Amazing the differences of opinion on what is a good dance floor finish. One website insists there must be polyurethane or the floor will be ruined and goes on to suggest one type of finish. Another says the dance floor people are keeping the best finish a secret!
A good authority, Ron Gursky, says the best floor is the bare wood with the tiniest bit of wax, applied by mixing it with sawdust.
When it is time for ballet pointe, a "slip-no-more" finish can go on is removable. Rosin is traditional but pretty extreme since it can get caked on.
I am happy with the portable floor's polyurethane. An outdoor locale inevitably has a lot of extraneous material.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Excellent opening to Falmouth's summer
At Arts Alive, the band for the town dance was very good and played a lot of styles of music. Cerise sang beautifully. The dance community heeded my emails and used the floor to good advantage. Great to see old friends and make some new ones. Brian, who runs a climate company out of Stanford and Woods Hole, took the floor with his wife for the Viennese Waltz - a style that often clears the floor. He'll be here half the year, he says, doing the folk dance and joining into the ballroom scene as well.
Friday, June 20, 2014
Watching SYTYCD with relatives
Company came, so the ladies commandeered the DVR TV for a viewing of the dance show.
Relative #1 left the room - Joe.
Relative #2 dancer choreographer daughter-in-law stayed awake and had the comment, "Why do some dancers never pause in their movement? The flow becomes tedious without some variation in the beat no matter how many tricks they have."
Relative #3 sister said, "Cranking is my type of dancing," and stood up to move - yeah!
Relative #4 other sister-in-law tried to understand the criteria for judging, but the judges are sometimes tedious.
I enjoyed the process. Mary Murphy wasn't as tiresome as usual, but needed to be fast forwarded after a while. Also none of the dancers were obvious final 20 material.
Relative #1 left the room - Joe.
Relative #2 dancer choreographer daughter-in-law stayed awake and had the comment, "Why do some dancers never pause in their movement? The flow becomes tedious without some variation in the beat no matter how many tricks they have."
Relative #3 sister said, "Cranking is my type of dancing," and stood up to move - yeah!
Relative #4 other sister-in-law tried to understand the criteria for judging, but the judges are sometimes tedious.
I enjoyed the process. Mary Murphy wasn't as tiresome as usual, but needed to be fast forwarded after a while. Also none of the dancers were obvious final 20 material.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
serious company - June 18
We got a batch from Quebec earlier for the house next door. Six adults and three children aged two and under.
Today my sister and family, a four year old boy.
Tomorrow, Sam and Ali with our two grandchildren.
Let summer begin!
Today my sister and family, a four year old boy.
Tomorrow, Sam and Ali with our two grandchildren.
Let summer begin!
Monday, June 16, 2014
Arts Alive Town Dance
Town Dance on Friday 7-9, part of Arts Alive. Our portable dance floor. The band has been appearing at Jack's which was unnamed for a bit due to sign permits. Now closed for liquor license renewal. Or something. Poor guy.
Anyway, Cerise sings beautifully with this light jazz/swing ensemble. Won't be rockin' blues like last year with Johnny Hoy, but maybe there will be a bit of room on the dance floor!
Hopefully the weather will hold - those rainy nights put more stress on the wood.
Anyway, Cerise sings beautifully with this light jazz/swing ensemble. Won't be rockin' blues like last year with Johnny Hoy, but maybe there will be a bit of room on the dance floor!
Hopefully the weather will hold - those rainy nights put more stress on the wood.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
As summer gears up...
2014 oak pollen was dreadful. I was wondering is life was worth living for a while there at the end of May.
Then it was over, and I realized we were getting nine visitors (three babies) from Quebec, Dave's in-laws with a great rate for them on the house next door. Cleaning, sorting, and gardening double-time, and they're here.
Pine pollen probably has another blast set to attack.
School is dragging on for Falmouth, ending this week for Providence and Dartmouth. Then my first set of house visitors with kids. Our grandson's birthday. My sister and her three year old.
Ali will perform in Sandwich Friday.
What summer trip might we undertake? - not Salsa Star Hector Tricoche at Fete (nice venue) in Providence last night - 9:00 -2:00 AM schedule. The lesson in Salsa on 2 at the beginning and they often start late. Probably very loud and I have a bit of tinnitus already. Not Eight to the Bar the Towers on Thursday. Narragansett is an hour and a half and June 12 is Joe's actual birthday.
SYTYCD has a great line up from auditions. Will my favorites make the cut?
Then it was over, and I realized we were getting nine visitors (three babies) from Quebec, Dave's in-laws with a great rate for them on the house next door. Cleaning, sorting, and gardening double-time, and they're here.
