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.

Life: collecting cards. (More precisely, getting some paperwork done after getting US citizenship)

 

At the naturalization ceremony (2/13), we received instructions on what to do next.

  (1) apply for and get passport (for ID).

  (2) visit Social Security Office to update status.

  (3) Voter registration.

So I just did those. Took about 5 weeks.

 (I) applied for passport on 2/15 ($165). For the application I needed to give them the Naturalization certificate (which was mailed back on 3/11). There was a time window that I could not do other paperwork until I got either passport or the certificate.

Received passport on 3/8. I did not ask for expedited processing, so getting passport in 4 weeks and one day was not bad. They originally estimated 6-8 week processing time.

 (II) With passport in my hands, I visited Social Security Office on 3/12 to get SSN card after status update. Took about 30 minutes (25min wait, 5min at the window). I got SSN card in 6 days on 3/18 (today). Not bad at all.

 (III) Since I have my passport, I used it to renew my Drivers License with Real ID update (3/18 today, $77 for 8 years). Real ID will be handy to fly or to visit federal government facilities. At the same time, voter registration was done.

I should be getting the Real ID DL and voter registration card soon. All so legally with some fees.

Small things here and there. Collecting cards. 

[Real ID-compliant Drivers License (example from Oklahoma.gov website)]

Dance: Adelante Latin dance social 3/2/2024; weekly milonga starting in OKC

 Adelante dance studio has been in Moore and based in Old School building.

A local landmark, the Old School building literally was a school building. Originally built in 1899 and rebuilt in 1928 after a fire. There is a theater inside, and the room housed many Latin social dance parties.

There were Argentine Tango classes and milongas in the building in 2022-2023. That helped to rebuild Argentine Tango community after covid.

[Old School Building, Moore, OK]

 Early 2024, this building was sold to new management. For this past a few months, Adelante has been searching for a new place (that they've found, they said).

To my knowledge, the Latin social party on 3/2/2024 was the last party at the building. Indeed, some of the interior items in the corridor had been removed, and it looked like the building is going through a renovation already.

Party is not necessarily about place, but about people who gather. 

As Moore is close to Norman, where University of Oklahoma main campus locates and younger students are, monthly Adelante social parties attracted many newcomer dancers.

I hope the party goes on well after their moving.

Speaking of party, OKC is going to have extra milonga on 2nd and 4th Fridays at idance.

Idance/Hazel has been hosting 1st and 3rd Friday milonga. Starting March, Richard's group is going to host the 2nd and 4th Friday milonga.

As Gustavo's group at Adelante has gone to a hiatus due to the studio moving, their milonga is out for a while. But it will be nice to have more milonga overall.

We'll see how it works out.

This past Friday milonga (3/1/2024), we had people from Tulsa after many years. Tulsa Tango community too shrank during covid, but there have been some who kept Tango going. Glad to have them.