Musings on Dance, Food, Geek Stuff
In 1926, the National Association of Masters of Dancing made this pronouncement: The Charleston is dying, the Black Bottom can never be king, and during the past year there has been a great revival in old-time dancing. A bit of historic context: The National Association of Masters of Dance was a gathering of dance instructors…
A highlight of the lindy hop dance event Swingin at the Savoy 2019 last weekend was the panel discussion with legendary dancers Norma Miller and Chester Whitmore, facilitated by Seattle-based dancer Adam Brozowski. It was a packed house of eager swing enthusiasts, happy to get to engage with these two remarkable humans on a Saturday…
There’s something wonderful about surprising yourself with our own capabilities and progress. I’m sure that there’s a word for it in German. I spend a lot of my free time either rock climbing or dancing. With both pursuits, I have my ups and downs, my things I feel confident about, stuff I’m working on, and…
I was dancing and cyphering last night at a club, having a great time, but also dealing with some of the typical bull$%^& you encounter when you are in a crowded nightclub. For those that don’t know, a cypher is a dance jam that comes from urban dance culture, where the dancers form a ring…
Well 2018 was QUITE the year for me. Certainly not what I expected the year to be about. Quick 2018 Stats Jobs Lost: 1 Countries Visited: 2 Dance Competitions / Showcases Entered: 4 Dance Competitions Won: 1 Theme Parks Visited: 2 Parties Thrown: 3 Number of Pastries Baked: MANY Losing my job was certainly not…
As you alls know, I’m an enthusiastic amateur cook and baker. And I’m a lindy hopper. Recently, I got to combine my two interests by producing a live cooking show on “SwingNation” for our holiday special. My friend Hanah, who’s a much better cook and baker than me, agreed to be on the show. Okay,…
Apparently my post about experiencing loneliness and other negative emotions while at a dance resonated with a lot of people. I’m so grateful for the many people who shared heartfelt stories of their own struggles and feelings, and how they coped with them. (Check out “Vunerable” a moving photo essay by Sarah Warny Berg about…
All Bay Area teens are invited to a free lindy hop workshop taught by wonderful Cleveland based dancers Alexis Davila and Cyle Dixon happening on Sunday October 28 at the historic Bayview Opera House in San Francisco. The teen workshop will be followed by a community dance that is open to all. Here’s Cyle and Alexis…
DISCLAIMER: I am not a mental health professional. These are just my personal views and experiences as a “veteran” dancer. If you are experiencing intense feelings of depression or anxiety, please see a mental health provider in your area. I’m a “social dancer.” Which means that I dance a style (lindy hop) that requires two…
I just finished reading Jookin’ : The Rise of Social Dance Formations in African American Culture by Katrina Hazzard-Gordon. It describes in compelling detail on the ways that African slaves and African Americans found to create their own social spaces in a society that actively prohibited their association. The focus of Jookin’ is on social dance…