What’s up in 2010!
So, once again it’s time to make sure everyone out there know’s what we’re up to! And it’s going to be a lot this year!
First, poi classes! Britannia poi class
You can also check out details here:
Poi class on Facebook
Next, a blues drop in class to gear up for a new session of classes:
Blues Drop in Class on Facebook
Then, in February we have several fire shows planned, including three evenings at Winterruption. We’re working under the name Firebelly. No official info is posted yet. Eventually you’ll be able to find all the details on the winterruption website: http://www.granvilleisland.com/node/845
Plus blues jams, more classes, and other events to come!
Blues music and blues dancing
I’ve started compiling lists in my head. This song is good to dance to. This song is great for listening. The listening list is much longer than the dancing list, and this discrepancy is forcing me to question the connection between music and dance.
What compels us to dance to certain songs? What compels us to stop and stand still and simply hear what’s being said? Randomly, I have “Cool Drink of Water Blues” by Tommy Johnson playing right now, and I can’t say it moves me to move. Instead I’m somewhat haunted, intermittently, by the way his voice slides into moments of wavering falsetto and feelng. The guitar in the background offers just enough of a rolling sense of rhythm and melody to send the song forward, but that’s it. This is delta blues from back in the day! It’s the roots of what we all dance to! Why doesn’t it make me want to dance? Perhaps the music wasn’t connected to movement at first? This makes sense to me. It also makes sense to question the idea of dancing to such music in the first place. If dance is a celebration, does it make sense to dance to someone else’s musical outcry of hardship and suffering? Perhaps this is how difficult experience is transformed into something positive.
A quick scan of some wikipedic blues dance history reveals that some of the old musicians from the early 1900s played for dancers! I’ll have to delve into their music and figure out what the difference was between their dancer-driven songs and the songs that just don’t seem to move me (or others) to move.
Apparently the tango was in vogue in the early 1900s, and W. C. Handy used a tango rhythm to entice dancers onto the floor, then broke in an entirely different, bluesy beat. St. Louis Blues uses this tactic. So, did African-roots blues, once melded with European-rhythm music give rise to “danceable” blues music?
As soon as I let go of the idea of what created blues dance music in the first place, it’s easy to start picking out danceable songs. The shuffle beat is incredibly powerful and important in blues dance music. But it’s not the end-all of rhythmic devices either. A simple, single-time stomp can create enough driving rhythm for dancing. There’s a guitarist who plays on Commercial Drive, and as he plays, he stomps out simple a beat on his guitar case. The result is the slide guitar style of old delta blues with enough rhythm to make me want to dance!
A quick glance through a few of my 882 songs that are specifically labeled with “blues” under the genre heading:
3 O’clock blues – B. B. King – medium-slow – shuffle beat with triplets played on cymbals – DEFINITELY danceable
Another version of the same song – a little slower – the shuffle is less noticeable – instead a simple 1 – 2 kickdrum-cymbal beat of boom-click, boom-click – and it totally works
Yet another version – Ike and Tina Turner – from Putumayo’s Mississippi Blues album – shuffle beat with triplets – medium-slow and totally danceable
606 Blues by Slim Tinsley and His Band from Midnite Blues Party, vol 2. – no shuffle beat, but rather a thunk-thunk-thunk-thunk beat in both the rhythm and bass and thus more of a sloooow lindy or slightly faster bluesy step-touch or shake ‘n bake effect – danceable? yes, but not in the really groovy way a lot of us love
Bad Luck Shadow by Johnny Otis – more shuffle, so it’s a groovy slow-medium tempo, perfect for draggin’, struttin’, shakin’, or doin’ whatever blues movement one wants
I could keep listing songs on and on into the night, but here’s the thing – I might find hundreds with the right beat and sound, but the next level is definitely a less definable thing – feeling, soul, heart, whatever it is that moves me to move and express myself. Maybe this is the question worth exploring, how to know whether a song has feeling or not….but then again, isn’t this a decision best left to each individual listener?