Pine pollen probably has another blast set to attack.
School is dragging on for Falmouth, ending this week for Providence and Dartmouth. Then my first set of house visitors with kids. Our grandson's birthday. My sister and her three year old.
Ali will perform in Sandwich Friday.
What summer trip might we undertake? - not Salsa Star Hector Tricoche at Fete (nice venue) in Providence last night - 9:00 -2:00 AM schedule. The lesson in Salsa on 2 at the beginning and they often start late. Probably very loud and I have a bit of tinnitus already. Not Eight to the Bar the Towers on Thursday. Narragansett is an hour and a half and June 12 is Joe's actual birthday.
SYTYCD has a great line up from auditions. Will my favorites make the cut?
Thursday, June 12, 2014
morning dance
My students like to call it dancercize, and I don't see a copyright online, so maybe I'll change the name.
Whatever you call it, it's a wonderful way to start a day, now 9:30 Wednesdays for the summer. I moved the tutored student for the day.
We use the lovely education building at the Falmouth Historical Society, run by a bunch of pleasant people.
The Society opens for tours at 11:00, so we're out of the way on time.
I volunteered as a colonial dame in costume for third grade class tours - great fun and a way to support the society's efforts.
Whatever you call it, it's a wonderful way to start a day, now 9:30 Wednesdays for the summer. I moved the tutored student for the day.
We use the lovely education building at the Falmouth Historical Society, run by a bunch of pleasant people.
The Society opens for tours at 11:00, so we're out of the way on time.
I volunteered as a colonial dame in costume for third grade class tours - great fun and a way to support the society's efforts.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
deconstructing DWTS season 11
Rumor has it numbers have tanked on all the reality shows. I enjoy all the dance shows on TV and hope they continue. I miss a Dance Week WGBH used to air once a year. The shows were broadcast in the middle of the night and I would record them - pre DVR, with greater difficulty.
Yeah, I could look online. How about, I could hook up my computer to the larger screen and make intelligent choices. Then I could convince my friends to watch the best and discuss them. Sounds like work to me. Maybe if I were forty years younger.
It's summer - time to get out into the world and see what it brings to Cape Cod. June 20, in Sandwich a modern dance show with terrific local professional dancers. More later about that.
For biased amusement, I used read about DWTS on www.TelevisionWithoutPity, now defunct. Here's South Shore Dancers run down: "Well, DWTS got the winner right. After that it was pretty much of a dog’s breakfast (Brit slang for a complete mess). The judges played down Charlie White all season with one or two exceptions and suppressed the viewer vote as a result. James Maslow did get the praise from the judges but the viewers were only partly convinced. Amy Purdy earned her way into the final 4 but didn't really have the content to make the top 3, amazing though she is. Candace should not have been in the top 5. What nuttiness will they come up with now to squeeze out another season?"
Anyway - yeah! Maks and the Olympic gold ice dancer won - great! His strength and grace paired with her hard work and fearless talent had to win. Viewers knew it. I expect he only came back if they would give him a partner he could win with. Enough of the entertainment value of Kirstie Alley.
Padding out the roster with Disney Channel entertainers seems like a waste sometimes, though the young people certainly work hard enough, not like Bristol Palin, who stayed on for whatever reason. You have to believe the producers have ultimate say as to eliminations. For instance, why keep Billy Dee Williams when he couldn't even walk? Some of them must be promised a certain amount of time before they get kicked off. Viewers are another factor. The producers might listen to them, and some populations might vote in a block. Did Candace's constant invocation of her faith and religious feelings bring people to the phones? As well, Mark Ballas no longer seemed a liability.
Anyway, next season, I will make an effort to vote - for the Show! If they are counting how many people call in to see how popular it is, I can do that! I don't even have to make much of a choice because I'll just be voting for the show itself.
Yeah, I could look online. How about, I could hook up my computer to the larger screen and make intelligent choices. Then I could convince my friends to watch the best and discuss them. Sounds like work to me. Maybe if I were forty years younger.
It's summer - time to get out into the world and see what it brings to Cape Cod. June 20, in Sandwich a modern dance show with terrific local professional dancers. More later about that.
For biased amusement, I used read about DWTS on www.TelevisionWithoutPity, now defunct. Here's South Shore Dancers run down: "Well, DWTS got the winner right. After that it was pretty much of a dog’s breakfast (Brit slang for a complete mess). The judges played down Charlie White all season with one or two exceptions and suppressed the viewer vote as a result. James Maslow did get the praise from the judges but the viewers were only partly convinced. Amy Purdy earned her way into the final 4 but didn't really have the content to make the top 3, amazing though she is. Candace should not have been in the top 5. What nuttiness will they come up with now to squeeze out another season?"
