Cupola

Direct from Yanna:
Let’s dance at Cupola

Cupola is on tomorrow Thursday September 1st
and every 1st Thursday of the month,
FREE social dance at Cupola
sponsored by Divino Ritmo Dance, open to the public, free parking with validation
Drinks and food for purchase from Wine bar/Stage restaurant
There will be complimentary spread of pupus, compliments of Cupola management

for last month's inconvenience
6:30-9:30PM DJ Lucas plus complimentary mini lesson

 (by Yanna who is back from her maternity leave)
Inspiration Design Center building, Kapiolani blvd, 2nd floor

Any questions divinoritmo@aol.com
Lucas cell: 917 568 3173

Pub's Side Note: A couple more days notice would be nice for the readers. And since this is not a commercial enterprise, Yanna could say something more on her "maternity leave" for their readers, this is Social Media.

"Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho

"Most of us are experienced dancers but we can know the feeling: in a new club, with the music coursing through our veins like liquid anticipation. Dry ice, and flecks of Old Spice and the smell of clean human beings are mingling in the air and curling up our nostrils. We want to move - to dance across the floor, manifesting the pounding music in physical form, only our muscles are tense. Our brow furrowed, and instead we stand watching everybody else, one clammy hand clinging to a plastic cup. We eventually will and do move forward and have a happy time." ~ The Dancer.

"The past, present, and future walk into a bar in Pearl City.

Let me tell you, it was tense."

Good News

The Social Dancers are increasing on the Island of Oahu. No doubt about it. And for some reason or another, it is becoming easier to learn to enjoy moving to music. There is a lot of help out there, and yes, we can always get a second opinion. Then in our social partner dancing scene, knowledge of the terminology is becoming more evident, as are the basic skills. We have also found that the terminology is not the same in the disciplines and even different clubs on this Island. We are getting more standardized, so we can understand each other.

 “For us, the dancers, it is far better to grasp the Dance Scene on Oahu as it

really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.”

And who is doing this?  Believe or not the social dancers are the ones that are doing it. When we say a left turn (for the leader) we know what it means without using the "correct" term which is the "Reverse Turn" for the disciplines. The same applies to the right turn. And a Rock Step is a Rock Step and there are many precise instructions on how to do this. In Social Dance, you just rock any way you want and don't worry about anything except feeling good rocking to the music.

"As Time Goes By" from the movie, Casablanca

Floorcraft is an essential part of social dancing and most of us just need the awareness. It is the very simple art of dancing "without" running into someone else. This may require the knowledge of not only of where you and your partner are, but also where the other dancers will be, in at least the next step pattern. We got some good dancers out there. Happy Dancing everyone.

"We dance for ourselves. If someone understands, that is very nice. If not, no matter,

we shall go right on doing what interests us, and do it until it stops interesting us.” 

 

Just Moving

Extrava Danza will still be in the also rans at the end of the month. No new information contributors in sight. Patience, they will come. With the large amount of Social Dancers on Oahu we should be getting plenty of information soon. Enough to make a couple blogs independent by the end of the year. Groups able to make their own rules for their own blogs and I can resign.

"Once we eliminate the impossible, whatever remains,

no matter how improbable, must be the truth."

Then I must look to help the peripherals; Line, Tango, Salsa, Swing, Country, there is room for all. Unfortunately most are tied to Web sites so they feel that they do not need us. At any rate, that is their decision, not ours. There are others that may just be waiting for the opportunity and we will be here to help them.

"Fly Me To The Moon" by Jimmy Borges

We know for sure now that the "Listener" will always be there but the "dancers" are growing in numbers, mainly because of the oldies but goodies. And many people are beginning to realize the great importance of this. As dancers, what is the difference in dancing the new "Hinky Dool" and dancing "As Time Goes By" to a nice romantic Fox Trot? As Time Goes By first appearcd in the Movie Casablanca in 1941. It will probably be good for another 75 years. Just beautiful!

"Somewhere Over The Rainbow" by Bruddah Iz

A very good thing that our reader/dancers are beginning to get more familiar with blogging. That is what is sending the hits to new heights every week. It is just taking time.and we must be patient. Then our readers are beginning to make comments. What?

A jumper cable walks into a bar in Pearl City and orders a drink.

The bartender says, "Well, Ok, just don't start anything."

The Promenade Walk

One of the most beautiful, comfortable and easy moves to good music is the Promenade  The name comes from the French word for “walk”, and is a good basic description of the dance action. When executing the move, partners move side-by-side in a promenade position, and act as a single unit. Customarily the leader moves to the left of the lady, his right hip touching or almost touching her left hip.

"Don't underestimate our social dancers. They know more than they say,

think more than they speak, and notice more than you realize."

Note that this promenade position is not the same as that promenade position defined in some ballroom dances. The leader usually decides when his left foot is about to go forward or his right foot is about to go backwards. Her front is facing the line of direction and he lets go of her right hand, turns away from her and they face a common front. Takes a little practice, naturally.

"Stranger In Paradise" by Tony Bennett

From there the promenade walk can be done, and go back to basic or do the rest of the movements in any dance. Yes, it can be done in a box step too and limited to only about 100 dances, watch it! We are talking basic dancing moves not disciplines and don't worry about your toe, toe, heel, flat, etc. Just listen to the music, get your timing and rhythm and move it.

