Would you like to start a Dance Thread?

[Leslie]

Greetings Dance Community,

I am interested in continuing the conversation that started after Sweat Your Prayers this month. There was a real sincerity about it, an earnestness to connect, which I believe is in part a piece of the amazing and seductive quality about Contact Improv as a dance modality ... it is all about connection. Connecting your body parts, to other, taking on and giving your weight to another.
But ultimately it is about connection-contact!

I feel that this community has a desire to deepen itself. I, for one, support that. It is the reason I have opened myself to the calling of the offering of the dance floor to you, the dancer. I think it is a good idea to get a little clearer about the differences of the modalities and how they can best serve you the dancer.

The practice that I have studied for so long( 5 Rhythms ) teaches that You are the Teacher. All interactions whether it be your own dance, yourinteration with another or with the group energy... it is all a teaching.
I know that many of us know that and want to practice that. I always want to know if there are any other ways that I can support that. The conversation seemed to open up last time. I bet there are other things that would like to get talked about on a forum such as this.

I would like to ask for certain parameters if this takes off.
1.Respect and common courtesy toward each other. Put downs are not necessary.
If you don't have something nice to say, you don't need to say it out loud in front of everyone, do YOU?
I mean if someone is actually hurting another it is best to get help with that or direct it privately to the person directly.
2. Speak your need, your questions, share your insights
3.Change the Title to reflect what you are talking about.

Any additions?
Any one want to talk about the dance community?
What dance forms inspire you? Why?
Do you want another good dance floor in town? Are you willing to raise the good ju ju for some funds for it? Need * million dollars for the
Sebastopol Community Center to expand

Could there be such a thing as a Contact SYP? Any one want to organize it? Does contact improv want to be part of the dance floor for you?Why?
Do you like being taught the different forms of dance?
Do you have another form you would like to share with the community, or learn about?
Do you want to share music ideas?
Would a monthly calendar of dance events be helpful?
Would you come to dance more but don't because of the money involved?
Who wants to start a scholarship fund?

anyway a few of my many musings, I will leave it for a while to see what happens.... I think this could b a good forum to share together...
FACT: wacco originaly started out as a way for the dancers of the community to talk to each other about more dance stuff.

anyway I feel so inspired and wanted to connect out in a new way.
Lets talk!

Cheers,
Leslie

[nicofrog]

THANKS Leslie!
I welcome a chance to at least TALK dance, since I've been too "busy" lately to get to many dances, find myself dancin' to supermarket muzac.
I moved to Sebastopol about 4 years ago principally for all the dance opportunities it offers! I could never figure out the Bohemian dance listings,I'd sit there in Whole foods pouring over the paper for an hour grumbling about their confusing format....meanwhile it was FRIDAY night and Goin' on! where I wasn't, so I learned just to go to that corner of Morris st.(easy to remember, since it's my last name), and bingo!
There's Wieshman hall, the Teen Center, and the Com. center, if by
sparse chance, there's nothing goin' on, I could proceed to Monroe
Hall, or Finley in Santa Rosa, or good old Cotati, Perngrove where there's 7 clubs to choose from! Also we have fun events at the oddfellows, and Masonic in Sebastopol, Talk about Dance paradise! and if none of that works, there's the Musac at Safeway, and they are open all night!!
So yeah if someone had the energy to make a comprehensive Dance Calander on Wacco it would be nice!! I'm to dishoriented myshelf ..
Or just a hey let's go Salsa Dancing club!!! (( that would be sundays)) at 7, Flamingo, in Santa Rosa,always more fun with a troop ..!
About 5 Rhythms... Just sometime I'd love it if one of the D.J.'s took the name seriously, consulted with a drummer, or a partner dancer and really DID play 5 Rythems((Not moods,speeds,volumes,or ethnicities)) like slow 4's fast 4's,6's.5's then 7's would be fun! or without numbers...Fox-trot,Mambo,
Cha-Cha,Tango,Waltz,,and well.. polka,country two step, mexican nortenyo
etc... Actually Steve, from Monroe Hall, comes close to that when he does Dance Jamms on fridays..and his Country Dance Night at Monroe on Fridays
includes quite a bit of Latin! He explains that Cuba, and Mexico etc. are "countries to" :) I love the Idea of a dance forum, I have enjoyed all the odd modalities available here. thank you all for being such a playful lot!
nico

[Vet-To-Pet]

I've been living in Sebastopol/Sonoma County since May '06----not very long. I have a hard time finding places to go out to dance to some good ol' Rock & Roll. I don't want to move like a jelly fish or sway my body over to someone else's. I want to DANCE ! I want to move fast to some R&B, I want to dance to "Sympathy For The Devil" or "Dance To The Music!". I'd also like to learn how to dance the Lindy or Swing or Two-Step or Jitter-Bug! I want to not be able to stop smiling the entire night since I'm moving the way it feels natural to move to the kind of music I like! World Music doesn't "do it" for me; neither does Reggae. I don't want to sweat my prayers, I want to sweat because I can't stop moving to some great beats!
Any suggestions?
Smiles,
Paula/Vet-To-Pet

[Vet-To-Pet]

YES! Let's dance to ALL sorts of music, do a variety of dances!! I'd LOVE to learn Salsa! Count me in! (except I'll be gone until Dec 13th...) But keep me in mind when you start getting organized---I could help in some way, I'll bet.
Smiles,
Paula/Vet-To-Pet

[Leslie]

Well, I am sure that there are some good ol' rock and roll dances out there. A good reason for a local calendar for dances.

