I finally got a chance to catch the dance production "Olmannen" by the Second Life Ballet troupe this evening. I admit that I am not very fond of ballet — I find the movement very stilted and regimented and the music not to my taste. But I love dance and virtual worlds, so I felt…
Category: Dancing / Music
Yehoodi’s new virtual home
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the future virtual home of Yehoodi in Second Life (teleport SLURL) courtesy of Techsoup and Anshe Chung Studios. Once known as the "website for the hardcore hepcat swinger" we will now be known as the "3D immersive, community-based media environment for the hardcore hepcat swinger." Ok, not really.
Eff and Lisa at the Easter Parade
My friend D-Rod took some great pictures from the Easter Parade yesterday, even if most of them are of Eff and Lisa pictured above. I’m unclear on what a Shriner’s hat and a Chinese print smoking jacket have to do with Easter, but that’s my buddy Eff for ya. Thanks, D-Rod! According to the NY…
The joy of swingin’ in the Easter Parade
I met up with some swing dance friends today on Fifth Avenue and 49th for the annual Easter Parade, one of my favorite New York events of the year. More of a promenade than a parade, every year on Easter Sunday New Yorkers put on their Sunday best and strut their stuff down Fifth Avenue. …
Anne Lamott on dancing and eventual grace
Anne Lamott is one of my favorite writers, and one of my top five sort-of-famous people I would like to have dinner with. By chance I came across an email about Anne doing a book signing at the local Barnes and Nobles last night and I just had to stop by. Her new book is…
Yehoodi Video Podcast #411 online
My buddy Spuds and I recorded the second video podcast of our long running swing dance program the "Yehoodi Talk Show" a few days ago. We talk about Christina’s latest swingin video, how to take care of your Aris Allen shoes, Columbian "boogaloo" salsa, and lots of other silliness. Check it out via direct download…
“Step Up”: a much better dance movie than it deserves to be
Cindy and I were bored the other night so we rented the dance movie “Step Up” which came out a few months ago. I’m kind of a sucker for these formula dance movies which always seem to have the same basic plotline: Uncouth street dancer meets prissy “professional” dancer through some contrived scenario (community service,…
The THON: the Dance Marathon to end all marathons
The kids at Penn State every year throw an amazing dance marathon called simply "The THON" to benefit pediatric cancer care at at the Penn State Children’s Hospital. They have raised $41 million over the past 31 years! This year, the benefit has gone virtual, with a host of in-world concerts to raise funds taking…
Legendary swing dancer Frankie Manning’s autobiography hits the shelves in April!
I've had the honor and privilege of studying under the legendary swing dancer Frankie Manning, the octogenarian ambassador for Lindy Hop. I'm super-excited to announce that Frankie Manning's long awaited autobiography is finally hitting the shelves in April. Entitled Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Lindy Hop, the book chronicles the life and times of this…
Tomo and me swingin at the Dance Marathon
Here's a quick little video clip of Tomo and me lindy hopping at the Dance Marathon on Friday done by Anna, another local lindy hopper. Yes, I know, I need to stop pointing. You can also see my friends Jerry and ShortyJul swing dancing at the end of the video on the Gothamist website. Thanks,…