KYM JOHNSON and MAKSIM CHMERKOVSKIY from ABC’s ”Dancing with the Stars” curtain call in ”Burn the Floor” at the Longacre Theatre in New York City.

Kym Johnson won the championship this season on ‘DWTS’ beating out our favorite here, Mya,…but I love Kym Johnson, and fully enjoyed her in this production!

Looks like they are having a good run this Holiday season..

If you are in New York, check them out.

The show is hot!!!!

Los Angeles has a large and growing Latin American population.  Their influence on the city is substantial. Notices in public places are usually in both English and Spanish while business advertisements in Spanish alone are everywhere. Virtually all businesses provide Spanish interpretation upon demand.  

 A couple of months ago, a colleague  invited me to her daughter’s Quinceañera.  In the Latin culture, this is the coming-of-age ceremony for girls, much like the American or Canadian Sweet Sixteen celebration.  The quinceañera (also means the birthday girl) celebrates her quinceaños or fifteenth birthday on this day.

If parents could afford it, a big party is thrown where the entire Quinceañera celebration is similar to a wedding ceremony and consists of two parts.  The morning is spent at church where the quinceañera affirms her faith.  Those of Latin descent are usually Roman Catholics so there is a blessing given by the priest, followed by the presentation of gifts by family elders usually of a religious nature, like a Bible.  In the Latin culture, the girl’s godparents, or padrinos, play a very important role in her life and is also present during the mass and dinner.  

 Click here for a short overview video.

At nighttime, a dance party is held at a restaurant or banquet hall, which is decorated with one or two theme colors of the girl’s choosing.  Prior to the day, the quinceañera selects her ball gown (similar looking to a wedding gown) and her Court of Honor consisting of friends and relatives of the same age group to accompany her during the waltz performance at the dinner party.  The quinceañera herself is escorted by a male companion.

Click here to see a waltz performance.

After the waltz, other traditions are also carried out that night.  Usually, the quinceañera first comes in a pair of flat heel shoes that are then taken off and changed into high heels by her father during the “Shoe Changing Ceremony”.  The mother then assists in the coronation or crowning ceremony and exchanges this with her doll.  This is then followed by the Father-Daughter Dance, where the father and daughter take the first dance.  Other older male family members (e.g. brothers, grandfathers, uncles, godfathers) may also ask to take her around the dance floor.  Then the dance floor is opened up to all guests with the playing of fast songs, characteristic of the Latin culture. 

Click here to see some of the traditions and a father-daughter dance.

Of course, this ceremony may be celebrated on a smaller scale, like at a family’s backyard, depending on the financial well-being of the parents.

If you are ever invited to a Quinceañera make sure you accept it!

I’ve been visiting lots of wiser folks than me these days. I swear this job is preparing me for a career in geriatrics. But I enjoy talking with the octogenarians (folks in their 80’s)  and nonagenarians (folks in their 90’s) of my island. They watch with amusement as I fiddle with all my recording equipment before the interview. But by the time I leave their home two hours later they are sending me home with indoor plants,  baked goods and photos of the old days. 

I feel lucky that part of my job is just sitting down to talk with people, especially people who might be lonely in their older age.  I’m inspired to live longer. Though I’m not sure if inspiration has much bearing on life expectancy. 

I sat down recently with a woman named Marion in her nick knack filled living room. Photos, craft projects and figurines were spilling over from shelf to table to chair and couch. She used to live in a house in Minturn, a village on the other side of the island. Now she lives at the Atlantic Apartments, a little row of eight units joined by wheelchair boardwalks with a view of the water, the rounded mountains of Mount Desert Island off in the distance. It’s not an assisted living facility, but many call it Wrinkle City; the elderly residents taking care of each other with visits and cooking. Despite her close neighbors I got the sense that Marion is often lonely. 

She told me she’s lived a hard life yet she keeps her spirits up with laughter. She always got by creatively filling gaps in her meals with food she gathers from the land and sea. Some might call her a scavenger; she collects mussels, clams, seaweeds and edible grasses. She said I could join her this spring to gather clams and seaweed. 

