Moving On

In my short but happy experience, I have found that dancing sites do not as a rule carry counters. People just want to comment to the general dancing public on their own unique experience. And many succeed to a varied extent. Generally those with a large background of experience will do better than those in my limited category.

"You do not have to go where the path leads, you can go instead

where there is no path and leave a trail."

I have found in my reading of the Mainland that there are many devoted to only Latin dancing. And many even specializing in Salsa, Bachata, Rumba, Samba or Tango. There are also Latin Music and Dance Studios specializing in very young people. Of course there are many more people available, easily done there but not so easy in Honolulu. Even though we have some of the best dancers in the Pacific right here on Oahu.

Like the Rail Disaster in Honolulu. OK for long distances on the Mainland but certainly not for commuting on a small Island like Oahu. Biggest con job ever perpetrated on the people of Hawaii.

The original smash hit the Mambo morphed into the Salsa for a long period of time. The Salsa is now receding and the Bachata is coming into prominence. However, Reggie and Zouk are threatening. And there is new one invented (somewhat like they did with the Lambada) and promoted as an African Dance. Not my cup of tea.

"Sal, Si Puedes" por Los Bunkers.

Sooner or later we are going to get some opinions different than mine and the hits will soar. For now this blog will remain at the bottom of the totem pole. Until then, "Bailen Feliz."

Men Needed

We still have a ratio of women to men of about 2 to 1. We need more men, for the simple reason that if we get more men, we will get more women. And the worst ratio is in Line Dancing. That is where men are needed most and also where it will to the most good for the men. Starting with the social opportunity to become acquainted with many more women.

"Believe you can and you're halfway there."

In Line Dancing they can become accustomed to the same basic movements and the same type of music used in partner dancing. And since they don't have to worry about leading they can relax and develop their own style characteristic of each dance to suit themselves.

$23 at Amazon, anytime

As members of a new group, the men will understand when they are fully awake that they have infinite power to help change our dance world by simply living the change they want to see. Judging for themselves and not just what others tell them. They may like to make sure that their opinions are heard. If just a small minority of men took steps to do this, it would shake the dance establishment to its core. Then they would also have the opportunity to convey an opinion in any blog, knowing that they have a receptive readership, simply because it is a unique opinion.

In many countries teachers tell their students, "Walk your kilometers. Do not be distracted by fancy steps until you are prepared." In Hawaii, LAGs is very prevalent and the results are there for everyone to see. Many are never able to really dance beyond the intermediate level even if we have some of the best in the world. Some got stuck in the advanced. The basics are still there for a very good reason. Have fun while you are going through the basics. Enjoy the trip, it will be well worth it.

James Carville

James Carville via mail.salsalabs.net

Joseph,

Karl Rove, the Koch brothers and Republican insiders aren't fooling anybody. They’re spending everything they can to defeat Jeanne and buy control of the U.S. Senate.

The moment their errand boy Scott Brown announced, Rove’s Super PAC launched a $650,000 attack ad buy – the special interests know that if they get Brown to Washington, they win BIG.

Now, I know how tough it is up there in New Hampshire.

My friend Jeanne Shaheen is the only Democrat New Hampshire’s sent to the Senate in 30 years. So she knows a thing or two about being tough – that's why she's been so effective in standing up for working families in NH and across the U.S. everyday.

Three days until the midnight FEC filing deadline, and Jeanne still needs to raise $125,000. It’s all the more urgent with Brown in. Donate $5 now to make sure we don’t lose the Senate.

 
I once identified the key to President Clinton’s 1992 race. It was the economy, well…you know. This time around – it’s the Senate, it’s all about the Senate.

We need all hands on deck to help reelect Jeanne. She’s the key to who controls the Senate majority and Rove and the Kochs know it.

Jeanne needs our help – NOW – and any hope of making President Obama’s second term successful depends on keeping the Senate. New Hampshire will be one of the states that decides control.

Give $5 now – before midnight March 31 and the FEC deadline – to make sure Jeanne can overcome tens of millions in attacks when Brown, Rove and the Kochs want to tango.