"I'll Remember You" by Don Ho

Pub's Note: The latest from the Mainland, in the classier places they do not have Disc Jockeys anymore. Now they have Music Coordinators. How about that?

Live, listen or dance?

Listen or Dance to Live Music.
It has now become pretty clear that there are two different factions in the fan division of Live Music. And many people are in both, with the clear love of music - coming direct from the artists themselves. But the days of huge stadiums are dwindling fast because not only do they want to hear the music but they want to see the performers clearly. And for most listeners, it is "I know what I like." Fair enough.

"Everything we hear may be an opinion, not a fact. Everything

we see may be just a perspective, not the truth."

For Dancers, there are many more options and you can dance in many different styles. You can dance partner dancing, line dancing and even solo. And there are many complications for those that have studied long and hard. For the average social dancer it is just fun and not many complicated moves. Then there was, right after the WW1, Rudolf Labans, 1879 - 1958.

"La Golondrina" by Placido Domingo

The Five Basic Moves in all dances: And Rudolf Labans' advice for social dancers was to use the KISS method. (keep it simple, stupid.)

1. Gesture: Any movement not connected with supporting the body's weight. (same as Posturing.)

2. Stepping: Transferring the weight from one support to another.

3. Loco motor Movements: Any movements that move the dancer from one location to another.

4. Jumping: Any movement without a point of support.

5. Turning: Any movement that changes the position of the front.

The Mayan Indian Civilizations in Mexico had ten different basic moves,

but then, what the hell did they know?

A prime example of the evolution of dancing terminology:
Social turning in waltz, rumba, foxtrot or whatevah, may have the lead turning to his left (the Left Turn) and is one of the most basic moves in any dance. He will lead to his right (the Right Turn) at times but not as often. In the upper echelons of dance, the right turn for the lead is called the Natural Turn. And the left turn is called the Reverse Turn. So how do you like them potatoes? If we think about it, we may find an even more difficult way of doing this. Remember the KISS method.

Da Rail Crisis

The Rail Disaster continues: Hart CEO Grabauskas' resignation comes four months after City Council Chairman Ernie Martin called on the CEO to step down in response to a scathing report by the city auditor. Honolulu auditor Edwin Young said that HART's financial plans were not reliable, that cost projections lacked supporting documentation, and that it had no plans for operating and maintenance costs. Caldwell thought the Present Rail Party had it all controlled. HART Board Chairman Don Horner announced his resignation a few months ago.

"Three things cannot be long hidden, the Sun, the Moon and the Truth."

 

We could have gotten 1000 of these babies for less than one billion dollars.

Ride "comfortable" word deleted in all the Rail Disaster plans.

That's two down, one more to go, Caldwell. More people are getting on the Charles Djou bandwagon and we may get an honest man now. More people know, that it has always been the money, Sonny. That is why they spent ten million dollars to lie about Cayetano. And look at what Caldwell and the Present Rail Party are trying to do to Djou. Millions and millions of dollars in profits have been made and there is more where that came from. The people? They know the project will not do any good for the people but they do know the people are going to pay through the nose - we all know that.

"Somewhere Over The Rainbow" by Bruddah Iz

The Dance Pavilion at the Patsy Mink Recreation Center in Waipio, was cancelled by Caldwell to pay for the increase cost of the Rail Catastrophe.  Perhaps it will go back in the plans and please the entire dance community of West Oahu. Only one group will not be pleased - the Fat Cats in the Present Rail Party. Of course there is a new one, the ABC party. Anybody But Caldwell.

Just received the latest on the Caldwell dance. "All you have to do is take three steps forward, two steps backward, then side-step side-step and turn around." 

Live Music Can Evolve

For a dance to exist, there must first be music but of course, we all know that this may not apply to exhibition dancers. This obvious statement implies that an understanding of music is essential to a social dancer. Yet, strangely enough. most social dancers and many teachers have limited knowledge of music. They are able to keep time automatically but would be hard pressed to explain how their movements are actually tied into the music of a particular dance.

"Dancers should have the courage to use their own reason,

for that is our new enlightenment.”

Listener fans of music have an easier time to explain their fondness for one song or another. "I like it and I know what I like." Fair enough. They are different from dancers, but it would widen their appreciation of music if they learned just a little bit more. None of us are experts but we can have an awful lot of fun learning.

"Stranger In Paradise" by Tony Bennett

What kind of dancer are you? Do you wonder, do you know? Within these blogs sooner or later you will feel a lot closer to the solution and very clearly. You may even want to be a champion competition dancer someday and willing to work for it. And no one should hold you back. Most of us will be more than glad to clap for you.

"Happy Together"  by The Turtles

For most of us, the enjoyment of our favorite music while dancing is one of the pleasures of this earth. That along with good friends tops them all. Coupled with the fact that every day we learn something new, and it is a normal fact of life. So we are lucky, we don't have to talk stink about anyone.

That's what he said: Yes I admit, the last fight was my fault. My wife asked me "What's on TV?" I said, "Dust."