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Dance News

 

THIS IS SERIOUS.   I know everyone gets junk mail saying if you open “such and such” it’ll burn your drive out (I’ve never seen one that wasn’t bogus), but this is bona fide.   You may know I’ve been a computer tech since 1988, so I’ve obviously done my research.   This virus; (DNS Changer) was infecting PC’s in 2007 and Macs in 2008.  The FBI has arrested six Estonian nationals who were behind this scheme which sends your browser to websites they set up.   The FBI temporarily replaced the bad servers with good ones, so you may not even know if you’re infected, but as of July 9 they will be taking these servers down and infected computers may lose internet access.   To check your computer (Mac or PC) go HERE:    If infected:

     1 – PC users go HERE:

     2 – Mac users go HERE:

 

Or take your computer to a good Tech.   As a side note, if any computer tech tells you that they need to wipe your computer clean to fix it – take it somewhere else.  95% of the time computers can be repaired keeping your data and programs intact and unless your hard drive dies, there is never any reason to lose data.  If your computer can do any sort of bootup, your data is still secure. 

 

If you’re an avid “Family Guy” fan you know who Seth McFarlane is – if not he’s the creator (also American Dad & The Cleveland Show).   He also sings and has recorded an album of standards just like Rod Steward and Paul McCartney have!  Here’s some great Foxtrots from his only album “Music is Better Than Words”:

“Seth MacFarlane – You’re the Cream In My Coffee” 34 bpm

“Seth MacFarlane – You And I” 31 bpm

“Seth MacFarlane – It’s Anybody’s Spring” 31 bpm

“Seth MacFarlane – It’s Nine O’Clock” 34 bpm

 

Having Seth covering these old tunes almost makes Foxtrot cool! 

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May 1 - A local movie being made is looking for “Senior Dancers” for a small part in a movie titled “Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade”.   It’s a story about a young couple in love watching older couples dancing together in the parade.   There is NO choreography, you just show up and dance.  My contact will be calling me shortly with more details, but it will be filmed May 17 in Maple Ridge.   They aren’t sure of the music yet, but being a romantic movie you might think Rumba or Night Club 2-step – but out on the street dancing I’d expect Jive or East Coast Swing (Triple Step).  You don’t need to be a great dancer, but be familiar with different dances so you can ad lib properly when the time comes.   They’re looking for people who look like older dancers – grey or white hair might help!    They need 20-26 dancers (10-13 couples) and for our efforts will split $500.   Please email me ASAP if interested.

 

Paul McCartney – is not a name that comes to mind when you think about ballroom music, but then again who would of thought Rod Stewart would go on to record 5 albums of standards going back to the 1930’s  Pauls album is called “Kisses On The Bottom” (a line from one of the songs).  It features Diana Krall, Eric Clapton & Stevie Wonder on different songs.  

-          A Night Club 2-step – My Valentine – written while on his honeymoon with his new wife.

-          Foxtrot - Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive – 33 bpm (Diana Krall vocals & piano

-          Foxtrot - I'm Gonna Sit Right Down  - 32 bpm

-          Foxtrot – It’s Only a Paper Moon – 30 bpm

-          Foxtrot – My Very Good Friend the Milkman – 30 bpm

Foxtrot tempo’s should be 30-34 – many of Rod Stewarts tempos are too slow for comfort.

 

Flash Mob success - Here’s a video of the event:

 

 

 

Cross Step Waltz is taking off! -  Robyn & Donn have added two more classes and all three are now almost full – see below

 

Cascades Casino May 5 – has been sold out almost every dance.   As of May 1 there are 20 tickets still available.  Call 604-530-2211 to join us this Saturday.  This includes a meal, WCS lesson from Robyn & Donn Picard and music provided by myself.

 

Dance 1.5 – This is a cross-promotional fun event featuring Maggies & my dances.  This time anyone coming to Maggies May 4 dance will be offered a coupon to come to my May 19 dance for ½ price - $10.00.  This exposes dancers to different venues and gives them a price break as thanks for supporting both events.

