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What are we going to do?

Well, I live in Nanakuli, so I have to think of the Waianae Coast first. I have to go to Makaha Resort to check out the dancing. There are bars there so that will not be problem, I can sit down and have me a Rum & Coke. I must go on a Saturday night when it is most likely they will have some dance action.

"New Year's Day is every person's birthday."

Second is a good run in the daytime, down the coast with my PR copies, making sure that Waianae High School and Waianae District Park get a couple copies. And say something to them.

Then make another run later down all the way to Nanakuli and prepare the Kapolei contacts. The biggest problem remains to find a Community Center that will admit ballroom dancing. They are notorious for keeping dancing out of the centers.

I must divide Kapolei into three parts, the Kapolei Chapter HBDA and its neighbors in the evening, the schools and the Hawaiian Center on one run and the Shopping Center in the third run in the daytime. I will have to ask questions about the Ko'ilina Resort and maybe put that on the agenda for the future.

"Making resolutions is a cleansing ritual of self assessment and repentance that demands personal honesty and, ultimately, reinforces humility. Breaking them is part of the cycle."

Next I will have to make the Ewa run which includes Ewa Beach. I must make sure that I include Crestview Community Park and Pearl City Manana Community Park both for line dancing. That I must do first. We need line dance information on our blogs.

"Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion

from Up Close and Personal (1996) - This song was written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster. It hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for 6 weeks beginning in March 1996. It won the Grammy for Best Song Written For Motion Picture or Television and was also nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

That is about all for the January Agenda except that I will be including more information from line dancing, we need that for all the blogs. The entire agenda makes for interesting traveling and my bicycle keeps me in shape. I may make to 85 in September.

"Easy Street: Always a dead end or a blind alley."

Da Latest

From the Internet:
Many people writing something don’t really enjoy the editing process because by and large it’s the least creative part of writing a blog. Still it’s the most necessary. One of the writers I’ve read compared the editing of his manuscript to cleaning a dirty light shade. He said eventually and as more and more layers were stripped away, the real meaning of what he was getting at was left shining through.

Many times people overlook the basics in self editing and sometimes technology makes it hard to concentrate on what you need to. For instance, even though the Word program has a spell check that many people use, and it does catch some things, it’s not the best for deciding what you want to do about others. For example this program will alert you to the fact that words like there and their are often mixed up but it’s up to you to understand the difference and the correct usage for each word.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use automated spellcheckers. What it does mean is that you should understand the limitations of each so that when you’re using them, you’ll know what might have slipped through the cracks.

In the end there’s really no substitution for reading your blog out loud and keeping your eyes focused for any spelling and grammar mistakes. Concentrate, it’s easy to let your mind wander away and that’s why I find reading the text out loud to yourself is the best method to catch mistakes. When you’re finished with a careful self edit, you’ll be pleased with the way the blog sounds afterwards.

"Time has no divisions to mark its passage, there is never a thunder-storm or blare of trumpets to announce the beginning of a new month or year. Even when a new century begins it is only we mortals who ring bells and fire off pistols."

Many still are not in agreement with the rock step which is used in maybe 2000 different dances. It is a basic movement. What do you do? You rock! As per usual you have six different "rocks." And the first part of the rock step, in ordinary dancing, is called the "break."

1. You break forward on your left foot and rock back on your right.
2. You break forward on your right foot and rock back on your left.

3. You break backwards on your left foot and rock back on your right.
4. You break backwards on your right foot and rock back on your left.

5. You can break to your left with your left foot and rock back to your right with your right foot.
6. You can break to your right with your right foot and rock back to your left with your left foot.

Yes there are two others but they are usually used in dancing where the prime objective is to be seen. Not necessary for the Universal dancer.

Easy as pie and you will do that often in many different dances but you will learn to move just a little bit different in each one according to the music. It will tell you.
You've come a long ways, baby.

"Success does not consist of not making mistakes, but in never making the same mistake a second time."

Dream To Dance, 2010 Sked.

Wishing you a HAPPY & HEALTHY NEW YEAR!

