Year End Looking Good

We Win Some and We Lose Some.

Too many of our good reader/dancers still think they are doing something for me, which is true in a different sense. The truth remains that I am trying to help the dance community. I have now definitely spread myself too thin so for this coming year I have may have to drop a blog and every one should understand why. I am still a work in process.

"Dear Past: Thanks for all of life's lessons. Dear Future: I am as ready as I will ever be."

Perhaps in a year or so, we will have enough new Two Centers and Guest Authors to make the entire enchilada into one good social media and all the blogs independent from each other.  Many of you will realize that you could use the little bit of the help that I provide. You would have an easy way to share photos and information with your friends, relatives, neighbors and fellow dancers.

We could find more places to dance in the outskirts of Honolulu.

You could phone me or email me the information and photos. It won't cost you a fortune. My door remains open and it still says, "Welcome." Meanwhile we are getting more regular Information Contributors and that is the real meat and potatoes for our reader/dancers.

"Shores Of Haleiwa" by Loyal Garner

From what I hear, the dance community is really getting ready to enjoy the holiday season. You are welcomed to use our blogs.

Emporte Moi by Alain Barriere

Alain Barrière born 18 November 1935 is a French singer, who has been active since the 1950s.

After growing up in a small town on the coast of Brittany, in 1955 Barrière enrolled in Engineering School and as a student he bought a guitar and started to write songs. After graduating in engineering in 1960, he moved to Paris to take up employment, and started to perform in the evenings at small clubs around the capital.

He won a song contest in 1961 with one of his first compositions "Cathy." His style was chanson-based with no concession to the burgeoning yé-yé scene. Nonetheless he was soon signed to a recording contract and started to release singles regularly, enabling him to give up his job and make at least a modest living from music.

"Elle était si jolie" by Alain Barriere

- turned out to be by far the biggest seller of Barrière's career to that point. He released his first album, Ma vie, in 1964 and the title-track became a huge hit. His singing career reached its peak in the latter part of the decade with a string of hits making him one of France's biggest stars and a sell-out live attraction. In 1968 his album contain the unique song, Emporte Moi which went over quite well. However the tune was first recorded by Carlos Santana in 1969 and it subsequently went to Latin America and it acquired a new name, "Y Volvere" and the lyrics in Spanish where it became a smash hit.

"Emporte Moi" by Alain Barriere

Los Angeles Negros a bunch of Indians from Chile recorded and played it, in country after country, all the way to the US. They did not sell well in the US. They took the name from the bible, The Black Angels. but in the US it was interpreted as the Negroes from the city of Los Angeles. Not so good.

Los Bunkers another group of five Indians from Chile recorded and played it, in country after country, all the way to Mexico and then had to return because of the demand in Chile and Argentina. Vicky Carr recorded it in Spanish in the US, and so did various other groups throughout Latin America. I have a beautiful one by Lucero of the top singers in Mexico.

In France Alain kept his fanbase, which ensured his records and concerts continued to provide a good living, despite his being overlooked by sections of the French broadcast media. Barrière married in 1975 and he and his wife opened a nightclub-restaurant in a converted castle in Brittany.

Through bad advice he had many tax problems and he and his family went to the US, came back to France, then went to live Quebec, then back to France again. Shortly afterwards, Barrière released an album of new material, which also sold well. He published an autobiography in 2006 and continues to release both retrospective and newly recorded albums.

“Thanksgiving comes to us out of the prehistoric dimness, universal to all ages and all faiths. At whatever straws we must grasp, there is always a time for gratitude and new beginnings. We can consider our selves fortunate that we have so many good people in our dance community.”

Dance Teachers

By Willard Smith, Waimanalo:

We are fortunate to have some of the best dance teachers in the Pacific right here on Oahu. They are not perfect, but then who in the hell is? They differ in their methods and that is good. They may impose their own styling techniques on students which is all right if the student realizes that it may not be the last word in dance technique. Just do as you are told while you are in the class.

"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add,

but when there is nothing left to take away."

A second opinion? Of course and many find the answers in getting new, different teachers. One of the advantages of HBDA is that they have rotating instructors and you may get different teachers teaching the same dance at different times and that is when you realize the benefits. Pay attention and then dance the way you feel most comfortable. We are social dancers, not clones of anything and definitely not competition dancers.

