Lights

After some years, the Cataumet studio has reflective coating on the bowl of the 300 watt light bulbs again. The silver reflects the illumination to the ceiling and spares the dancers directly underneath. Subtle and gentle, that's what we want.

Space Harmony

Rudolf Laban, Hungarian inventor of dance notation, called dance "living architecture" and "sacred geometry". The ways we move are so fundamental to our lives that we don't even notice them until they are pointed out.
I'm reading What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell who often does articles about the brain. This one is about Cesar Milan, the Dog Whisperer. Dogs study our movement with undying interest, and Cesar has a beautiful deliberate way.
An interpreter of Laban movement, Yvonne Tortora uses much the same techniques for autistic children in dance therapy.

Color scheme

St. Patrick's Day has the color scheme built in, and we find out who owns green clothes, not who has Irish ancestry. Last night was enjoyable to dance with people whose clothes matched your own. Birds of a feather, flock together!
Congratulations, CCBD, for making it happen on a dark and stormy night.

Casino FX

Right on the water in Falmouth, the Casino FX has the terrific view of the Vineyard Sound, though you couldn't see a thing last night what with the rain and the wind. Anyway, I finally got myself there to see "Splash of Blues" who have been coming down from Pembroke with 5 musicians and playing without even a cover charge. Michele plays the guitar and belts out the tunes from her tiny frame. The keyboard guy is great, a harmonica, bass and drums filled out the sound. The tiny dance floor got one couple who came with the band. With Joe out of town, I just sat with my middle son's fourth grade teacher and her husband. They deserved a better audience, and hopefully get one when the weather cooperates.

Woods Hole Play

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten was the name of this month's offering. I thought I was just going out to support local theater, but found it was directed by a young man who danced with me when he was in high school, Alex Colacchio. Then, "Geek Dancing" was one of the skits, a paean to being able to stand up and enjoy yourself.

Here's a bit Robert Fulgham wrote about dancing at a village wedding on the Greek island of Crete:
The fancy footwork confused me. "Don't make a fool of yourself," I thought. "Just watch."
Reading my mind, an older woman dropped out of the dance, sat down beside me, and said, "If you join the dancing, you will feel foolish. If you do not, you will also feel foolish. So, why not dance?"
And, she said she had a secret for me. She whispered, "If you do not dance, we will know you are a fool. But if you dance, we will think well of you for trying."

Paola & Laura at the Conservatory

I gave free entrance to my tutored students from Falmouth High School, both "immigrants" though Laura is a citizen, being from Puerto Rico.
Brazilian Paola loves to dance and learned several steps. I followed her lead in Forro, a triple step on the toes, done in a close hold with plenty of rib cage movement. I think the Cubans refer to that as La Cintura or the waist, which kind of makes sense except that the waist seems to move only in reaction to the two major sections of the body it connects.
Laura doesn't think she can dance, but tried anyway, did well, and had fun.
Next month, if they pay, they can bring guests. Could be Estaban from Columbia, who claims he doesn't dance, and Kaio who is cute but very shy.

Connection to the other

In her book Hold Me Tight and Tango Me Home Maria Finn quotes her teacher Carlos, “You can dance tango because you don’t fear the embrace. Anything else, steps and techniques, can be learned. But not the embrace. You have that.”
long article at http://www.theweek.com/article/index/106530/My_love_affair_with_tango