Life Lessons Learned from Replacing a Bedroom Door Knob

So the door knob of my housemate’s bedroom door froze. It wouldn’t move at all! I own the house and so fixing it is my responsibility. I took the door knob and started fiddling with it….and time past….


Lesson 1 – Don’t attempt to do things when you are tired as it isn’t really effective

Lesson 2 – Having enough rest is important- being rested is a 2012 goal.


Now this knob is a trashy gold color left over from the previous owners of my house! Great, I thought! I’ll just replace the knob with a nice stainless steel one.

Next day off I go to the home improvement store, Home Depot. 8.94 dollars later and 30 minutes later I am back home and proud owner of a nice stainless steel door knob. I put it in and it won’t turn! It just won’t!!! GRRRR!!!!



Lesson 3 – Life has many bumps on the road to your destinations.


So, I removed the new door knob and put it back sequentially, checking at every step. Now I noticed that the knob mechanism was catching as the previous owner had not done a good job punching a hole in the door. A little elbow grease with a tool or two and problem solved. Finally new door knob back in door and working perfectly. Happy housemate and happy home owner.


Lesson 4 – Don’t give up when your life trip gets rough. Have confidence, and apply one self. It will work out.  

Women Breaking Sterotype Barriers in the Cuban Music Scene

The 1930s were an interesting time in Cuba.  The political situation was a turbulent one and in the music scene it was still believed that women couldn't play son.  Out of that froth, that formenting broth, came two women centered bands/orchestras.

The first, an all women orchestra, is Anacoana, started by Cuchito Castro in 1932.  When forced to abandon her studies and her plan to start a dental practice Cuchito chose to start a  female septet to challenge the male-dominated son music.  Eventually all 11 sisters joined the group and Anacoana has KE gone on to successfully challenge the stereotypic view that women couldn't play son. Versatile as they play reggaeton, timba, salsa... And easy on the eyes as well. What more can a dancer want from live music?

And for the ladies here's a song especially for you - La Mujer Tiene Control.  Two other songs by Anacoana that I like are Llore Si Te Duele (timbaton), and Cuento Na Ma.
 
The second band I would like to share is a La Caro Band, fronted by 4 sisters who hail from Jovenallos. ‘Mention Jovellanos to a Cuban and frequently their eyes will go wide for it has a strong reputation as a great center of Congo culture and brujeria.'

La Caro Band is composed of other family members, in addition to the sisters. It trully is a family affair, and their music, composed by Blas, speaks of everyday life in Cuba.  heir performances are action packed. A must-see!  During some live performances the women singers have switched with the male instrumentalists, playing instruments while the men sang, showcasing their versatility.
 
Vale La Pena  is one song by La Caro Band that I like.  There are many others you can find by searching youtube.
 
Hope you enjoyed this brief dip into the Cuban music scene.
 
Until next time, Ciao.

Dancing is Radical - Ven Aqui! Baila!

A lot of dance is shown in the media nowadays, and as if that wasn't enough here is a recent article as to why we all can and should dance:

Dance is a Radical Act!

Que Suene La Timba - What is timba?

People often ask me what is timba?  So here is a fresh perspective from the mouths of the musicians themselves from the Team Cuba documentary.

Soulful timba - A new timba group without a name

A new timba group out of Stockholm, Sweden:




"Under the direction of 21-year old pianist Jonas Pomo and with the lovely Cecilia Ferrer on lead vocals, they are bringing timba fans a soulful timba."

                          Timberamayer from salsaforums



And in the process this group is broadening the appeal of timba...  You can hear a sample song at http://soundcloud.com/jonas-pomo

Chewy Milk Toffee - This is not fudge!

Ingredients: 2 12 oz cans of sweetened condensed milk, 4 tbsps of unsalted butter, 1.5 cups of sugar, color/flavors to taste

On high heat stir the condensed milk, butter and sugar continually.  (Add whatever flavors/colors you desire.)It should be hot enough that it is bubbling without boiling. I use a wooden spatula for stirring. As time passes the mixture thickens, and you start to see the pan bottom as you stir.  When the mixture slowly spreads out after being pushed to one side it is ready for spreading.  Periodicaly check for how chewy it is by putting a little on a teaspoon and cooling in the freezer.

Spread out mixture on buttered surface, spread with buttered rolling pin and then score and cut into squares while still warm.

