Sunday Web Site?

This is first edition of the Sunday dance blog on Oahu

And we have the first outside announcement to share with our fellow dancers on Oahu.

In just a couple months since reopening, the total number of Trump Pandemic cases in Hawaii has reached 6,700, and public health officials are now reporting around 200 new cases a day. During this time, the death toll has also nearly doubled, jumping from 26 to 49, the figures show.Hawaii is the latest state where the number of cases is increasing; the Southern and Sun Belt states have been experiencing explosions of new cases and deaths in recent months after many reopened in May at the urging of Trump, and the pandemic picked up steam in those areas. 

"Somewhere Over The Rainbow" by Bruddah Iz

Dancing news from any dance group on this Island. Email it in and I shall post it.

“You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us.

And the world will live as one.” From the song IMAGINE. By John Lennon 

Shall We Dance?

By Frederick Aoyama, Palolo Valley
Nobody seems to know what real dancing is. And I suppose there are many different kinds of "real" dancing. Perhaps ten thousand different dances throughout the world. To find a real dance would be the easiest thing in the world or it would be quite impossible. Each person has to find their own and social dancers were the fastest growing group on Oahu when the Trump Pandemic hit. Meanwhile we have several dances at hand, in which you can look and feel like a dancer more to your liking for when the lights go on again.

“Social dancers believe that if you lose hope, somehow you
lose that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all."

 

And the ladies can look feminine more to your liking. The American Style of dancing and specially the Latin dances are a very good beginning, Although some men have learned Salsa on the dance floors of night clubs on Oahu and have done very well, they have also found it necessary to take lessons with a variety of Salsa dance teachers. You must have a great passion for the dance to learn without lessons. Fortunately we, on Oahu, have some the best teachers of American style of dance in the Pacific.

"Fly Me To The Moon" by Jimmy Borges

They don't play much variety of Latin music in Hawaii Night Clubs so we have to take what we can get. The young are more into acrobatic bop, hip hop, do wop and disco type which is always non-stop. So this means that you can only find our kind of dance music in the various social dance clubs about town that have a little breather in between dances. The silence can be golden. Most are in public buildings such as School Cafeterias, District Parks and Community Centers and of course, the deluxe Golf Course Ballroom, Any man interested in dancing would find any of these places good to start to gather information for the learning process.

“Most Social dancers understand that life is under no obligation
to give us what we expect.”

Bar news. Feedbacl

I wrote in Facebook about lack of information to ahare with our fellow dancers, from Bars on Oahu.and I got an informative answer from Gareth Au, in which he stated that the Makai Bar in Ala Moana did not mention the pandemic by name; but they did take care to reduce and rearrange their seating to optimize social distancing. All bar staff are masked; and they encourage customers to wear masks except while drinking. Hand sanitizer is provided free at the entrance and at the exit. However in a subsequent post, it has not been implemented yet. But we are getting something. Email it in.

“What's done is done. Whether to you, or by you, and you cannot change it.

But what's not done is not done. And there, both hope and hazard lie.”

The more an individual interacts with others, and the longer that interaction, the higher the risk of the Trump Pandemic to spread. The risk of spread increases in a restaurant or bar setting as follows: Lowest Risk: Food service limited to drive-through, delivery, take-out, and curb-side pick up. More Risk: On-site dining limited to outdoor seating. Seating capacity reduced to allow tables to be spaced at least 6 feet apart. Even More Risk: On-site dining with both indoor and outdoor seating. Seating capacity reduced to allow tables to be spaced at least 6 feet apart. Highest Risk: On-site dining with both indoor and outdoor seating. Seating capacity not reduced and tables not spaced at least 6 feet apart.

"Maui Waltz" by Loyal Garner

What is social distancing and why is it so important in Asia, Europe and the rest of the world where the cases and deaths are decreasing daily? Did you see the Trump group at the White House Convention? Committing Suicide for their God?. Social distancing means not interacting with anyone outside your household, and limiting trips to places where you might interact with other people. Minimizing contact with others is the "best" way to reduce the spread of the Trump Pandemic. Better than Masks? You'd better believe it. Now, with Masks, you are way ahead of the game. Not only health wise but socially too.

"Social dancers believe that to have faith is to be sure of the things
we hope for, to be certain that we shall dance again.”