There are not many teachers that think they know everything because they meet so many others with different dance capabilities. Of course many think in terms of the official syllabus in the different dance societies;. If the total is about 60 steps in Cha Cha Cha and they know 100, they may get "rootzi tootzi." But most realize that there are 600 documented steps in Cha Cha Cha and there is no one on this Island that knows them all.

"Hawaii Aloha" by Loyal Garner

Most teachers realize that they are still in the process of learning, because if they are not learning they are not growing. If they are not growing they are not alive. When anyone stops growing, they begin to rot from the inside out. In our social dance clubs we are less likely to get LAGS. (The Latest And Greatest Syndrome.) Most dancers will keep away from those. Lucky we live Hawaii.

Blogger's Law No 58B:

Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.

 

Latin Progression

It is becoming more evident that Latin music and dance is more prominent in the US mainland than it ever was. The only thing wrong is that it is much too diversified. Salsa and Tango had their fanatics but both are now slowing down throughout the world.

"The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being

either proven right or pleasantly surprised." 

The Tango diversification has slowed down and fusion is developing. In Hawaii, we have the Filipino Tango, the American and the International most prominent. The International is frozen but things are already happening in the Filipino tango and the American dancing on Oahu.

"Sabor A Mi" by Vicky Carr

The Mexican music and dance had been much too diversified but fortunately it is becoming more standardized and many are even accepting Rumba and Cha Cha Cha in their dance functions. There are two or three Mexican dances that are being accepted in regular social dances in the South West. That will make for bigger groups in all of their social dances including the Night Clubs.

In Hawaii, we have yet to see a Latin music and dance function but it may happen next year.

Pub's Side Note: "Not everything that counts can be counted,

and not everything that can be counted counts."

So, What's Doin'?

Long Tail Pro is a a paid tool to make a Blog more profitable. And it seems like many blogs are now developing to create income. Fortunately, most dance blogs (like ours) are still just for the fun of it. And most of us make many mistakes and drag our heels just because we feel like it.

"We may not always get what we want, but think of all those people

who don't have what we have."

I am finding out that simply adding a selection of seed keywords gives me a list to go through that help.speed up the process of getting the information out. As far as specific content ideas the best bets are still the Two Centers that we are due to get on these blogs. Many of our readers are just becoming aware of this need in our dance blogs. And we should all acknowledge that everyone of them is a unique person and all we need is their different honest opinions. That is Social Media.

"Morning Dew" by Melveen Leed

The Neighbor Island dance scene is increasing rather drastically and their stars gravitate to Honolulu because of the money. With the horrible forecast of Down Town Honolulu, (the Rail Disaster,) specially the traffic, Kapolei emerges as the new entertainment center of Oahu with their own Airport and Harbor. There is an increase in social dance clubs and social dancing all over the islands, including Lanai and Molokai, and more Web sites are available to furnish information on the entire dance scene so we don't get much information here. We are willing to help.

"Beautiful Kauai" by Don Ho

The Introduction of the Aloha Ball on the Big Island last month was a big step forward for Hawaii and is sure to be a smashing success next year. There may be attendees from the Philippines and beyond. Two giants of the Dance World are running it. Ron Montez and Tony Meredith, they can't miss. Kalealoa Airport is going to be very busy.

On Maui, the two prominent centers seem to be Lahaiana and Wailuku and they are developing a nice group of dancers and even some Night Clubs with a dance floor. Of course Night Clubs use the term "Dance Floor" rather loosely and we cannot really blame them. And they have much live music. It's the bread, Fred and still tied up to the old principle of making your money on the selling of booze. Things will change slowly.

"What if doing the hokey pokey is really what it's all about?"

For us on Oahu, we are well underway for the planning of the year end celebrations. Looks like a rousing good time for all the dancers. Happy Dancing everyone.

Cha Cha Cha

So you think you can Cha Cha Cha.
By Carlos Pagan, Waipio

More than 60 years ago, a new sound was introduced to the slow Mambo music. This was mostly by musicians that played for "sound," not for dancers.

"He who danceth not, knoweth not the ways of life."

Old Persian proverb

The normal had been to accent the two count and most dancers would break on the two, complete the rock step with the three, and then with this new music, the 4 and 1 as a chassé. The dancers picked up on it and it felt like fun. The Cha Cha Cha that we know at present was born.

"No Quiero Verte Mas" by Pandora

The musicians for "sound," then decide to accent the one, American Style and complete the rock in the two count and the chassé on 3 and 4. They called this the Guapacha. The good Cha Cha Cha dancers picked up and liked it. Others still danced anyway they wished and broke on other counts. Nuttin' wrong wid dat!

Then in New York or Puerto Rico, they decided to get cute and accented the three count, complete the rock on the four count and chasséd on the 1 and 2. This was subsequently named the San Juan. And of course they had to complete the cycle by accenting the four count. I couldn't find the name for it but apparently it was never used much.

Of course, in any Cha Cha Cha music and dance (surely one of the Greats in Latin music and dance) people will be dancing it in on all counts, wherever the man feels it. We should have the utmost respect for the ladies doing such a wonderful job in following a good leader in any style, and there are so many different good follwers out there. These ladies are real Dancers.

"Yo Quiero Mi Cha Cha Cha" by Rene Touzet

The Cha Cha Cha is great in the local night clubs with great Cha Cha Cha music and terrific Cha Cha Cha dancing. Paradise can be here and now.

Rumba

By Humberto Lopez, Niu Valley

Rumba has certainly had a long hard grind. It was never allowed to progress naturally. The professionals from the beginning manipulated the entire thing and the Europeans and the Americans interpreted the dances differently.This would be the first of the Latin (crude, Indian) dances to be of interest to the deluxe people, the rulers of the world.

"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count.

It's the life in your years."

Throughout the Caribbean there were offshoots of the old Guaguanco which was a native Indian dance. and incorrectly connected to Africa because of the predominance of this kind of dancing in people of African descent in the Caribbean. The blacks learned the Indian dances.

"Cuba Rum" by Bo Katzman

Slaves were easy to transport from one island to another and they got around more than the Indians. Occasionally they would transport a good dancer and unknowingly transfer his acquired knowledge to the others. Sailors in the Caribbean also carried the dancing around this area. In 400 years, this had an effect of standardizing the dances of the blacks and the lower class whites throughout the Caribbean and even in the surrounding mainlands.

The Americans knew instinctively that the dance named "Son" that they were looking at with admiration and the music was not what the American people would like. The imported "Son" would be misunderstood by the ordinary music fan and it was renamed Rumba from another Cuban dance. And the music evolved very nicely, millions of dollars were made.

"El Pollito" by Osvaldo Fresedo

Then there was the intentional American avoidance of doing it the "Indian" way because the Americans had the inherited right (same as the English) of doing it the "correct" way from the very beginning. What the hell do the Indians know about dancing? With time we will all know.

“Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events,
weak minds discuss people.”

Appreciation

From Mandy Moore,

My name is Mandy.  I didn’t realize when I walked into Spokane Dance Company that it would play such a tremendous role in the story of my life. I’m a farm girl at heart. Before coming here, I never owned a dress or a pair of high heels. I’ve always been passionate about music, and I came to Spokane Dance to find an outlet; one that could release the beauty of music with the visual fluidity of movement.

"Obsessed is a word the lazy use for dedicated."

The day I walked in, I felt welcome. It was not during business hours, but I was greeted warmly by Mr Gee who later became my primary instructor. I soon met the family of “regulars”. These are people who love dance ... who live to dance. You don’t have to be around long to know who they are.

Before long I was hooked. I attended every class and every social dance. I danced in my kitchen, sometimes at work (when no one was watching), anywhere I could find a good floor. I am a hopeless dance addict.

"Yesterday" by the Beatles.

I’ve learned that dance is a process and is hard work, but it is a labor of love. Through dance, I’ve learned so much more than "steps."  Yes, I’ve learned footwork and technique, but I’ve also learned partnership, dedication, endurance, patience, connection, and respect. I’ve grown as a person through dance. I’ve grown in the relationships in my life. The connection you derive from dance is unlike anything you will ever experience in your lifetime.

"With A Song In My Heart" by Frankie Laine

I’ve danced at all the studios in Spokane. Spokane Dance Company offers the most solid "group class" structure that you can find. They incorporate technique as well as footwork. They offer the widest varieties of dance. They show you how all steps in all dances are all related and cross over. They provide a friendly atmosphere where you can be yourself and have fun, but they can challenge and motivate you to go as far as you are willing and able to go. You can walk in as a small town farm girl and leave as a passionate ballroom dancer. Spokane Dance Company was, and is, my home away from home.

I’m now leaving Spokane and headed to Seattle to pursue competitive ballroom dancing. This is the direction and the story of my life from here on out. I didn’t know that walking into the ballroom that day would change my life. I am ever thankful and would not hesitate to tell anyone that my dancing was rooted from Spokane Dance Company.