DREAM TO DANCE 2010 Group Lessons
661 Auahi St., Suite 201, Honolulu 96813 (between Keawe St & Coral St)
Debby Borges Barboza @ 372-5574
dream_to_dance@msn.com , www.DreamToDance.com

SESSION 1
Tuesday--Beginner SALSA 7-8 pm $10. or $35./4
Tuesday--Intermediate SALSA 8-9 pm $10. or $35./4
December 22, 29, January 5, 12_______________________

Thursday--WALTZ 7-8 pm $10.
_ January 7, 14______________________ _

SESSION 2
Tuesday--Beginner SALSA 7-8 pm $10. or $45./5
Tuesday--Intermediate SALSA 8-9 pm $10. or $45./5
February 2, 9, 16, 23, March 2

Thursday--HUSTLE & Night Club 2 Step 7-8 pm $10. or $35./4
__ February 4, 11, 18, 25, March 4


PRIVATE LESSONS BY APPOINTMENT
Studio rental time available for lessons and practice

SalSAturday w/ DJ Rod el Moreno de la Salsa
Guest DJ Ray Cruz, Dec. 19 & 26, Jan. 9, 16, 23
9 pm-12 am Saturdays, $5. with beginner lesson 8:30 pm
plus Swing & Ballroom dancing 7:30-9 pm before salsa
dance on 4th Saturday of month (See dates listed below)
Note: no lesson on 4th Saturday,
Studio Dance Parties for 2010, 7:30 pm-12 am
Swing & Ballroom Dance plus DJ Rod for the Salsa Dance
January (Sorry, there is no ballroom dance this month)
February 27, Saturday
March 27, Saturday
April 24, Saturday
May 22, Saturday
June 26, Saturday
July 24, Saturday
August 28, Saturday
September 25, Saturday
October 30, Saturday, HALLOWEEN DANCE
November 27, Saturday
December 4, Mark your calendar for the
HOLLY JOLLY TROLLEY dance, Saturday

She will send updates to her students and friends every month.

From Julia McCormick: Sent from my iPod

Subject: Don't Panic!!!
IF A FAT GUY IN A RED SUIT GRABS YOU AND PUTS YOU IN A BAG,.......
DON'T Panic, I TOLD SANTA I WANTED A GOOD FRIEND FOR CHRISTMAS!

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle in their journey. Thank God and them for the opportunity to walk this leg of their journey with them.

Merry Christmas!!!! aka.... Mele Kalikimaka!!!

"What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?"

From El Intruso.

Dancing on the "2": The Western Fluke of History
By Aristides Raul Garcia (aka Ari, aka Intruso)

Early fifties, by all accounts, at that time there were no Latino Dance teachers in NYC. So Westerners teaching Ballroom dances were called to service. Since everything Cuban was "in", or perhaps for practical reasons, they took the "Cuban" step sequence I described above to teach the newcomers.

To them it was, and still is, inconceivable that a dance could have a step sequence beginning in one frame and ending in the next, such as the step sequence for the Son. Much more inconceivable for them to have the accent of the music to be on the 4. For the western dance teacher, at least in those days the 3 step dance sequence had to fit into the 1234 "box".

"Even If My Heart Would Break"
by Aaron Neville with Kenny G.

In a way they were lucky, because once two of those old fashion "Cuban" dancers got over the "protocol" step, to the well trained eye of the Ballroom teacher, who was totally unfamiliar with the feeling of Latin music, those dancers looked like they were dancing 234 etc. And so, they started to teach the Mambo on the 2.

Their "luck" also turned out to be their misfortune, for ever since then they have had to come up with all kinds of senseless explanations for this non-existent accent on the 2, as well as dirty tricks to make their students "feel" the accent. '"

"Se Acabo" by Lucia Mendez

They should have changed the Tumbao, switch the slap and the TumTum around. Luckily, that was beyond their powers. The rubbish placed around the "House of the Two", to protect it, is threatening to fall on top of it. According to dancers of The New York 2, you do a step on the one, and "break"on the 2. I don’t know of any 2 dancer in New York stepping on the 1. That is international (British) style which is wrong.

In a future article I plan to include my views about Eddie Torres’ teaching and his video. Also, an explanation as to why the Clave beat is for everyone. Finally, I will like to raise the question: "Do people really dance to one particular beat on the music (like horses), or is there something more human involved which can help to explain the diversity of ways in which people dance?"

The Rootzi Tootzis will never understand that. Never, Never. Never. It is an impossibility. Once they know everything nothing can convince them differently.

"All that glitters is not gold."

Merry Christmas

So many things to do, I may as well get this one over with. Merry Christmas everyone and I hope to make more contact after Christmas. I hope everyone enjoys their Christmas as they usually do.

Most people are going to their own private parties which sounds pretty good to me. And there are not too many dances scheduled for this time of the year. Then I suppose too, that many will be preparing to welcome the new year in. All indications are that it will probably be a good year for all.


There are plenty of parties for New Year's in Waikiki. I don't know too much about the West yet.

