Review

This has been also a good time to review the differences that have existed in our dance sphere. When I first got here it was American Style dancing and I went for it hook, line and sinker. I quickly found out that we had a terrific bunch of "amateur" teachers that were just as good any other kind. I learned it very nicely and was able to lead in a reasonable if not a terrific manner. Later on when the International became more established I moved into that. The general attitude of the teachers was to learn your American first and then aspire to International.

“Social dancers may believe that while the heart beats,

hope lingers and we shall dance again.”

This attitude put International automatically on a higher plane than American. International was taught for competition and that naturally brought out their "best dancers." At the same time they developed some beautiful exhibition dances. And the movements they taught were "correct" according to their style, Stands to reason. After the Palladium was built, the bulk of the clubs aspired to dance at the "Ala Wai Palladium" and there was an increase of the "lower classes" attending these dances including the "street" or "social" dancers.

"Molokai Waltz" by Amy Hanaialii Gideon

The Internationals with "real" ballroom dancers emerged on top. Their "correct" no longer had any qualifications. After all they danced in ballrooms.The American style was nice and they could progress to a higher plane. American style was danced in Malls, School Cafeterias, Community Centers and District Parks. Then to help matters, two new terms evolved. The "Ala Wai dancer" and the "Junk Dancer." Mainly applied to the social and night club dancers but it could overlap to the American Style dancers. And the preferred location of the higher classes became the dinner/dance socials in the Waikiki Hotel Ballrooms.

"The talent of success is nothing more than doing what you can do, well."

~ Henry W. Longfellow