I’m on a plane now, headed back to the States, surprisingly sad to be leaving the small city-state of Singapore. My last couple of days in Singapore were some of the most fun and interesting. Some of the highlights: Pig’s Intestine Soup: My local food expert and guide Janice was insistent that I try one…
Singapore Day Six: Chili Crab, Nocturnal Animals, and Consumerism
I’m winding down my Singapore adventures today and tomorrow, and, man, it’s been an incredible trip. Summarizing just the highlights is kind of tough, but here we go: The Night Safari. O.M.G. So amazingly awesome. Getting to walk through a tropical forest in the dark and encountering all sorts of animals is so much better…
Shim Shamming for Frankie Manning’s Birthday in a Singapore Mall! (video)
Here's a cute video of about 40 lindy hoppers doing the shim sham in (of course) a shopping mall in Singapore. The occasion was the 97th birthday of legendary lindy hopper Frankie Manning, who unfortunately passed away a couple of years ago. I was lucky enough to be there to participate along with visitors…
Singapore Day 3: Work, Eat, Dance, Work, Eat….
Coming into day four of my Singapore adventure. Definitely getting a feel for the place: and I have to say, it’s a really good feeling. Work has started in earnest on the project I am here to lead, a couple of virtual world education workshops for an international client. Singapore is kind of an ideal…
Singapore Day 1: Disreputable Thai food, Lindy Hop, Tap, and Second Life
Too many awesome things about Singapore to write about. And too jet-lagged to think straight anyway. But some of the best stuff: Kept doing double-takes at the astounding architecture everywhere, from ancient Buddhist temples to ultra-futuristic complexes that looked straight out of Second Life. Wandered through floors and floors of bargain computer gear at the…
Home Worship with the Oakland Quakers
Rounding out my tour of local Quaker meetings and churches, on Sunday afternoon I found myself at the simple home of Pam Calvert and Helen Haug in Oakland. Pam and Helen have been holding a Quaker worship group in their home on Sunday afternoons for several years now. I have been wanting to attend this…
Yosemite Upside-down (pic)
Just for fun, while on a photo trip with my dad in Yosemite, I had him take a bunch of pics of me doing handstands all over the place. Silly, I know. BTW, I love this pic of me with my dad.
Matt & Charlotte Lindy Hopping on SYTYCD-UK (video)
Check out this awesome video of contestants Matt Flint and Charlotte Scally dancing the lindy hop on So You Think You Can Dance -UK . Choreographed by world-renowned lindy hoppers Ryan François and Jenny Thomas, I knew this was going to feature lots of their signature classic jazz movement, airsteps, and high energy. My only question was were Matt…
Yehoodi Talk Show #130: the Fractured State of Online Lindy, Lindy Hoppers Defect to West Coast Swing!
If you are not satisfied with reading my pearls of wisdom here, you can also hear my mellifluous voice caress your earholes on yet another edition of the "Yehoodi Talk Show." For those that haven't had the pleasure, the YTS is a bi-monthly lindy gab-fest featuring myself, my partner-in-crime Spuds, and our newest addition the…
Thousands of Swingers around the World to Shim-Sham for Frankie Manning on May 26
A few weeks ago I reported that Larry Peacock put out a challenge on Facebook to swing dancers around the world to organize a "shim sham" line dance in honor of legendary lindy hopper Frankie Manning. Well I am proud to say that dance organizers everywhere have responded, and nearly 30 commemorative workshops, classes, performances…