Thank you so much for everything! I will miss you all!
Much Love,
Mandy Moore  - Seattle, Washington

The Good People

There are an awful lot of good people among our fellow dancers. Most of us are aware of who they are, at least for the ones closest to us. Last year I tried to give recognition to these Good People, to increase the awareness among all of us and because our blogosphere was becoming more Social Media.

"Darkness can not drive out darkness; only light can do that.

Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

But there were many complications and misunderstandings and some even thought there was some kind of conflict of interest. But at least we can all be certain that at the time, there was no need to spend another minute trying, - Fini - Kaput - Terminado.  Very plain that OP (other people) had made the decision on this item and it was so honored. The reader/dancers should and will be running this show.

"Hello, Goodbye" by the Beatles

We can look forward to the time that we get the first independent blog and they will probably find some way to set it up and get some appreciated results. Meanwhile, there are a million things to do on the present agenda, there is not much time left and I must be on my way to help wherever I can.

It is kind of nice that in some clubs, the socials are not so "private" Everyone is welcome... even if you've never danced an intermediate step in your life! There will NOT be any formal instruction, but people will be on-hand to provide feedback or assistance if requested. Just friendly kind of folks and this is all coming in the new dance clubs.

Latin Music, South America

The 1800s, Mid Century, people were arriving that transformed the Indian Style Milonga into an entirely new dance. In its new development, the Milonga was totally rejected by the upper classes as a dirty street dance. Although, many of the young lower middle class gentlemen, would allegedly visit La Orilla (the Edge, in Buenos Aires) for “instruction” in the new dance, middle class women wanted no part of dancing Milonga.

"Why worry about tomorrow, when today is all we have?"

In La Orilla, partner milonga was being danced regularly and we can considered it as the place and time where the partner milonga was born and continued to evolve. And it was losing its resemblance to the Indian Milonga that was still being danced out in the bush by men only. And about this time a huge population increase was evolving.

Troubles in Europe brought an avalanche of illegal aliens from Europe. Several revolutions, food shortages, famine and other upheavals opened the gates of South America for London, Paris, Rome and Berlin. The news of a new life in the Americas spread like wild fire. There were some families but overwhelmingly, most were single men.

Pub's Side Note: Comments sections are opened and closed when we get too much spam comments. Those programmers are a uncivilized lot, they just don't care. They are now open again. Anyone can comment.

First Edition

I open the first of Sabor Latino blog and I will work it in conjunction with Latin Rhythms in Word Press. Latino Rhythms will operate as sort of a micro but bigger with plenty of action. Hopefully it will build up its own readership and possibly get its own Two Centers and provide good advertising the rest of our blogs.

"Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection

is demoralizing."

Rumba And Waltz will remain in the forefront in the promotion of Latin dancing. Since they are the oldest of the dances in the middle class Latin Societies and much of it remains there. The interesting thing about Waltz is that Latins can dance it American Style to the right music but they can also dance it with a chassé, Viennese Style, to the right music.

"La Media Luz" por Julio Iglesias

When we have a Latin Dance Club on Oahu, these will be the prominent dances, along with Cha Cha Cha, Samba, and Tango. We all know that for the social dancer it is difficult to concentrate just on one type of dance unless you are a "fanatico," (fan for short.) It probably should be somewhere between five and seven dances, I cannot be the judge.

Teaching Dance

Surfing the Internet, A visitor's view.
Teaching by Theodore R. Sizer

I'd like to talk briefly about good teaching. I fear doing this, knowing well how fine teachers differ as their characters and their styles differ. Idiosyncrasy is a virtue to the extent that successful teaching rests on character - and I believe it heavily rests there. By describing a generalized view of good teaching, I may unintentionally signal to you an intolerance of idiosyncrasy. I do not wish to do so. We could have a little more understanding of our differences.

"If your energy is genuine, you are truly happy."

I am also concerned that I may give the impression that I think teaching per se is important. Of course, it isn't; what is only important is what the students learn. By speaking of teaching, I hope I won't muddy the truism that our actions as instructors are a means to an end -- a pupil's knowledge and enjoyment -- rather than an end in themselves.

"Eight Days a Week" by the Beatles

However, with these reservations expressed, let me end. Brilliant teaching, in my view, at its heart reflects scholarship, personal integrity and the ability to communicate with anyone. Fortunately most teachers, amateurs and professionals on Oahu have it.  Aloha.

