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Swing Out IV
Popular music has brought with it sociologies of private and public manner, of group solidarity.
-- George Steiner
Wednesday, December 30, 1998
One year ago: Snarky
I took my second trip to the internet cafe today, arriving before the guy who was working! I was glad that the FTP client I'd downloaded the other day was still in the temp directory I'd created. It was interesting listening to the worker chatting on the phone, apparently to someone he hadn't met in person (some sort of blind date thing, I think). I wouldn't call it eavesdropping, since he made no effort to talk privately and I was right there in the same room with him! He talked about working three jobs to build up some cash, since the salaries in Port Townsend are very low. He said that folks considered eight bucks an hour a very good rate!
Because of my online activities, I was a bit late for the Charleston class that I'd intended to take as my first for the day. Rather than jump in, I decided to just watch, and save my feet for the classes later in the day. Louise was the teacher, from England.
From there, I drove out to the fairgrounds again, for another class with Kenneth and Helena Norbelie. I thought my feet were doing ok until I started dancing! Ouch! So instead of doing the whole class, I just did each new move one time to make sure I understood it, then rested on the sidelines for the rest of the time.
Our class after lunch was the only scheduled lindy hop class with Frankie Manning for our group. Unfortunately, he taught us footwork variations. I'd rather have had the basics review that I had from the other instructors on the first day, from him! He still lived up to his reputation, though, with lots of energy and cheerfulness. Louise was his teaching partner.
The class was held in a hall on campus that goes by the name of JFK for some reason. It was on a hill that overlooks the rest of the fort. A beautiful view!
Then back out to the fairgrounds again! Lennart and Ulrika continued the routine that they'd been teaching us. I didn't like the last moves as much as the first part, though. I don't think it's just that my fatigue factor is increasing exponentially. They devoted quite a bit of time to the proper way to do the Shorty George, which is a mincing step with knees bent. It's a fun step to do, but choreographed routines don't thrill me. I'd much rather have concentration on leading and following skills, anytime!
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Instead of a live band, the evening's entertainment was a cabaret show put on by camp members, done in the camp theater. This was a blast! and the participants really put in a lot of work. Guy Nelson on piano, John High on guitar, and a few others made up the house band, for the acts that used live music. Guy is my buddy from Seattle that looks like he's Tommy Lee Jones' son! (but his current shaved-head look lessens the resemblence a bit.) At least I'm clear on his name now.
We had a penny whistle solo (Chazz came out and danced a jig on the encore), tap, charleston, and black bottom numbers, and various skits and comedy pieces. The black bottom was done by the campers that had learned it from one of the optional classes -- very energetic and funny! Frankie Manning and Chazz repeated a number they did a few years ago -- 'taint what you do, it's the way that you do it. This is especially funny because they lip-sync the words: "When I was a kid about half past three, my daddy said, 'son, come here to me....' " plus their dance was wonderfully fluid and lively.
Everone loved "Merle Haggis and the Highlanders." This was my buddy Joe Ross in Scottish attire, whom I'd seen do the same bit before St. Patrick's Day. I'd been letting Hyper Dan use my camera, and he dove up on the stage between "merle's" legs to get a shot under Joe's kilt, which got a big laugh.
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I had fun at the after-hours dance, but it can be frustrating when I run out of non-local partners! Naturally, the guys I know want to dance with new folks as much as possible. I got my share of dancing in, though.
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