I won’t do that P.S. thing you see some folks do – I already know you get it.

James Carville

Industrial Parks

The Industrial Park: The most needed item on the island of Oahu by the residents. But consistently overruled repeatedly by the Present Rail Party. Thousands of cars would be off the freeways to and from downtown Honolulu. Thousands of cars would not be contributing to the horrible traffic problem in downtown Honolulu which everyone agrees is going to get worse.

"If you cannot find the truth right where you are,

where else do you expect to find it?"

But the Big Bucks in the Profits of building the Rail Disaster cannot be beat. That's easy money and we are talking "Big Bucks." The City of Honolulu is already in the hole for 26 million. And they have already spent more than a half million dollars on the Rail Disaster, but you ain't seen nuttin' yet. We should all know by now, it's the bread, Fred. And our legislators have been bought. Not all? You're right!

An Industrial Park in China on the outskirts of the big city. The residents

that work there can by home in 20 minutes. The Present Rail Party plans

are for everyone to spend half their life in commuting. But let's face it,

there are Big Big Profits in building a Rail Disaster.

What ever, the Dance contingent on the island of Oahu is becoming more aware of the big rip off of all the citizens for the benefit a a few and it will take a while but something is going to be done to stop the bleed of money for the profits of the gangsters. Doubling of Property Taxes will not be accepted that easily. 

Meanwhile Cha Cha Cha anyone?

Tips From Here & There

You don't need to be the gr -ea -at - est dancer in the room to have a great time! Most of us are beginning to accept that, in spite of terms like "Ala Wai Dancer" or "Junk Dancer" used by the elite of our dance environment. Yes, a few good lessons from a teacher in the American Style of Dance can make a huge difference. If you take some lessons with a strong instructor, you can greatly accelerate your march toward quality dancing.

Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant. There is a fuel in us

which needs to be ignited with sparks.

They can show you tricks of the trade that polish your skills quickly, pushing you toward above average much faster than the street dancers who either learn on their own or occasionally attend group classes.

For many, instructional DVDs and YouTube clips can also make a huge difference although there is lots of trash/bad (too fancy) advice out there too. We are fortunate to have so many good experienced instructors on Oahu. You want to feed your mind with images of strong dancers your whole dance life.

If you're starting out, set your initial sights on getting above the average for your scene as soon as possible. The momentum of getting to that level will carry most guys way beyond the 50% mark, with much less effort than the effort to get started. You’ll have enough success and experience to see what it takes to grow beyond, and you have a tail wind of stronger partners assisting.

Gentlemen in the above average group will tell you the view from there is very different than being the new kid on the block. It's worth all the effort and while being your personal best is an ideal goal, once you get a little beyond the average in your area, the joy is multiplied and the effort seems like it was trivial compared to the fun.

Then you have to be careful that you don't get that hubris and you begin to tilt your head back a little, look down your nose and expect the statements that you make to be engraved on stone. It is part of the "Hazards of the Trade."

Chicago Train

CHICAGO (AP) — An eight-car Chicago commuter train plowed across a platform and scaled an escalator at an underground station at one of the nation's busiest airports early Monday, the 24th injuring 32 people on board, officials said. No one suffered life-threatening injuries in the Blue Line derailment at O'Hare International Airport, Chicago Fire Commissioner Jose Santiago said during a morning briefing.

Five years ago, they guaranteed that it could not happen again.

 Fortunately we have good guarantees on Oahu.

An enormous disaster was avoided thanks to the timing of the crash at 02:50 a.m. The bustling station is usually packed with travelers making their way to or from Chicago from the major airport, and a Chicago Transit Authority official said the crash happened at a traditionally quiet time.

CTA investigators along with the city fire department and police were reviewing security footage and interviewing the driver and other CTA workers to pin down the cause of the accident around 2:50 a.m. National Transportation Safety Board investigators were expected to arrive later in the day.

John Pritchett one of the few that could see the Catastrophe

in the making. When "the accident" happens in Honolulu,

it will fall on a lot of people.

