Monthly Archives: November 2013

A Tango Tale

Posted on by

Tango is an elegant dance with close, intricate footwork. The dance’s romantic style belies its difficulty. As the music builds, intimacy is played out in fluid movement. Danced in close or open embrace, the Tango reveals more about a couple’s relationship than words alone.

Film directors are captivated by Tango’s storytelling power: Think of Scent of a Woman, The Tango Lesson, and Strictly Ballroom.

Here’s a clip of Argentina’s best: Maximiliano Cristiani and Jesica Arfenonia, the 2013 Tango Salon World Champions.

Dance Rebels

Posted on by

In the world of ballet, it’s the ballerinas who shine the brightest, with an occasional break-out male lead such as Baryshnikov or Godunov. Female dancers with their spirited, emotional, and graceful movements are the ones to watch. The men are the ones who lift and twirl the women.

Not any more.

The Bad Boys of Dance emerged on the scene with a roar in 2007 at Jacob’s Pillow. The troupe is founded by the classically-trained dancer, Rasta Thomas, a self-described bad boy who wanted to step out of the shadows. His pedigree is impressive: he’s danced with the American Ballet Theater, the Joffrey and Kirov Ballet companies, the Dance Theater of Harlem, and more.

The company’s choreography taps into modern, ballet, jazz, and hip hop for inspiration. In 2008, Rasta Thomas created Rock the Ballet with his wife and award-winning dancer, Adrienne Canterna. The show has sold out worldwide.

The power, agility, and sheer talent of these dancers is astonishing. The ferocity, passion, and athleticism of the men has wowed audiences across the globe. Take a look:

Philippines Typhoon Link to Climate Change

Posted on by

The destruction in the Philippines from Typhoon Haiyan is unfathomable. Walls of water, winds of fury, mudslides. Desolation. Death count is in the thousands and still rising.

It was the worst storm on record to hit the islands. The cause? Scientists argue that greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming are partly to blame, a by-product of a highly civilized, fossil-fueled world.The worst offenders: the U.S. and China.

Continue reading →

Gambling’s False Promise

Posted on by

The lure of gambling as a way to fill city piggy banks mystifies me. Cities and states open their doors to casinos expecting to rake in billions in tax dollars. But they don’t add in the cost of soaring crime rates, traffic gridlock, bankruptcies and addictions. They turn their backs as local shops and restaurants go out of business, abandoned by customers glued to the casino tables.

I first wrote a column about gambling’s false promise in 2004. Even though the underside of gambling is getting more exposure, politicians still don’t get it.

Here’s an excerpt from my column in the San Francisco Chronicle:

Earl Grinols, author of “Gambling in America: Costs and Benefits,” studied the rates of crime, bankruptcies, lost workdays, domestic violence, illness, divorces and more in counties with—and without—casinos. Even using conservative estimates, the economist found that social costs of gambling outweigh benefits 3 to 1. A net loss.

Grinols estimates the annual cost of gambling to the U.S. economy at between $40 billion and $50 billion, nearly half the cost of drug abuse. The bottom line: Gambling takes far more than it gives.

Why encourage a pastime that can destroy people’s lives? “Patrons of Disney World don’t lose their life’s savings in a visit. But casino high-rollers do,” says Grinols. “Moviegoers don’t typically consider suicide on the drive home. But desperate gamblers take swan dives off casino roofs.”

Read more here.

Selling Love and Tupperware

Posted on by

Tupperware parties! A historical footnote, but in the fifties and beyond, women, mostly homemakers, sold the plastic food containers at house parties.  It was a way to make money, but also a way to socialize, to share stories of family, children, and heartbreak.

But most modern women work, whether by choice or financial necessity. And as the ranks of single women grow, there’s less opportunity, and less time, to sell the stuff.  So what are women selling now?  Love, and lots of it.

Oprah, Rori Raye, Arielle Ford: all selling ways to find soul mates, relationships for life, the ‘One.’ Just $297 for three lectures!  A bonus seminar for $97!  Or buy the book and the CDs and get 15% off.  It’s for love! Romance! It’s worth it!

I’m sure these (mostly) women are genuine and sincere. But it’s like a broker who says “give me your money, and I’ll make you rich.” The outcome is elusive, but the path the same: pay up if you expect any returns.

Still, many of the lessons they teach are invaluable. I do believe that many of us have focused too much on what we need to do in life — not on how to live and love in life.

West Coast Swing Dance

Posted on by

West Coast Swing is a dancer’s dance. It’s a slower, bluesy version of East Coast Swing or Jitterbug. Danced to classic or contemporary blues tunes, it’s built on a six-count pattern with variations of eight or ten. It’s fun and playful, fast or slow; alluring or rapid-fire. The musical breaks and beats give dancers time for creative footwork and syncopated movements.

Here’s one of my favorite performances:  Benji Schwimmer and Heidi Groskreutz at the 2001 US Open Swing Dance Championships. The sheer physicality, artistry, and choreography caught the eye of talent scouts. Both dancers landed on national TV dance shows: