When Technology Should Go...

I listen to the John Tesh Radio Show during the weeknights.  I love him and his "Intelligence for your Life" program.  He has some truly wonderful ideas, introduces some great news and thought provoking realities, and generally helps to keep you more informed about life while you are on the go.

The other night, the topic of discussion was technology and our brains.  According to multiple source, technology is actually making us stupider.  Yes, I said it:  STUPIDER.  And for a number of reasons: multi-tasking gone wrong, reprogramming our brains, and general lack of entire thought proceses.

After listening to his show, I was appauled and decided to look for more evidence.  The New York Times wrote and article about it, providing information to all three of the above listed categories. 

Remember how you used to have to read an entire newspaper or book to find information, or have actual conversations with people to learn about them?  The internet is ruining that for us and all the evolutionary / learned traits we have acquired as a result.  For hundreds of years we trained our brains to recognize, sift-through, critique, and analyze the written word and general information.  Now, we don't even look past the first page of Google (or, let's be real, the first three options really) when we search for something.  If we can't find the answer instantaneously, we complain that it doesn't exist or that it's "too hard" or "not there".  We stopped communicating with one another and resort to the safety on non face-to-face interaction or the art of conversation.  Half of people growing up now can't even write legibly or read cursive because they're fingers are too glued to keyboards and iPad tablets.  Literally, we are training ourselves to de-evolutionize and thereby training ourselves and our next generations to be STUPIDER!!!

I even heard of a school that gave every kindergardener an iPad.  Why?  What about the mere principles of hand-eye coordination, motor skills and learning to hold a pencil?  Even the very premise of learning how to color inside the lines and trace letter with a pencil are skills that are so elementary and critically vital that our sudden and blind eagerness to jump into technology is going to back to bite us in butt so deeply that we will have gotten ourselves into a devistating hole from which there is truly not return.  We are encouraging backward progress and all the while with a stupidly wide grin on our faces.

Someday, people will pay me the big bucks because technology will fail and I will be the only one of few who knows how to still write with pen and paper.  Laugh for a second, but it will be a sad day when that time actually comes.  And it might be here sooner than you think.

The Movement of Spanish Dance

This is more of a play on words if you will.  Yes, dancing, Spanish or otherwise, is movement, but I also mean the spread of its visibility across the world.  I've already talked to you a little about flamenco and the Spanish gypsy, but now I want to show you more.  More dancing!  More Spanish! ... olé!!!


I should probably thank DWTS (that's dancing with the stars for any non-viewer) for making ballroom dancing alone so popular, but for also shedding some light on some really great Spanish dances.  "Caribbean secrets" if you will, as many of the dances originated from that area.  Some of the ones I include in that statement are:  salsa, merengue, bachata, rumba, and cha-cha.  While each have slightly different backgrounds and have different varieties and "flavors" based on the actual country being discussed, the basic gist of their history is about the same.  Most of these originated from the Caribe" (Caribbean) as a mixture of Spanish, native, and African dances, which itself was a result of hundreds of years of slave trade, immigration, and colonization.  If that doesn't make sense to you, take a moment to watch the dances or listen to the music.  Most of them have similar sounds and beats, are happy and upbeat (rumba might be the exception as it's the 'slower' of the ones listed).  


However, do not make the mistake of thinking these dances are reserved for the ballroom!  If you haven't visited a latina-club before, and you like this kind of dancing, take yourself on an adventure!  They're fun, and way more casual / street dancing than what you'd find in your standard ballroom class, although basics are still basic, steps wise.  A good example?  The dance movie Dance with Me with Vanessa Williams and Chayanne.  The Club Azucar scene is great!  

But let's switch gears.  I have a new favorite dance to watch and try to learn.  TANGO.  That's right.  Tango!  Say it with me "T-A-NGO" (at least, that's what you have to keep saying to yourself as you learn the basic step...according to Antonio Banderas in Take the Lead.  In this movie, he shapes up a group of detention-hall banned kids via ballroom dance.  One dance, the dance he uses to capture their attention (*quick eyebrow raise*), is of course TANGO.  HOTT.  


I love tango.  I love it because you put up one of these pictures like the one here by Fabian Perez, and by the position of the subjects alone people already know it's a tango. They look at it and, taking a quick gasp, go "ah! Tango!"  It originates in Argentina and is such a unique dance because there is so much involved.  It's not just a dance of love, but a dance of passion, lust, sex, jealousy, flirtation, and desire all wrapped up in one.  The movie, Moulin Rouge, did an awesome scene with it to the song "Roxanne".  I'm in love, but it kind of captivates that intense emotion and eerie air all at once.  The music is equally unique, often with violins, guitar, and sometimes piano, flute, etc, and it is popping up in all kinds of movies, besides just the ones listed above.  It's also been in: Scent of a Woman, Evita (as one would absolutely assume), Another Cinderella Story (with Selena Gomez), Shall We Dance, Out to Sea, Frida, and even True Lies.  


I think it's fair to say, dances certainly "get around".

Dance Time...

I'm a dancing maniac.  Plain and simple.  I love it; I do it all the time; it's pretty much guaranteed that if there's good music on I'm dancing.  I especially like pop / dance music, so when the song "Numa Numa" hit the European club scene in 2005/2006 when I studied in Spain, I instantly fell in love.  I personally thought it fell off the planet afterwards until I heard it in the Rhianna song "Live Your Life."  The teaser beginning made me a crazy dancing fiend.  Loved it!


