At Dome’s 2009 Christmas party, me and a friend resolved to go to at least one milonga per month. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to even a single one last January and February is now almost halfway and we still hadn’t arranged to go anywhere.
What’s worse is that I also have not attended any lindy hop class to date this 2010. I signed up for a membership with London Swing Dance Society — only £1! — but, like my Argentine tango, had been neglected. Good thing the membership is valid for a year.
Conclusion: I must do something about it.
If you tweet, like I do, you might fancy following some of the Strictly Come Dancing pros.
Brian Fortuna – @BrianFortuna
Anton Du Beke – @RealAnton
Brendan Cole – @thebrendan_cole
Erin Boag – @Erinboag
Katya Virshilas – @KatyaVirshilas
Kristina Rihanoff – @KRihanoff
The BBC featured the first of the Brucie Goes Dancing series today where Strictly Come Dancing’s Bruce Forsyth goes after how different forms of dances had evolved. It included an interview with the great Frankie Manning himself. Obviously, the series was filmed before the legendary dancer’s death in April 2009.
Anyhow, during this interview, Bruce mentioned that lindy hop looks like a very, very fast dance, especially when watching Frankie Manning’s performance on Hellzapoppin. Frankie replied, “Of course… because it was a performance!” He said that show dancing is very different from social dancing and this is what people should remember. With show dancing, you show off… with social dancing, you take it easy and savouring the moment with your dancing partner.
I couldn’t agree more with Mr Manning. I have been explaining this to people since I began learning Argentine tango. They always ask me whether I can now dance like those dancers in Strictly Come Dancing since I’ve been learning for so long. I respond by telling them that what they see on TV is not social dancing. See, great minds think alike. *chuckles*
Episode 2 of Brucie Goes Dancing is on tomorrow, 11 Oct on BBC One.
It is appalling that my last post was back in February. Talk about a long hiatus! Actually, the amount of time I’ve left this blog unattended was about the same amount of time that I stayed away from the dance floor, any dance floor. I am hoping to turn that around now so come back again soon!
This weekend, Pablo Veron — renowed dancer, appeared in the film, The Tango Lesson by Sally Potter — conducted a series of tango workshops here in London. I was supposed to go but my laziness got the better of me that I forgot to pay the booking. My bad, my bad, my bad. Oh well, I hope there will be another opportunity.