Thinking and Being

"I think, therefore I am", and so "descend with mind into the heart".


I leave this thought for people to contemplate.  I also acknowledge Rene Descartes and St. Theophan the Recluse, whose sayings I have fused to make a phrase pregnant with personal meaning.   

The Street Man's Definition of Noun, Adjective, and Verb

I heard these the other day and thought I would pass them on as these working definitions are easy for people to apply. 

Noun - any word that you can put "the" in front of

Adjective - any word that you can put "am" or "is" in front of

Verb - any word you can put "to" in front of

Try these out for yourself and see.

Time

It seems only yesterday,


but why should it be?

Time is merely a mortal invention,

a constraint on souls struggling to be eternally free.

Latin Song Philosophy from a Dj/Instructor

So, what goes into choosing songs? There are songs that are popular that are easy to pick for dancing, and that is a trap that many instructors and djs fall into. Hey! You play it as a dj and everyone dances to it, so why not use it? As an instructor it is easy to pick a cha cha cha and use it instead of searching for a slow enough song, or manipulate a song to slow/increase the tempo for class instead of leaving it at the tempo that the artist/band.

I refuse to fall into that trap. As a dj and instructor I realize that some familiarity with what is played helps a lot of people who come out, but that doesn't mean that 70-90% of the songs I use are used over and over again.

I am passionate about the Latin dance and music universe that is so vast (wide and deep) that we often only carve a small portion of that for ourselves and stick to what is easy to familiar. As a dj and instructor I seek to expose those who already participate in this community to what is beyond our "home town" - the wide blue yonder. And I also wish to increase the strength and vitality of the Latin dance/music community by increasing membership. One way I do this is through what songs I play.

One example: La Matricula by Giraldo Piloto and Klimax.  A timba song that can be heard on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA0QkSmIKFI

This song has a steady and clear beat that can be used in class, either for salsa or casino de rueda. In terms of timba, it isn't a hardcore song, and so is accessible to those more comfortable with cuban salsa/salsa. Those who do Argentine tango like this, so it has a broader cross-genre appeal to attract those who may be more comfortable with something other than salsa, which brings up something else. The song has an interesting twist to it, that some people either connect with unknowingly, or by recognizing it.

La Matricula seems to have a backbeat referring to "Peter and the Wolf", a Russion children's story, played by an orchestra, and written by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936. Each animal is played by a different instrument. It is a classic.

Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_and_the_Wolf

One youtube link to get you started: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILI3s7Wonvg 

Giraldo Piloto of Klimax is also a pivotal figure in the Cuban salsa music scene, starting with the band NG La Banda, and to find out more about him and Klimax check out http://www.timba.com/artists/klimax and 
http://www.timba.com/artist_pages/466

As you can see one song can bring a wealth of opportunities if chosen well.  Some other quick songs to throw out there are Nganga Kisi by Ricardo Lemvo from the Sao Salvador album, Tras Tormenta by Arnaldo Y Su Talisman, Chin Chon Chow from Snowboy AfroCuban Kaleidoscope.  Perhaps, I'll explore these and other songs in more detail another day?

So, when choosing a song I look to find something that hasn't been played often in my area, or that is unknown yet still is accessible, broadening the community's knowledge of the Latin dance/music universe.  I also search for something that can appeal beyond just the core group of Latin dancers.

Some advice from Yanek Revilla - One of the World's Best Cuban Dancers

I do quite a bit of reading and when I came across this article I thought that it was one of those that I should share.  I think that everyone who does Cuban salsa and/or rueda will get something out of reading the article at http://planettimba.com/entertainment/yanek-revilla-worlds-most-cuban-dancer/

I copied some points from it below in case you just wish to get some of the highlights.

Yanek says" I think there are basic rules for being a good dancer. I call them “The 5 Golden Rules” in salsa cubana – doesn’t matter what level you are, if something doesn’t work it’s always [because you are] breaking one of the following rules:
 
1.Never grab the hands, just a touch which I call full contact and always re-accommodate the hands before any change with the arms, in order to be more comfortable, faster and avoid injuries.
 
2. Turning around each other clockwise. The Cuban combinations are created to be danced in [a] circle and it makes [dancing] easier.
 
3. Distance. Dancing too far away from the partner is one of the biggest problems (in my European experience) due to cultural taboos, so the dance is too strong with a lot of tension in the arms.
 
4. The timing with the arms. All the moves with the arms end in 3 and 7 – defining this [detail will make] the dance be more fluid and clear. 70 (setenta) is the classic example for this rule.
 
5. Naturalness. Every unnatural or uncomfortable move must be fixed, natural small steps, not jumping. It’s more comfortable to dance the same way we walk.

Followers, he had the following suggestions: "[Learn to] improvise before and during “dile que no”, after “vacílala” and during the figures."

Yanek compared salsa casino with “Bruce Lee’s Jet Kune Do. You have basic rules but then you adapt your dance to your possibilities, body work and feelings – that’s why all the people look different even if they all dance Cuban style. It’s freer because there is no choreography in the teaching process. You have to lead and improvise-doesn’t matter who you dance with. I think salsa cubana is very free and different from the other styles.”

What Yanek thinks about rueda choreography: "There is a problem with Rueda nowadays, the choreographers are including moves for couple dance into the Rueda and it’s a huge mistake. They stay too long with the same partner, and turn the choreography less dynamic. Besides that they create new long moves in which they change partners only once and I think that in a good figure you change at least twice. Good rueda choreography should include (in my opinion):
1. A figure in which you do lots of changes
2. A figure in which you mix salsa with other rhythms (Rumba, Afro or other traditional Cuban dances)
3. A figure with the hands joined
4. And a figure with lots of changes of directions or formations"

Timbaton - Tras La Tormenta - After the Storm

Tras La Tormenta, meaning after the storm, by Arnaldo Y Su Talisman is one of my current top songs.  It is a timbaton song. Timbaton = timba + reggaeton


All too often people will find out about a genre and then sort of get stuck on a particular sound.  I, on the other hand, like to keep the sound that makes the genre what it is, but at the same time sample the spectrum that it covers.  In the case of timbaton I have provided some of the songs that I like below to try and give you a flavor of what timbaton covers:

Timbalive - Zorra, El Dinero

Paulito FG - Te Bote from Un Poquite De To album

Maraca - Castigala - more of a timba/reggaeton/rap fusion

Dayron Y El Boom - Chocolo from Mi Tumbao CD - has the timbaton feel, not strictly timbaton?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDbqKMiGSJ0


Alain Daniel - La Miki
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGKtpvkVJ7w


Arnaldo Y Su Talisman - Tras La Tormenta - a bachata like syn? - a timba/bachata/reggaeton song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDHqi0mheMU

Note that I have not tried to provide a sampling of bands per se, but rather a sampling of the sound spectrum of timbaton via songs that I like.  I welcome suggestions if anyone feels that they can see a gap, or gaps, in my timbaton sampling spectrum.   

The Nights Of Nights - A Connected Dance!

The pleasure,
the fun,
the excitement rolled into one.
A look,
a glance,
a flick -
we act as one.
She loses it,
I do too.
What's the beat?
It's the trinity guiding us through.
Me, her, the music!
Flash bulbs go off
'n I don't care!!
Let them do what they dare!
Shameless flirt
Smile stretched out!
Will it burst?

Unbridled restraint 'n all that.

Salsango - Salsa and Tango

So I am decent at salsa and have dabbled a little in Argentine tango, and what better way to combine my love for two of my favorite dances than to combine them together when I dance. This month I start my salsango journey. 

Chick Peas in a Spicy Tamarind Sauce

To a hot pot with oil add 2 small chopped onions, and after frying for a while add spices.  Add a tsp of cumin powder, a pinch of turmeric, half a tsp of black pepper, two tsp of chopped garlic in water, a pinch of crushed ginger, a tsp of chili powder, and 1/4 tsp of cinnamon powder.  Mix and let fry for 5 or so minutes before adding a large chopped tomato.  Then add 1 cup of chick peas (otherwise known as garbanzo beans), a tablespoon of Maggi tamarind sauce, two hot peppers, and a handful of chopped cilantro. Let simmer for 15/20 minutes so that the peas absorb the flavors.  Voila! You have spicy chick peas in a tamarind sauce.  

Spicy Mini-Burger Patties

So, one thing that I like to do is make up big quantities and freeze portions, and this process is ideal for mini-burgers.  Once you have it prepared the mixture you can use it to make normal size burger patties, make meat balls..dip in batter and then breadcrumbs before frying/baking to make it a little different...let your creativity run free! I have deliberately written this in a free flowing format rather than using a typical recipe style as this is how I make it, and if I haven't made it in a long time I need to experiment a little, as I ask you to do.

