I've been a long time fan of the "Step Up" series, since the original from ten years ago. The movie franchise is moving over to YouTube starting on January 31 with "Step Up: High Water." Starring R&B star Ne-Yo, "High Water" focuses on an elite Atlanta dance school. So "Fame" for a new generation? Here's the…
How to Get a Solo Jazz Jam Started: The Rule of Three
I'm really interested in dance jam / cypher culture across dance styles. It's a way of creating ephemeral stages for each other that is always fascinating and fun. At Lindy Focus this December, I got this huge insight into how to get a solo jazz jam started. It's really simple, and yet kind of blows…
Sending a V3
This morning I sent this V3-rated bouldering route that had been bedeviling me at Planet Granite SF. For a couple of weeks I couldn't even get to the first hold, and it was irking me. Finally I figured out that I had to do a quick switch in grip from a pull to a push…
Waacking Freestyle Video at Ocean Beach
My first dance video of 2018! Such a gorgeous morning at Ocean Beach. Stay till the end for a surprise guest. Song: "Stay" by Zedd with Alessia Cara
The New York Times Needs to do a 360 Video of Chester Whitmore
The New York Times has been doing these wonderful 3600 videos on a variety of subjects. A recent series focused on dancers over 60, showing them dance while they talk about their philosophies of movement. Really moving and inspiring, particularly for me as an older dancer. Featured artists: Eiko Otake Gus Solomon, Jr Brenda Bufalino Douglas…
My 2017 Year in Review: Pies, Dancing, Safaris, Pastries, and More Dancing!
Okay I am WAY late to this, but I felt compelled to throw something together tonight. Here’s my 2017 year in review. Quick 2017 Stats Freestyle Dance Videos Shot: 7 Number of Marches and Protests: 3 Number of Pies Baked: 5 New Hobbies Acquired: 1 (rock climbing) Dance Competitions Entered: 5 Countries Visited: 1 (South…
My Data Backup Plan: Time Machine + Backblaze (plus a free sign-up code!)
So recent events in the lives of those around me have impressed upon me the importance of emergency preparedness. I already have my disaster kit prepped in the closet with food, water, crank radio, flashlight, and other sundries. I've got a first aid kit for medical emergencies. But I realized that I didn't have a…
Jamming to “Lunceford Special” at Lindy Focus!
I spent the last week in Asheville, North Carolina at one of my favorite dance events in the world, Lindy Focus. Focus is a seven day celebration of swing jazz and lindy hop held in a hotel just outside of downtown Asheville. Some of the best swing musicians and dancers in the world gather with…
How to Cook Scrambled Eggs with Just a Whisk and a Pan
I eat a lot of eggs. For the past couple of years, I have started almost every day with some form of cooked egg. So I've had a lot of time to experiment with different ways of making them. I have found the easiest, quickest, most tasty way of making scrambled eggs that results in…
The 2017 SF Kouign Amann Tour: b. Patisserie versus Craftsman and Wolves!
Last weekend I organized the second annual San Francisco Kouign Amann Tour. When I put out the word that I was organizing a tour, there was a huge burst of enthusiasm and related emoji from my friends. In the end, we had a hungry group of eight pastry-nerds assembled. But where to go? Last year,…