Line Dancing

I find some Line Dancing on the Mainland but no updates on Oahu and I am interested in Line Dancing, which 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, most often without the dancers making contact with one another. Ideal during our Pandemic on Oahu. All the dancers performing a line dance face the same direction and perform the steps at exactly the same time. Although many popular line dances are set to country music, the first line dances did not originate from country-western dancing.

"Social dancers believe that to plan on the coming

dance opportunities is to believe in tomorrow.”

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. During the 1980s and 1990s, line dances started being created for popular country songs. Even pop music began to see an upswing in line dances in the 1990s, with "the Macarena" serving as a sort of hybrid folk-pop dance number that swept the world by storm.

"Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus

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," where one count generally equals one musical beat. A particular movement or step takes 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. For example, a 64-count dance would contain 64 beats. The number of beats does not necessarily equal the number of steps, however, as steps can be performed between two beats or over more than one beat. Because its steps are simple and don't involve dancing with a partner, line dancing is ideal for singles and people who don't normally dance. And it can be danced six feet apart.

“Social dancers believe there is still hope for all of us

and there is still good in the world.” 

 

The Information Contributors

Our Blogging is just holding its own with very few legit hits. Occasional splurges from search engines but not like da reel teeng. I am looking for these dancers out there that are willing to share some Island dance information with our fellow dancers. Ideally it would be a small paragraph and a photo. The effective job is when the synergy multiples into a larger amount of hits for all internet dance connections on this Island. For now we must work on getting the same synergy with more hits, which tell us that we are communicating.

"Some Social dancers believe, that if is not them, then who will stand

for facts and reason and learning and truth?

We simply need a blog site that communicates with our fellow dancers and we must be well aware of it. I must seek Information Contributors to any blog of their choosing. When we get three semi - permanent people in any blog, we can start the planning to make it independent. I can appoint all three as Administrators and I can resign as Administrator. They will run it as they wish and all I will do is blog what I can.now and then when needed. But it is on its own and it can get it's own information contributors. With one more after that they could tell me that "they accept my resignation."

"City Lights" by Loyal Garner

I have got a lot of work ahead of me and I do not have enough time. You, young people might think about yesterday because hopefully you will have learned from your mistakes. Then it should also be pleasant to remember the good things. You must think about tomorrow, because you hope to do better than you did yesterday. But the important one is always today, make the most of it. It will never come again. We must cater to the wants of "our" reader/dancers, give them what they want and make it easier for them to make the right choices. This is different thinking? Definitely.

"Most social dancers accept that a good idea

can never drop into a closed mind."

 

Respect

by Patti Stafford, Chicago
In the writing world we often speak of targeting your audience and writing for the reader. Another facet to get readers returning to your site to read your material is to respect them. No one can write decently who is distrustful of the reader’s intelligence, or whose attitude is patronizing. Readers visit sites for entertainment and knowledge. If they are there to gain your knowledge and learn something you have to teach, they will know if you are talking down to them and writing as if you think you’re smarter than they are. Readers do not like condescending remarks or a cynical writer.

“Most social dancers believe that change is a product of learning and doing.

Some of us just learn and judge.⁣”

Be respectful and simply relay the information to them as if they were intelligent readers. Another thing you want to avoid is confusing the reader. Many writers have been guilty of thinking of their audience as subordinates and less smart than they are. While a reader may not have your depth of knowledge in the subject material, they are very much aware of when they are being chided and talked down to. In the world of blogging you don’t have the privilege of having an editor to spot and correct the mistakes when you’ve been condescending or rude to the reader.

 

"My Molokai" by Willie K

For this reason it’s extremely important that you pay close attention to the manner of your words and language and how you deliver the information to the reader. It’s the blogger's job to look out for the reader, to be the reader’s advocate so to speak, and to look out for your readers and their best interest. Always put yourself in the reader’s seat and write in a manner that you would want them to read. When visitors feel like you respect them and their intelligence, they will return and also share your information with others, so remember to always put the reader first and put yourself in the reader’s position.

"Social dancers have hope but they also know that hope is not a strategy."

Social Dancing?

by Anthony S. Natale, PhD. New York.
No, it's not cops and robbers, not Iraq vs the United Nations, nor even the CIA vs the FBI. It is rather, pure and simple, "good dancers" as opposed to "bad dancers." "Good Dancing vs. "Bad Dancing" is what most educated dancers carp about all the time. Without question, "bad dancers" are the bane of their existence when sharing the same dance floor. Anyone suggesting that there are no "bad dancers" rather than just different kinds of dancers, has to be extremely naive. Educated dancers find this idea painful to accept, while dancing authorities find it ludicrous.

