So it came to me yesterday at Quaker Meeting for Worship something that I’ve been spinning around in my head for awhile: the tension between our desire for community and for individuality. I realized the many places that manifests for me, particularly in my spiritual practice and my dancing. Pews vs Meditating Alone I was…
Category: Dancing / Music
New Skate Setup: Custom Riedell ColorLab 336s!
My new skate setup is here! And just in time for my birthday! They are even better than I dreamed they would be. Thanks Kieran at Quad Republic for all the expert advice and help mounting my plates. So far they performed great on my little test skate today. I did a very careful test…
Dance Skating to “Vogue” at SF PRIDE 2023
When you got nothing left in the tank, but the DJ puts on “Vogue.” It was first night of SF PRIDE 2023. The hour was close to 11pm. I’m in front of the Ferry Building where a small crowd of people were anxiously awaiting the lighting of the rainbow lasers down Market Street. The DJ…
Yehoodi Closing after 25 Years!
This week I announced to the world that Yehoodi.com was closing after 25 years of service to the Lindy Hop community. It was a bittersweet announcement. Sad, because it’s always sad to see something you loved and poured your heart into for so long come to an end. But happy too, because it’s good to…
Rhythm Skating and a Formula for Getting Better?
I’ve been thinking about skate dancing and my progress over the nearly three years that I’ve been practicing this art form. Of the many dances I’ve practiced, rhythm / jam skating is one that I have progressed the fastest. Not that I am an “expert” by any means, but I feel like my level of…
Shiva and Dance as Triumph and Victory
This is a sculpture of Shiva manifesting as Natarāja aka “Lord of the Dance”. Its from the 12th century from Southern India. Shiva is a very important deity in Hinduism, and is often depicted as dancing. Such a bad ass! This weekend, I visited the new “Beyond Bollywood” exhibition at the Asian Art Museum, and…
Jamming with Friends: One of Life’s Best Experiences
There are few things I enjoy more than just jamming with friends to good music. I feel so flipping blessed that I get to do this all the time at the 6th Avenue Skating Place in Golden Gate Park. Here’s just one moment of the hundreds that I’ve experienced in the past three years of…
Performing “3 Hats” at the 6th Avenue Skating Place!
I had a super fun time performing “3 Hats,” my first solo skate dance piece, at the 6th Avenue Skating Place yesterday. I have a lot more to say about why I did this at the end of this blog. But first off, here’s the performance. Special thanks to Kenny Hoff for the amazing videography….
On Skating and Privilege and Donuts
It’s 10:30pm. My friends and I are at a 24 hour donut shop, getting donuts and coffee before heading to a skating rink for a late night skate party. An older Asian woman is behind the counter. We ask her if she has been to Roller King, the rink down the road. She admits that…
Reddit and Finding Support for Your New Hobby
I’ve been thinking about Reddit and how many folks use it to be the friend that they don’t have in their lives. There have been many times in my life when I was curious or excited about some activity but didn’t know how to start. Tap dance, playing the harmonica, writing science fiction are ones…