The NewYear

We seem to be headed for a beautiful week and I hope everyone enjoys themselves wherever they welcome the New Year. As we can all guess it is happening all over the world.  In spite of the Rich, the poor can enjoy a little too.

"We may get very high or very low on life, but we must accept the fact that we may be sensitive and

that is the way we are. We don't have to hide it and we don't have to fix it, we're not broken."

In California they have dancing all over the place.

"Blue Champagne"  by Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra

Looking Good, I think they are learning from us over there.

"Moonlight Cocktail" by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra

Planning content takes time, effort, research and a greater understanding of what our competitors are doing. Our plan is the foundation that our blog sites are built on and without it, we’re going to struggle to gain traction. So we try to make things as easy as possible for ourselves – put together a solid plan, constantly make changes and start seeing results. Everyone has an opinion and yours is just as valuable as anyone else's. We wait.

The New Year

Christmas is over and we take a deep breath and prepare for New Year's eve. Before the New Year begins, many people still get into the act of retrospection and get ready to make resolutions to live in a better way in the coming year. People of the younger set are discarding this.

"We can wish us all, the Sweetest Sundays, Marvelous Mondays,
Tasty Tuesdays, Wonderful Wednesdays, Thankful Thursdays,
Friendly Fridays, Successful Saturdays, Have a Great Year."  

Some of the most common resolutions for all people. "I will be be less grumpy/ drink less or no alcohol/ eat right/ gain or loose weight/ get a better education/ get a better job/ get fit/ pay off debt(s)/ quit smoking/ reduce stress/ save money/ take a trip/ volunteer to help others.

"Media Luz" por Julio Iglesias 

It may be an example of the "rolling forecast method" of planning, in which plans are established at regular short or medium-term time intervals, when only a rough long-term plan exists. On Oahu each dancer will do their own thing. No Hu Hu.

In the Latin sector, Bachata is taking over for Salsa very nicely. In the social dance Rumba music and dance is coming into more prominence. So we adjust very nicely and everyone will have a Nice Twenty Fifteen.

Happy Holidays

What ever happened to Merry Christmas? But I guess we should accept the different versions out there. Most Christians just celebrate the birth of Jesus even if none of us is sure of his real birthdate. And throughout the world "tis the season to be jolly." We do a very good job of it in Hawaii.

"It's true, Christmas can feel like a lot of work, particularly for mothers. But when we look back on all the
Christmases in our lives, we'll find we've created family traditions and lasting memories. Those
memories, good and bad, are really what help to keep the families together over the long haul.”

Dancers are a little more subdued on Christmas and many spend the time with their families which should be very nice. Many of the single folk will still party. The leeward coast seems to be unusually quiet. Don't know about town.

"Silent Night"

And some of us are already planning the New Year which is nice. I plan to consolidate Dance Waianae and Platinum Horseshoe blog into one bigger one. The evidence is there. The new year will help it along. The Leeward Coast has been awakened very nicely by the Rail Catastrophe and Second City will make a name for itself.

Merry Christmas

This blog riding very nicely in the background. We can be patient and next year it should start rolling. There are some people interested and only my physical disabilities hold me up from making personal contact with the Latin sector. You got something to share with the reader/dancers, email it in. We can be sure that it would be appreciated by everyone.

"Maybe Christmas doesn't come in a store or with expensive presents.

It can mean much more than that."

We will be in the process of defining Latin music and dance in Hawaii. And I certainly cannot do it. That means, the Information Contributors and the Guest Authors in all of our blogosphere will do it. Even they will need help from their fellow dancers.

"Moliendo Cafe" por Azucar Moreno

For instance, the famous Cuban Motion The slow count with Toe - Heel in two counts. This  pattern has been a natural for all the Indian Dances for thousands of years. A good example is in most of the  present day Indian dances in the US. Toe, Heel, Toe, Heal.

"Drummer Boy"

As the Cuban Motion, it is a subtle but meaningful hip movement achieved by the bending and straightening of the knees with a carefully timed weight transfer. Very difficult for people limited to using the upper torso and the arms in dancing. The kids lost a lot of it in the transformation of Mambo to Salsa.

"I'll Be Home For Christmas"

In both the Fred Astaire and Arthur Murray factions, it has also been considered the same as Rumba Motion. One of these days they will get together and agree on one syllabi and then wow! The entire world is theirs.