Marion plays the piano with a honky tonk flair. She learned to play as a young girl. Not a music reader, but simply by knowing which keys made which note. She plays by ear. Sing her a tune and she’ll play it for you on her upright. These days she plays at the Church of God. But back in the day when the islanders used to gather at Oddfellow’s Hall for dances she played with the band. In fact, she’s the last surviving member of that band. I asked her if she ever stepped away from the piano to dance. Sometimes, but mostly she loved to play.

She played the Tennessee Waltz for me. I felt like I had a memory of my own from way back then, like I’d been dancing in that big hall with garlands hanging down from the ceiling. My big pouffy dress would be trailing the floor as I held hands with a sweetheart. But then she stopped playing and the smell of Marion’s cabbage soup cooking on the stove brought me back to her tiny apartment. 

I’ve become nostalgic for a place and time I never knew; Swan’s Island before cars and television and internet, when people took the steamboat to Rockland maybe twice a year if they were lucky, when they danced and created their own entertainment. I’ve asked some of my interviewees to compare then and now. It’s mixed for them. They miss the liveliness of the old days, when there were lots of little mom and pop stores around the island and ice-cream socials. But now they feel they’d be lost without satellite television or weekly ferry trips for doctor visits and shopping. It wasn’t easy living back then. But I can’t say it’s much easier now.

If you’d like to hear Marion play or listen to excerpts from other Swan’s Island interviews you can visit the Swan’s Island Memory Project.

I wish I were a princess. Being waited on hand a foot, getting pampered, and oh! the shopping! All that without the major responsibility of leading a country I’m pretty sure most princesses live those kinds of lives, right?

This ugly weather is no friend to my hands. For the past two winters, my hands dry up and cuts form on my knuckles and they HELLA hurt No matter how much lotion I apply on my hands, nothing stops the cuts! I hate looking at my hands because if they’re not red from the cuts, they’re scabby from healing. UGH, even typing makes my hands hurt!

But what does make this weather my friend are all the cute coats and boots on sale I bought Sissis and I boots (with my discount) this evening, or last night rather. I bought myself a long paid and Sissis a pair with a cute heel and belt buckle detail. Thank you $300 check and 25% discount!

I don’t think I have so here I go: I love and hate working @ Waltz No, I don’t hate working there, I just dread the long hours I have to spend standing around waiting for people to tell me they need a shoe size. What I love about working there are the fun people, the cute shoes and well, the discount. Haha, the discount isn’t much but at least it saves me some money. And some of the shoes there are really cute! I mean, even though it’s a DM-store, there are a lot of cute shoes for really low prices! Oh, and I work at least 15+ hours a week so there’s more money in my bank account! But you know what sucks about working there? If I’m not at school, and I go to work straight from home, it takes me about 30mins to get to work, driving 75mph. That means I spend at least $40/week on gas going to and from work. Yucky, right? Sissis and JR have been telling me to find a job closer to home and I really should be looking; especially since it’s the holidays! OH! And because it’s December, December is a pretty bad month for retail. Longer store hours, rude&impatient customers, and colder weather. I have to dress warm to brave the cold, but have to limit my layers because it gets hot in the store if you’re working hard.

Playing at the Main Street Public House last Friday was the band The Minivans, who I’ve had the pleasure of seeing many times. The Minivans are a band whose music swings, rocks 60’s style, and brings on the heartache just like a good country inspired band should. As they say, “It ain’t over till someone’s crying in their beer.” Okay, I don’t know if people actually say that, but they should. You know a band has skill when they can evoke sadness in an audience, as The Minivans can. Don’t worry though folks, they won’t leave you sad. Next song you’ll be dancing to a genial swing tune, guaranteed.

The Minivans are Jim Krewson on bass and vocals, Seth Travins on guitar and vocals, sisters Kiki and Melissa Dufault (Kiki on guitar and vocals, Melissa on vocals), Pete Adams on steel guitar, Lukas Schwartz on fiddle, and Rick Leab on drums. The band has a charming, slightly rustic and rough around the edges kind of sound that makes them an authentic country delight. Jim and Kiki sang a number of songs in harmony on Friday and their vocals were gloriously heartachy and heartbreaking at times. Their duets are always extremely haunting and send shivers down my spine… There’s something majestic about steel guitar and Pete’s paying was magnificent, the sounds cascading over the audience in undulated glory. On the electric spectrum of guitar Seth had some hot solos, while Lukas’ playing was filled with energy and spark throughout the evening.