I take 1 lb of ground meat, a large finely chopped onion, a finely chopped hot pepper, chili powder, cumin seed powder, black pepper, chili powder, turmeric powder, cinnamon powder, 4 crushed garlic cloves, half a tsp of ginger, a couple pinches of salt, two eggs, bread crumbs, a tablespoon of lime juice, chopped cilantro and mix well.  Spices are to taste.  Add a little first and then if you fry and it needs more add some more.  Quarter teaspoon of each spice powder with half teaspoon of cumin, 1/8 tsp of turmeric should be a safe bet to start out with. I add enough bread crumbs so that the meat does not fall apart and liquid does not come out when frying.  Trial and error.

The cilantro really adds a nice piquancy to the mixture.  Now that it is prepared you can make portions of the final mixture and freeze to take out and make fresh when you want to use it.  This helps speed up making meals.  Alternatively you can make the entire lot and freeze.  That works pretty well, too, but it isn't as good as freshly made.

Note that some people put the entire mixture through a food processor so that you don't see/feel pieces of onion etc...That is an extra step that you can add.  To make the patties you can fry or bake.  I've done both and they come out fine.

In terms of ground meat I have used chicken, fish, turkey...the outline that I have given is for ground beef.  For fish, for example, I would definitely use ginger and garlic more sparingly.

The egg is used as a binding agent.  The yolk makes it richer, but if you worried about cholesterol etc you can skip the yolks and add more whites.         

Salsa Almost From Scratch - The 1 hour Beginner Lesson with Breaking On 1

Let me know what you think. I also have seen some really unique lessons, such as teaching the son timing and then the salsa on1 timing using the clave as a tool. So if you have something unique that has worked well, or do things a bit differently and are willing to share I would be interested. It is great to do things in different ways and learn from each other.


So, back to my lesson outline. You get a bunch of people who have sort of done a little salsa, but really haven't. For example, they may have taken a few classes some time ago, or have taken a survival dance lesson before a Latin night event, moved a bit to the music and got some help from friends... You get the idea, hopefully.  Basically, salsa  almost from scratch!


BASICO

First - Salsa Aerobics / Salsa Suelta 1

Note - Emphasize small steps throughout.  Show exaggerated and then get people to take smaller steps.  Looking at each other is another important point.


Basic - Forward half, first doing the first two steps and showing how you lift your feet.  Step 1 step forward on your left foot while lifting your right, then on step two you place back your right foot.  (This is important as a  common mistake/problem for beginners is that second step of stepping in place). Then, add the third step to complete the first half.
         - Add back  half, saying it is the same, as first, but you step back instead.
   
Dance to music, adding side to side, forward/back breaks, front/back crosses, rotating clockwise and anti-clockwise while in place.

Partner Work 1 - Get people in couples.  Show basic frame with leader's right hand on follower's shoulder blade, and followers left hand resting on leader.  Couple's other hands should be halfway between them.  Point out that followers now start going back as leaders will be starting forward, but it is the same basic step. Count and start them going.   Go around helping them for one song.

Refining 1 - Ask how followers can tell what a leader wants to do.  Demonstrate the collection that a leader does, for example when switching from front/back basic to side-to-side and back.  In open hand hold the leader can slightly raise his hands at the end of a 8 count, just before switching movement.  This indicates to a follower that something is going to happen.  In closed position the leader uses his/her connection with the follower's shoulder blade.

Dance to another song.

RIGHT HAND TURN

Salsa Suelta 2 - Add right hand turn to repertoire

Partner Work 2 -  Show how right hand turn is done as couples, and break it down.  Hand goes up on 3, indicating that the follower can turn.

Dance to another song.

Leader's right turn - Tell leaders that they can do a right hand turn as well, showing, and then letting them dance another song.

Refining 2 - How can one tell if it is leader or follower who is to turn?  If Leader's hand is close to him/her he/she will be turning, and if follower hand is close to him/her she can turn as there is space to do so.

CROSS BODY LEAD

Partner Work 3 - Cross Body Lead
Show the cross body lead and separate to show leaders and followers their footwork.  If teaching solo do the leader's footwork and tell followers to just do the basic stepping and follow.  Often, followers at this stage of their dancing put way too much into their footwork/styling and destroy this move in my experience. They are not ready.