"We will be looking at equipment. We will be looking at signals. We'll be looking at the human factor and any extenuating circumstances," CTA spokesman Brian Steele said. "But really at this point, it's far too soon to speculate."

Transit agency officials said crews were working to remove the train and fix the escalator, which received "significant damage." Hours after the crash, the front of the first car could still be seen near the top of the escalator.

It cannot happen in Honolulu, Guaranteed by the Present Rail Party.

Dancing

That term covers an awful lot of territory beginning with the folk dances of millenniums ago. The dance historians have tried to find a place for everyone all over the world and find many overlaps, naturally. For us it is relatively easier because we only have what has loosely been described as "Ballroom" from back in the days when this type of dancing was done in ballrooms.

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart."

The Universities are trying to find out about dancing and they are pretty well convinced that fifty percent of the dance moves prescribed by the Dance Professionals are less effective that other common moves. And the Latin has been more acceptable because of the body movements included. However the Latin Dances were "invented" for the Caucasian People by the Professionals according to their preferences and have been danced mainly in the "civilized" countries. Many of the natural movements were never covered in a regular Professional curriculum.

Most of our kind of social dancers ignore "how you look" but apparently it is a very important factor in coupling. In evolutionary biology the right male dance moves can catch a woman’s eye. Male movements serve as courtship signals in many animal species, and may honestly reflect the quality of the individual. Attractive human dance moves, particularly those of males, have been reported to show associations with measures of physical strength, prenatal androgenization and symmetry.

"Solamente Una Vez" by Placido Domingo

They have very nicely proven another thing. The Dance Step must be conjunction with movement (not rigid poses) in the other parts of the body. The knees, hips, upper body, arms and the head. Something very prominent in Latin American dance. And unfortunately minimized in what has evolved in our type of dance. And yet, Latin Dancing may evolve into Da Reel Teeng. Let's get the Latin Waltz in here.

Spring Has Sprung

I was able to sleep without my pajamas last night so that apparently the cold weather is just about over. Came across a nice poster and we can get into the swing of things.

Apparently the wheels in the Internationals and the Night Clubbers have accepted the fact that we acknowledge their kuleanas. They just have not yet learned that we are bigger than Da Bodadem put together. Even with the Peripherals there are not that many. We are the real movers to music on this Island and the disrespect for our type is declining. We agree that the others should do as they please, we just got to get it all together.

"The unexciting truth may be eclipsed by a thrilling lie."

The regular run of the mill dancer has always been rather quiet but the power to change our dance world is not mine. There are so many good people out there, but for too long many have believed themselves to be weak, or relied on others to change the dance world for them. There had been too much reliance on the Creative Researchers And Producers and up to the last century they pretty well ran dancing into the ground.

They effectively made it easier to acknowledge the many divisions of dancers on this Island. At the moment they stand as, the Internationals, the Night Clubbers, the Peripherals, the Young People and the rest of us who have not yet been so clearly defined. And so many of these residents of this Island have been such great dancers. We can admire more of them and many are beginning to understand the implications of it all.

News Trickling In

Looks like we are making good contact on the mainland. On Oahu, they all seem to have Web sites and need no additional PR. We have always considered our blogs as "additional," not as an "instead of."

 "If you accept the expectations of others, specially negative ones,

then you will never change the outcome."

At any rate, throughout the US, there seems to be a Latin Venue developing, including the more acceptable dances. Most are from the Caribbean with a small portion from Mexico and other Latin American countries. The most solid coming up is the Mexican which at the moment has close to 100 different dances with 50 different styles of music. When they prune this down to half, the rest of us can make some choices and they will be included in the "Latin" dance clubs. I am looking forward to the two types of Latin Waltzes.

The fad dances will of course come and go as they always have. Anyone remember the "Lambada?" It must have lasted at least five years. Estimated that in the US, 20 million dollars were spent in Lambada lessons. Now, the latest are Zouk, Zumba and Kitomba, the last being passed off as an African dance. And most of the fad dancers are the young. They are willing to try anything.

"Moliendo Cafe" por Azucar Moreno

The over thirty have been around and they are well acquainted with the music that they have loved for decades. Moving to that music and using the same movements over and over again in sheer joy is it. There is where the new Latin music and dance will evolve. Rumba, Cha Cha Cha, Latin Waltz, Samba, and Tango. The rest, at present, will be gingerbread.

Super Dancers

We are making terrific contact with the mainland through our Micros and the hits? At nine blogs the readership is over diluted, but to my surprise the total average hits per day are still going up. Slowly but definitely up. So the biggest thing lacking to doubling the hits is the Two Center willing to share their personal opinions and/or photos for the benefit of the reader/dancers.

 "Every moment and every event in a person's life on earth plants something in their soul."

We are for the dancer first so our blogs are intended to be social media. The Web sites are the organizations and they also have the perfect right to their sites. Our blogs have the proposition of being "additional"and not "instead of." This is all coming about gradually and the Two Centers can pick the blog of their choice.

Meanwhile, they are having a ball on the Mainland.

"Porque Si" by Los Bravos.

Meanwhile, what ever happened to the new dance club dedicated to American Style of dance. There would be no "correct" way to dance the basic. There would a lot less comments on "Ala Wai dancer" and "junk dancer." Dancers could socialize on a more friendly basis, have fun dancing and be able to minimize the negative commentaries. Whatta Club!

1800s Bolero

The original Bolero developed in Spain during the independence of most of the Americas and arrived in the mid 1800s and of course much different than anything we have today. The bolero was a 3/4 dance, a fusion of the Contradanza and the Sevillana. It was danced by either a soloist or a couple. It was in a moderately slow tempo and performed to music which was sung and accompanied by castanets and guitars with lyrics of five to seven syllables in each of four lines per verse. Triple time and it usually has a triplet on the second beat of each bar.

'Tis strange -- but true; for truth is always strange; Stranger than fiction."

Throughout the Americas it fused in with the local dances. In Cuba it was fused into the old fast Rumba and renamed the Son with an intermediate medium speed. It was exported to Europe and the US in the late 1800s under the misnomer Rumba. It was the Son that was exported. The old fast Rumba went back to the sticks and later it was modified and adapted to a different jazzed up music and it became the Mambo. You noticed the similarities in many movements with the International Rumba?

The American Bolero has been noted in Latin America as a nice American dance and can be appreciated by the spectators that enjoying dancing. It was developed in the US by Professionals and has rises and falls such as found in waltz and also has contra body movement. Popular music for this dance style need not be Latin in origin and the dance is not usually danced by recreational Latin dancers.

Boleros as music are something else and are eternal. With their tales of passion and falling-outs, boleros could easily be dismissed as cliché love songs.But they refuse to be so commonly treated,

They grew and were worshipped in Mexico and took on a more Indian percussion. From there, it spread through all Latin America, thanks to the great number of singers who succumbed to its charm. More than any other genre, boleros possess a youthful energy, a charm that remains fresh and compelling through the years even though they are taking on a more European sound.

Competition Dancing

Received from the Jacksonville Marriott in Jacksonville, Florida.

 

Jacksonville Star Ball is a one-day ballroom dance competition where all levels and styles are welcome,

from the newcomer to the open gold seasoned competitor. Sunday, March 16th, 2014

Both American and International Styles of Dance. National Council of America

Pub's Side Note: It is slowly forming all by itself, a new dance force on Oahu, for Truth, Inclusion and Innovation and made "of the dancers, by the dancers and for the dancers." All the dancers? Of course not, they do not all wish to be involved and we must respect. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

John Pritchett

Da Best Political Cartoonist in the Pacific, now with Civil Beat.

And the user of Public Transportation specially on the West coast are becoming more aware of the boondoggle. It is not "Rapid Transit" and it will benefit only the ones making the millions and millions of dollars in profits. Estimates are now getting closer to ten billion dollars in total construction costs and the maintenance is up in the millions per day.

Every bus driver on this Island knows more about Public Transportation on Oahu than the Czar of HART. Yet he commanded the highest Public salary of anyone on these entire islands Of course we all know by now that the con job did not start there. Everyone in Washington knows what Pork is. Not in Hawaii.

The repair shops on the Waianae Coast working overtime repairing old clunkers because the users of buses are aware that the bus situation is going to worsen. The new three wheel cars will be coming in this year. And the car shows are brimming with people that are aware that they want nothing to do with rail stations and the rest of that mess. No body asked the users?

Enough  articulated buses would have been the answer. And we do not mean "cattle cars." Riding in comfort from Makaha to town might be better than driving the car. People all over the world are trying to find methods of getting people off their cars and onto Public Transportation. Not on Oahu. It's the dough, Moe.

The infrastructure costs would have been significantly reduced, The visual pollution of what has been designed would not be there and ongoing maintenance costs would be reduced to a fraction of what it may cost to operate this rail catastrophe. In times of heavy need, it would be simple to add additional Bi-Articulate buses (with two tandems)

Double your Property Taxes? Lucky you can afford it and somebody gotta pay for this mess.

Switching Dance Clubs.

By Jonathan Kang, Salt Lake

Some Clubs find it difficult to accept that their members like to try other clubs. Many express anger, pout, scream disloyalty or display some other negative emotion in their attempt to prevent this practice. Usually the biggest clubs with the "de jure" group of rule makers will be the most narrow minded. They often make people feel guilty.

"There is no truer truth obtainable by people than comes from music."

 

If people are into dancing long enough, the practice of going to another dance club is inevitable. This has existed whenever there have been choices. This practice should not be taken as personal failure or with feelings that the dancers are ungrateful.

If, however, one is losing members on a more permanent basis, it is imperative that corrective measures take place. In the case of the "de facto" rule makers, (cliques, liars and seat controllers) it is very difficult. This does not include member punishment. It does include giving the ordinary everyday dancers more to make the club more attractive. Too many "Thou Shalt Nots" goof up the works.

Dancers going from club to club should be looked upon as a healthy outgrowth as they gain more confidence, skill and independence in their love of dancing. Rather than becoming upset, the top brass should concentrate on ways to keep their members with them most of the time.

"Space Oddity" by David Bowie

If the idea of the revolving door is acknowledged, everyone will benefit as long as new dancers are coming in some door. Getting more dancers in that door is an area that needs much improvement and is greatly neglected. Look at the clubs now that have no classes for beginners at all. How about Gold levels and beyond. My Gawd, too many!

While fair competition is good there is also much to be gained from cooperation specially among the smaller clubs. Dancers have a right to feel free to go where they please and spend their money and time as they see fit without having to justify this to anyone. They should not be made to feel guilt or fear criticism. Let's all try to make it easy for everyone. Happy Dancing.
Jonathan

Review

In the Americas, thousands of years before the arrival of the first illegals from Europe, the original inhabitants were dancing. Hundreds of different dance patterns, but in Alaska and Argentina less because of the extremes of temperature. In the Mexican lands, they developed civilizations with professional musicians and professional dancers. Early on they could differentiate from just step, step, step, to a rock step and a chasse, that even today are recognized all over the world. They produced a rich body of music and dance.

Days of Whine and Noises: Many people in Latin America cannot tell the difference between a Rumba and a Bolero ... And is there anyone that dances the Paso Doble? ... How about Tango? ... Constipation means never having to give a shit ... Pay attention to the famous Viper Tongue of Palladium fame when he is talking to you ... it should give you an idea of what he says about you ... Do our readers care?

"Mi Tierra" por Gloria Estefan

The Rumba and the Cha Cha Cha is being danced all over the entire world as Latin music and dance. Both together, not separate as in you can dance Rumba to it or you can dance cha cha cha to it. Most of it goes together, You must dance Rumba or Cha Cha Cha to that particular music. Then you got it.

The Goodies is out for the week: the latest winning numbers for the 3 prizes. 3 numbers. Or the price, goes down every week, if you wish to buy the item.

1800s Latin

During the 1800s, in the first half of the century, all of the Latin American countries attained their independence from any European country that was in power. And the dancing styles went out in different directions. The Caribbean was a natural because the large amount of trade using ships. And in the lower classes, the sailors took with them whatever they picked up in one harbor and into another.

"Old people look back at the long periods spent picking themselves

off the ground as nothing but wasted time."

The entire lower class of people in Latin America, regardless of the original race or nationality began to develop more pride in their music and dance.  And feel even more on their own as a separate manifestation from anything foreign. Naturally the foreign elements entered into it anyway.

This was during the time of the evolving rhythms for new instruments from Europe. The natural rhythmic beats of percussion that were already there plus the refined melodies of the piano or the requinto guitar, the saxophones, trumpets and trombones. But all was being applied to the basic Indian or Mestizo music and dance.

"Vaya Con Dios" by Les Paul and Mary Ford.

Meanwhile back at the Ranch:

 

Wahiawa Industrial Park consists of two well designed and constructed concrete buildings with excellent access and parking. Each bay has a roll-up door and main-access door. With twenty-five foot clear span, this warehouse is designed for high cube storage.

Wahiawa Industrial Park is located at the north end of Cane Street next to the police station in Wahiawa. And Wahiawa sure needs another one like it. "I coulda got home in 20 minutes." The Park has convenient access to the H-2 Freeway, Schofield Barracks, and Central Oahu.

"Laughter is timeless, Imagination has no age and Dreams are forever."

One of those bays could be converted into a very nice Latin Dance Night Club. They already have a high ceiling, and nice mezzanine could be built. No you don't want it packed every night. close it on Monday night, take a rest, you deserve it.

Social Media

By Francis Yonai, Kona, Big Island

No, I am not an expert in blogging but have been involved for a long time. I have my opinions and fortunately I have many dance friends on this Big Island.

“In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of gossip,

one word of truth may sound like a pistol shot.”

Is your dance club’s social media stale or too corporate? Many still think in terms of the last century. You got a Web Site, you got it made. Few have worried about how many people are going to read it. At first they all had counters, but we all know that counters are not all the same and robot hits can get in and screw up the works. But you can tell if you get 8 average hits per day or if you get 80 hits per day. Many got rid of their counters early. They don't want anyone to see how they are doing. (Not so good.)

Dance Clubs all over Hawaii are still trying to figure out how to use social media and what it can do for their Clubs.  And of course, they don't ask. Using creativity to showcase your club's ideals is brilliant and should be on every club’s social media plan. But doing the same thing as every other club is a snooze and repeating the same posts over and over is - Auwe!

There are items that will be added to your editorial calendar like promotions or specials for your dances or classes but the good stuff that hits the sweet spot of club identity and public interest is based in listening on social media (the people) and taking the temperature of the social media climate. The personal interactions at any gathering of dancers is the gismo that propels interest in reading a blog. The blogs of Calvin from Blackpool are the best examples we have ever seen in Hawaii. The hits must have gone up into the hundreds.

Train Derailed, Chicago

Thursday morning March 7, the train derailed at the junction where Green Line trains can go east or west to the 63rd and Ashland stations. Officials said a train jumped the tracks about 1 a.m. as it pulled into the Ashland/63rd station.

Photographs of the CTA Green Line accident this morning are now available online. The CTA train derailed near 59th street on the south side of Chicago. The photos clearly show that the front two cars actually ended up on separate spurs after the driver ignored the red stop signal and deliberately drove the train, even though safety features shut the train down to prevent exactly this type of CTA train accident.

No one was injured but passengers had to be rerouted to the Garfield station by shuttle bus for several hours until service was restored just before 6 a.m. Three other trains had to be evacuated because power was shut down after the derailment.

The derailment affected both Green and Red Line riders as both lines share the track during the Red Line South construction. The cause of the derailment remained under investigation specially for the fact that when it happened five years ago, they guarnteed that it could not happen again.

Fortunately the Present Rail Party has guaranteed that it cannot happen in Honolulu. It would fall on a lot of people.