"Silent Night"

Hopefully they could make the Bronze and the Silver larger. And eliminate the Gold from regular dancers. Recommended for exhibition and competition dancers only. Just so that the distinction is there. We are not the same dancers but we don't have to get mad at anyone. Merry Christmas and Happy Dancing.

Year End and We Know Everything.

This will be our first attempt to get people out of their little cubby holes and out into the open world and perhaps even beyond that with the Universe. Specially since we will be developing the Universal Style of social dance. This is our approximate world, in which we are the biggest planet among these "minor" ones.

Most of us are well aware of these particular planets relatively close by, from our studies in our public schools. We haven't been often aware of the relative sizes. Perhaps a little, now and then, from Magazines and Newspapers. You can see that Pluto, Mercury and Mars are way too small for us human beings. Venus would be just about the right size if we could get it colder, it is just too damn hot.. We have too many people in this world, and we are sending too many beautiful species into extinction, so we have to find someplace else to go.

"The idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, should be very simple: being good to others.
But, come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?”

Meanwhile Ballroom dancing does seem to be increasing throughout the world, Partner dancing is fusing with the American style of social dance. And any country that is more isolated than the others will eventually develop their own version of what they consider Ballroom Dancing. Happens all the time. Specially when you figure there are over 700 documented steps and patterns for the Salsa alone.

"The Twelve Days Of Christmas"

We seem to be going in the right course in the Pacific. The Philippines will be leading the way, because they have done it for so long. However, International was getting their foothold in and it seems to have gone as far as it will. All we can do is wait and see. The Pacific Coast on the Mainland is doing very well in American Style with plenty of Fred Astaire and Arthur Murray studios. Once those two come to an agreement, it would be definite. The night clubs are predominate in American Style just for fun. Same as in Hawaii Night Clubs.

On Oahu, the American style had been decreasing and even many of the Teachers in that style were learning the International without ever having intentions of competiting. And of course a competition dance is meant to be danced in a competition. They have their rights. But social dance as being accepted in night clubs and there is a faction of learning for show. They even teach "Salsa Styling" for women.

But I look forward to the American Style doing very well in the Leeward side of the Island. And I certainly can see some of the best dancers on this island emerging very nicely. We have a good year ahead of us.

"Education is the most powerful tool we can use to change our world."

Viña Del Mar, Chile

The Greater Valparaiso Area in Chile is home to 5 municipalities and one of them is Viña (Vineyard) del Mar, known for its placid resorts, malls, extensive coastal high buildings, hotels and various entertainment venues.

"Me and you is friends, I smile, you smile. You hurt, I hurt,
If you jump off a bridge, I'm gonna miss your emails."

It has become one of the most touristy cities of Chile, and one of the most internationally recognized. It is called the Garden City because it has much green areas and large parks along it. Also some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.



The most popular beach resort in the country, Viña del Mar is within reach of both Santiago and Valparaiso. Viña teems with tourists during peak months December, January and February, despite Antarctic currents that make swimming a little rough.

"Como Yo Te Ame" by Luis Miguel

The Viña del Mar International Song Festival is a music festival held annually during February since 1960 in Viña del Mar, Chile. In this century it is considered one of the most important musical events in the entire World.



The Festival features a song competition on two categories (pop music song and folk song). And it is interspersed with performances by international music stars from around the world, encompassing such diverse genres as rock, pop music in various languages, merengue, salsa, bachata and others.

"Como Te Ame" by Yuri

Pub's Side Note: To our reader/dancers, please consider yourselves, now and henceforth, and no matter what anyone ever asks of you, free to do any damned thing you want as long as it doesn't hurt someone else unnecessarily.

Christmas is something else.

"Paranormal experiences, dissociational states, expressions of deep inner feelings, mystical experiences, and intense emotion generated by participating in a dance are usually associated with non-Western, nonindustrial, or indigenous cultures." Anyone know what these experts on dance are talking about? For us it is just Christmas and we shall dance.

"Christmas is not a time nor a season but a state of mind To cherish peace and goodwill,

to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas."

In our 21st century dance world, such out of body states may be represented in artistic performance, as with the expressionist choreography. Though some work has been done to integrate experiences of altered states of consciousness into scholarly discourse, this area requires attention for other people.