"Once again we find ourselves enmeshed in the Holiday Season, that very special time of year when we join with our loved ones in sharing centuries-old traditions such as trying to find a parking space at the mall. We traditionally do this in my family by driving around the parking lot until we see a shopper emerge from the mall, then we follow her, in very much the same spirit as the Three Wise Men, who 2,000 years ago followed a star, week after week, until it led them to a parking space." ~ Dave Barry

Merry Christmas

American Style in the UK?

Ballroom not exciting enough (adapted from another article.)
When talking to young people learning to dance in England they often hear that they find Ballroom dancing a little boring due to the restrictions it comes with: the permanent body contact being the main one. For that reason they often prefer Latin dances or even go for disco or jazz instead. There is however an easy way to make Ballroom more exciting for people of all ages - it is the way they dance it in America.

What is American Smooth
American Smooth can be best described as a form of ballroom dancing with an enhanced repertoire of easy to perform, yet exciting steps All basic principles and the technique of ballroom dancing still apply, however partners are not required to maintain a continuous body contact. Lifting the body contact restriction allows the dancers to perform steps such as: lady under arm turns, spins, side by side positions, parallel turns, dips, drops and other variations that would never be allowed in the traditional International Style dancing. Anyone who has ever learned ballroom dancing will find American Smooth very easy to learn, yet refreshing due to its interesting, rich syllabus.

The music used for American Smooth, Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz and Foxtrot is basically the same as that used for Ballroom as we know it in Europe, with the exception of quickstep, which is not danced in the American Smooth style. The closest dance you have is the Peabody. In other words you can surprise your friends by dancing a totally new choreography to almost any ballroom dance music.

American Smooth comes to UK
Dancesport UK has invited Mr Anderson Moore, himself a former Fred Astaire Rising Star Champion to come to London to train the first generation of American Smooth dance teachers. We may expect in the next few months schools around the country starting to offer classes in American style Ballroom too. Consequently the competitions will follow suit. American Style is also invading Europe. There should be a law.

"The Church does not superstitiously observe days, merely as days, but as memorials of important facts. Christmas might be kept as well upon one day of the year as another; but there should be a stated day for commemorating the birth of our Saviour, because there is danger that what may be done on any day, will be neglected."

Meanwhile the Stats for first twenty days of December show that the three of the blogs. Town Dancer, Dancing in the Dark and Inter Island Dance News are down. Probably because of the new blog in town. Of course they will not remain there for long. We have work to do.

We all need information about the line dancing and the line dancers. And we also need information about our three Dance Studios. Keep On Dancing Studio (which includes Doug), Dream To Dance Studio and Al Franz Dance Studio. We need input (information) from the studios of small items and perhaps even a photo. This should give the rest of the readers the everyday acknowledgement of the existence of the Studios.

Then there is the puzzle of Dance West Oahu and West Oahu Dance. The old blog about to be deleted and the new one. Together they racked up more the 70 average hits per day. I simply cannot explain it. Somebody is going to point it out. Always does, I don't have the solutions to everything. We shall see what we shall see at the end of the month.

"Iris" by The Goo Goo Dolls

And of course we mustn't forget the other everyday opportunities that exist. Look into Dancing in the Dark blog and you will read items about dancing that you will not find anywhere else. That is what I call "publishing a blog."

"Genius has its limitations but vanity and stupidity have no limits."

From Debby

From Debby

Wishing you health, happiness and hugs.
Happy Holidays from Carlos and Debby Barboza
at Dream To Dance.

"Jingle Bells"

Additional from Debby:

Peace in your hearts,
in your home and at work.

A very Merry Christmas Dancers!

Debby and Carlos Barboza
Dream To Dance

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Come to HBDA's New Year's Eve Ball

It's just around the corner. Celebrate with us on New Year's Eve at Hilton Prince Kuhio Hotel. Dining, dancing, entertainment, games. Get your tickets now!

Music

What's there to know about it? "I know what I like and I know what I don't like." There is some truth to it. That person just doesn't go far enough.

I always like to divide everything into three parts. "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly." (that was a nice movie) So we have the divisions graded fr0m the usual zero to 10. In this case, 0 would be for music that is nothing, but there is always something so we can skip that. And we know there is no ten because none of it perfect.

That leaves us with three divisions and each divided into three.

#1, 2, and 3 levels are the kind of the music we are most likely to hear. The billions of tapes that are produced daily. The music in the earphones of millions as they go about their business or that is heard on radios or in Malls. You hear it because it is there but not really. When they drop in sales, they are sold at Walmart for a dollar.