 

April 27 - Regulation Ballroom dance floor size – I mentioned in a previous email about the size of my DANCEABLE floor area.   So I did a little research to see what are actual WDSF size standards.  Turns out it depends on what country you’re in!

 

Europe – 85.3 x 52.5

China – 75.5 x 49

USA – 60 x 36

Canada 60 x 35

 

My regular dances – 75 x 33

My Special dances – 105 x 33

 

 

I call this “The Power of Music” because without music there wouldn’t be dancing!

 

First last Thursday we had a tribute to Silvio at the Dogwood Pavilion.  Silvio started these Thursday night practice dances in May 2009 and was known as “Gentleman of the Dance”.   His spirit lives on because last Thursday there was a memorial dance featuring one of his friends - Emidio Serrambana – a one man band (604-649-5387) who plays at venues around the lower mainland.  With him was Michael who has a fabulous voice and has backed up Patrizia Coletta who’s played at my dances twice over the years.  Their music was very good, and as a testament to Silvio (and now Emelia, who’s carried on these dances and always been the DJ – and a Piano teacher and dancer), close to 100 dancers showed up for the celebration.

 

Second in a Dec 20, 2010 email I sent out a link to Il Divo’s breathtaking song – Adagio.  While you can Night Club 2-step to this, there are tempo and volume changes that make it challenging.  I came across the song that inspired their version.  While Il Divo’s version was from a live concert in 2008, the original dates to 2000 and is from a Belgian/Italian singer who also has Canadian citizenship when she became a Montreal citizen in 1990 – Lara Fabian.  I have often played her fabulous Rumba - Quedate.  Her amazing version of Adagio is a fabulous Night Club 2-step!   It has an incredible instrumental arrangement, and as the song progresses through its 4:29 length it builds in intensity reminding you of the most powerful songs of Celine Dion, Christine Aguilera and Mariah Carey. 

 

But you need to see this heart warming version - a story about a boy who lives in a place with no paved roads, a father in a wheelchair and an adoring mother and who gets his chance on X-Factor Ukraine in 2010.   The instrumentation is almost identical to Ms Fabians.  If you understand Ukrainian you’ll have an advantage, but the music, his voice, speaks for itself and the rest is just intense!

 

April 20 - My dance was quite well attended and we really enjoyed our first exposure to Cross Step Waltz.   Check this video out as a nice example of what the dance is about.  I timed several of the songs being used and here’s where waltz Beats (bars) per minute are at:

 

Slow Waltz – 30-32

Cross Step Waltz – around 40 (BARS per minute) 104-120 BEATS per minute (3 beats to a bar)

Viennese – 59-60

 

Youtube video’s are interesting, however a video can’t teach technique, frame, and the finer points of a dance (it’s more like learning to drive a car by playing a computer car racing game).  Anyone who dances WCS or Argentine Tango or has done any International dancing understands this all too well!

 

Robyn and Donn Picard are having a Cross Step Waltz workshop (see below) May 27 10:00am – 12:00.   Maggie will be having a demonstration at her dance this weekend then teaching it April 17.   Here’s what Maggie recently sent out in her last email:

 

The Cross-Step Waltz is the newest social dance form, spreading quickly because it is easy to learn and has endlessly innovative material, satisfying the novice to the more experienced dancer. Cross-Step Waltz travels and rotates like traditional waltz but the addition of the Cross-Step opens up a wide range of playful yet gracefully and flowing dance variations. Cross-Step Waltz tempo is between 104 to 120 BPM and offers tunes in Waltz (3/4) time to fit almost any mood from many different artists; it is attracting dancers from all dance backgrounds.

The Cross-Step Waltz is a vintage dance which originated from the French Boston Waltz (1930-1940's). It was revived-reinvented by Richard Powers of Stanford University in 1995 and has developed into a social dance form with flexible egalitarian partnering and 138 variations. The addition of Cross-Step Waltz to the dance repertoire has helped make mostly-waltz dances popular by offering a significantly different waltz form to play with; a more robust waltz mix.