"Joy To The World"

As suggested by ancient Greek Poetics and Sanskrit Natyasastra frame dance, understandings of human movement are not uniform across cultures. In the early twenty-first century, collaboration among researchers from different intellectual traditions reveals differences in research methods, modes of interpretation, analytical vocabularies, descriptive categories, and goals in dance research. There are going to be many changes made this coming year and we will make many of them.

"In The Little Town Of Bethlehem"

Fortunately for us dancers on this Island of Oahu, we shall try to keep the peace on this Island and everywhere else on earth too. And we wish everyone the best of seasons.

Update

This blog is way behind in hits but it is to be expected. When we get the other ones going, this one will follow suit. As long as they stay in double digit average daily hits they will be just fine. Meanwhile I must make a lot of adjustments and be patient in awaiting the Information Contributors.

"When they advise you to be creative, they don't mean you should all go

and become great poets and artists. They simply meant to let your

life be a painting, let your life be a poem."

All the other blogs in our blogosphere remain linked with each other, because they will all have Latin music and dance and "Dancers." Though they will have other aspect of dance to work on. This blog will try to help all those interested in Latin Music and Dance.

"Perdoname" by Camilo Sesto

Mexican music is coming in although getting screwed up with some modern crap. Never mind that almost no media outlet has reported on this new wave of narcocorridos -- alternately called el movimento alterado ("the altered movement" -- "altered" as in "high as shit") or corridos enfermos ("sick corridos") until now, and now everyone is tripping on themselves to report this "new" news. It should be over soon.

Just got back from the VA, terrific people. Two or three time a year I forget and tell someone at the VA that they are magicians for what they do for me. They are rather modest about it and tell me that they merely know their business and it is their duty to help me as much as they can. If I had a million dollars I couldn't ask for anything more than that.

"Maui Waltz" by Loyal Garner

So Rome was not built in a day. I will continue to try to help wherever I can. However, there are those who think I am receiving too much from their "good looks, talent, fame and good fortune." It is their decision and I will respect. Meanwhile, I have to find those I can help and I do not have too much time. I have work to do and I must be on my way. Merry Christmas to all.

A Good Season

Dancing in Town for the Christmas Season seems to be going all out. There will be dancing on the Rooftops and in the Streets? No of course not, not in Honolulu. But Ala Moana Shopping Center seems to be drawing high level Night Club action and less parking problems. And with the Rail Disaster the parking is going to get worse. In 2015, $400 per month parking permits? Wow!

"We must close some doors, not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance,

but simply because they no longer lead somewhere."

One of the most important things I have for content planning is using an spreadsheet calendar. It’s very easy to manage and I can plan most of my blogs very effectively. I find that I maximise my productivity by using an editorial calendar, get more done in less time and keep organized. I am learning.

"I'll Never Smile Again" byTommy Dorsey

I hope I can get rid of my best blog this coming year. I want to see those that get in, run it up to the heavens in hits. First as Two Centers by Emailing info and photos. Then when they are ready as Guest Authors, they can get in whenever they damn well please. Write what they want, post all the photos they want, save and publish, close, without saying "boo" to anyone. And we will accept that none of us are clones of the others, each is their own individual self.

"Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho

The Biggest group remains the Social Dancers for want of better terminology. They are very nicely mixed with night club dancers, party dancers and the various social dance clubs on the Island. The rest are peripherals, such as Tango, Salsa - Bachata, Swing, Line and perhaps International Style of Dance. All can be friends except when some begin to feel that they can look down on the hoi polloi. The social part deteriorates from that point.

At any rate, the situation is no longer in doubt. It is definitely improving for all of us and we are going to have a Merry Christmas.

Aquellos Ojos Verdes

"Green Eyes" has been a popular song for over eight decades. The song, a bolero-rumba, was written in 1929 and recorded in Cuba the same year. It was the only major hit, both originally in Cuba and then again in the Latin community in New York for Cuban pianist Nilo Menéndez. The lyrics were supplied by Cuban tenor Adolfo Utrera.

There may come a time when we will wonder why somebody doesn't

do something about it. It may take a little while to we realize,

"Hey, We are somebody."