Gosh, then how does DJing really make sense? Every song will be interpreted in as many ways as there are dancers in the room, right?
More thinking, more lists, more levels of categorization, more listening is needed!
Blues Dance, Blues Music
After a bit of an internal hiatus from blues and partner dance (I just wasn’t feeling compelled to do much), I feel like I’m back….and better than ever!
This time I’m delving more deeply into blues music. I remember going through a phase like this at the beginning of my swing dance craze, back when I started dancing in the first place, back when the newness of it all compelled me to learn all I could about this new thing I so dearly loved. I listened to a lot of swing music then, I learned about its origin, along with the dance, and I felt I really could embrace my experience on the dance floor from the inside out. I didn’t just dance to the music, or on the music – I danced inside it. I breathed it!
Now the same is happening, but with blues. It’s no longer enough to simply show up at a dance and dance to the songs I like. I want to know what they are, where they come from, who sings them, and what they’re about. I had no idea that blues music reaches back quite so far. I had no idea that watching a recording of old blues singers could be so compelling, but it’s true – the look in Howlin’ Wolf’s eyes from some of those old films is…well….frightening….awe-inspiring…moving. Moving. Moving!
How many blues dancers realize that they’re dancing to the deep outcry of people who struggled, who fought, who had it tough but came through the fire anyway? No wonder I needed a break – the dance was becoming all mechanics and no feeling. I’m back to that original place I entered all those years ago – feeling, feeling, feeling!
At one point during my search for new music, I tried to find playlists for blues dancers. Not much luck there! I realized that there is a huge hole out there in the internet – not enough information about the songs that are great for dancing. Perhaps DJs would rather hide their secrets. I’ve decided I’d like to expose them, or I guess I mean I’d like to share them – share my own adventures in music so that others can have the experience of dancing to the songs that are really moving. So, time permitting, that’s my plan – start listing the artists that sing and play their hearts out, first of all, and then list the songs that are best for really going somewhere on the dance floor. I’ll list slow, medium and faster blues along with fusion, world, and other not-quite-blues genres as well as non-blues music that has enough bluesy elements or simply enough feeling to make me want to blues dance to it. Perhaps blues dance is no longer blues dance once you change the music, but it’s close enough. The feeling is there. The same elements apply.
Speaking of the elements of blues dancing, Diane and I are also teaching blues again, and it feels great. We’re delving deeper into the dance now, and we’re finding new ways to break down the things we do and offer concepts that will help other dancers expand what they do as well. Our latest mini blues dance class went really well, so we’re organizing more, spreading our unique insights, hoping to positively influence the Vancouver dance scene one dancer, or one small group of dancers, at a time!
Summer Poi Spinning Update
Here is a long-ish summer poi update. Please, please, please let me know if there’s something big I’ve missed, and I’ll add it!
In this update: 1) Poi classes, 2) Fire jams, 3) Non-fire jams, 4) Fire shows, 5) Poi community.
1) I’m teaching two classes this summer:
Thursdays in July – Trout Lake. Drop-in beginner and intermediate/advanced classes from 7-9 pm.
Mondays all summer – Britannia Community Centre. All level class from 8:30 to 10 pm.
More info: http://www.nightanddaydance.com/poi/lessons/
2) Fire jams are lighting up the summer nights!
Wednesdays at Trout Lake are gaining momentum. It’s said to be a slightly more “beginner-friendly” vibe, which is great for newer spinners. I go when I can!
Sunday at Trout Lake is the bigger night, sometimes with a dj or drummers, and lots of great spinners. This night tends to draw a bigger audience too. Come see what’s cookin’, or do some spinning yourself!
3) There are two regular non-fire jams now.
They happen at around the same day/time: Saturdays around 2 pm. One is at the Art Gallery, and the other is at Trout Lake. Oh, woe is I, how does one decide? Trout Lake is closer to where I live, and I like going there after the Farmers Market. This weekend I’d like to go to one, then the other. We’ll see! Both are are blast and worth checking out!