Anyway - yeah! Maks and the Olympic gold ice dancer won - great! His strength and grace paired with her hard work and fearless talent had to win. Viewers knew it. I expect he only came back if they would give him a partner he could win with. Enough of the entertainment value of Kirstie Alley.
Padding out the roster with Disney Channel entertainers seems like a waste sometimes, though the young people certainly work hard enough, not like Bristol Palin, who stayed on for whatever reason. You have to believe the producers have ultimate say as to eliminations. For instance, why keep Billy Dee Williams when he couldn't even walk? Some of them must be promised a certain amount of time before they get kicked off. Viewers are another factor. The producers might listen to them, and some populations might vote in a block. Did Candace's constant invocation of her faith and religious feelings bring people to the phones? As well, Mark Ballas no longer seemed a liability.
Anyway, next season, I will make an effort to vote - for the Show! If they are counting how many people call in to see how popular it is, I can do that! I don't even have to make much of a choice because I'll just be voting for the show itself.
Monday, June 9, 2014
CCBD Dances like last Friday
Teaching Nightclub Two Step for CCBD brought back memories.
Back in the nineties, I started Friday dances with Renee Ziegner over in West Barnstable Community Center, no teaching except by request. Eventually, Vince and Julie Kraft, president and treasurer, set up dances with scheduled lessons before the dance.I taught Salsa at one of the last dances in West Barnstable. CIABDA went on to hold them at the Hyannis Senior Center and at Betsy's Ballroom, adding lessons by local and off-Cape instructors, twice a month. CIABDA made good money, building a bank account far beyond the $200 we had in 1995.
At the time, there were only a few places to get lessons. Then the Rof Mar closed, and the Sons of Italy closed, and there was nowhere to dance except to Betsy's favorite group, the Sandpipers, at the Yarmouth Senior Center's big room that she got set up with the wooden floor. (Once a month, she let Curt and Roz Curtis use the venue.)
Once Betsy died, the Saturdays at Betsy's Ballroom got more interesting, with Lestyn Gilmore, Debbie Israel, Doug McHugh offering lessons before the dances. CCBD also has special club dances four times a year. I even went that far to hold the Mary French Memorial.
Back in the nineties, I started Friday dances with Renee Ziegner over in West Barnstable Community Center, no teaching except by request. Eventually, Vince and Julie Kraft, president and treasurer, set up dances with scheduled lessons before the dance.I taught Salsa at one of the last dances in West Barnstable. CIABDA went on to hold them at the Hyannis Senior Center and at Betsy's Ballroom, adding lessons by local and off-Cape instructors, twice a month. CIABDA made good money, building a bank account far beyond the $200 we had in 1995.
At the time, there were only a few places to get lessons. Then the Rof Mar closed, and the Sons of Italy closed, and there was nowhere to dance except to Betsy's favorite group, the Sandpipers, at the Yarmouth Senior Center's big room that she got set up with the wooden floor. (Once a month, she let Curt and Roz Curtis use the venue.)
Once Betsy died, the Saturdays at Betsy's Ballroom got more interesting, with Lestyn Gilmore, Debbie Israel, Doug McHugh offering lessons before the dances. CCBD also has special club dances four times a year. I even went that far to hold the Mary French Memorial.
This latest Friday night went very well, maybe 30 people, a nice range of beginner to advanced dancers, got home at bedtime.
Sunday, June 8, 2014
the Saturday dance
The Cape Cod Conservatory is a very comfortable place, the artistic atmosphere encouraged by the directors, especially our Falmouth guy, George Scharr, translates into a place where we can sit around or dance, a room without pretensions but a large, clean wood floor.
These pleasant June days lull me into thinking the weather is perfect when actually the hall gets to 75 degrees on a sunny day, a bit hot for dancing. I should have turned on the AC at 3:00 since the big room takes some time to cool down. We opened all the windows and doors, borrowed a fan from the shop across the way where stage artists are getting ready for the College Light Opera Company. Arts on the hill!
A great crowd, some beginners, some accomplished dancers, all enjoying the music.
These pleasant June days lull me into thinking the weather is perfect when actually the hall gets to 75 degrees on a sunny day, a bit hot for dancing. I should have turned on the AC at 3:00 since the big room takes some time to cool down. We opened all the windows and doors, borrowed a fan from the shop across the way where stage artists are getting ready for the College Light Opera Company. Arts on the hill!
A great crowd, some beginners, some accomplished dancers, all enjoying the music.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