The Cross-Step Waltz has grown in popularity in many U.S. dance communities and has widely spread into Beijing. Richard Powers accredited several masters for their creativity of Cross-Step Waltz; three are in the Seattle area: Ari Levitt, Walter Dill and Lilli Ann Carey. View Ari's link at: http://youtu.be/Nwtifo9SXKE

In December 2011, I began to re-organize my lifetime of countless dance excerpts from books, magazines, newspapers etc. In my “vintage” files, I came across Waltz varieties (Rotary, Redowa, Five Step, Cross Step Waltz, etc), long forgotten. The Cross-Step Waltz was a “current” dance as noted in the Waltzetc.com newsletters I receive, thus my interest sparked and research began. This was a nice surprise to note this vintage dance has many documented patterns and is enjoyed in current society today!

I am delighted to introduce the “Elegance of Waltz” Cross-Step Waltz, to our community. I am equally delighted to introduce three teachers (many of you know) who have been working with me the past few months: Nadine Lezama, Winston Villagonzalo and Deborah Foley. I commend them for their devotion of time, dedication, research, technical and instructional skills and find they are equally qualified, and excited, to present Cross-Step Waltz in upcoming workshops / classes in your area.

Our thanks to Ari Levitt for his technical assistance, refinement and teaching curriculum. His enthusiasm and joy for teaching the Cross-Step Waltz is very inspiring; the four of us enjoyed working with him and hope to inspire our dance community!

 

Recently workshops for teachers were held (I believe) in Seattle and at The ACT Theatre in Maple Ridge so expect to see Cross Step Waltz becoming part of most dance teachers repertoire.

 

Lucky D’s – Singles Dance update – next dance is May 5 at the PEACE ARCH CURLING CENTRE.  This is a new facility just built last fall.  TO GET THERE - Proceed west on 16th Avenue past 148th Street. Take first left on Anderson st (LARGE NEON SIGN White Rock Centennial Park) Drive to end of road - 2 blocks and there is the Curling Centre. Be sure to bring in your $2.00 parking slip and we will refund it when you pay your admission.   The Front Page band is playing that night and you will enjoy the upscale professional atmosphere (Like a private club.  (Live band – expect lots of Jive & Swing)

 

April 9 - Karen Lovey’s Country Hoedown at The Grand Ballroom was a roaring success.   The room was dressed up country, the potluck food layout was more than adequate for the over 150 dancers in attendance.   The regular GB crowd was at a competition in Vancouver so we got to redefine ways to have fun on a regulation ballroom floor!   I hadn’t been out there in years, and the last time I was out there, there were so many show dances that we only got 40 minutes of dancing in all night.   I’d heard over the years that my dance floor is bigger, which I wondered about because after all TGB is International dance mecca.  In fact their floor is about 3 feet wider than mine, but my floor is almost 20 feet longer.  Even if they open the floor up and add in their practice area, my floor is still about 13 feet longer when I use my whole room.  See some pictures on www.ilovetodance.ca.   Still it was a beautiful dance floor to be on. 

 

The DJ booth

Cowboy Andy

View from one end

 

How does an 11 year old girl and a 10 year old boy become $500,000 richer?   When ballroom dancing!   Check out this cute video of these two dancers who’ve been dancing together for only 5 years. 

 

Cross Step Waltz – A number of local dance teachers attended a workshop on a new dance style – Cross Step Waltz.  I like to play beautiful music and sometimes I don’t care about tempo, but I do play tempo correct songs for the International crowd.  There’s so much music that isn’t 30-32 bpm Slow Waltz or 59-60 bpm Viennese, and much less music that’s correct tempo AND really beautiful to dance to.   So what do we do when we have a song 47 bpm.  Well some just dance real fast, some do a “practice” Viennese.   Yes you can go to Youtube and see examples of this Cross Step Waltz, but in the words of Frank Zappa the music being used is “gag me with a spoon”!   This waltz deserves great music, so here are three of my all time favorite waltz’s, I’m hoping we can finally have a dance for:  “Roch Voisine – I’ll Always Be There (51)”, “Josh Groban – February Song (47)”,  “Christina Perri - A Thousand Years (47)”.  