Another jam happens a little farther out – Wednesdays in New West. Check out http://www.vanjug.org for info!
Other folks have also been getting together on their own to practice and play. I’d love to see them post their info online, perhaps on the Vancouver Poi Enthusiasts page on Facebook. I wouldn’t mind having a few more friendly outdoor practice/play sessions myself! Anyone have a few new cool moves to share?
4) There are a few fire shows coming in July.
You’ll see fire-aplenty at Illuminares at Trout Lake on July 25th – a tradition during that event. The following night, I’ve been asked to perform with fire at an event on/near Spanish Banks. I’ll send more info when I know more, but it should be a pretty magical/meditative experience!
5) Poi community – I love it!
And I’d love to see it grow. One of my favorite moments at Firedrums was when I stood up from lunch in the lodge and started spinning. A few minutes later, five others had joined me and we were sharing moves and ideas. About ten minutes later, one of the kitchen people started banging out an awesome rhythm with a ladle on the steel counter. Then all the kitchen people joined in. Suddenly the room exploded into a thundering harmony of rhythm and sound – it was breathtaking, and it was coming from US! Then Burning Dan, an amazing spinner and teacher, jumped into a clear spot and starting jamming out and dancing with poi, and we all watched and cheered. What an amazing moment! Poi community!
So maybe this is what I’m suggesting: we need a poi day. We pick a day. We pick a place. We get together for the day, and we spin, eat, make music, and jam. The sun goes down, and then we burn, eat some more, make more music, jam, take photos and videos. Then we share our day, in images, online. Then we do it again and again!
So, what do you think? A poi day, this summer? August? Or do we think even bigger and call it Flow Vancouver and invite all the hoopers/staffers, etc too! What do you think?
I hope to see you out spinning soon!
Happy spinning, happy living!
David
Poi Jedi?
I am embarking on a journey to become a poi Jedi.
I’m not necessarily doing anything truly different. It’s more a matter of focus, attention, and energy. I’m pouring more thought and time into what I do with poi, and the result is really striking. The lesson is simple, really:
The more you do of something, the better you get.
But usually most of us take this idea to mean an hour here, and an hour there. Nope, it’s gotta be deeper than that. BE OBSESSED.
led poi spinning triquetra Vancouver BC
So I’m obsessed with poi! I practice almost daily. I’ve been filming myself and sometimes cringing, sometimes cheering at the result. I keep making and trying new practice poi. I bought new fire poi. I talk to everyone about poi. I created a Google Map for spots to spin poi in Vancouver. I teach poi, and I’ll soon be teaching MORE poi. The more poi in my life, the more my poi-ness increases!
sock poi, fabric poi, tube poi, cone poi Vancouver BC
The really challenging side to my hyperfocus on poi is that I never really know at any single moment if I’m actually going anywhere. This is the cruel calculus of living in the moment – instantaneously, I’m actually standing quite still! It’s only when I look at the longer picture, my progression through the course of time, that I begin to see growth. It really helps to record oneself along the way, but we don’t always think of such things, do we?
Luckily, I’ve started!
It probably also helps to have a goal, but that’s tricky with poi. Do I make it my goal to tackle a certain move or set of moves? Perhaps. Do I aspire to enter a competition or perform in a particular venue? Sure. But what else is there? There is no Stanley Cup of poi, not really, and that’s not my angle anyway. I’m not much for competition.
Ah, the Jedi thing. There it is, full circle. The path of a Jedi is as important or even more important than the destination. The goal is fully entering the moment and making the best possible use of what is here right now. What’s here? Time, energy, a pile of poi to practice with, music, a video camera, desire. The more we use these things, the more we grow.
So that’s my quick take on poi, becoming a Jedi, getting better at something. What’s yours?
