Dance: BachAmor Bachata night at Resonant Head 5/11/2024

 Resonant Head is a small (250+ capacity) music live house/event venue at South OKC (400 SW 25th st). 

The venue is well-booked for concerts. It seems they have concerts coming almost every (or every other) night.

A Latin (Salsa/Bachata/Kizomba) party was held there on 5/11/2024. I was curious about the place (never been there), so I went.

There was an elevated stage area, a "mosh pit" floor area where people can dance, a Bar, a DJ booth, and a recessed seating area. 

Not too big, but a neat, nice venue.

[The "Resonant Head" venue. Photos are from their website]

The DJ was Angel from Adelante, and the people seemed to be the same people coming to Adelante party (OU students and former students, I'd say). There were 50-70 people dancing, I think.

The dance was fun. Most people there got basics for Latin social. The "mosh pit" had a good hardwood floor to dance.

I tried out the stage area to dance as well. The stage floor might be of a painted concrete (?) and was a little sticky, but fair for dancers. Glad I brought my shoes with leather sole, instead of suede sole.

About 10 days ago I went to Groovy's, a night club, with my friends' invitation. The place was like Disco of sort, people dance solo to 80's-2000's songs (Vanilla Ice and Shakira, anyone?). Not much of dance skills are required, to be honest. But certainly a fun place.

Latin parties are for partner dances, but for "fun" social dance. Mostly for dancers wanting to have fun for themselves. 

They are mostly beginner-intermediates. Yet, it is fun and amusing to meet someone "energy flow-sensitive".

Community dances infused with contest or show culture would be more technical (something like West Coast Swing, Argentine Tango, or Ballroom).

For these technical dances, dancers' mindsets start to differentiate. Social dancers dancing for fun, or entertainer-dancers who aim at appealing dance (e.g., appealing to judges for contest, appealing to audience for dance as a sport or an art).

There was a recent occasion that made me think about the mindsets. I'd write about it later.

Dance: Gotta be easier on my knees (=Work on better usage, use braces and icing, and take supplements.)

 This past month was somewhat eventful. 

Although I did not go to San Diego for American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting this year, in OKC we had two symposium (geroscience, web of life). There were two two-day online webinar courses. I was finishing up writing two manuscripts. Oh, my.

I have been attending dance parties on weekends as well. I am fine while dancing. But I am making changes in how I treat my knees.

For a couple of months, it went like this.

 (a) On weekend I dance for a couple of nights, 3-4 hours/night. Enjoying it.

 (b) But afterwards, my knees hurt. Not with full on swelling or anything, but a nuisance. 

 (c) I give them some rest for a few days. 

 (d) The pain goes.

 (e) I can dance for the next weekend. 

 (f)  Back to (a).

Obviously, this is not a great cycle. I got to change my way of using my knees.

The cause is simple; strain to ligaments/tendons by overuse.

My body usage for dancing is based on two dances; (1) Argentine Tango (plant on axis and pivot) and (2) West Coast Swing (walk, for which weight shift to the other weight-carrying leg in the end of given two counts, and triple step, for which you stay on the same weight-carrying leg).

Argentine Tango is the dance I practice more. AT is more technical dance and requires fine balancing and controlled pivoting on my axis leg. 

When you want to take a step, a key is how you shift your own body weight. One way to do it efficiently is to relax knee and use the body weight to "fall" toward the direction I want to go.

The fall-based "walk" is an efficient body usage and is used by many athletes (esp. basketball, soccer, martial artists).

But the thing is, if you relax your knee and fall to wrong (or suboptimal) direction for too many times, it can give strain to tendons and ligaments in the knee.

Unlike muscles that are easily gotten tired, tendons and ligaments are connective tissues and transmit mechanical force through them without much complaints. But with overuse or with stretching to suboptimal direction, they can take microinjury, inflame, and hurt.

My knee sending warning pain is likely because my preparation for pivot is insufficient. With the diagnosis, I am working on adding extra caution to position my foot correctly for cleaner pivot on my forefoot, so that I do not strain my knee while pivoting.

Another likely cause is (hate to admit but) my knees are getting old and can take less strain than before. I got to be easier on my knees.

In addition to work on the usage, I bought a few knee braces and testing which ones work well for dancing or for extra support. Also bought gel ice packs for icing after dancing or walk/jog.

 

Read controversy on supplements, but I picked up a bottle of Glucosamine and Chondroitin anyway. 