So, needless to say, I geeked out again today when I heard the video NUMA NUMA in the background this morning.  I came running out to find that this was not the original video, but a video made by some man back in 2006 doing stupidly funny dance moves and lip-syncing.  Apparently it was extremely popular around then and then totally went viral on You Tube.  How it took me four years to find, I have no idea, but, again, watch the video!!!!!  I guarantee you'll be laughing, and you might even find yourself singing and dancing along.  :-)   


Happy Halloween in the meantime!!

Burlesque Bachelorettes

This weekend was the infamous bachelorette party for a friend of mine.  Bachelorette parties are a time honored tradition and a right of passage of sorts.  Every girl looks forward to hers or to when her friend will have hers, and this weekend was no different.  And, of course, it had parts.  There's the "pre-outing" part, where gifts and jokes are exchanged, and then the outing itself.  Outings can range from bar hopping to wine tasting, Vegas getaways to spa retreats, and so on. 


Ours, as it so happened, had a little of everything.  There was the traditional gifts and gags, the dancing and the music, and then a little something extra.  We ventured off to Studio L'amour for group burlesque dancing lessons!  Ours included a gift for the bride and an hour and a half long class to "Fever" with boas.  It was a fun way to get in touch with your hips and girlish flirt, and love your curves all over again.  Plus it's a great workout.


Did you know the origin of burlesque reaches back to the 1800s?  It originally started as a form of comedy and the "risque" came in as a factor because women were allowed to perform, and that was unheard of before.  That, alone, was a scandal!  It was from there the dance form progressed to the teasing, suggestive, humorous dance it is today.  Do not be mistaken, it is not stripping.  It is suggestion, it is fun, it is comedic, and it honors the beauty and movement of the female body.  Performers today include women ranging all the way into their 80s!  And these women still flaunt their 1950s costumes and routines.  Love the enthusiasm.  Love the history.  Love the reminder to us women that we are, in fact and as we currently exist, beautiful.

Dancing with the Stars, in real life

Dancing with the stars has truly brought a spotlight to the world of ballroom dance.  I happened to start taking lessons in latin ballroom dancing about 6 months ago, and I am slowly learning the lingo - a third language if you will.  Even though I've danced for years, ballroom dancing is a whole new beast, however, it is one I am coming to love.  


This weekend was the Indiana Challenge, one of the biggest competitions for the midwest in ballroom dancing.  It rivals with the Milwaukee challenge, but it is quite a sight to behold.  While I did not compete myself, many students and all of the teacher at the studio did, so I had a first hand look at what competing entails.  WOW - new found respect.


For one, they are all in seriously AMAZING condition.  I'm just a starter ballroom dancer, but between the use of your core muscles and the blisters on your feet from your shoes, your body is definitely being used.  And they have to be to fit into some of these costumes!

Not to mention, these dresses are anything but cheap.  Think . . . bridal gown expensive.  That's right, these dresses, from what I have seen, can run from $2500 - $6000+ . . . and that's just the dress!  Then, (note picture above) there is all the required bedazzling:  bracelets, necklaces, fake eyelashes, tanning, hair accessories, and professional shoes.  My bank account hurt when I looked at the price tags.  This is not a sport for the faint wallet-ed.  However, it is extremely easy to get caught up in the hype and want to be a part of what is going on around you.  I have enviously watched the dancers and dreamed of being able to dance around and look as beautiful as them.  I mean, seriously, where else is it acceptable to be as bedazzled as these ladies?!  Maybe in ice-skating, but personally I don't stand a chance against ice.  No no.  I'll stick to the floor, and hope that maybe someday I'll be able to perform in such beautiful attire . . . when my bank account gets an extra zero at the end.  :-)  .... anyone care to donate?!  

Thursday Night TV

I realize it's only Monday, but I truly count down the days to Thursday.  Thursday night TV is my Mecca.  Unfortunately all of my favorite shows are simultaneously on at 9pm, but that doesn't stop me from reveling in all of their amazing-ness at once.


Here's the line-up:  America's Best Dance Crew, Project Runway, and Burn Notice.  It's my life's trifecta.  Everything I love embodied in 1 hour:  Fashion, Dance, Music, Love, Shoot-em-ups, Drama, Intelligence, and Passion.


A-mazing.  And it's even better because they are on "repeat" all week long, so I get double and triple doses whenever I need!  My goal in life is to become all three of those shows wrapped into one - the Power House / Triple Threat woman.  Mmmm.  


Here's to ambitions and the TV shows that make us feel alive!

The soul of Andalusian gypsies

Flamenco,  the heart and south of southern Spain - Andalusia.  Or, as the natives say:  Andalucía. (an da lu THEE ah.....yes, this includes the famous Spanish "lisp")

Maria Pages - Acapella Flamenco Video (WATCH ME!!!)

This art form is not Sevillana - the dance with castenets (the finger "clankers" that most people associate with flamenco).  Flamenco, traditionally, is a gypsy dance performed with the music of the shoes and a guitar or drum.  There is usually a singer too who's voice is deep and raspy and the infamous Spanish guitar is right by his side.  It is just a drum in this video, but all of the above are traditional staples of the dance.  Not much is known about the true origins of flamenco, so I won't bother you with a history lesson.  However, my bone-deep passion for both Spanish and dancing makes this art form a high priority on my list.


In fact....fun fact...when I was lucky enough to study in Spain in college, I had the privilege of taking beginner flamenco classes.  When you watch this video you will realize what she does is far from easy.  Within 5 minutes my friends and I discovered arm and hand muscles we didn't know existed, and, while it may have only taken 5 minutes to create the pain, the pain hung around for a good 3 days.  


The footwork isn't a piece of cake either, but anyone who has danced before or done tap could pick it up quickly enough.  It's definitely a fun workout and hey, learning flamenco is a way to feel powerful and sexy all at the same time.  Win-Win!