Poi Lessons, Poi Classes oh my!
New poi spinning classes start soon!
The big one is on Monday nights at Britannia Community Centre at 8:45 pm. Starts April 20. $140 for all ten classes.
Learn all the poi basics, intermediate poi concepts, and advanced poi moves. Did I mention poi?
I’ll have practice poi to borrow or buy, and we’ll plan at least one fire safety orientation and outdoor fire jam.
All the important info is here: http://www.nightanddaydance.com/poi/
wedding dance songs
I like to think we have a unique perspective on wedding dance songs. The list we have compiled is of songs used by previous students, period. We haven’t added anything that we think would work, or think others would like, or think might be popular. The entire list is instead a cross section of what’s being used right now, and what has been used recently. There are definitely some repeats, such as “The Way I Am,” but there are some unique choices as well. So, if students are looking for ideas, this is a great place to start. Now I just wish that someone hadn’t already registered weddingsongs.com!
Here’s the link: http://www.nightanddaydance.com/wedding/songs.php
I’ve been teaching club dancing off and on ever since we started teaching out of our home studio. This usually means someone who has somehow avoided or missed dancing all his/her life, and now wants to be able to feel comfortable at parties, clubs, weddings, etc. So, we start with some basic body awareness and movement, and build up from there.
One crucial element is always missing, though, and that’s a testing ground. How does a student know if this stuff really works without trying it? And in what situation can a student actually try this stuff without feeling completely vulnerable?
I think I’ve found one place, at least! Chai Gallery, above East is East on Broadway near Trutch, has incredible live music (and an amazing buffet) on Wednesday nights. The cost is $35, $10 goes toward a charity, and chai is $4.50 extra (aside from generous samples that they bring around). It starts at 7 pm, ends as late as people want to stay, and it is a wonderful, friendly, open, nonjudgemental vibe – perfect for new dancers!
So, here’s my thought – would a student be willing to pay my admission, along with theirs, to go to something like this and have me as a dance…helper? Coach? Dance support person – there we go! See, I would love to go more often myself, but I’m either teaching or I just can’t afford it on a regular basis. I’m sure my students would love to go, but they probably feel shy about dancing. If we go together, however, and I get up, start dancing simply, and give them something to emulate, and someone to feel good dancing next to, wouldn’t this fill in the missing link?
I’m curious to hear someone’s thoughts!
Taking stock….
Here’s just a quick list of things we’re up to….
I’m up to about 5′ 9″.
Diane is a little shorter still.
We’re creating and rehearsing a swing/jazz/partner dance piece for an independent film project. More details later!
I’m teaching two new sessions of poi classes: Saturdays at the Roundhouse, starting April 18, and Mondays at Britannia, starting April 20. Visit our poi and fire section for more details!
Funding for the seniors ballroom class has been cut, but the programmer for the course is trying to ensure that it continues! Help? Ideas? Let us know! We’ve considered charging for the class, but the program has always been free, so it would be a bit of a shift in thinking for our students.
We continue to teach a lot of private lessons. And right now, as an added incentive to previous students to come back and learn a few more tidbits, if you mention this blog post, I’ll offer you one private lesson, half off! Why? I want to know who reads these entries, and I’d love to see some old students again!
We’re also starting up our blues dance sessions again, so look for them soon if you’re a blues dancer (or even if not – it’s never too late to learn!)…we post the info on Facebook, usually, but may post it here eventually as well.
And finally, we chose a winner for our t-shirt contest, and now we’re just waiting for everyone to have time to get together and finalize the design!
Happy dancing!
David
We’ve announced the first of what will hopefully be a series of art contests for our humble dance company, Night and Day Dance. This time around, we’re looking for t-shirt art to proudly display around Vancouver, and maybe even sell. Anyone can enter, and the winner receives free lessons, two shirts, links and recognition on our page, and our endless thanks!
More details here: Night and Day Dance T-Shirt Logo Contest.