The Minvans always play a wide range of songs. Two-steps, swing dance numbers, occasionally a polka or two… They also play a couple of covers that they make their own, such as Elvis’ “Wearin’ That Loved-On Look.” One of my favorites, though, is a Minivans original: their self-titled theme song. It’s a song you just have to hear for yourself to understand how great it is. Towards the end of the night the band played a truly exquisite waltz, and it brought up feelings of unexpected nostalgia in me because of its sweetness and beauty.

The Minivans’ transport listeners. Each song is a story, which they tell with energy and refreshing truth. That’s exactly what their music is, refreshingly honest. The band’s music has a little bit of everything, and when listening one feels complete. All was right and perfect in the world, at least for me, during the three hours I enjoyed listening and dancing to The Minivans.

*You can catch The Minivans at the Brick House Pub in Housatonic, MA on December 12 at 9pm.

Walking Through the Waltz Webquest

My Reflection:

This was a group project for my course. Since my partner and I have different concentrations for education we chose a topic that we would both have to research and learn from. We thought this would be a fun and somewhat easy task, however we soon found out that creating a webquest can take up quite a lot of your time, especially when you need to research the topic. There are many webquest that others have made to be shared with their classroom and the world, and after doing this project I am thankful other people choose to share their work. Webquests can be a great way to incorporate technology into a lesson and get your students excited about the concept you are teaching. Using the computer and surfing the specific websites you have placed on the webquest is a great way for students to learn from other people besides you. Webquests are also a great way to get students to continue studying at home on the computer (if they have those resources at home).  This webquest that my partner and I created is intended to teach you how to Waltz. It could be used in a physical education class, for a drama club, or just for fun! Although it was a very time-consuming project it was a lot of fun to make and I hope it will be as much fun for you to experience!

Good evening, all! Got some great reviews and helpful advice from my friends in the Oklahoma City Writer’s Block (website/Facebook coming soon!). If you are an author in the Oklahoma City area that would like to participate in a no-holds-barred critique session with three awesome writers and me …just let me know! We currently have four seats open. Our only prerequisite is that you join…or at least consider joining SCBWI.

“If You Waltz With a Walrus” is my most polished rhyming PB manuscript, and ever-uber-awesome and totally rocking illustrator and artist extraordinaire Sir Jerry Bennett (how’s that for a title?!) did these really cool sketches for me at our critique session.

If you are an aspiring author, I cannot stress how important it is to get involved with a critique group (or more than one). This is where you get a chance to hear your work read out loud, and get a chance to hear helpful and thoughtful criticism from other writers who want to see you succeed as much as you want to see you succeed.

I am completely honored to get to work with the people I do in the two critique groups I am currently a part of.  They have helped my writing along more than I ever could have on my own.

Alright, on to the next order of business: one of the funniest local commercials you’ll ever witness. And this place is right in my own backyard! Metaphorically, of course.

Thanks to Rhett and Link for bringing this gem to my attention. PPJ and I immediately scoped out the joint when R&L aired this video on their LiveKast(9/17/2009).

Here are a few mementos from our trip:

That’s all for this time!

]]> http://gaffesociety.com/2009/12/08/songs-you-should-listen-to-waltz2xo/ Tue, 08 Dec 2009 05:20:31 +0000 Nick http://gaffesociety.com/2009/12/08/songs-you-should-listen-to-waltz2xo/

Hello everyone! I found myself stretched to write another post on “Bands you should know” so quickly after my last post, so I thought I’d do a post on songs you should listen to. These are just songs that I’ve listened to that I think are awesome, and which I recommend for you.

The particular song that I am going to talk about today is “Waltz #2 (Xo)” by Elliott Smith (above). This song is really really really good. (I put another two “really”s in front of the first “really” to show how awesome this song is.)