“Social dancers believe that if there is more to life than this  —

then there is more of it for us.” 

If that reasoning were carried to their logical conclusion, one could say that there are no bad drivers, golfers, swimmers, skiers, tennis players, and on infinitum, just different. This is absurd! Hitting a golf ball straight down the fairway and making the hole in par has got to be more fun than always being in the rough, in sand traps and always over par. To continue citing examples would be redundant and is best left up to the reader's intelligence. There simply has to be difference, however, in doing anything well as opposed to doing it poorly. Obtaining pleasure and satisfaction from one's endeavors is, of course, relative and always a matter of degree.

"Sweet Someone" by Don Ho

While one does not have to be an ultimate expert to derive pleasure from an activity, certainly the adage that one gets out is what one puts in is pretty close to the truth. It may be given that some individuals, because of their attitude, may derive more satisfaction from what they do than others, but this is providing that all things are as close to being equal. Without question, there is room for individual differences and varying levels of ability on the dance floor where educated dancers are concerned. There can be "good dancing" at many levels. Too often observed on the dance floor, however, are couples for whom "ignorance is bliss" or whose dancing has been influenced by alcohol. Look around, be aware.

“Social dancers believe that their past mistakes can't defeat them,

because tomorrow is a brand new day.” 

 

Couple more months.

After all these years I have accumulated a little data which is a little more than just a guess. An educated guess but still just a guess. Some people will differ which is just fine, and they may be more right than I am. About 5% of the population in most states can be classified in the dance category. For Hawaii, it would be about fifty thousand dancers but I actually think we have a little more than that but this is easy figure to start with.The "to be seen" categories must take at least 20% of that, ten thousand dancers, which includes all kinds of exhibition dancing.

“Social dancers may believe how a little tomorrow

can make up for a whole lot of yesterday.”

The disciplines, American, and International, with Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese and all the other ethnic dances. may have ten thousand dancers. The young and the occasional dancer takes a piece of the total  Most of it in the solo dance routines. Very little partner dancing. The Night Club dancers and the peripherals, (line, salsa, swing, and tango) will take 10,000 and all them will be overlapping into each other sections. That leaves about 30000 of the total for real solid, social cultural dancers, which is a hefty amount and growing daily.

"Maui Waltz" by Loyal Garner

Many of the peripherals will be joining in the fun, specially when the entire dance scene begins to open up. The Studios will lead the way, followed by the night clubs, gotta make da money. The Dance Clubs will began their reorganizations. There are people living in West Oahu that would rather not go all the way to town so we may expect a lot of action from Kalihi all the way up to Kapolei.. Of course they may throw in a Polka every ten years, but it will be all for fun. And that is the name of our game. Of course, I just found out that many think this is a Web site. Sorry, this is a blog!

"Social dancers know that it is simple task to make things complex,

but it is a very complex task to make them simple."

Latin Music and Dance

They have never found Neanderthal bones in the Americas. So the first humans in the Americas came from somewhere else. Most scholars agree that they came from Asia over a then existing land bridge to Alaska. The time is still in doubt. I lean towards a crossing of the land bridge from Asia to Alaska at about 20000 years ago. If you have a different figure, I won't argue with you. It took the first ones 10000 years to get to Argentina. A vast variety of peoples, societies and cultures subsequently developed. There were three separate groups identified by teeth, bones and languages.

"Social dancers believe that hope may be contagious. When we have

enough hope it seems to spread naturally.”

The first groups were from Siberia and they went all the way to South America. The second group about 16000 years ago were from China, and they went more or less to Mexico, Central America and the northern part of South America. The third group from Taiwan and Japan, about 12000 years ago ended up in Alaska, Canada and the US. Like the rest of the world, they got into Agriculture about 10000 years ago.. Drumming and music came into existence all over the world along with Agriculture. So drums and music in the Americas was strictly their own and had nothing to do with the rest of the world.

"Maria Elena" by Jimmy Dorsey

Most groups were in a very primitive culture of hunting, fishing, foraging and a little agriculture. However in Mexico something extraordinary developed. Ancient Mexico can be said to have produced five major civilizations: the Toltec 1800 BC, - Olmec 1200 BC, - Maya 100 AD - Teotihuacan, 900 AD and Aztec, 1200 AD. Unlike other indigenous Mexican societies, these civilizations (with the exception of the politically fragmented Maya) extended their political and cultural reach across Mexico and beyond. The Caribbean? And they had professional musicians and dancers.