 

So why tell you about this new dance?   Because Robyn and Donn Picard will be teaching it at my Apr 14 dance this weekend! 

 

Maggie and I have great news for Ballroom/Latin/Swing dancers!    First of all last year I had a “Battle of the DJ’s” featuring Maggie vs Myself.   It was a roaring success, my dancers came, Maggies dancers came and Maggie and I had a DJ slugfest.  That is, I play a Cha Cha, then she immediately plays a “better Cha Cha”.   She plays her best West Coast Swing and I try to out do her!   It was a blast.  So I’m announcing that we’re having two special events:

 

“Battle of the DJ’s Part 2” and the date will be at my dance June 16.  And just as exciting – and to promote each others dance and give dancers a little extra value for their money – “Dance 1.5”,   Here’s the details:

-          At my April 14 dance come to my dance and pay full price $20 and get into Maggies Apr 20 dance for ½ price ($10)

THEN:

-     At Maggies May 4 dance you pay $20 and get a ½ Price ticket to my May 19 dance ($10)

 

This has been helping us Argentine Tango fans – a PRACTICE night - ARGENTINE TANGO Practice Hour!!!

9 Wks Tues. 9-10 Highland Park Elementary Pitt Meadows Starts this Tues. April 10th

To register for this class please call Maple Ridge Leisure Center 604-465-2470 and use Code #167098.

Please don't hesitate to contact Robyn Picard if you have any questions I can also be reached by phone @ 604-467-3534

 

Flash Mob (from Robyn Picard) – April 21 - APRIL 21st from 10AM-2PM is EARTH DAY and I Have been asked to do a FLASH MOB in Memorial Peace Park!!!   I would like to get as many people as possible dancing swing to:  "Born to Boogie" by Hank Williams Jr. Because of the very limited time to put this together, there will be just some very simple choreography at the beginning & at the end maybe somewhere in the middle too, but for the most part it will be free style (not a choreographed order of steps)  Single Rhythm Jive.   All levels of dancers are invited & encouraged to join in on this SUPER FUN opportunity!    Please let me know ASAP if you are interested in joining us.  You can also contact Robyn by phone @ 604-467-3534.  Looking forward to hearing from many of you!

 

Lastly, thank you everyone for using my website as I broke 30,000 views March 26!

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April 2 - I finally got a hold of Helen Wood who runs the new “Woodys Dance Club”.  As she doesn’t have a website I’ve setup this page for her dances.  Her next two dances are April 7 (Sat) and April 20 (Fri).  Typically her dances will be on Saturdays.  There is alcohol at these dances but no hard liquor due to local city regulations.   This is not being marketed as a singles dance, but I’m sure that will be where those folks are going.  Again, see her webpage for a picture of her venue.

 

New for Abbotsford:  As testament that dancing is reaching into every corner of the lower mainland George & Leona Kao who’ve competed up to the Championship Level at competitions all over North America had setup a dance studio in Abbotsford in Feb 2011.   They represented Canada at the 2008 World Senior’s Competition in Belgium and placed 1^st at the prestigious Open to the World-Embassy Ball in California.   George & Leona have started their own Abbotsford dances “LG Dance”, the first of which will be on April 21, the same day as the Cascades Dance which is always sold out anyways – which they often attend!  (see below)

 

Mar 26 - I get a lot of emails (especially on this email account!), and among those are emails about virus warnings (all of which are almost always hoax, immigrants receiving more money than our seniors (hoax), and lately Smart Meters.   Many are upset at Smart Meters because of invasion of privacy concerns and such and there is a lot of false information out there.  At almost 59 I’ve done a lot in my life.   In the 70’s I got my Electronics Technician (Audio/TV), in the 80’s I took a digital course from one of the designers of Telus’s “new” telephone network – when they got rid of mechanical switches and went digital.  In 1988 I started servicing computers which is what I’ve done at London Drugs since 2000.  I know some technology pretty good.   As for Smart Meters these seem to be the main concerns:

1 – Variable Rates.  I have no doubt that at sometime in the future those who use electricity during times of heavy usage will pay more, but for now that’s not allowed. 

