We Can't Quit Now

So here on Oahu, we can't take classes and we are stuck at home. (OK, we are safe at home.) But we have all taken classes that were good but we just didn't get it all. Well, that experience doesn't have to end! We can find some way of reviewing most sets. See if you can find something on line that will give you better ideas. Start by playing some music that fits the dance.Then just swaying any way you like to get in the mood. You don't need a mirror here, but it helps. Once you remember how it feels, try to move the easy movements first. Try to remember as much as you can of what the teacher was trying to convey that you may have missed because of the pressures of class.

"Social dancers try not to think of all this misery, but of

the beauty that may still remain ahead of us."

Got it more ingrained in your muscle memory? Cool. Now let it go easy with the music. Moving with the music is what most social dancers go for. With more leeway on time, you have the luxury of really playing around with the choreography – adding performance, facials, some freestyle, etc. This is a great way to get better at dancing and hone your strategy in class taking. Re-learning a piece at your own pace will help you understand how to approach a piece the next time you take a class. And better yet when you get on the dance floor again. And you can still get more ideas on how to keep learning dance at home!

"I Will Dance For You" by Willie K

One of these days soon.

Once we start to understand the problems our reader audience faces, we should be able to find a way to solve those problems. At this time there is not much we can do but keep giving the reader/dancers what little dance information we can get. We also have to have patience and wait for feedback from the readers. Whatevah, these blogs are still evolving and the one clear advantage is the Two Center when and if we get one. The rest of the reader/dancers know what we offer - and there have been few takers.

"Social dancers believe that hope means hoping when things
may look hopeless, or there is no virtue in it at all."

Not yet

"Social dancers are ambitious. they set goals; not because they are ungrateful for what they have, but because they are happy with who they are. They may enjoy the experience of
rising above their perceived limitations and discovering new levels of their capabilities."

We may not get out much and we are very limited in contact with other people, so for now we must adjust. We still have the telephone and the computer and that helps but it is in a very unique small body of people. We don't know what is happening around the island of Oahu. This blog is social media and made just for such an occasion as this. So we ask everyone of our readers, email it in. What's doin'? Share with our fellow dancers. We can still remain a happy family.

"The Hukilau Song" by Amy Hanaialii

Patience, our time will come again.

People used to think the world was flat. It’s not that they were stupid, it’s just what they were told. Then came Magellan who set sail in one direction and returned from the other. Those of you that are new to our dance world, it is your turn. You can settle for someone else’s version of our dance world. Or you can bravely embark on a journey of your own. And there will be plenty to see when the lights go on again. Latin Dance is rapidly coming to prominence. And you will begin to recognize the fads which are usually money. Gradually you will find the definition of our kind of dancing.

“Social dancers believe that the past is made out of facts but the future is always hope.”

Online with Computer

I just found out that at least 50% of our fellow dancers on this island have computer access. So not too many are going to spend much time on line for help on their dancing. On line can be an experience and you can find it easy to understand a Dance Instructor in San Francisco. James online, from his light-filled apartment in San Francisco can lead us through a series of movement experiences that emphasizes things like feeling the air on your skin, energizing the whole body, and noticing the sensation of your skin gliding around inside the elastic waistband of your underwear. I don't think many us have thought about the intimate relationship between our skin and our clothes.

"Social dancers know that discomfort and suffering may be part of life, but when

you put hope in the middle of it, it will help us get to the next level."

We can move slowly, we can move quickly, he can point out how we are connected to space, sideways, forward and back, up and down, high diagonals, low diagonals. If we have windows, he will invite us to look out into the distance. We can stretched our faces into ghastly smiles, we softened our faces and felt the beginning of a genuine smile at the corners of our mouths and eyes. James shares his music and may even invite us to copy and play it in our own homes. We can break into a nice sweat just enjoying moving to the music.

"My Molokai" by Willie K

We wait patiently with plenty of hope. We shall dance again.

At the end of the class, we can switched views and see a bunch of dancers waving, floating, shifting, bending, swirling. It can be magical. A lot of movement forms are well-suited to online platforms, especially if you have familiarity with them, and if they are rigorously codified, studio hip hop, yoga. I go for the least codified of all, may just be the ideal form for social dancing in quarantine. Under the guidance of our generous, cheerful, well voiced, talented leader, we move together feeling the encountering of ourselves in community with others. And we can do it all by ourselves.

Covid 19 latest advice: eat five cloves of garlic, one every hour starting right after breakfast.

Won't really do much. but it will sure keep people from getting too close to you. 

And life goes on.

Well, we have four countries around the world that are "closed in" but not too tight. Most of their people use the mask and the social distance of six feet and they have good testing. Taiwan, Iceland, South Korea and Germany. They are the top four most effective in the control of Covid 19. Most European countries are moving in that same direction. Trump has decided that his way is better and he is screwing it up something awful. And at every mistake or goof he will blame somebody else. The WHO is urging countries to “test, test, test.” But Trump goofed that one up.

"Social dancers believe that those who have health, have hope.

And those who have hope, have everything."

And many countries do not have the adequate testing supplies. The US in particular, it has been totally Trump's fault but Trump blames the States. How about that.? Now, he is actively trying to get everyone to open up more to make more money. So a few thousand of your friends and neighbors die. No sweat, it's the money, Sonny. In the US, it’s actually the virus that has made tremendous progress, eclipsing heart disease to become the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. In less than two months, we have lost more Americans to the coronavirus than in the Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq wars combined. Trump says we are doing a great job. Yeah Man.