The English translation was made by Eddie Rivera and Eddie Woods in 1931 but did not become a major hit till ten years later when recorded by the Jimmy Dorsey orchestra. The recording was made on March 19, 1941 with vocals by Helen O'Connell and Bob Eberly and released by Decca Records. The flip side was "Maria Elena." The record first reached the Billboard charts on May 9, 1941 and lasted 21 weeks on the chart. Since "Maria Elena" was also a #1 hit, this was a major double-sided hit recording.

From the book, Diary of a Street Dancer by Walter Darian:

There I was in San Juan, Puerto Rico thirty years later. I told the guard that there was a bar outside the gate named "La Riviera." He smiled and matter-of-factly said, "Ees steel dere." I knew just where to look, the building was the same except for a modern sign. Inside it had changed to a modern disco joint and a lone bartender handled the near empty bar.

I ordered a drink and then turned searching for it. "It" stood in a nearby corner, squat, dark and nondescript. Much unlike the original, with its attractive, colorful oval top. Hoping to find a tune I could recognized I walked over but there was nothing and it was off anyway. The bartender offered to turn it on. I waved him off and 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, white hat on the back of my head (to show my curly black hair, which too was gone.)

I ordered another drink and that familiar mellow feeling was starting to take hold. In my reverie I could almost hear Jimmy Dorsey's great hit record "Green Eyes." Bob Eberly on that first vocal --- followed by that great swing part by the band and Jimmy on sax. Then Helen O'Connell coming in very quietly with "soft light," and building up to her sexy, unforgettable description of those six little words -- "those cool and limpid green eyes s s,"

If this is not understood by someone, no hu hu. Modern days are not the same. that's all. And there is a reason for the Oldies but Goodies.

Music and Videos

Everybody is busy with their Christmas party set up and I don't get much information. But it can be understandable. If I am not physically capable of getting the information and no one can send it in, we must all accept.

"Dance the dance you dance. Don't feel that you must dance
the dance that people who dance dance." 

Meanwhile I am making contact with many people interested in showing others, that dancing can be a just cause. From history we learn that suffering for a just cause is worthy. We are fortunate that in our social media blogs we can bat it around all we want. And dancing is one of those few activities that can provide a lifetime of pleasure.

"Morning Dew" by Melveen Leed

I shall try to help those whose interest is in music and dance. Hopefully I can convince a lot of people to get some good speakers on their computers. There is so much good music that they can get from so many sources on the Internet, just tune in and listen. And of course there are plenty of videos too.

I have found that I like to see the person singing my favorite song much better than just listening. I just saw Artie Shaw and his Band playing Begin The Beguine. For an oldster like me, it is most beautiful even if it is only in black and white, the music sounds better than ever.

"Take Me Home Country Road" by Bruddah Iz

I have given away, my tape recorders, video recorders and DVD players. I have given away all my tapes, VHS tapes and still in the process of giving away my music and dvd albums. All of my music and videos are on my computer. Many I just watch and hear the music direct from the Internet on my computer.

Of course, you also have the choice of getting some good earphones and not bother anyone in the near vicinity. Digital music is all the same, the reception will be different according to ability of the speakers or the earphones. The videos will be from very fuzzy to clear, but as long as you can see the action it can still be quite pleasant.

Then there are methods of downloading the music or the video to your computers and then you can play them anytime you wish and wherever you wish. You do not have to be connected to the Internet. I use the set up on my laptop with ear buds on the trip back from town late at night. It may take two hours to get to Nanakuli but looking at my favorite videos with my favorite music can make it a very short time.

Waianae and Latin Dance

Waianae has been sporatic with dancing throughout the years. Not as much as Ewa Beach but they have had some. The last commercial dancing was at Tacos And More in Waianae and they had the traditional Latin Salsa but for some reason or another it was discontinued.

"We can dance because there is no greater feeling in the world than moving to our favorite piece of music and letting the rest of the world go by."

The owners are Mexican so they do not have to be beholden to Caribbean music and dance. The Mexicans have ten times more music and dance the entire Caribbean. So some analysis must occur. The basis on this Island, in International, American, Night Clubs is the same. Rumba, Cha Cha Cha, Samba and Tango. The ideal place for the Latin Club is in Waianae adjacent to Tacos And More.

A few Mexican places on the Mainland have added the Rumba. the Cha Cha Cha and Merengue. Mexicans are also receptive to the Latin Waltz. The Salsa has its own experts and now have an additional dance, Bachata. And since they are the younger dancers, they are prone to the fads syndrome. No hu hu, we can all just accept, that it happens.