 "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched -

they must be felt with the heart." - Helen Keller

Blogging On Oahu

Advertising, the mouthpiece of business: Publicity has been over developed into what many consider a fine art. Much of it is simply superfluous and even obnoxious. We are all acquainted with "Junk Mail" and now, on the internet, we are confronted with "Spam." All of it quite sickening. It is suppose to make you think you have longed all your life for something you never heard of before. And most of it is in the category of "to whom it may concern." newsletters, newspapers, magazines, radio, television, Web sites and all the others. Social Media, - our dance blogging, is something else.

“Social dancers believe that hoping is how the impossible may be possible after all.” 

 

We are in Communications Mode in which we will communicate to each other. Feedback? Slowly it is coming into being. The realization that we are going to get an Information Contributor that is willing to share dance information with out fellow readers by just emailing it in. And anytime that person is ready they can be a Guest Blogger. Hopefully we will get women into the crowd. If you look into Twitter or Facebook you can see the women can do just as well as men. I believe that not only can they write from their own viewpoint but they can write what would be of interest to the rest of our reader/dancers.

"Night And Day" by Jimmy Borges

Fortunately I have been able to get a few information contributors with "no commitments." They make it plain that they don't wish to get further involved. All of it has been well appreciated by our readers. We should appreciate and consider ourselves lucky to get what we can get. Hopefully we can get a few to contribute regularly at least to get their groups viewpoint in, now and then. And then, get to be a Guest Blogger. And what is a Guest Blogger?

“Social dancers do not worry if some people think we're crazy. We are crazy."

Syllabus

A syllabus (plural syllabi) is a simple document that communicates the dance information about the specific dances and may define expectations and responsibilities. It is generally narrower in scope than a curriculum.

International Ballroom Dance Syllabus
The dances that make up the list of DanceSport dances are performed competitively at amateur and professional levels throughout the world.

Smooth Dances: Waltz - Tango - Foxtrot - Quickstep - Viennese Waltz

Latin Dances:  Cha Cha - Rumba - Samba - Paso Doble - Jive

"Never regret a day in your life. Good days give happiness, bad days give experience,
worst days give lessons and best days give you some beautiful memories."

American Smooth Dance Syllabus
The style of dance is loosely similar to the International Standard style of dance, with the main difference being that Smooth uses more separated and open figures, and International Standard is exclusively made up of closed figures. This is the type of dance that Arthur Murray helped develop in the thirties. Along with other studio dance groups in the US, it may also have competitive functions.

Rhythm Dances: Rumba, Cha Cha, Bolero, Mambo Swing

Ballroom Dances: Waltz, Foxtrot Tango, Viennese Waltz, Peabody

"Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho

Social dance is a category of dances that have a social function. Social dances are intended for participation rather than performance and can be led and followed with relative ease. They are often danced happily to socialize and for entertainment.

Social Dance Syllabus on Oahu

Waltz, Rumba, Foxtrot, Cha, Cha Cha, Swing, Tango, Samba, Mambo, Salsa, Bachata.

“Social dancers can see how we stand before the future, divided between hope and fear.

But at least we believe that there is a future and that the moment is momentous."

Dancing is Dead

All non essential businesses closed during the state shutdowns, economies suffered and unemployment rose. Dance studios and dance clubs had closures and cancelled events that arrested ballroom dancing. The dance environment has been trying to fight back with online lessons and special social distance parties, dance exercise videos, and taped videos of recent dance events to attempt to keep the spirit alive. But the Trumpanzees got involved and it went too far. The cases went up and the deaths are still going up. What does it all mean for ballroom enthusiasts? When and if dance studios and club do reopen, will patrons respond by returning to practice their beloved sport and art? Or will the combined fears and uncertainties of ballroom dancers prevent the revitalization of ballroom dance?

“Social dancers do not concentrate on their sufferings.
They would rather concentrate on their hopes."

The answer depends on how you define "death." The end of all ballroom dancing? Certainly not. In a self-centered view, we could call ballroom "dead" if there were no more social dances in our area, if there are no places where we can take lessons. We are fortunate that our island area has many interested parties. Some could disappear but we will gain new ones and there can still be a market for dance. Equally, one could fairly consider any significant reduction in the community as "death," since it will make for an ecosystem that looks very different from the one we knew in 2019. Death of "dance as we knew it," you might say. But most of us will dance again.