#4, 5, and 6 levels are songs that have never been really much or have at one time may been consider very nice. They were pushed by the record companies and their advertising media to promote and sell the music and they have made millions. When they drop in sales, they are sold in bins at the Kmart for 3 dollars.

#7, 8, and 9 levels may be worthy of the level. Some may have been there just because of intense promotion and they will fall by the wayside like many of the others. Some (a very few) will emerge as classics. Fortunately most of these classics will be danceable simply because they were good. They will be danced by the Universal dancers over and over again in sheer joy.

From the total, there may have been only 20 to 30% that can be considered danceable, and not everyone will automatically know which are which. Most of the time, there is only one way to find out, "dance it." Even then opinions may differ.

For most people music and dance are an equal partnership. But not for everyone. In exhibition, theatrical, acrobatic and competition, music is a much lesser partner to the dance. The dancing is the important part of the whole. The Rootzi Tootzis can dance entire routines "without" any music at all. Simply amazing!

"Share Your Thoughts"

For the Universal or Traditional dancer, the right music is almost the whole thing, and the movement is just to enhance the pleasure of the music. The dance is definitely of secondary importance. And these are supposed to be the real dancers. But the feeling they get can be at its highest plane.

Dance Aliamanu's 1st Anniversary & Charity Ball

We still have some tickets left and will know on Tuesday at our Anniversary/Charity Ball meeting how many we have left. We know we've sold over half the tickets and may be close to our goal of 400 tickets.

We have a lot of dancers and non-dancers attending this fun and exciting event. There will be a lot of general dancing so bring your dance shoes.

If anyone is interested in coming to our ball and having a great time, they should contact either Maurice Morita, the dance instructors, or me. I can be reached at 372-2256 and Maurice's phone number is on the flyer.

Melveen Leed, Kehau Christian, Michele Choy, & Kim Anderson are a few of the celebrities/vips that will be performing.

Mahalo,
Lynn


January 15, 2010, sounds like a long ways off. But, it's less than a month away. Sounds like it's going to be a fun event put on by good people, and tickets are going fast. We got our tickets. Did you? Better hurry, if you want to go! If you can't read the fine print on the flyer, just put your cursor on it and click to enlarge.

From Yanna & Lucas

   Season's Greetings from

Divino Ritmo Dance

  We would like to extend our gratitude to all who attended our First Grand Ball "Memoirs" and to all, for your continuous support.  Special thanks to our students and friends for your love, tireless dedication and support.

Wishing You a Merry Christmas

and a Happy New Year.

May all your dreams come true.

Lucas Jaime and Yanna Samkova

**********************

"Christmas - that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that
something so intangible that it is like a fragrance.  It may weave
a spell of nostalgia.  Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer,
but always it will be a day of remembrance - a day in which we think
of everything we have ever loved."

Dance Aliamanu Moves Forward With New Instructors

Dance Aliamanu held its first instructors' meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009, at Aliamanu Elementary School at 7:00 pm.

Here is a picture of the instructors that were taken after the meeting. Included in the picture are our new instructors who will be starting in January 2010. They are Tanya Somday, Stefanus Gunawan, and Frank & Lani Sierra.

Bottom row: Cora & Richard Nieto, Cullen Chong, Tanya Somday, Stefanus Gunawan, Elsie McGrew. 2nd row: Margaret & Kevin Yee, Henrietta Muramoto, Cheryl Chong, Lynn & Richard Nakamura, Frank Sierra. 3rd row: Lester Muramoto, Joshua Manzano, Jill Tengan, Vanelle & Robert Hirayasu, Andy Pascua Missing: Lani Sierra, Monica Pascua, Gayle Kawahakui & Reggie Gascon.

Dance Aliamanu currently has 4 locations for dance classes and activities:
Aliamanu Elementary School: Tuesday Nights - American Social Dance by Dance Aliamanu
Aliamanu Middle School: Thursday Nights - International Dance by Dance Aliamanu
Kapunahala Elementary School: Monday Nights - International Dance by Dance Kaneohe
Washington Middle School: Monday Nights - American Social Dance by Dance Honolulu

In January 2010, Dance Hawaii Kai will be added to the list making it 5 locations. Sometime in 2010, Waipahu & Mililani will also be added.

The entire organization is currently run under the name “Dance Aliamanu”. However, the main organizational name will soon be changed to “Dance Hawaii” under which we will have Dance Aliamanu, Dance Kaneohe, Dance Honolulu, Dance Hawaii Kai, Dance Waipahu, Dance Mililani, and perhaps more to come.

The dances that will be taught starting in January 2010 include: International Tango, International Cha Cha, International Foxtrot, International Samba, Argentine Tango, West Coast Swing, Filipino Tango, Mambo, Waltz, Rumba, Line Dancing

For more information, check the website.... www.dance-aliamanu.org

Submitted by Lynn Nakamura

Sounds like Dance Aliamanu is really getting it together. Please see similar blog posted by Frank in Dancing in the Dark with an additional picture of a class.

The Beginner's Beginner

You are male and over thirty and beginning to get away from drinking just to drink and start to go to Night Clubs for a slightly different reason. You want to meet girls and you just may try to dance.

You have gone to your corporate party, where the DJ breaks into the latest dance tunes. Your date was pulling you onto the dance floor, but you're were still too traumatized from a very bad dance incident that occurred at your prom. Well, not this time. You refuse to be mocked for your dancing again, but on the other hand, you don't want to be the bore of the party and be reduced to talking to the hors d'oeuvres waiters all night long, while your colleague moves in on your hot date.

"YMCA" By the Village People.

You don't have to be the life of the party, but you at least want to join in on the festivities. And you would like to go to a Night Club and meet girls. So you must begin to learn how to at least pretend that you can dance, and look normal on the dance floor -- without having to depend on the alcohol to let loose.

"Next to a circus there ain't nothing that packs up and tears out
faster than the Christmas spirit."

Fake it and just move to the music. Let the music be your guide, and just move your body along with the rhythm and beats. You don't have to do impressive steps -- just let the music take you away. Snap your fingers or clap your hands.

If you're really at a loss on how to move, then just look like you're having fun by snapping your fingers while swaying your body from side to side to the beat of the music. Just don't clap too much -- you don't want to draw too much attention to yourself.

The Supreme Court has ruled that they cannot have
a nativity scene in Washington, D.C. This wasn't for any religious reasons. They couldn't find three wise men
and a virgin. ~ Jay Leno

Go to the YMCA. In order to start small on the dance floor, join in during a dance that has traditional steps and gestures, such as "YMCA" by the Village People, "Staying Alive", by the Bee Gees, "The Time Warp", or a line dance such as Kool & the Gang's "Celebrate" or even "Macarena" (that is, if that song is still played). This way, not only will you know the moves required, but these are also songs that allow you to go crazy and look foolish -- that's part of the fun. Of course on Oahu, few YMCAs are into dancing. Maybe illegal?

"Stay" by Lisa Loeb

This is just for starters and it will go easier if you go with your buddies. After a while, you will find yourself looking more seriously into line dancing. No need partner and many more women than men at the dance sessions. You will become better acquainted with the music and of course learning to move in a more acceptable way to that music. You will be on your way.

"The primary function of a computer design engineer is to make things difficult for the fabricator and impossible for the serviceman."

Stat Recap

Things seem to be slowing down for our blogosphere. The advances that were predicted, have not been happening, according to our preliminary analysis for the first ten days of December. Dance West Oahu has been dormant but still has plenty of inertia. Together with the new blog West Oahu Dance they have more than 60 hits per day.

Of course when some people find no information in DWO and must then click the link for WOD, some of those clicks are duplications. By itself, WOD only averaged 18 hits per day, so I expect that to increase quite rapidly this month once the readers AND the Guest Authors realize it is still the same thing.

Town Dancer had only 58 average hits per day for the month of November and I was expecting a rebound, which for this ten day period has amounted to about 63 average hits per day but I expected more. And Dancing in the Dark dropped a little, all probably due to the new dancing blog in town.

"You'll Be In My Heart" by Phil Collins

Inter Island Dance News has gone from 11 to 12 average hits per day so, it is plodding along. It is not dying on the vine. Of course I am making some contact on Maui and the Big Island and that helps. When we contact Kauai and get some info from the neighbor islands then we will see some action on this blog. Meanwhile, we just have to keep working it.

The old blog, Dance West Oahu, will be deleted because of the follower infestation. The new one is tricky but I had to keep it as close to the old as possible. "West Oahu Dance" is the new one. Still works. So I will make new posters for West Oahu Dance.

The over all picture looks very good, with the total hits from our blogosphere going up, so that the law of diminishing returns looks to take effect a little farther off. I guess that maybe around March. I am looking forward to the analysis of the Stats on the 20th. Gonna be a dilly.

"If you stop every time a dog barks, you'll never get there."