"Por El Amor De Una Mujer" by Julio Iglesias

Never mind that many music groups in the Mainland USA have hit their height in Mexican culture in the last two years. Now comes what apparently has been there for some time, dancing the "American" Rumba using Mambo steps and Rumba styling. It is a natural, and easily led and followed by most dancers. I finally found some mention of it on the Mainland as dancing Salsa step patterns in American Rumba fusion.

I had come across it on Oahu using the Mambo and only a couple times using the Salsa basics. Should be the same but what the hell do I know?  It stands to reason that most of those Caribbean dances use the Rock step and the slow step. Salsa is a more progressive basic pattern, resembling the International style Rumba basic. So that using the basic Salsa and doing all the American Rumba step patterns (and they can all be done) you have a good fusion of dance for the younger people to crossover.

"Hanalei Moon" by Loyal Garner

Then you also have the best dance floor in the West, right there at the Waianae District Park just waiting for the new Waianae Dance Club or maybe Waianae Latin Dance Club.

Evolving

There is more than just one type of blog post and in these blogs we are getting close to what most  of us want. Any blog will do it as long as we can get the contributors of the information to share with the rest of us. That is social media.

"Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, 
breaking rules, making mistakes, and having a ball."

It’s easy to get wrapped up in writing a single type of blog post, that’s why it helps to have a list of all the different types of blog posts that you could write if you wanted and the same goes for content types. It’s all too easy to simply publish blog posts when there is so much more. The Two Centers ar the moment are the most crucial.for our blogosphere.

I understand why there may be underlying reasons why you avoid certain content types, but maybe there are some that you could easily put into action which you haven’t thought of. The type of content that you can do quite well and involves taking your own unique content and tweaking it so it can be converted into another content type in some other way.

"Beautiful Kauai" by Loyal Garner

Whichever content type you want to go from and to, you can do it and in our blogs you have a choice. Try it out for yourself and see how well it works for you. It’s all too easy to simply publishing blog posts when there is so much more. Whichever content type you want to go from and to, you can do it here. Try it out for yourself and see how well it works for you.

American Rumba

We have some changes coming up specially if they get a Fred Astaire Studio in Kapolei. The basic step in Rumba that is usually danced in social dancing is the Arthur Murray basic. Not the Caribbean basic but Arthur Murray's basic. From the beginning the Rumba was not what was exported. It was the Son.

"It may take a year or ten years, but what is meant to be,

will always find its way."

The differences were compounded by Arthur Murray who decided that the basic Rock Step and the Slow step was too complicated for the ordinary American dancer, He had no idea that the rock - slow step was used throughout the Caribbean in most dances. Son, Beguine, Calypso etc, And nowadays used in Mambo and Salsa. Even in International Rumba. It was a basic Indian movement.

"Begin The Beguine" by Artie Shaw

He then used the Square step for the basic and all the rest of the simple patterns remained the same. Everybody seem to pick up on it nicely. Fred Astaire used the same square step when he began to set up his studios, in his very varied dancing and was sued by Arthur Murray. There had always been a square box step in dancing, but the courts did not know much about dancing and ruled in favor of Arthur Murray.

"Sea Mi Condena" by Pandora

Fred Astaire then changed his Square step from slow, quick, quick to quick, quick, slow and got away with it. So the two schools remained, leading to the screwed up mess that it is today. Then since most of the competitions are run by the Fred Astaire Organization, you can guess what basic is used in Rumba. The alternative basic now being used in the mainland is the rock step and slow similar to basic in International and you break on the accented beat. It may be the one we will end up using on Oahu. Time will tell.

"Morning Dew" by Melveen Leed

With plenty of good Rumba music out there, and being one of the most comfortable partner dances in the world today, there is no doubt the Rumba will survive to the end of this century. The fusion is moving very nicely. I like it and it should be in pretty good by next year in the West. Watch it.

"The more rewarding things in life are often the ones that

looked like they couldn't be done."

Pub's Side Note: The happiest reader/dancers and the unhappiest reader/dancers are our most valuable Two - Centers. And their tremendous value is the fact, that they have their own unique opinions. Come on, share it with your fellow dancers.