Knick Knacks

Different? Wrong?
By William Woo, Kapolei

Dancers are not the smartest people in the world but we are a fairly bright group of human beings. Most of us are not interested in rocket science, but we do have our own ideas and perspectives on this thing called dancing.

“There is nothing more genuine than breaking away from the chorus

to learn the sound of your own voice.”

We are often surprised to find that there are dancers out there with different ideas from ours. Is it possible that they are wrong? We are learning little by little that they are not wrong, only different and we also know that we have a perfect right to be different too. We don't have to bash anyone. We can only point to our way as being what we want. Won't you join us?     ******

What is Dancing?
By Enio Cordoba, California

Many would have us believe that it is simply keeping time to the rhythm of the music. If that were the case, then there would be no "fancy" steps, no turns, no shine-ups. Everybody would do the same steps all night long. Of course that is not the answer.

What is annoying is to see those that complain the most about "ballroom" dancers attempt to do many of the same moves. Everyone thinks that what they do it the appropriate level for social dancing and if anyone does anything slightly more difficult, they are showing off.

"Con Sabor Latino" by Xavier Gonzalez

Dancing is not only an expression of your rhythm, but also of your personality ... your being. Just like people are introverted and shy at a party and others are loud, boorish and extroverted.

I remind my students that there are no dance schools in Latin America. People learn the rhythms from listening to years of the music. Eventually they go to a club and copy what the next guy is doing. This is a form of steet dance, there are no rules. You go to one club and everyone is dancing quick, quick, slow and in another club they dance slow, quick, quick. What is that we dance to? Ha!