I'll be seeing you, ReRun #3

Songs and memories for most of us old timers are regular occurrences and I just came across a dilly. This song has never attained "classic" but nevertheless for a lot of us it will be forever. In the Internet I also found a short love story to go with it, written by somebody from Georgia and I could understand.

"I'll Be Seeing You" by Rosemary Clooney

A young 18 year old paratrooper meets a beautiful young Parachute WAC at the Parachute Patio in Fort Benning, Georgia. The year was 1944 and he was just back from his first furlough home and finishing up his training. She impressed him when she explained that all of the Parachute WACs were extra careful in packing the chutes, "because your life depends on it."

The music was just perfect and they quickly found that they could dance Swing and Fox Trot with each other easily. And their favorite song became "I'll be seeing you," which of course, they would dance cheek to cheek. They were from different backgrounds and they were both homesick. At the appropriate time, they could sing along with the song, softly into each others ears, a short peck on the lips would follow hoping no one saw them.

"I'll Be Seeing You" by Jimmy Durante

Soon enough they both got the same weekend pass, from Friday night after retreat to Monday morning reveille. They went to Atlanta, had a wonderful time dancing every evening. When they got back, he could figure that even if he was killed where he was going, in his short but happy life this had all been worth it.

A few days later she faced him and said this was their last day. She knew before him that he was leaving in 24 hours. She told him she was not going to wait for him. "You are a Paratrooper and you are not likely to come back and I am not going to go through that. But let me tell you, I will remember you to my dying day." She kissed him on the cheek, made a half turn and left him. He was in shock but he never saw her again. She may have been a month older than him but in maturity she was a year older.

A week later he was on a troopship on the Atlantic headed for Naples, Italy to a War that was going on full blast. But he would never forget the words they sang into each others ears, "I'll find you in the morning sun, and when the night is new, I'll be looking at the moon, but I'll be seeing you."

Happy Dancing everyone!

We May Start To Roll

Took a nice vacation from blogging this month and I will start again slowly as the dance action picks up. There are several groups on Oahu doing some teaching. But all with picked friends as they do not need large crowds. Most everyone seems to know that it is not over until it is over. We should still wear masks and respect social distance. And keep Trumpanzees away from us. As per usual the easiest method of sharing dance data with our fellow dancers is with photos. We may have 50% of the Island vaccinated by the end of the month and that is good.

“You can be Eastern or Western, Northern or Southern in the World.

The function and the awareness of the body to music results in

dance and you become a dancer, not just a human being. ”

 

The Indian natives of Latin America are coming into prominence lately and it was long overdue. In the Americas, they overwhelmingly provided the real basis for all Latin American Music and Dance. Influence by the Europeans and the Africans, of course but they remained basically American and modified by all the illegal immigrants. It was their kuleana. Even swing which the Negros took from the Indian music and the marches of the day and syncopated it. It was not from Africa.

"Yes it is true why animals are not good dancers.

They have two left feet."

Very Slowly and Carefully

Well, apparently there is some dancing on Oahu but in very small groups. And since they are not interested in larger groups we don't get any information to share with our reader/dancers. Cannot blame them, but it would be nice to let other dancers know what they are doing and perhaps give others some hope in doing something similar so we can begin to dance again. For sure "Keep Away From Trumpanzees and Tourists" and remember, "It ain't over until it's over."

"No one is in control of your happiness but you - therefore,

you have the power to change anything about yourself

or your life that you want to change."

Give some thought to considering your own "thinking style" in reading our blogs or our other social media.  You can make the most of it by fashioning your feedback after your natural thinking style. These are not a "to whom it may concern" posts. We expect feedback from any of our fellow dancers. We all have a little different outlook on any issue and I am sure there are many things you could offer to our blog readers, that others could not. Remember, blogs often reflect personality and the differences are what gives such high value to our blogging.

Cinco de Mayo coming up and everyone should know that "Spanglish" is something else. For instance, "Wheelchair." Mexicans may say, "There is only one taco left so wheelchair."

Dancing in the Americas.