I have to use my body to dance. Got to be kind to my body, so that it can serve me well.

 

Dance: Tulsa Spring Swing 2024. What exactly is dance as entertainment?

 My knee was okay, so I drove to Tulsa last Saturday (3/30) for Tulsa Spring Swing, a regional West Coast Swing dance event finally coming back from covid break.

The Saturday night session had Newcomer Strictly Swing, Pro Am routines, All Star Jack & Jill, Invitational Jack & Jill, and Jeanne's Jackpot Jack & Jill (funtest). As customary to WCS events, in-between each contest session was social dances. After all the contests, late night social dance followed until 4AM.

It was very nice to see my old WCS friends and also meet new people.

[End of late night social dance at 4AM of Easter Sunday. Lovable idiots and the DJ]

There are dances for entertainment, mostly by highly-skilled professionals. Think Broadway shows, Dance Sport (competitive Ballroom dance at a high level), Stage Argentine Tango, and dance companies for Ballet or Contemporary.

Then there are other community dances including WCS, Lindy Hop, Party Latins (Salsa, Bachata, Zouk, Kizomba etc), recreational Ballroom dance, Tango dancers at milonga, Country Western, and so on. Each of the community dances may have competitions or larger scale (regional/national/international) events. 

Some of the dancers in the community dances are really good. But whether the "good dancers" achieve refinements in their dance at entertainer-dancer level, thus show broader appeal, depends on each of the dancers' aim, ability, technique, skills, and environment (and luck, too).

What I was reminded of while watching the Tulsa Spring Swing event and competitions was that, dance as entertainment is not necessarily by dance ability, techniques, skills or overall appeal alone. 

You don't have to be at the level of Broadway dancers to be entertaining to the audience there. 

I am not saying that the dancers are not good. On the contrary, as WCS is a technical dance, event-attending WCS dancers are far better (or know what they are doing much better) than, say, average people in local social party.

It shows in many levels, especially in body usage and knowledge in the dance. Whether they are initiated for "show dance" (or competitions) also change the game.

Dancing a technical dance with better-skilled dancers is a very different kind of fun from dancing with "passionate but crude" dancers (which is also fun, or more precisely, interesting or amusing). 

I enjoyed watching the event and had good laughs. I had fun in social dances. I was entertained. I appreciate it.

Community dances are returning after years of covid hiatus. So are events, entertainment and fun.

Dance: notable upcoming dance events in March-April 2024 (Tulsa Spring Swing, Argentine Tango Jack&Jill, OK Dance Rush)

 Just like the title says, there are dance events lining up in March-April in OKC (+Tulsa, Dallas).

3/29-3/31  Tulsa Spring Swing

This is a West Coast Swing event on Easter weekend, coming back from covid hiatus. An WSDC registry event, which should be good for point-hungry WCS competitors as well as spectators who want to be entertained by more interesting WCS dancers.

https://www.facebook.com/events/371505728876575

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Tulsa, Warren place

4/5-4/7  2nd Annual Argentine Tango Jack & Jill competition, milongas and workshops

They had this event last year on 6/2-4/2023. This year it is earlier by 2 months. A little friendlier to nice dresses and suits. Early June was quite hot already last year.

My understanding, from watching this event last year, is that for men he has to be a solid lead first and foremost and then also should look elegant or effortless. For women, she has to be able to add to the dance and has some appeal in her dance. For both, overall as a couple the dance should look together. 

I was under impression that unlike for professional contests, for this contest "interests and appeal" are more "nice to have" than necessity. After all, it is not competition for professionals, who are supposed to be at a level of entertainer-dancers, not recreational dancers. 

Well, I may be asking too much for Jack & Jill. It is a difficult format after all.

But it was fun to watch. 

With milongas and workshops, it will be a fun event with broader appeal.

https://www.facebook.com/events/7583104275072932

Studio 22, Dallas

4/11-4/14  Oklahoma Dance Rush

This is mainly a Country Western and Ballroom event (plus some West Coast Swing). It is a part of national Country Western dance circuit. Most contests are pro-am format. There were a few pretty good dancers last year.

https://www.facebook.com/events/2804537786378197

Embassy Suites by Hilton Oklahoma City Downtown Medical Center

That said, I strained my knee last week and still nursing it. Last night I checked my recovery. It was okay, but I better be careful. 

I am hoping to fully recover soon and be able to attend the above events all.