I’ve been finding it hard to really describe this song in words, so if you could listen to the song before you read the rest of this post that would be great. And then I’ll talk a bit more about the song afterwards. To listen to the song I suggest Youtube*. I’ll see you soon. . . .

“. . . and so that’s why I’ll never ride a llama again!” Oh, you’re back.

Well how did you find that song?

It is such a lovely song for a song with such a horrible meaning. The lyrics are about his abusive stepfather and his mother. He feels extremely guilty for leaving his mum with his step father, and he is telling his mum he still loves her, even though he’ll never be able to know her with the step father around. Pretty intense.

“I’m never gonna know you now

           but I’m gonna love you anyhow”

I really love the piano in this song. It is simple, but really good. I always seem to whistle the piano melody when I hear this song: “Do, do do do do, do, do, do, do do do do, do, do do, do.” . . . If you catch my drift . . .

The guitar part in this song is really easy to play, too, and that makes it a good song to learn. I just quickly looked at some guitar tabs to find this info, so I may be wrong. But it does seem pretty easy, and it doesn’t sound too hard either! So have a go.

If you love this song, and you want to go to an Elliott Smith concert, think again. Elliott Smith stabbed himself to death after a fight with his girlfriend. This death was and is a tragedy to the music industry, as “Waltz #2 (Xo)”, is definitely not Elliott’s only good song. In fact, he has many amazing songs, and has a number of albums out. Elliott was a fantastic composer, lyricist and singer.

So there it is for “Waltz #2 (Xo)”. I hope you enjoy this song as much as I do, and I will be putting up another post in this segment soon.

Until my next article, so long, and happy Gaffing!

I love to dance. I have ALWAYS loved to dance. Even though I am HOH and use HA’s, I have always been able to pick out a beat and move my body to it. So, as young child I recognized that. And so I asked my mom to allow me to take dance lessons. Response? I was given a Baton and sent to learn to twirl a baton. Ugh. (Although that would be the closest I would ever come to dance lessons…). Again, I continued to ask for dance lessons. Response? I was given a violin and sent for violin lessons. Ugh #2. Again, I continued to ask for dance lessons. Response? My parents bought an old upright piano and brought in some old geezer to give me piano lessons. Ugh #3. (It was nuts, I mean, I can pick up the beat but I cannot for the life of me pick out notes!!!). Again, I continued to ask for dance lessons. Response? My parents bought me a cheap guitar and had it re-strung so I could learn to play it left handedly, and sent me for lessons at some weirdo’s house. Ugh #4. (I still couldn’t pick out notes so forget playing by ear!!!) But I could dance.

When I was in HS, a teacher of mine, who had a daughter my age, opened up a folk dancing “club” as an after school activity. I joined it and I LOVED it — and then I turned my ankle hard and thus was unable to complete the year out in the club — and then it fell apart. I also remember having attended a few school dances, and being surrounded by all the black kids who wanted to learn my moves. I was a white chick with rhythm!!!

It was not until years later that I was able to claim my dance personality. At age 21, began going to Folk Dance nights in Woodstock. I learned Bulgarian, Turkish, Greek, Yugoslavian, Israeli dances and I LOVED it. A few years after that I took a class in belly dancing. Then I learned Contra and Square Dancing, and then Swing Dancing (Lindy, Jitterbug, Rockabilly, West Coast Swing and more), then other ballroom dances, and then Cajun and Zydeco Dancing. I also learned a basic Western Two Step. Finally, I began attending West African Dance classes given by Carol Dowd at the Mountain View Studio in Woodstock, NY. I was good at all the dances I attempted. I even gave some performances with other friends of mine who also danced. It was a heady time for me back then. I was so active — I danced several nights most weeks, worked out at gym a few days a week, went on long, strenuous hikes, swam, and even my job was physically demanding.

Eventually, the activity took its toll on me. It caused my arthritis to flare up at a young age. I had no chance to avoid it — all my grandparents have it and my father as well. Then, in 1996 I slipped on a freshly waxed floor at my place of employment. There were no warning signs or stanchions, so I did not know the floor was wet with wax. I went flying and landed on my lower back. It took me about a year to “recover” — but to this day I occasionally feel blips of discomfort or pain in my lower back. Most of that is due to arthritis and damp, cold weather exacerbating it (when I go upstate to the mountains for a weekend).