2 – Wireless radiation.  No one complains much about all the wireless signals already in your homes (or being broadcast into your home by your neighbor), or that from cell phones, but Smart Meters are really no different.  In fact a reading is taken ONCE an hour on your total current usage for just that one hour, then every 8 hours those totals ONLY are broadcast to Hydro and each broadcast is 20 seconds in length.  In fact you get significantly more radiation from your cell phone.

3 – Current usage.  An electric toothbrush uses mere milli-amps to operate.  A 100 watt light bulb uses almost one amp.  A fridge, furnace or freezer motor kicking in can be 10 amps or so.  Your computers printer uses 1/10 of an amp, your clock radio a continuous fraction of that, hair dryer or iron 10 amps, your computer asleep ¼ an amp and fully on 1 amp.  See where I’m going?  Look at everything “on” in your house and there is absolutely no way Hydro can tell what you’re doing!

4 – Privacy – you should be more worried about what information Google is collecting!  Hydro can’t tell when you’re using an electric carving knife to cut your Easter turkey.

 

But there is a good side.  I just saved $2,500 not having to move my meter so Hydro can read it!   With a smart grid in place sometime down the road maybe we can sell power back to Hydro and all manufacturers are moving towards Smart enabled appliances that allow us to monitor our usage on our computer or smart phone.   That doesn’t use Hydro Smart meters, but your own internet connection.

 

Singles dances have had an interesting twist lately.   Joys Dance club www.joysdanceclub.ca which had such a successful format that other singles dances just melted away years ago is now Lucky D’s www.luckyds.ca.   Starting Jan 21 Woody’s Dance Club started up a new dance with nice decorations, food and a band.   Being a live band this is typically more an event for swing dancing (Jive, ECS, WCS), and it’s not really being marketed as a singles dance.  See more information here:

http://www.cloverdale.bc.ca/events.php#other.  Reportedly, the Shannon Hall has been rearranged to have a larger dance floor and a proper place for a band.  Next dance is March 31.

 

Mar 20 - We had a great dance last Saturday for start of our 8th year of dances.    A few weeks ago we were at Maggies dance and she told me she knew 164 line dances.   By last Saturday she was up to 168!  I program 2 line dances each dance because they are so popular.  I’ve had a link to Larry and Jennifer Wolfe’s website www.dancewithwolves.com for many years – they seem to specialize in Line Dances.  Jennifer has created a webpage listing line dances she’s choreographed, many in a PDF format.   Line dances fit a format of 16 – 64 counts, 1 to 4 walls, and beginner to Advanced.  For every dance she lists appropriate songs.   She also has another webpage of Line Dances from other choreographers.  Other teachers like Candace Zanini www.caydance.ca offer Latin Fit / Line Dancing classes mornings.  We’ve been to her dances where half the room was her lady line dancers.  Of course line dancing is popular with the ladies because let’s face it there’s always a shortage of men!   We’ve been to Pilipino dances where the floor is packed with line dancing ladies because not many of the men choose to dance!  Another Coquitlam teacher Francesca Anastasi www.conficance.ca takes the Fit in dancing to the ladies, not Line Dancing but dancing as exercise.   

