Monthly Archives: January 2014

West Coast Swing Jack & Jill Dance Competition

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The West Coast Swing dance community is so rich in talent, it’s hard to showcase just one signature dancer. Amateur competitions are held up and down the California coast, from novice to advanced. One of my favorites is called “Jack & Jill”: dancers put their names in a hat and compete on the spot with a randomly chosen partner.

The results are delightful, creative, and unexpected. The top couples are in sync with each other and the music, while the choreography often takes a surprising turn.

Here are Jack & Jill Champions Patty Vo and Kyle Redd at the Reno Dance Sensation in 2007. It takes them :30 seconds to get started—but it’s worth the wait.

Hero: A Sheriff’s Volunteer

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Armed robbers shot my friend’s brother-in-law, a volunteer with a sheriff’s dept., as he rushed to the aid of a fellow cop.  Sixty-three year old Philip Grigg a father and grandfather, now clings to life in a Phoenix hospital.

On December 31, a gray and cold day, Grigg, a tractor-trailer driver, hopped into his truck — probably on his way to a local market, according to his wife.

But on the way, a car driven by armed robbers fleeing a patrol car crashed into Grigg’s pickup. Grigg watched as Officer Scott Sefranka pulled up to arrest the men. But when Sefranka struggled, Grigg jumped out to help. In a flash, one of the alleged suspects, Roger Sharp, grabbed Sefranka’s gun and fired. He hit both men—at close range.

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Artists Face a Faustian Choice

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An artist’s life is difficult, nigh impossible.

Creative art alone can rarely support a budding painter, dancer, or singer. Artists are often forced to choose between raising a family or the possessive zeal to create.

Wealthy patrons spend multiple millions of dollars at lavish art markets such as the Venice Biennale and Art Basel on a few “superstar” artists. But the vast majority of artists struggle to make a living. Just read this RAND study.

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