Once I really understood 5RHythms, I found out that I could get the sweat and smile you are looking from just about any dance floor.

Sounds like you like more form than 'ecstatic' dance or moving meditation gives you. That is certainly available through Monroe Hall. Steve is not only a great DJ , he is a great dance teacher.

I wouldn't just put World music into a lump of un-danceable music. The world offers quite a variety of 'beats' to move one's body to. It is great when you know what kind of music You like to dance to best, for sure.
Do you want to share more about the specific music you do like?

I've been living in Sebastopol/Sonoma County since May '06----not very long. I have a hard time finding places to go out to dance to some good ol' Rock & Roll. I don't want to move like a jelly fish or sway my body over to someone else's. I want to DANCE ! I want to move fast to some R&B, I want to dance to "Sympathy For The Devil" or "Dance To The Music!". I'd also like to learn how to dance the Lindy or Swing or Two-Step or Jitter-Bug! I want to not be able to stop smiling the entire night since I'm moving the way it feels natural to move to the kind of music I like! World Music doesn't "do it" for me; neither does Reggae. I don't want to sweat my prayers, I want to sweat because I can't stop moving to some great beats!
Any suggestions?
Smiles,
Paula/Vet-To-Pet

[hales]

I am happy to have a dialogue on dancing in Sonoma County. I've been enjoying the Soul Motion Dancing in Sebastopol on Sunday mornings. In the past I've participated in 5 Rhythms in Sonoma, with Jewel Mathieson, (?), as well as Dance Spirit in San Rafael, and a little Barefoot Boogie. (I guess I'm into the free form style.. ; ) I also studied a little contact with one of the founders, years ago.

There is a new yahoo list that is covering at least some of the dance opportunities in Sonoma county; it's here:

https://groups.yahoo.com/group/DanceLowdown/

It may not include all the local dances, but I think you could certainly add the ones that are not included, there..

Scott.

[firefly]

Greetings, fellow movers! I see here in this thread a deep desire, taking myriad forms to move and be moved...I am very interesting in seeing the creation of a 'dance temple' come to fruition in Sebastopol. There is plenty of empty space in town right now... by dance temple, I mean a space that is permanent and committed to offering a whole mix of dance to the community.
Any body ever attend a gypsy nation event/ go to Vin's old studio in Portland -- Soul Motion? Something holy, beautiful and wonderful offering a range of classes and events that would appeal to most. Any one else interested in a similar vision??
It's possible...
- Firefly

[Mrs. Wacco]

why start a new list...why not use Wacco to post dance events or topics? It's already here with a big audience of dancers.

There is a new yahoo list that is covering at least some of the dance opportunities in Sonoma county; it's here:

https://groups.yahoo.com/group/DanceLowdown/

It may not include all the local dances, but I think you could certainly add the ones that are not included, there..

Scott.

[hales]

why start a new list...why not use Wacco to post dance events or topics? It's already here with a big audience of dancers.

Hy, Mrs. Wacco,
I love Wacco.. it's just that this dance list exists, so I read both.. I recently urged a friend to post about a dance jam, to both Wacco and the yahoo group. What about making a separate category for Dance? Otherwise the dance events are mixed in with a lot of other events and classes. To be honest, there are a LOT of events and offerings in Sebastopol and surrounding areas, to wade through. This is in no way a criticism, and I generally skim through all the new posts on WACCO, when I have time. The Dance Lowdown is almost all just dance of all kinds. It's not like folks have to choose one or the other. I read WACCO more closely. I guess if there is a thread about dance, it would be forwarded to me? I am not sure there is not a smarter way to use WACCO than just trying to read ALL the new posts.. any suggestions on how to fine-tune for specific interests?

https://groups.yahoo.com/group/DanceLowdown/

Scott.

[Barry]

What about making a separate category for Dance? Otherwise the dance events are mixed in with a lot of other events and classes.

I try to maintain a balance between serendipity and efficiency. For now, I seems like having the dance events combined with the rest of the events is a good balance.

I am not sure there is not a smarter way to use WACCO than just trying to read ALL the new posts.. any suggestions on how to fine-tune for specific interests?

You can tune by interest, but you can tune by category. You can specify if you want updates by individual emails, Daily Digest, or no email notifications. See this thread for instructions.

[Leslie]

I LOVE THE IDEA AND WANT TO MANIFEST A DANCE TEMPLE. PLEASE INFORM WHERE SPACE IS AVAILABLE. IT MUST HAVE A GOOD FLOOR.. WOODEN... IF THE SPACE IS GOOD AND AVAILABLE... WE COULD RAISE SOME MONEY TO INSTALL A WOOD FLOOR. I AM IMAGINING A SPACE BIG ENOUGH FOR 100 PLUS PEOPLE COMFORTABLY.

LESLIE

Greetings, fellow movers! I see here in this thread a deep desire, taking myriad forms to move and be moved...I am very interesting in seeing the creation of a 'dance temple' come to fruition in Sebastopol. There is plenty of empty space in town right now... by dance temple, I mean a space that is permanent and committed to offering a whole mix of dance to the community.
Any body ever attend a gypsy nation event/ go to Vin's old studio in Portland -- Soul Motion? Something holy, beautiful and wonderful offering a range of classes and events that would appeal to most. Any one else interested in a similar vision??
It's possible...
- Firefly