"Maui Waltz" by Loyal Garner

Will we ever have a day like that again? HOPE

Some of the married couples have not found it so difficult that Friday and Saturday night may involve less dancing up a storm on a dance floor somewhere. They just may enjoy eating their own snacks, playing their own music and drinking wine on the couch at home. In fact, They are part of the growing lifestyle trend on Oahu that is staying in. Many have found it pleasant to imbibe in a relaxing environment — as opposed to a sweaty, crowded one where they’re constantly hearing music that may be loud, being jostled, spilled on, — as a good reason to stay home. Even if we all look forward dancing out there again.

"Social dancers believe there is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great,

and no tonic so powerful as the expectation of something good tomorrow." 

It ain't over til it's over

We must not relax too much, even though we are not doing too bad on Oahu. We should understand that there is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person. Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Some recent studies have suggested that COVID-19 may be spread by people who are not showing symptoms. So watch it, be careful. Patience.

"Social dancers believe that they may begin die if they cease
to expect anything good from tomorrow."

Many of us have been staying home and besides looking at TV we have had a bigger opportunity to listen to some of our favorite tunes. There are an awful lot of oldies but goodies music that we just haven't had the time to sit back and just listen. Most people usually listen to music when working out, driving, or sometimes even while working and it creates a fun and lively atmosphere in everything that we do. Music sets the mood and is often in line with our emotions as we all can recognize its role in the theatrics of movies, musicals, and dramas. A relatable instance of the way music affects us all would be in terms of social dancing on Oahu.

"Music Of Hawaii" by Melveen Leed 

Have patience, if the "protestors" don't gum up the works
we shall dance soon.

Meanwhile back at the Ranch, we, the bloggers and readers have begun to understand the problems of our fellow reader/dancers. We should be able to find a way to reduce those problems and share the word with all the dancers on Oahu. At this time there is not much we can do but keep giving the reader/dancers what little dance information we can get, - have more patience and wait for feedback. Whatevah, these blogs are still evolving and the one clear advantage is the Two Centers when and if we get them. The reader/dancers will know with time that we offer anyone, to share their pearls of wisdom with our fellow dancers, on this blog.

"Social dancers believe that hope, too, can be given to anyone

from other human beings."

Cinco De Mayo

France  had invaded Mexico in the winter of 1861 and seeking to legitimize French rule in the Americas, Napoleon III invited Maximilian to establish a new Mexican monarchy for him. Napoleon decided not to make it a kingdom but an empire. He had his eye on Central America. And he chose Maximilian of Austria to be Emperor of Mexico.

"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact.

Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."

Puebla, May 5, 1862

In 1862, the French marched from the coast to Mexico City under the command of General Charles Latrille. The French expected to be welcomed by the conservatives and the clergy. The Mexicans dug in at Puebla and heavily fortified it under General Ignacio Zaragoza, where around 4500 Mexicans troops faced off against over 6000 French.

"La Golondrina" compose by

Narciso Serradell Sevilla 1862

The French expected the Mexicans to retreat in the face of their aggressive assault and attacked recklessly. The French ran low on ammunition and many of their troops were weakened by sickness . On May 5, 1862, the Mexican forces managed to drive back the French to Veracruz while losing 83 men and the French lost 462. The date became the major Mexican Celebration of Cinco de Mayo.

"La Paloma" a favorite of Empress Carlotta

With the support of a larger French army, and a group of the rich conservative Mexican monarchists hostile to the liberal administration of new Mexican President Benito Juárez, Maximilian was able to get control in Mexico City. Once there, he declared himself Emperor of Mexico on 10 April 1864. And it took Benito Juarez three years to get financial and military help. Some from the United States to reclaim the republic. Maximilian was captured and put before the firing squad in 1867 and Cinco De Mayo became officially a National Holiday in Mexico.

On the left: Maximiliano, El primer y ultimo

Emperador de Mexico, 1861 - 1867

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."

Thinking Things Over

Social dancing on Oahu was until the 60s pretty much only seen at social events like gatherings at clubs. weddings, cruises and holiday parties. Social dancing had no standardized teaching or learning curriculum. Some dance teachers taught steps and techniques they had come to prefer or what they hunch their students would prefer.Then in the 60s came Aiea Ballroom Dance Club and things have not been the same since. The American Style of Dance evolved and we have our own unique style of social dancing based on that "Style" in Hawaii.

"Social dancers believe that once we choose hope, anything is possible."

Even in the new clubs that evolved, the steps and techniques taught by one instructor could vary considerably from those taught by someone else. Some teachers would even introduce their own unique version of a movement. Social dancing is dynamic and developed slowly, mostly at local house parties, night clubs and other small social functions. Then in the 70s the International style of dance arrived in Hawaii, They did tend to be more dressy and the Night Club Dancers thought they were somewhat snooty. Besides the dress, the main difference between International Ballroom and American Ballroom in the U.S. was that International tends to be taught to be performed in competition and exhibition dancing. More strict in the dance rules but with good reason.

"Molokai Waltz" by Amy Hanaialii

International style established a more closed connection with your partner. Dancers stick close together and lead and follow and move around one common center as they dance. The open position of American ballroom is not acceptable in the International style. The types of social dances and styles keep slowly changing with the times and most people associate social dancing with ballroom dancing. And yes indeed, this form of dancing quite dominates the images people make in their minds. But, circle dances, line dances, novelty dances, or just club dancing in solo can also be considered social dancing. We are having some time to think things over.

"Social dancers know that it may take courage to let go of the familiar

and try to do the best we can with the new."