American Dancer

My USA Dance magazine just arrived and has an interesting letter/article about social dancing that fits into my teaching style. I have come to emphasize the dance frame and connection over all other aspects of partner dancing.
J M Nelson of Houston TX uses terms like spatial orientation and visual enhancement, making the prose somewhat opaque. I am still figuring out what was meant by the analysis of elbows. "Though free to move vertically, the horizontal movement should be minimal, and the horizontal mobility of the upper arm should be flexibly firm."
Another sentence is clearer. "One can never learn enough steps to compensate for an inferior frame; alternately, a beginner with a predictable cadence and a good dance frame will oftentimes be a more enjoyable dance partner."

Falmlouth Town Dance

Arts Alive continues to offer the Town Dance, this year was George Gritzbach.
George did a fine job as usual. The tent was not on the street as advertised, so the dance floor was on the grass, which was okay - not really worse than asphalt. I know my spin turns are compromised and walk them around.
Two years ago, I offered the organizers a dance floor, but their plans were already set. This time, Joe talked to them about next year, so our dance floor could see some action.
I did not get the social media cooking, though I alerted people.
Summer Distraction has kicked in with hot weather and the arrival of the first summer visitors.

SYTYCD philosophy

Nigel explained why they were cutting some of the "fantastic" competitors (many tears). In the spirit of the show's evolution, they are looking for some really different and innovative dancers. The blonde "Crump" girl went anyway. They're focusing on Cyrus the Dragon House robot popper, so that must mean they're going to keep him.
They are also showing us a lot of the Utah ballroom dance girl and the girl who looks like a French Mime.
Will my early favorite, Megan Branch, make it? I looked online, and she has won other competitions with slow, acrobatic, tortured, contemporary pieces.

Notes to Lists to Syllabi

Syllabi would be the plural of syllabus or a super lesson plan.
I have been compiling my favorite steps in each dance, sorting my notebooks and note cards. It's not Alex Moore, Walter Laird, or Henry Jacques, DVIDA, ISTD, or even Esther Don, but it's mine and that counts.

Puns

Trying to clean up my old emails I found these puns - and a ton more.

I changed my iPod name to Titanic. It's syncing now.
I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me!
Broken pencils are pointless.
Did you hear about the guy who's addicted to brake fluid? He says he can stop any time.
And the only one I could remember last time I was at a party
"I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. I can't put it down!"

Skirts

I finished the pink and white dress with the lowered pleated skirt for the dancing granddaughter. "Boppie," she said,, "it needs flowers in the front," so I added them.
I also made a circle skirt with huge polka dots, and that's what she'll wear to school for the last day ice cream social.
While dancing, we explored creative floor moves, and I noted that skirts depend on our friend gravity to give them swing and swirl.

Saturday dancing

I start Saturdays with Dance & Stretch.
Next were two lessons with couples only together on weekends, choosing to spend time learning to dance together.
Dinner/dance Day of Portugal included folkloric dancers from Norton where they seem to have a vibrant program with a group of children who also wanted to perform. Full costume, three accordions, a drummer, and Portuguese castanets, singers, very impressive, really filled the floor. Once again I wished the upstairs were finished.
A DJ provided classics in English and Portuguese for cha cha, electric slide, waltz, and as we were leaving, the Chacha Slide line dance for kids "Come on y'all, clap it up".
Joe needed to watch the Celtics almost win the final game of the series, so I went to check out Primate Fiasco (great name) at Grumpy's. A dance scene maybe like Grateful Dead - good sound and long songs with steady grooves, not much variation. The floor filled with good solo dancers who don't get to dance much I guess. I loved their kid's CD with short songs like the one about the ant and the rubber tree plant.

Administration

As middle age becomes part of my persona, administration seems something I can do.
Organizer - at family reunions. My mother called me "sheepdog". Seriously ADD, she didn't like being corralled into whatever activity was agreed on, but I wanted to get on with it.
Coordinator - ballroom program at Cape Cod Dance Center, and sometimes other events.

Who came?

Several people from Down Cape in the pouring rain, "blinding" one said. The dance at Betsy's was cancelled - illness, and they are ready to drive anywhere for dance.
The prize for the farthest was the couple from Albany, crazy performers, doing a lift, no less, from their prize winning routine in Theater Arts, a category that is being phased out they said. They are now studying bronze International Standard.
I love my regulars and wish more of the beginner class people would show up.