After my back injury almost all my activity stopped. I was no longer able to do all that I used to and I have never ever gotten back to that level of activity. My arthritis got worse, I got older, and I gained weight. I still love to dance but if I spend one night dancing I will be in pain all the next day (knees and hips, mostly).

Today I love…

1. Having 7 girls in our room getting ready for waltz

2. Dinnering at Thai Basil with EC, B, DH, PR, RH, AJL, and RS

3. Waltzing and swing dancing at winter waltz

4. Looking purty with mes amis

Dear Mr. Godfrey,

While I do not expect that a personal request from me would convince you to cease your, so far, rather unflattering deconstruction of my masterpiece I would like to implore that you at least do me one favour.

In the 21^st minute there is a rather lovely long shot of a train puffing along in front of a backdrop of snow covered mountains. I think you’ll agree it’s a rather breathtaking shot and one that gives me great pleasure and sense of accomplishment. It may seem silly, but it would mean a lot to me if you would please not rubbish that shot.

Yours sincerely,

Michael Cimino

21 of 229

Goodness gracious, what’s with the shot of the snow covered mountains? The mountains look as though they’ve been constructed with chicken wire and papier-mâché by a grade four student as a hurriedly put together science project and the snow looks like my tears. How embarrassing! Boy, I’d hate to have expressed pride or satisfaction at this shot. Just imagine being an old man sitting back reflecting on your achievements and remembering with contentment the background snowy peaks of this scene. Of course, the mountains are not fake and nor is the train puffing along in front of them. I can only surmise that the poor quality of this shot is due to the director being a stupid jerk face. As for the scene – Lord knows where Kristofferson is headed. Perhaps to the post office to complain about a letter from a long lost sweetheart that was opened and sniffed by post office staff? Kristofferson can’t prove it, but he knows, oh how he knows…

WALTZ
twinkle with inside turn,
shadow right turns,
outside turn to twinkle.

My eldest son will be completing grade one in a weeks time. Last week his class and the other grade one class celebrated the end of term and their science and gardening project studies by holding an “Ugly Bug Ball”. The students dressed up as insects or creatures from the garden. They had a parade to show off their costumes, they sang songs and they danced.

They all had a fabulous time. Paul and I both attended to enjoy the moment with Sam and we weren’t disappointed. A highlight was watching Sam and his partner dance the Tennessee Waltz together. They were so composed and in unison. It was beautiful to watch. I was so proud of them both. He looked so grown up!

And afterwards I got to dance a turn with my little man. It has heavenly

sleep the season idea girl consulting

Dave Fontaine sent me a message on Facebook about his band Sleep the Season’s final concert at The Merchant Ale House  in St Catharines, Ontario on December 27th, 2009.

I searched on youtube for their music and found two videos which I am posting here for you to view.

I’ve given them some advice to upload all of their music videos for their band to sleep the season’s youtube channel.

They plan to release their new EP on Dec 27, 2009 at the concert.

Harold and I both agree, this band sounds like The Beatles.

sleep the season the merchant ale house sun dec 27 2009 idea girl consulting

Sleep+the+Season st catharines ontario idea girl consulting

Sleep+the+Season st catharines ontario idea girl consulting the idea girl says they sound like the beatles

the beatles idea girl consulting word press

My dad used to sing this song to me all the time because my middle name is Michelle, I was named after this song.

Video and Lyrics provided by youtube BeatlesCentral

Ah, look at all the lonely people
Ah, look at all the lonely people

Eleanor Rigby, picks up the rice
in the church where a wedding has been
Lives in a dream
Waits at the window, wearing the face
that she keeps in a jar by the door
Who is it for

All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?

Father McKenzie, writing the words
of a sermon that no one will hear
No one comes near
Look at him working, darning his socks
in the night when there’s nobody there
What does he care

All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?