"I Will Dance For You" by Willie K

Count me in with the "dancing is not dead" crowd. In spite of the perception that this thing has been dragging on FOREVER, it may be only a couple, three months more. The State may close again but it should be temporary. I'm sure it will take a while, and we could anticipate some difficult bumps along the way (spikes in cases or deaths), but humans are not going to tolerate living like this forever. We will find ways to get back to what we like to do, much of which involves close proximity with other human beings. Well, The SPIRIT of ballroom dancing is alive and prospering! Dancers have too many fine memories to be willing to let go of their passion so easily.

"Perfection is Annihilation, it paralyzes us from working with the heart.
Humans are not perfect by nature and imperfections are
what makes the world beautiful."

Coronavirus scams

They are here on Oahu on the phone and making money. Big Pharma is selling through Trumpanzees and making millions in the entire country. We must learn how to tell the difference between a real contact tracer and a scammer. Legitimate tracers need health information, not money or personal financial information. And even there, please be wary. Don’t respond to texts, emails or calls about checks from the government.

“Social dancers know that the problem with hope, is that

it gets your hopes up. - But hopelessness is worse,

and we shall dance again.”

Ignore offers for vaccinations and home test kits. Many give the initial understanding that they will send it free and then after they have your address and other information, the ask for your credit card number. Stop it right there if they get that far. Scammers are selling products to treat or prevent COVID-19 without proof that they work. Be wary of ads for test kits. Most test kits being advertised have not been approved by the FDA, and aren’t necessarily accurate.

"My Molokai Woman" by Willie K

Hang up on robocalls. Scammers are using illegal robocalls to pitch everything from low-priced health insurance to work-at-home schemes. Watch for emails claiming to be from the CDC or WHO. Use sites like coronavirus.gov and usa.gov/coronavirus to get the latest information. And don’t click on links from sources you don’t know. Do your homework when it comes to donations. Never donate in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money. Trumpanzees and Big Pharma have found this to be Easy Money.

“Social dancers believe that it is not so much about who they used

to be, as it is about who they choose to be.”

Update Not So Good

In the Western Part of of Oahu every thing seems to have come to a screeching halt. There was a little action in town starting up in July when Hawaii was looking good. But then the Trumpanzees got in, - no testing, no masks, and no social distance and the cases and deaths in Hawaii starting going up. The clusters seem to be in the Waipahu - Kalihi corridor. Ewa Beach has a state senator that is Trump so we all know what can happen there. With school openings, teachers are going to infect students and students are going to infect teachers. And the both of them are going to contaminate their relatives, neighbors and friends. Auwe.

"Social dancers know that they cannot change the past,

but we do have a say so in the future." 

Hawaii may now be in going into a really bad state of affairs. Maui has been the only other island with deaths. Now we may infect the other neighbor islands that have had few cases and no deaths. We are still accepting visitors from the worst states in the US. Florida? Git Outta Heah. The top "good" three states in the US were Alaska, Hawaii and West Virginia in July. Now the top two are Alaska and West Virginia. What happened to Hawaii? Trumpanzees don't care. Trump says, "It is what it is." In Hawaii, the schools may settle it, and there may be no dancing for the rest of the year.

"The Music Of Hawaii" by Melveen Leed

It was just beautiful when we could meet and dance with each other someplace at one time. It can be happening every day, one of these days. Is anyone out there picking up on this action? Of course, you may read something of interest in one of our dance blogs, which are not for everyone. We sincerely believe that everyone should read whatever they damn well please. The average hits per day on our blogs has slowed down quite a bit. Computer challenged? Take it slow, I am patient and we are getting there.The main thing to get this entire enchilada into social media via the Feed Back. Once we can get those going, there is no stopping us.

“Social dancers know that they can let go of their sorrow and they will dance tomorrow.”

From Diary of a Street Dancer

By Walter Darian. 1970
Three decades had passed, the building was the same, only the signs were different. A modern 1970s sign said, "Rivera." It felt strange climbing that long straight stairway again, but it was just as I remembered it. Inside, however, it was no longer a typical sailor joint. It was now a reconstructed Disco joint (albeit a seedy one.) The bar to the left of the door was gone. Gone too were the booths and tables on the perimeter of the dance floor. In the center of the room was a circular bar with the standard disco lights over head - which instantly brought me to the present.