 

Cascades Casino asked me a while back to see if I could ensure to play some music that is current (Cascades Casino dances aren’t my dances, but I provide DJ services).  I’d never thought of it that much as I just choose songs I’d love to dance to, but I thought I’d share the results from the dance that preceded the question!  In 2 ½ hours I played 44 songs, 27 were from 2000 on and 12 from the past 5 years.  During the same 2 ½ hours I had 10 songs for Swing dancers, 3 Country 2-steps, 5 Country songs and 2 oldies.  For the Latin Crowd, 2 Salsa, 2 Samba, 2 Bachata, 1 Merengue, 1 Argentine Tango.  I also had 3 line dances, 5 Cha Cha’s (because they’re popular), 3 NC 2-step, 2 Rumba, 2 Slow Waltz and 3 Foxtrot.  That’s a pretty good mix and somewhat similar to my dances.

 

Maggie and I are going to have fun again with a “Battle of the DJ’s Part 2” at one of my upcoming dances.  I thought I won, she thought she won!   So we’re up for a rematch and we’re going to come to the plate with some great tunes and a super fun night!  We’re also going to have a couple of dates where we offer you something really special with Great Value where we cross promote each others dances as follows:   Go to Maggies dance pay regular price, and get into my dance for half price.   Then vice versa.

 

Mar 12 - I know Maggie’s taught Shag lessons several times but we’ve never had an opportunity to try it, so in my wanderings I came across a bunch of Shag or “Beach Music”.  This music also lends itself quite well to East Coast (Triple Step) and West Coast Swing.   Here’s a nice video of an older couple in competition - it’s very smooth, the guys got fabulous footwork to a great Boogie Woogie tune.  This is funny, Arthur Murray video from 1937 on how to dance Shag.   I think both Shag as a dance and Arthur Murray as a studio have come a long way since!

 

Mar 5 - Louis Bongiovanni’s having a swing dance Mar 9 – this Friday featuring a live band.  Louis hopes to host mixed dance events at the Alpen Club once a month and is kindly picking dates that don’t conflict with other mixed dances.  This is a Lindy-hop evening with some mixed Latin-dancing (keep in mind that Lindy Hop music is also music you can sometimes Foxtrot, WCS or Jive to).   There’ll be a lesson, performance and a DJ to keep the floor lively during the bands breaks.   This will be a fun evening for non-dancers who just want to watch wile having a drink or eats.   Since this is a bar, adults only please.  On Facebook look for “Swing Night at the Alpen Dance Hall”.   Louis also hosts Argentine Tango events and if you want to be on his Tango contact list just let him know – 778-883-0004 or louis.bongiovanni@gmail.com

 

This was an interesting weekend that defies explanation because there were 3 dances on the same date.  I have no doubt  that Bill McKinnon’s dance did pretty well as it usually does, but Cascades had a record crowd, and the RMSS’s fundraiser featuring “The Bruce James Orchestra”, had 180 in attendance, although a lot of those were not Ballroom dancers, they just wanted to see a Big Band!  

 

Feb 27 - I was a Scout leader for 11 years and on my 40^th birthday because everyone I knew could ski and I decided I would finally try. 

So when my Cubs needed a winter camp, we incorporated skiing into the program, and every year after that it became a traditional thing to do in the winter.  When we were taking our first lesson the instructor asked another leader why he wasn’t joining us and he said “I’ve got a bum leg, I can’t ski”.   The instructor said to him “nonsense, I’ve taught deaf people to ski, we can even teach blind people to ski”!   (In the dance world there are actually contests for wheelchair dancers).

 

I’ve heard a lot of people say they can’t dance because they have 2 left feet, and I’m sure that more of an excuse rather than reality.  My ex wouldn’t take more lessons with me because in our first 10 week ballroom session, I couldn’t get Waltz.   Years later when I started taking lessons again it all more or less fell into place, but I was trying really hard and practiced lots.  Too many dancers of my age wish they’d started dancing when they were younger.  

 

I got the following email from Maggie about the passing of a long time dancer Keith Pelley.   I got this email a little late for my Monday newsletter, and the funeral was last Thursday.  53 is too young to go, but at least he was a long time dancer.

