Musings on Dance, Food, Geek Stuff
My friend Albert Boulanger brought this awesome factoid to my attention: to compete with the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem in the 1939, the Golden Gate Ballroom also featured roller-skating. Can you imagine getting to lindy hop AND rollerskate in the same lavish ballroom? Sigh. SOURCE: The Birth of Bebop, By Scott DeVeaux · 1997
I can’t get enough of this group of hoofers recreating “Moses Supposes” the incredible Gene Kelly and Donald O’Conner dance number from Singin in the Rain. Seeing all these diverse folks bringing their joy and heart to this classic just makes me so freaking happy. CREDITS Directed by Caleb Teicher Original Choreography by Gene Kelly…
This might be the most woo post ever. But lately I’ve been thinking about the kind of energy I share with those around me. We talk about people who “light up a room” when they walk into it. And others who “kill the vibe” with their presence. What does that mean? I am slowly starting…
It was five years ago today that I was last at the legendary Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden, along with 1,000 other crazy lindy hoppers from all over the galaxy. On a lark, I entered the solo jazz dance contest, knowing that I would get spanked by the many, many incredible dancers who were there….
I recently shared to my feed this incredible breakdown of an Oscar Peterson piano solo. Which led to this response from my friend Jeremy Cooper: There are heroes that inspire me and always make me want to sit down and simply practice more. But then there are giants who tower so high above the landscape…
I have an odd memory of visiting Disneyland as a kid where a family asked me if I was a Mouseketeer. I didn’t even know there was an Asian Mouseketeer at the time. Apparently Curtis Wong was on the late 1970s revival of The Mickey Mouse Club. I have to admit, upon comparing photos, there…
This past weekend, I had the extreme pleasure of performing a piece for the annual Skate Showcase we call “the Skate Sham.” Created with my Savoy Rollers crew, we wanted to share with the larger skate community our passion for lindy hop and our newfound love of skate dancing. So doing a skate version of…
So way back in 2008, my friend Amy Winn convinced me to go with her to check out the Dreamland roller rink in Coney Island. I think it was a fundraiser because it was threatened with closure? I was blown away by the artistry of the rhythm skaters we saw. Here’s a bit of footage…
Operation Croissant was a success! Wow that was a lot of steps… Stuff that I’m happy with: shatteringly crisp exterior, good amount of lamination, rich and buttery flavor. Are they perfect? No. But for a first effort, I’m so pleased. I followed the Claire Saffitz method.
This year, I was so happy to get to celebrate my birthday with actual physical gatherings with my loved ones. As a theme, I decided to lean into this being my “golden” years with a couple of very sparkly gold outfits. The festivities began on the morning of July 3 at my favorite SF bakery,…