“Social dancers believe that hope does not leave without being given permission.”

A lone bartender handled the near empty bar. There wasn't a sailor, marine, doggey or hooker in sight. I ordered a drink, then turned, searching for "it." It stood in a nearby corner, a modern jukebox, squat, dark and non-descript - unlike the original with its attractive oval shaped top. Hoping to find a familiar tune I walked over. A quick glance at the selection in the first panel had me shaking my head in disappointment. I returned to the bar. Alone with my drink, my thoughts drifted back to 1942. Once again, the joint was "alive" and jumping. Still only nineteen, but no longer a boot I was at the bar with my buddies.

"Green Eyes" by Jimmy Dorsey

White hat on the back of my head, (to show my wavy black hair, which too, was gone now.) I ordered another drink. That familiar mellow feeling was starting to take hold (with me, it never took more than one.) In my reverie, I could almost hear Jimmy Dorsey's great hit record "Green Eyes" with Bob Eberly on the first vocal. Followed by that great "swing part" by the band with Jimmy on Sax. Then Helen O'Connell coming in - very quietly - with "soft light"- and building to her sexy, unforgettable description of those six little words - "those cool and limpid green eyes." I finished my drink and left.

“Social dancers believe there may be spiritual solutions to most of life challenges"

Our Blogs

The entire structure of our dance blogosphere, is just about complete and just waiting to be put it into real practice. The 2 centers will be crucial, those willing to contribute their 2 cents of interesting information and/or photos that can be shared with our fellow dancers.They will establish whether this blog can handle independence. If it cannot, then the next in line may do it. Whatever, I must get rid of the best blogs and the junk blogs will remain mine. From there I am finally getting contact with a few people in the Micros, and convince them of the value of being a Guest Blogger.

"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature
cannot do without." ~Confucius

The Guest Authors will have their own blog within a blog. They can write what they want and whenever they want, and it is their blog. The blog structure merely provides the platform and ready made readers. And when there are enough Guest Bloggers and enough hits, the blog will become independent from me. They will be on their own. Town Dancer is at such elevated heights that is not something to worry about. They will remain at the top.

"Fly Me To The Moon" by Jimmy Borges"

It they can get 33 average hits per day it means 1000 hits per month. From there it is only up. So those that only wish to be info contributors, email it in and it will appear in the blog of your choice and you will make a difference. Keeping in mind that we are very current and any of your friends can send in what they wish including photos. We will all be sharing, our aim is "Social Media," and that will take some time to understand. Some of our readers are developing into very good social dancers. And a very few may want to go farther and become exhibition and competition dancers. As long as we can enjoy and not harm anyone.

“Social dancers believe in their infinite potential. Their only limitations

are those they set upon themselves." 

Waltzing?

By Robert Reyes, Makaha:
Yes, we got time to rehash. The ancient three count dance in England evolved into the waltz after the War of 1812, and its modern hold took root. In 1819 Carl Maria von Weber wrote "Invitation to the Dance," which marked the adoption of the waltz form into the sphere of absolute music. The dance was initially met with tremendous opposition due to the semblance of impropriety associated with the closed hold. Though the stance gradually softened, it was accepted for the lower classes but not for the "ballroom dancers."

"Social dancers know that all of us have to do more

to contain this virus, hope is not a strategy.”

In the 1840s several new dances made their appearance in the ballroom, including the Polka, Mazurka, and the Schottische. Most came in as fad dances but many remained as a fun dance even a century later. In the meantime a strong tendency emerged to drop all "decorative" steps such as entrechats and ronds de jambes that had found a place in the Quadrilles and other dances. And that brings us to the entire 19th century. Over great parts of the world people were finding the joy of partner dancing and many were realizing that they did not dance the same or even to the same music.

"Molokai Waltz" by Amy Hanaialii Gilliom

The Blacks, who had been in the Americas for 3 centuries, were now getting their freedom and in the Americas they began to develop their own versions of the local Indian dances. And more than that they developed their own versions of the European and Indian music in general. At the beginning of the 20th century, the US specially was ready for its revolution in music and dance. Some guy named Harry Fox, invented the Fox Trot in 1912. And the entire shebang began a good start at the beginning of WWI.

“If you think hope is just a dream, remember
that dreams can come true”