 

It is with deep sorrow that I announce the passing of one of our long time Dancer, Keith Pelley, Friday, Feb 18.  Keith enjoyed swing and country dancing and had many wonderful dance friends over the years that he danced with us. At 53, Keith was much too young to say goodbye.   Rest in peace Keith we will miss you - Maggie

 

Feb 24 - I moved to Richmond in 1986 from Kamloops and moved out to Maple Ridge in 1991.  Three years later (1994) the Grand Ballroom opened its doors.   From 1986 – 1991 I worked for A&B Sound, much of that time at the SW Marine Drive location and 8 years after that (1999) right next door, the Crystal Ballroom opened it’s doors to the public.  Even before that Mr Dance had opened their doors in 1991, Maggie started her dances in 1994 and Bill McKinnon 1996.   In 1997 the beginnings of the BC Swing Dance club were formed at a barbeque in Maggie’s back yard and this year they celebrate their 15^th anniversary. 

 

My ex and I took one set of ballroom lessons from Robyn Picard in 1996 and the only dances I knew about were Maggie & Bills, and we went to Bills dances once or twice.   It wasn’t until 2001 when I got serious about ballroom lessons then started frequenting Bill’s & Maggie’s dances regularly.   The 7^th anniversary of my dances is coming up next month, and I have a lot of people to thank, because it was tough for awhile and a lot of my dances didn’t do all that well until our food, music and venue caught on, plus a lot of support from Robyn & Donn Picard and their students.   Robyn started her Friday night dances in 2004 after a lot of prodding, because I loved her music and I wanted another Friday dance other than Maggie’s.   But I still wanted more dancing so in March 2005 I started my first dance, which gave us a possible good four dances a month, and I got really lucky getting a room with a great floor and eventually we purchased and installed a ballroom chandelier.  

 

There is so much happening these days in the dance world that it’s hard sometimes to keep up, so I’ve had to narrow the focus of my website to cater to dancers who do Ballroom, Latin & Swing.   In conversations with Maggie recently we talked about all this and realized that our emails collectively go out to about 5,000 dancers in the lower mainland, that’s pretty impressive when you’re trying to get a message out to a targeted community, something impractical 10 years ago.   Someone has an event, they just need to contact us and zippo, we can help spread the word!

 

The only day I don’t dance is Monday, and for people like me, having a lot of places to dance is a blessing.  Some only like to dance a couple times a month above their lessons.  Providing music for Cascades Casino was a mixed blessing as the Cascades event gave some dancers their monthly quota and thus my attendance dropped somewhat.   Today the lower mainland (lands west of and not including Mission) has 2.3 million people.  You’d think that there’s enormous room for the dance community to grow, but that seems not to be the case.   Decent rooms can rent for over $900, and to break even on top of every other expense you’ve got to price it so they’ll keep coming or have such a unique product that they’ll pay more to attend.  

 

For the dance community to grow we need to promote dancing to friends, family and neighbors!   A good start to find a teacher is this webpage!   http://www.ilovetodance.ca/Danceteachers.htm

 

Feb 6 - Success has a downside when it comes to dancing because when a dance becomes too popular, the dance floor gets too busy.   I’m a little luckier than many dance hosts because if I need more room I can just ask the custodian to open up more space and I pay for the extra space later, but I always rent the entire room (dance floor 33’ x 100) for Valentines, Christmas and New Years.   Most dances don’t have that option.   When dance floors become crowded, even at WCS & Salsa dances it’s distracting to spend available brain power watching the traffic around you with the obligatory courtesy apologies rather than concentrating on a great song, my dance partner, and what I want to do next.  It’s distracting to have my partner signal someone coming up on me from behind – my concentration goes out the window, and then what do you resort to?   A bunch of cross body leads and basic turns! 

 

At three dances I went to in the last month the floor was so crowded we’ve ended up leaving the floor many times before our dance was finished.  This is why you’ll see us closing down most dances because the best dancing usually starts after 10:30 when many have left!

