This weekend I am up in Old Chatham, New York at the Powell House retreat center for the annual retreat of my spiritual community, the Friends Meeting of Brooklyn. Tonight I taught a small group of Quakers the basics of social dance both as a fun activity and to deepen their understanding about the concept…
Category: Travel
Apl.de.ap of Black-eyed Peas wants to “Take You to the Philippines” (video)
I got that news that Philippines-born member of the Black-eyed Peas Apl.de.ap recently launched a new music video / tourism spot called "Take Me to the Philippines" on MTV Asia. It's a catchy little number and a slickly produced music video, created by LA-based We Are Royale, with support from the Philippine Department of Tourism. …
Dreaming of Dutch Living
As I write this, I’m eating brunch in an outdoor café on the corner of Oosterpark in the southeastern part of Amsterdam, imagining (again) what it might be like to live here. Tall blonde girls walk past me every couple of minutes, each one cuter than the last. A waiter serves me a perfect cup…
Helping bring a new life into the world
Tomorrow night I'm off to Europe to help some dear friends of mine have a child. To be exact, if all goes as planned, I am going to be the biological father of their child. It's one of the most important things I've ever done in my life. I've been friends with the couple for…
Top Notch team routine from ILHC: Swinging to Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five”! (video)
Here's a final video from the 2009 International Lindy Hop Championships that I wanted to share. This is by the Swedish team "Top Notch." Although this only got fifth place, I thought it was artistic, inventive, entertaining and very difficult. They used the space well, had a variety of formations, and showed tremendous musicality….
California Rolls “Love Me or Leave Me” routine at ILHC and why it rocked (video)
At 3am Sunday night / Monday morning, the 2nd annual International Lindy Hop Championships came to a rousing close in Washington DC. It was an incredible weekend of lindy hop competition, social dancing, live music, workshops, and socializing with dancers from around the US and all over the world. One of my fondest memories from…
Evita & Mike dance to “Singin in the Rain” (video)
Last night at ILHC, Evita Arce and Mike Jaeger performed an incredibly beautiful routine to “Singin in the Rain” in the Cabaret Division. I was filming it from the back, and I still get verklempt watching it, trying to hold my hand steady. Others I talked to felt the same. This is why I go…
Jack & Jill competitions at ILHC: the true test of the lindy hopper (video)
I just finished competing in the Advanced Jack and Jill competition at the International Lindy Hop Championships. It was a really fun experience, dancing with a ridiculously talented field of 40-50 lindy hoppers from around the world. Many lindy hoppers think of Jack & Jills as the true test of a dancer. Most other competition…
Finding inspiration at the International Lindy Hop Championships in DC
I’m in Washington DC for the second annual International Lindy Hop Championships, one of my favorite swing dance events of the year. A few hundred of the best lindy hoppers from around the United States and from countries from around the world are gathered for a fun competition and dance weekend at the Crystal City…
Clearing my head in Clearlake State Park
Today I returned from a wonderful weekend camping trip with my family in Clearlake State Park in Northern California. For three days, I've been completely offline — with no internet, no Twitter, and no cell phone service. It has been a nice break honestly. I was invited by my cousin Ryan to join a group…