Musings on Dance, Food, Geek Stuff
I have no idea who this Daddy Yankee person is. But I’m all in for everything else about this video: Miss Jackson + New York City + funky fashion + lots of POC dancers. Let’s go! And gotta love her first TV performance of this single on the “Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon. That urban…
When strangers ask me about learning lindy hop, they often say that it must be hard to “throw my partner around” or “dance so fast.” I think the popular impression of lindy hop is that it’s full of crazy airsteps and really fast dancing. The classic clips that we often send around of Whitey’s Lindy…
I had the opportunity to help teach swing dancing to a small group of teens the other day. It’s always great seeing younger people learn about this dance, particularly youth of color. That said, it’s a good reminder about how challenging partner dancing is for many people, particularly teens. To successfully execute a swing dancing…
The Switch Workshop I took at the end of July has got me thinking more deeply about what switching brings to lindy hop. I realize now that lead/ follow switching adds a whole new level of possibilities for musicality, collaboration, and instant communication. As an example, check out this instance of switching that Irina Amzashvili and Matt Richey shared…
I haven’t done too many paid gigs in my dancing career. It just hasn’t been something that I’ve been interested in doing. Performing, working on routines, marketing myself, have the right “look”, finding a partner, and hustling for gigs just sounds like a drag. This weekend my friend Shannon convinced me to partner with her…
It might be that I’m sick and somewhat addled, but I’ve been dreaming about what it might look like for lindy hoppers in my community to have a place we could call our own. The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the most expensive places in the United States to live and run a…
It was a chilly morning at Ocean Beach today. I’m happier with how my waacking throws and grabs are looking. And my hairbrushes are pretty decent here.
I just realized I am already into the middle of week three of my work sabbatical! This is really the first day I have had completely schedule-free since I finished work at the Cal Academy. So far it has been completely wonderful to have this time to take a break and take stock of things….
I’ve lost a lot of dance competitions. But my all time favorite loss was on a warm summer’s evening in New York. A few years ago, my friend and I entered a lindy hop dance contest at a popular music festival, along with several other dancers in our scene. It was held in a large…