Ah, look at all the lonely people
Ah, look at all the lonely people

Eleanor Rigby, died in the church
and was buried along with her name
Nobody came
Father McKenzie, wiping the dirt
from his hands as he walks from the grave
No one was saved

All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong

WHEW – I was working on this new wedding music video all day

Boy am I tired of playing the harpsichord!

One. Two. Three.

Starting from the top.  

“Your job is to draw the crowd into this dance.”

Which means look out into the crowd and tip your head as if you are hearing something interesting, which, as the music takes ahold of me as much as my instructor, I do…

“Relax into who you are.” 

Which means shoulders should be down and back.   I am, female.  You can definitely tell when I relax my shoulders.   Why is that so difficult for me to accept?  How many times a day do I embrace my femininity, yet the purest sign of my femininity is the one I hide most. 

“Moving in the same direction with someone isn’t the same as moving with someone.” 

This is the fairy tale dance, the one in which Prince Charming sweeps you off your feet.  And this, more than any other part of the waltz, is why.  I am perfectly capable of knowing and making movements on my own, but the prince I’m seeking is one who can propose and lead so we can share the journey.  You see, shared movement is the most magical kind. 

But once upon a ballroom ago, I learned the steps hoping to embrace the magic.  Hoping I would learn how to be led.  I put all my energy in my strength, knowing where I need to move.  Like a magician who knows the tricks and therefore no longer believes, it seems I’ve placed my expectation on the wrong thing.  I know all the dances and few still hold the true magic.  He switches to the hustle momentarily.  It is one of the few dances where the magic still exists for me, a sign (I fear) of my feminine weakness–strength.   I don’t want to be overpowering.  I don’t want to be base.  I don’t want the base, I want the romance. 

“It isn’t your strength that keeps you from it.  It’s your weakness.”

Your body must be strong to make the push and pull of the hustle work.  It seems that I long ago learned that to have too must strength makes you lose control.  To have too little strength makes you lose rhythm.  I learned to control of my strength.  Keep it gentle, but firm.  Confident. 

In the waltz it’s even more important.  When the woman maintains her gentle, but firm tone–her confidence–then all it takes to be led, to communicate with her partner, is awareness.  Awareness of the rhythm, awareness of your partner. 

I practice in front of the mirror alone to see the difference it makes in my movements.  And I gasp in surprise at how soft, how confident, how feminine I look when I relax into who I am.

We start to circle, and I feel the magic this time.  The romance of the dance, the sense of flying, of being led.  My body suddenly seems powerfully, but gently, alive.  The rise and fall happens naturally.  I don’t need to think about it.  I don’t need to think about anything. 

Then something else happens.  I find that somehow I have knowledge of steps I’ve never learned. 

It seems that I didn’t need to learn the waltz all along.  I needed to learn a new language.  Body language.

Sung by Julie Delpy in the movie Before Sunset.

Let me sing you a waltz
Out of nowhere, out of my thoughts
Let me sing you a waltz
About this one night stand

You were for me that night
Everything I always dreamt of in life
But now you’re gone
You are far gone
All the way to your island of rain
It was for you just a one night thing
But you were much more to me
Just so you know

I hear rumors about you
About all the bad things you do
But when we were together alone
You didn’t seem like a player at all

I don’t care what they say
I know what you meant for me that day
I just wanted another try
I just wanted another night
Even if it doesn’t seem quite right
You meant for me much more
Than anyone I’ve met before

One single night with you little Jesse
Is worth a thousand with anybody

I have no bitterness, my sweet
I’ll never forget this one night thing
Even tomorrow, another arms

My heart will stay yours until I die
Let me sing you a waltz
Out of nowhere, out of my blues
Let me sing you a waltz
About this lovely one night stand

Whether it is the i-pod dance parties or flash mobs in subways – a procrastinator must have come up with this way of mobilizing large groups of people to waste the time of even larger groups of people… and have fun doing it!

Flash Mob in Subway

Flash Mob… works for the i-wish-i-thought-of-that procrastinator for:

x Passing time while talking on the phone

x Watching trash tv

x On the train, bus, car… public transport

x Good detox … after work, while writing a paper…

x Good to lull to bed

x Stop and Restart