 

Thus the quandary for dance hosts – do you take it all when you can and hope everyone just understands or do you cap your numbers at a reasonable level?   Robyn and I originally asked Cascades to cap ticket sales at 120, but we found out this weekend that 110 was a nicer limit – for dancers – not Cascades!   At last months Cascades dance we had 132, and while it was exciting to see that many happy dancers all wanting to be on the floor, it was really tough to dance and utilize our best moves. 

 

Jan 31 - Here’s a great Valentines song – “Daniel Bedingfield – If You’re Not The One”.   From 2002, it’s one of those great songs you’d Night Club 2-step to or if you don’t know NC 2-step, maybe a Rumba.

 

Now I know what works for my dances and what doesn’t.  For the International crowd I will continue to offer 1-2 each standard tempo Slow Waltz, Viennese, Tango, and Foxtrot each night.  During the night there will be 2-3 Line dances.  About one hour into each dance I have a Two Song WCS mixer.   For the Latin lovers there will be a 1-2 each of Samba & Merengue and 2-3 each Salsa, Bachata and Argentine Tango.   Typically I play 4-5 songs, then a slow one.  Each night my first 2 CD’s of music will feature the coolest best music I know and after that (10:30) I’m open to requests but ONLY from my music collection which I bring with me.   Thus the first 160 minutes is music that defines my dance.  

 

For Instance:  Here’s my first set last Saturday – Cha Cha, Foxtrot, Quickstep, East Coast Swing, Street Hustle, Rumba, Salsa, Jive, Merengue, Samba, WCS, Waltz, Viennese, Cha Cha Country 2-step, Line Dance, 2-Song WCS Mixer, NC 2-step, Tango, Argentine Tango, Bachata.  This was my 2^nd set last Saturday – Cha Cha, Country 2-step, Foxtrot, Quickstep, Jive Rumba, East Coast Swing, Salsa, Bachata, WCS, Samba, Waltz, Cha Cha, Foxtrot, Line Dance, Jive, NC 2-step, Argentine ‘Tango, Viennese, Country 2-step, Salsa, Rumba.

 

This seems to keep everyone the most happy.  Of course, in this set will be music from the 50’s to current, Country and Pop.  Some of the songs are cross danceable and a WCS dancer may find a lot they can dance to.   For instance, one song I played “Boy Krazy – That’s What Love Can Do”, could be a Cha Cha, WCS or East Coast Swing depending on your mood or what dances you know.

 

Here’s a fabulous Rumba I heard at Bill McKinnon’s dance in December which I finally found and played at my New Years dance – “Song From A Secret Garden”.  No vocals an instrumental with a gorgeous melody and beautiful chord changes and 4:32 long.

 

New Years Pictures

 

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Sept 5 - In the early 70’s I played keyboards in bands and did three years of karate until a free-fight injury blocking a kick shut me down.  I finished the fight, and got my points but two weeks later found I’d fractured my right wrist.  I quit karate to save my keyboard career and went to college.  That injury took 2 years to heal.  With no exercise regime I had serious restless leg syndrome - a term that wasn’t to be invented till decades later.   When my oldest son spent two years in Japan I was unwilling to spend 9 hours on a flight with RLS!  After a night of dancing I have RLS and I used to get severe leg cramps around 2-3am.   Watching that poor tennis player Rafael Nadal on TV during a post match interview I felt his pain as most of us have.   But today I seem to have a cure.  My doctor tested me for deficiencies, and vitamins, medicinals, water, and simple stretching didn’t work but this does.   Like most people my age I have sore knees which is helped immensely by exercise, but what I do is hold onto a chair and keeping my back straight do knee bends.  I do that 40 times which tires the muscles and gets rid of RLS, and then do a thigh stretch 30-40 seconds on each leg usually twice, followed for good measure, 40 toe rises - a real good exercise for dancers.

 

 

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  Wanted: