No Furlough Friday Dance Tonight - 8/27/2010

Sorry for the late notice but there will not be a Furlough Friday Dance tonight at Radford High School because another organization is using the cafeteria. However, Dance Hawaii Social Dance at Radford HS is still on for tomorrow Saturday (8/28) at 7-10PM.

Let's Go Dancing In September

So you want to go dancing in September. Spendid idea! Here's the venues that reached my desk so far. I imagine there will be more, so keep tuned to this Weblog. Also when you see KI, please thank him for sharing the September Palladium schedule. (Left click on poster to zoom in)

Dance Hawaii Social Dance at Radford High School on Furlough Friday (9/3) 7-10PM.


USA Dance Mock Competition at the Palladium on Saturday (9/25) 6-9:45PM.

Divino Ritmo Dance Studio at the Cupola on Tuesday (9/28) 7-10PM.

WASABI Hot 50's & 60's Band (see previous blog for times and location).

WASABI @ Don Ho's this Saturday/September Schedule

"The 1st "Bump On The Hump" was a blast!" sez the Dying Cock-A-Roach. Want more Hot 50's and 60's tunes that make you Jump & Jive? Just continue to read the following e-mail from Doreen (da leader of the talented WASABI Band)...........



Hi!
Just a reminder, we're at Don Ho's this Saturday, so put on your dancing shoes and come on down! Our dear friends, The KingPins, will be next door at Gordon Biersch, too, so we'll have our friendly competition thing going on. Ha ha ha! Please share our gig schedule with everyone you know, and ask them to support LIVE music:

THIS SAT. 8/28 Don Ho's Island Grill @ Aloha Tower Marketplace (8-11 pm)

Thu. 9/09 St. Louis Alumni (6:30-10 pm)

Fri. 9/10 Don Ho's Island Grill (8-11 pm)

Sat. 9/25 Don Ho's Island Grill (8-11 pm)

Wed. 9/29 Dole Cannery's "Bump On The Hump" (6:30-9 pm)

Our 1st "Bump On The Hump" was a blast. Not a "SRO & 6 hanahou" crowd (hyuk! hyuk! This only means that it wasn't a packed house like one of our "friends" always brags about, huh Harvey?! ), but a good turnout nonetheless; and it's always good to see all our friends dancing & having FUN! That is the name of the game! We hope the word will get out to as many people as possible that the Dole Cannery Ballroom is a really good place to go to, and we also hope that their Wednesday "Bump On The Hump" will take off as THE place to be to break up the work week in a nice, conveniently located place to join your friends, or make new friends, that offers fun exercise (dancing), ono pupus, and nutritional supplements (booze) . The Iwilei Ballroom at Dole Cannery is very spacious with a nice stage for the band, decent-sized dance floor (we heard from the manager that he'll try to make the dance floor bigger next time), GOOD FOOD, good service, lots of convenient parking, and air-conditioning! Can't ask for more than that!

Hope to see you at Don Ho's this Saturday! This is another venue we love dearly. Very nice atmosphere on the waters of Honolulu Harbor. We always enjoy our times there, and we are very grateful that we can perform & play in this very "majical" place that holds so many memories of so many talented musicians who have performed there as well as memories of days gone by...never to ever forget that one of Hawaii's most famous icons, Uncle Don Ho, used to perform in that very room. For all us old-fogies, you guys remember The Alii's? Hard to find talent of that caliber nowadays, and a tough act for us to follow, but we have fun doing what we do and LOVE all the friends like you who come out all the time to support us!!! And NO FORGET...Al Waterson is also still at Don Ho's on Thursdays (Special performance night featuring various guest artists) & Sundays (Singing competition night and karaoke open mic). If you just want to sit back and be entertained by someone who is not only handsome & charismatic, but a real HAM & great singer, you will enjoy Al Waterson!

Until next time...a hui hou!

Love from me, da Dying Cock-A-Roach, & da boyz!

Dance Beneath The Cupola

Aloha Dancers,
Just received this e-mail from my dear friend Marie Laderta on Dancing At The Cupola for the month of August. Please read on for more info..........

Hi Frank & Lani!
Yes, it's that time of the month again! So quick! Unbelievable.
We at Divino Ritmo thought we would remind everyone of our social dance party NEXT week!

-------------------

"You are Invited to Dance Beneath the Cupola"


Lucas and Yanna of Divino Ritmo invite YOU to dance beneath the Cupola, NEXT Tuesday, August 31st, from 7-10pm!
Yes, it's that time of the month again, the last Tuesday, time to shake loose, boogey your heart out, chat with other dancers or just have a glass of wine and some
pupu....whatever your reason for coming.....please come again to the Cupola on the 2nd floor of the Honolulu Design Center at 1250 Kapiolani Blvd (corner of Kapiolani and Piikoi).
Or if you've never come, please do, give it a try, you will be pleasantly surprised by the friendly, carefree, and social atmosphere. You will experience our mini dance lesson and 3 hours of social dancing to a wonderful selection of dance music, all Lucas' special picks...
Admission is FREE and our dance party is open to the public. On Tuesday nights, bottles of wine are half price and military discounts are available for food and beverage!
So GANG, let's wrap up the month with a BANG!...... dancing beneath the Cupola! See ya!

For more information, contact:
Lucas at: divinoritmo@aol.com
Yanna at: yannajs@gmail.com

Bump On The Hump

I kid you not, dear readers. Music of the 50's and 60's have not died or faded away 'cause the Dying Cock-A-Roach is living proof that the "Oldies" like Rock & Roll is here to stay. And don't sell the WASABI Band short....they got some old time smoothies and Latin rhythms, too, that will drive you to the dance floor. But let the Queen of Mean (mean to make your day) spill her story........
(Left click on poster to zoom in)

From: Doreen Nakamoto
Date: Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 5:32 PM
Subject: Dole Ballrooms presents "Bump on the Hump" Wednesday, August 25,2010

Hi All!
Attached is a flyer for our new venue and FIRST "Bump On A Hump" at Dole Cannery on Wednesday, August 25, 2010. Please pass on to everybody you know, so we can make this new venue a success for future gigs there in the town area. Very convenient!!! Lots of parking!!! If you're coming, don't forget to see me for the parking "special" (otherwise it's $3 validated parking). There's going to be drink specials, and the $4 cover charge will include a free drink! Please let me know if you're coming and need seats cuz I have all the tables around the dance floor reserved for me (seats 10 each).

REMINDER: We're at Ige's this Friday, August 20th, so let me know if you need seats by tomorrow @ 12 noon.

As usual, thank you all for your support of LIVE music, and for all your love & support of our "dying Cock-A-Roach" and his merry men!!!

Love u lots & God bless,
d

You Can Dance The Swing By Making It Fun

Some years back, I came across a pocket book that advises "SIB-KIS"
(See It Big-Keep It Simple). It's a good rule to follow which I've used in my teachings of Social Ballroom Dancing.
As Pepe and some of his Guest Authors imply in the Blogosphere..social dancing is for the enjoyment of partner dancing. See It Big-Keep It Simple and the Beginner and even the Advanced dancers can reap the fruits of having fun dancing to Smooth, Latin, and Swing rhythms at any venues. Learning the Basics is the most important step to becoming a fun dancer. It won't get you a ticket to perform on "So You Think You Can Dance" nor "Dancing With The Stars" but it'll sure gonna get you on the dance floor and have fun partner dancing. So stick to the basics, absorb it into your feelings till you're ready to climb the ladder to more advanced patterns.
I've been asked many times "why Lani and I teach 4 dances (5 hours each) in a 10 week session". (Lani and I teach 6-7 patterns in the 5 hours). Simply because most social dancers (beginners and advanced) dances only 4 or 5 patterns repeatedly around the dance floor. Sure some advanced dancers will add some showcase movements while social dancing but that's how they felt (the passion) at the moment. That's cool and that's about "letting loose".
You can dance the Swing with basic steps and still look like an advanced dancer by "letting loose". After all Swing Dancing is characterized by Swing To The Left, and Swing To The Right....just like the lyrics to the song . So SIB-KIS and you're on your way to having fun partner dancing.

The Lion Roaring On Sunday

Almost missed this announcement with good reason...I wasn't tracking Lions. But thanks to KI, the MAN of the hour, days, weeks, and months, who keeps tabs on what's gonna happen in the dancing community....that I'm able to escape the claws of The Lions Kapiolani Ballroom Dancers. So here's their poster with all the info to lure you to the dance at the Palladium.

"THRILLER" Coming In October

Wish I had my video cam today. Ron and Salome, two long time friends, were going through the dance Michael Jackson made famous in "Thriller". It's gonna be a HOT one come October at the Ala Moana Centerstage. Other members of the Step*Taculars will be performing in this production, too. Should be a "Thriller" with all the scarey makeup and ghoulish costumes.
(Left click on photo to zoom in)

Da Dying Cock-A-Roach Strikes Again

From: Doreen Nakamoto
Date: Mon, Aug 9, 2010 at 2:27 PM
Subject: New Venue for WASABI

Hi All!
We were just asked to play at Dole Cannery on Wednesday, August 25. They are reviving their "Bump On A Hump" Wednesdays there in the Iwilei Ballroom on the 2nd Floor. The doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and there'll be a cover charge of only $3 or $4 at the door, but the cover charge will include a "well" drink, or soft drink. There will be beer specials and good pupus. Parking is $3.00 w/validation, but come see me before you get the ticket validated for a parking special. We will be playing from 6:30-9:00 p.m. We are keeping it early for all us old fogies who still gotta work the next day. ha ha ha! This will be a FANTASTIC venue for us cause it's early, there's lots of parking, it's a big room with a stage, and there's a huge dance floor. Plus, the management at Dole has graciously allowed me to reserve the tables around the dance floor for all our WASABI friends. The tables seat 10, so please let me know if you can join us, and let me know how many seats you'll be needing.

Just A Reminder: We'll be at St. Louis Alumni this coming Thursday, August 12, 2010 from 6:30-10:00 p.m., so come on down! We absolutely love this place. We were kinda nervous the first time we were there cause we didn't know what the heck was going on with the setup and the food, but now we know, so we expect to be more relaxed and have more FUN! Remember now, go order your food at "da Kitchen" as "take-out", then bring it in to the hall for faster eats cause the restaurant staff and the St. Louis staff are two different entities, so it'll be less confusion on everybody if you just go get it yourselves. Unless, of course, you don't want to walk the few steps into the restaurant, then you can "flag down" the girls in the hall. Email me with your seating requests, and I'll put some "RESERVED" signs on the tables, ok?!

Thank you and see you all soon!
From da "dying cock-a-roach" & da boyz & me

Hawaii Gardenia Circle

Hawaii Gardenia Circle is hosting their Anniversary Dance at the Palladium on
Saturday August 28.
For Presale Tickets please contact Gayle Kawahakui at (cell) 223-8052.

Take Me Back To The 50's

Hey Cool Cats! If you're a product of the 50's, you gotta get hooked on to this video. It should bring back some good old memories and I don't mean living the "makule kine". And I gotta thank Salome of Dancing With Salome for sharing the link with Lani and me. Here's her scoop........

Had many of these before but this is one of the best. Why is it we tend to remember only the good ones?

This is one of the best 50's video's I've seen. You will enjoy this.
But only if you were in our generation or very close. . . ..
And if you were not in this generation -- listen and eat your hearts out.
It was one of the best of times..

http://oldfortyfives.com/TakeMeBackToTheFifties.htm

(please paste this link on your browser)

Contra Dance @KCC Chapel

Aloha Dancers,
Here's an E-mail from ContraDancers Hawaii and a chance to get your feet wet in a different genre of dancing...a good test on how well you can listen, lead, and follow. Check it out if you're free this Saturday.

Contra Dance
Saturday Evening
August 7th 7:30-10:00 pm
Dance Hall ("Chapel") at KCC

Directions to the Dance Hall at Kapi'olani Community College are on our website: http://www.sls.hawaii.edu/contra/

Live music by "Whiskey Starship":
Abby Brown, flute
Kevin Craven, fiddle
Jeff Klein, mandolin, banjo, and guitar
Dennis Suyeoka, mandocello
John Kahle, guitar
Robert Bley-Vroman, keyboard
Caller- Darrow Hand

All dances at KCC are FREE! We depend on donations from dancers and friends.

NOTE TO NEWCOMERS: If you haven't danced before, get there early. The first part of the evening is especially good for getting a feel for what it's about. The caller will explain and teach all moves. Also, you can show up a few minutes before the dance begins, and the caller will be happy to give you a brief explanation and demonstration.

It's International Waltz Time

Aloha Dancers,
Here's your chance to get a feel on the International Style Waltz. Dance USA continues their series of workshop this Saturday. Read on the following e-mail from Glenn Okazaki........

Hi All,
It’s International Waltz time...
Ready for more technique to make dancing easier?...well join us this Saturday, August 7, at 12:30pm for registration at the Palladium for our next class of the ‘series’, the Int’l Waltz. The class is 1 1/2 hours with self practice between and after the class. The cost is……..get ready for this…… ONLY $5.00 per person, members and non-members.

We can’t believe the interest these single classes have generated. In the previous weeks, we have gone thru the Quick Step and then the Int’l Foxtrot. The floor was almost packed to the max for the Foxtrot. I am glad everyone is interested in doing proper footwork and technique. Believe it or not, by executing proper footwork, you already have made dancing easier for yourself. We also give ‘tips’ on how to make leading/following easier to dance. It is up to the individuals to use it and practice it. Our regular students have shown great improvement with these techniques. We hope you will take the time out this Saturday afternoon, to incorporate these techniques into your dancing.

See you Saturday,
Glenn Okazaki
USA Dance Honolulu

Furlough Friday August 6th @ Radford HS

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE from Maurice T Morita

FURLOUGH FRIDAY SOCIAL DANCE THIS FRIDAY, AUGUST 6TH

Dance Hawaii will continue to sponsor a "Social Dance" while the Ala Wai Palladium is closed due to Furlough Friday for State and County Employees.
Location: Radford High School Cafeteria
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Music DJ: Andy Pascua
****Donations will be accepted to benefit the Radford High School Athletic Program
****Please bring your favorite pupu dish to share with everyone in attendance
****All serving utensils, paper goods, coffee, hot tea, ice tea, ice cold water will be provided by Dance Hawaii