Dancing Swing Opinions

By Brian Kwon, Waianae
Dance instruction is not universal, and for many dances (particularly swing dances,) (and folk dancing,) it is quite common for them to be taught and described differently in various regions.

"Just take what you love doing, and do it with

enough other people to make it the future."

In Hawaii we are very fortunate to be pretty well influenced, country wide, on swing. We get many views from different parts of the country. There are some trends that tend to be generally recognized as "right", but we are lucky that we do not have a governing body over swing dance that says what is "right" or "wrong".

Swing dance generally refers to a category of dances that includes Lindy hop, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, Jitterbug, and many other dances listed as swing dances. Also, keep in mind that swing dancers and ballroom dancers tend to view their dances differently. That is why we have independent Swing Dance Clubs on several Islands.

For example, while ballroom dancers usually see Lindy hop and East Coast Swing as being very different from one another, there are many credible swing dancers who consider East Coast Swing to be a subset of lindy hop that uses similar techniques rather than a completely different dance.

"Ring My Bell" by Anita Ward

Swing opinions like any other dance opinions are not limited to experts only. They should be open for anyone to speak as they please. The ones out there dancing for years know something.

We would hope that the contributing editors of any article to these blogs would include more qualified experts who could add information to articles beyond what an amateur could do. That would be a welcomed addition.

However no one has the right to say that an amateur cannot have an opinion. Besides, what constitutes an "expert" can be subjective. I've known dancers who claimed to be experts when they could not follow some of the most basic principles of swing dancing. And many of you have seen the same.
Brian

"Reunited" by Peaches & Herb
 

Mosquito bites:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

All we need is a good community center with a little bit of space.

Laminate flooring can be installed over many existing floors, including wood, tile, vinyl, and linoleum. Most laminate flooring systems are floating, which means they do not fasten directly to the plywood subfloor (or existing flooring material) with nails or glue.

Rather, they utilize an interlocking system that is held together with an adhesive. The adhesive holds the flooring material together, while allowing the subfloor below to move independently of the laminate. The adhesive also helps seal off the core material from surface moisture. Many manufacturers now offer glueless, snap-together systems that require no fasteners or adhesives.

We will get new clubs and new places to dance in the West.