Blogger's Law #41: All gossip at the Palladium is true. Do not be misled by facts.

Agonizing Reappraisal

The reorganization is happening now. Will update. Latin Rhythms is going to Word Press and I am not doing too good. Very difficult. I will open all blogs and the counters will be deleted from public viewing. That stats are completely haywire with dozens of scam spam robot hits. They think they are doing you a favor by jacking up the hits, but that is not what most of us want. Blogger programmers do not have a clue.

This is all pending, and we shall see what we shall see. Mahalo.

Tea Dance

By Harold Lively, Pupukea

I had a nice weekend and went to work at the office in downtown Honolulu on Monday morning. The usual drag, and the traffic was bumper to bumper and I'm worn out by the time I get to the office. But I put in a good day's work, there was a lot pending. But the ride home is just as bad. I do know I don't have it as bad as those that live in Kapolei.  Nor I will ever have to put up with that Rail Catastrophe.

"Being at peace in our dance world is accepting all this bullshit as irrelevant and temporary."

Next day, Tuesday, same thing. I got most of the preliminaries done for the week but lots of detail, computer work and phone calls and I had to spend a little overtime. And then there is Wednesday, just about the same thing. Fortunately, now, it's the middle of the week.

And I am looking forward to the Midweek Tea Dance after another good day at the office. Some of my fellow workers have agreed to meet after work for the dance at the Hinky Dinky at the Razz Ma Tazz Hotel, just a couple blocks down. And of course, other acquaintances will also be there.

"I'm Beginning To See The Light" by Bobby Darin

After work, I wash up, get a little goop on my armpits and away I go. And getting there at 5:30 is not bad, a nice crowd already there and a few people dancing to a good Cha Cha Cha that sounds like the real thing, Good DJ music.

"Young At Heart" by Frank Sinatra

I order my drink at the bar and carry it over to a table of my friends. And I begin the first of many dances, good conversation and a little snacking. By six thirty, the place is jam packed. Most have realized that dancing to drink, snack and conversation is better than just a Happy Hour any time.

Naturally I meet new people and the whole thing has been very pleasant, but I am ready to leave by nine PM, I have had a very relaxing time and I have another work day, tomorrow. So nice to get out of the parking without a big crowd hassle, the streets easy to navigate and then the clear roadway home is a breeze.

Only one thing wrong, it never happened. There is no such thing as a Tea Dance in Honolulu.
Hal

A Brief On Samba

By Jeffrey Wong, Turtle Bay.

In most of South America when the Europeans arrived the native Indians were very much into the two count measure and many had developed the Chassé into a two or three count step pattern. As most of us know, the Samba is a Brazilian dance. It was originally a native Indian dance in two count measure.

"Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words."

There were a number of different dances by the natives resembling the Samba in different parts of South America. The lower class Portuguese had a Chassé in many of their dances and found it relatively easy to dance the steps to the music in Brazil and at the time, 1500s.

Parade Samba in Brazil, beautiful costumes.

By the time the Negro slaves arrived in the 1600s, it had gone up and down the coast of Brazil under different names because of the Portuguese influence. The Negro slaves took to it readily, since they came from different parts of Africa, the Samba united them on the dance floor. Sambo was applied to children of Negro and Indian parentage and before the century ended, the dance had acquire the name Samba.

"Chica, Chica, Boom, Chic" by Carmen Miranda

As in the Caribbean the original Indian dances were modified with the huge influence of the Negro slaves coming into the territory. There developed a set of dances, rather than a single dance, that defined the Samba dancing scene in Brazil and no one dance can be claimed with certainty as the "original" Samba style. It was solo dance, no partner and they could move to the music anyway they wished.

Partner dancing did not evolve until the 1700s. The basic step most used was the Chassé to the two count. The major influence of the Samba dancing styles in the world is Ballroom Samba which differs significantly and the Professionals took all three dances and combined them to include part of the Maxixe which was on its way down in the 1920s.

"The South American Way" by Carmen Miranda

The man's lead in modern day Samba is a little stronger than other dances because of those three different main rhythms.  It may be necessary to lead with both arms. often with tension in the arms to initiate the lead. Samba in Brazil is a lot more simple using only the Chassé with one basic Chassé and most of the movements that can be made in other dances. It is one of the most fun dances in existence. forward, backward, sideways, turns, left and right, walks, promenades etc. Someday in Hawaii.