No one has any exact dates but it is generally accepted the first humans arrived in the Americas over the land bridge to Alaska before 15000 BC And they migrated down taking thousands of years to get to Argentina. Agriculture began about 8000 BC and as the rest of the world, rhythm and dance began shortly there after. And the most developed cultures in the Americas were the Mexican civilizations in Southern Mexico. They developed many "professionals" in the various occupations, music and dance included.

"Social dancers believe that dancing may be the most basic

and relevant of all forms of expression."

When the natives got to Florida, they were stopped for a while but Cuba is only 90 miles away. In Mexico it took them longer because Cuba is 128 miles from Cancun. And the Caribbean people became well established in Cuba and gradually spread out to the other islands. The Mexicans introduced a much more advanced type of music and dance. And similar types existed throughout the Caribbean by the year 1000, with each island developing their own favorites. The first illegal aliens that arrived did not come to teach them European or African music and dance. What was there was "modified."

The new Trump dance, "take three steps forward, two steps backward,

then a side step and then you turn around."

Moving Right Along

The social dancers on Oahu are proceeding slowly and carefully to dance on a dance floor again. For now we are getting more confident about ways of staying safe. Outside is safer than inside, 90% to 60%. Masks are safer 80% to 90% for the better ones. social distance is mandatory, 10 feet is better than 6 ft. and keep away from Trumpanzees. Far, Far Away. Vaccines are 90% effective which means that 10% are going to get it anyway, tough. But we have the basic framework. Testing has not been figured out yet. And we must face the fact that "It ain't over 'til it's over."

"Ability is what we are capable of doing, motivation determines what we do, and attitude determines how well we do it."

Line dancing seem to be in front because they can more easily dance outdoors. They do not require a partner and social distance is easily respected. Outside is a natural if they can be assured of no rain..On line is already being done. So we can start working on our type, indoors. Limited partners may be allowed.and can sit together and 7 ft apart from other partners. No interchange of partners. Masks and sanitizers a must. The cases are still high, too many Trumpanzees still having large crowds in Waianae and Kapolei. And then new variants are coming in with the Tourists.

"In my old age I am just realizing that if it is clean, it ain't laundry."

Latest

 'It ain't over 'til it's over" Yogi Berra. Same thing holds true for the Trump Pandemic. In Waianae they were already having crowds. And where did the new cases come from? Ha Ha, No one knows. Dumb Dodos. We still must be careful even if you are already vaccinated. If you must gather with other people, meet outdoors or open windows to increase air flow, still wear your. mask or face shield. Keep a safe distance from others. Wash your hands when you think you should. Listen to the careful ones around you.

 "Most social dancers have been somewhat prepared for the worst, but we never lose hope for the best."

Ballroom dancing began as partner dancing when the man led and  the woman followed. It was simple and the woman almost always knew what he would lead ahead of his signal and both made basically the same moves. However it has progressed and today the social dance has much more complicated moves. The Lead does less than the "star" of the show which is the Follow. It has been accepted that it is no longer "equal." And it works beautifully when they each know how to do their part.

"Social dancers can dance for hours for excercize. Run for 10 minutes?  - Well, - I, - um, - later."

It's Not Over, Folks.

It hasn't happen on Oahu, we have been pretty careful. However people want to dance and they want to party. Police across the country have been shutting down parties that defied COVID-19 safety guidelines. They have shut down illegal warehouse parties where people were drinking and dancing without masks. And many large house parties acting as make shift clubs have also been shut down. Many cities have issued a special cease and desist order. In all incidents party goers weren't social distancing or wearing masks.

"Social dancers know that life is under no obligation to give us

what we expect, but we can always hope.”

State police shut down a house party near the University of Connecticut where 150 to 200 students were gathered also without masks, The three renters of the home that hosted the party were ticketed for violating the state's social distancing guidelines. These incidents come as public health experts warn that the US should not let its guard down even as cases decline. They warn that more transmissible variants of the coronavirus may likely spread and cause a resurgence in cases. Experts have warned that a strain discovered in the United Kingdom, known as B.1.17, is expected to become the most dominant variant in many states this month.

"I Will Dance For You" by Willie K