Not long ago, Joseph Gordon Levitt on Saturday Night Live did an admirable homage to the great dancer / performer Donald O'Conner. Of course O'Conner's "Make em Laugh!" is revered as one of the finest comic dance performances ever captured on film. I really liked the JGL version though, particularly the awesome stunt at the end….
New Chick Webb Documentary Needs Funds!
My friend Judy Prichett shared with me this appeal for funding for a new documentary about legendary band leader Chick Webb: There is a fantastic new documentary about to be released: "The Savoy King: Chick Webb & the Music That Changed America". It tells the important story of the birth of swing dancing at…
“Freak Dance” : A dance movie parody I might actually see (video)
I'm not a big dance movie parody fan. But I have to admit, I laugh every time I watch this trailer for "Freak Dance." The Upright Citizens Brigade know how to bring the funny. Oh and it looks like Quest Crew makes an appearance. So it can't be that bad. I'll at least watch it…
What I Saw in Oakland on a Friday Night
On Friday night, I did a little bike ride from my pad down Telegraph and then back up Broadway in Oakland. Here's what I saw: A street festival with food trucks, artwork for sale, and a burlesque show later An open air R&B concert with a bunch of teens doing a Michael Jackson medley A…
Digitally Disconnected ≠ Discontented?
I have been having a frustrating time getting some kind of communications system working in my otherwise charming new pad in Oakland. In most of the apartment I have zero bars on my cell phone, which is a big bummer. Just as importantly, I have been so far unsuccessful at getting any kind of broadband…
Exploring Oakland’s Telegraph Avenue
I've been very charmed by Telegraph Avenue, which is very near my new apartment in Oakland. Just walking around between 38th and 45th Streets, I am discovering all sorts of neat little stores, cafes, and sites. It's a very multicultural street, with Ethiopian and Korean being the dominant ethnicities represented. This block for example has…
Goodbye, Mr Jobs, and Thanks for All the Inspiring Tech
RIP Steve Jobs. You made cool things that brought delight and joy to my life. Thank you. – Rik Panganiban : Mac Fanboy for Life
FreePlay Dance Crew in the Castro… and my wardrobe malfunction
I had a blast dancing with my FreePlay Dance Crew this weekend at the Castro Street Fair. It was a huge event with thousands of people milling about, so definitely performance anxiety was high for a lot of us. And we had a ton of new material to work through in our 40 minute set….
Oakland Living: Fancy Coffee, Korean Noodles, and a Confused Cat
This weekend I moved into my new one bedroom apartment in Oakland in the lovely Temescal neighborhood. It's a great and cheap pad with a good size living room, full kitchen and bath that would have cost at least $500 more in SF. It's very conveniently located, just a few minutes walk from a BART…
Vote for Global Kids to win $1 million to help at-risk teens become global leaders!
I'm excited to announce that Global Kids , a pioneering nonprofit that transforms the lives of thousands of urban teens into global leaders, is in the running for $1 million in the American Giving Awards sponsored by Chase. If you think that all young people deserve a chance to express themselves on important global issues, serve their…