for so far back we just don't know how far back. It was some time after Agriculture and the "settling down" of humans. We can see the dance in this century on TV, Africans just jumping up and down to the beat and they can enjoy moving to the music that way.

We do have a problem, The Variations also known as LAGS. Watch it. It stands for the Latest And Greatest Syndrome. It becomes a nice collusion between the student and the teacher. Both, we agree, terrific people. The student likes that movement because if he learns it he thinks he will look like a pro. The teacher impresses the student with his vast knowledge of terrifically advanced movements. Nothing terribly wrong except that now you going into "work." And that word is much in use in very high class dancers. Don't talk "down" to me about American or International Dance Styles. I am talking about dancing.

"Social dancers believe that life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.

 Either you run the day, or the day runs you.”