Happy 2010. I hope no one ate too much mochi during oshogatsu, but if you did, here is a chance to burn off some of those extra calories:
Contra Dance this Saturday
January 16, 2010
start 5:30 to 9:00
Snack break 7:00-7:15
The important thing about this dance is that, after getting some thoughtful feedback at the last dance, we have decided to try a new format that we hope will make this a better experience for everyone.
The first half of the dance we are going to spend more time working on individual figures and making them easier to understand. We recognize that they seem complicated at first. It can take some time for them to become second nature, and especially to fit them all together while the music is playing and people are moving and there are distractions and so on. So we are going to change our teaching style, move much more slowly in the first half, and take the time make everyone feel they have it. We hope especially that this will help beginners have an easy time fitting in.
Another suggestion was to make the break a little shorter, more like a tea time. We are going to try this. At the same time, we would like to encourage people to consider bringing nutritious snacks...less chips and candy. Finger foods like onigiri or sandwiches and homemade snacks are great, or whatever other delicious and creative ideas people have. Many people are health conscious, and we want to make contra a healthy experience. Also, we hope this will reduce trash at the end of the night, and mean that people don't have to bring as much utensils and cookware.
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Anther piece of interesting news, (thanks to Maureen!) is that we were recently contacted by Jennifer Beer, the Vice-President of the Contry Dance and Song Society (CDSS http://www.cdss.org/) in the US. , which is one of the oldest and most famous dance (including contra) societies in the US. She told us that about 20 years ago she taught a bilingual contradance for about a year at the British Sports Club in Kobe. I guess she beat us to Japan! In fact, in November she was in Kansai teaching English Country Dance. In her email she said that, as VP of the CDSS she has "vowed to build more connections between CDSS and Japan." So our little group is getting noticed in the contra dance world! Great work everyone! If anyone has any ideas how we can connect with them, let's talk!
Lastly, in case people don't know, I have recently updated the website, including fixing the NHK video, adding early Takano videos, and many Youtube videos. Please give us any feedback or let us know of any problems with the site. If anyone would like to write a small blurb about who they are and why they like dance, we would like to add more to the Who We Are and What People Say pages.
We look forward to seeing you on Saturday. David and Yukie
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contrakyoto.byethost9.com
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