Musings on Dance, Food, Geek Stuff
I just started reading Race, Riots, and Roller Coasters: The Struggle over Segregated Recreation in America by Victoria W. Wolcott (2012). It’s about how the fight for Black people to be able to access public spaces was not just about lunch counters and busses , but also amusement parks, pools, roller rinks, and other recreation…
I was fascinated by this description of a folk dance called the “kasa” performed by the Ajamat people, native to the Gambia. Kasa is a celebration dance traditionally performed to celebrate an abundant rice harvest. Although dance troupes will perform a portion of Kasa’s steps in unison currently, it was historically performed as a solo….
Last night I led my first choreo skill share at the 6th ave skate rink, for about 20 folks, a line dance called “The Stand Up” that I modified to be a skate routine. Line dances are not normally my thing. I find choreography often frustrating to learn. And something in me resists doing the…
The year 2025 was a year of sad endings, but also some exciting new beginnings. Let’s start with the good stuff. Relationship Status Change! In the “wins” column, I started seeing someone in August! In the midst of all the hits I took this year, finding a kind, fun, beautiful girlfriend is the big boost…
For Halloween this year, I decided to bring back my TRON costume, that I first debuted way back in 2020, and then improved in 2022. This time, I wanted to wear it for the San Francisco Friday Night Skate, which involved adding a new safety feature — a helmet! I also added a new LED…
Today was such a thrill! I got to hear the 1924 “Spreckels Organ” played at the San Francisco Legion of Honor! This historic pipe organ boasts 4,526 pipes hidden throughout the Legion of Honor behind fake walls and ceilings. Designed by the famous Ernest M. Skinner Organ Company to pipe music throughout the many galleries,…
For the past two years I have been trying to get up the courage to do the legendary San Francisco Friday Night Skate. Last night I finally did it… and I didn’t die! (I did fall a couple of times.) It was the 69th birthday of my friend and FNS organizer Lainie that got me…
Many of us in the local lindy hop, jazz, and circus scenes are devastated by sudden death of local musician Rob Reich last week. Rob was a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and bandleader who was well-loved by so many in the Bay Area. I didn’t know Rob well, but I always loved listening and dancing to his…
Earlier this month, I led a “Rhythm Skate Teaser” at our local rink, which summarizes how I’ve been thinking about how to learn how to roller skate… and learning in general. It was such a great experience for me, and hopefully for the many folks that turned out. That night, I gave a broad overview…
I’ve been wanting to put together this compilation for awhile now, and finally found some time to edit and produce. Enjoy a brief history of one of my favorite dance moves, the Jazz Split. Dancers Featured (in order of appearance):