Leaders step forward, in place and to the side, then side, in place and forward in the other direction.  You do two quarter turns.  Then show what hands need to do. Remember small steps. 

Dance to a song.

ADDING PIZAZZ

Partner Work 4 - Adding Pizazz

Right hand turn?  Show how one can do the right hand turn in multiple ways for both leader and follower..  Left-right, handshake i.e. right to right, both hands.  This makes the dance look a lot more than it is.

Show veils: Make a window, as if you are a waiter and are holding a tray of dishes when in a left-right, right-left normal open hand hold.

Refining 3 -  How can a person tell what is happening?  Remember, that hand close to leader means he/she is going to do something.  Hand close to follower means that he/she is going to have something happen.
Now with veils....For veils hands are in front of nose, in middle, so followers don't do anything.  If a hand is to the left or right means something is going to happen. 


LEFT HAND TURN?
It is natural that if you do a right hand turn to want to turn the other way.  I personally prefer not to teach that for a first lesson.  I am open to showing it, but for most people it isn't as easy to learn and from observation it really isn't done much on the dance floor.  In fact I make a point of doing it with a couple people as they got excited when I did it and said they love doing it and that people just don't do it. 


What is your opinion?  Do you think the left hand turn should be included?  If you think it should be taught how would you modify the lesson plan as what I have described takes about an hour.  Do you teach the lesson differently?






 





     

Ox Tail

Yup, you read it, ox tail, or otherwise knows as cow's tail.  Skin this, and pressure cook it and you get some of the richest tasting meat that melts in your mouth.  This weekend I made some.  After pressure cooking with garlic,ginger,black pepper and a little salt I take off the liquid and let it cool down, removing the fat that collects at the top.  Then I make a base of fried chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, cumin, black pepper, chili powder, and a hot pepper.  To the base I add the oxtail, the cooled liquid and let it simmer for half an hour.  Le voila!  It is ready!

The oxtail is also great as a soup base.  I have fond childhood memories of oxtail soup.  Yum.

Another great childhood treat is the other extremity of the cow - the tongue.  But that is for another day. 

A Teaching Tuesday or a Salsa Tuesday?

Every Tuesday I co-teach salsa/rueda classes at the Oasis dance club, in Ithaca, NY.  This week it went really well.  For the salsa class I started out with a new person who showed up. Nancy, my co-teacher, came later around the same time as a couple who usually show up late, and so she worked with them.  After that was the intermediate rueda class where people were kept on task and the class moved along at a good pace. As usual I called and we had fun just doing rueda.  I also got the class to take turns calling two moves each for a song or two. We reviewed part of the setenta family and made their execution a little cleaner: setenta, setenta cubano, setenta, con alma, and setenta por abajo.   This time I showed one guy, who was ahead of the rest, setenta moderno, and at the end of class Nancy worked with another who is obsessed with ponle sabor.

The Latin night that followed, however, was the polar opposite.  The typical Latin night with the same old tired music being played. This time it was saved by the people who showed up.  There were a couple people whom I hadn't seen in months - one who remembered I taught her bachata - plus a new Architecture professor with her friend.  It was a friend's birthday, and she really loved the dance that I did with her

So, was it a teaching or a salsa Tuesday, or a bit of both?  Well, let's see.  The lessons were good, the socializing was great...the music par for the course, tasting like week old food. A teaching Tuesday, for sure.  Unless the music is inspirational it never is a salsa Tuesday.
 

Grupo Son Boricua and Salsa Son Timba - Checking out regional Latin bands

So August 18th I headed down to Syracuse with a friend to check out a couple bands. I want to add to the Latin band rotation for the Oasis dance club of Ithaca NY. Currently, Oasis only has El Rumbon of Ithaca and Grupo Calle Uno of Rochester. The latter don't play well when they drink, which they typically do. So, I was lucky this time to have along for company, Eva Luna. With her to entertain time flew by and we reached Skiddy Park, Syracuse where the band had already started playing. There wasn't anyone dancing but I had Eva and so we started. After a while we got a few other people going and it was fun.
I found Grupo Son Boricua, really good. They know what they are good at and played it. You could also see the various band members really grooving and part of the music. Unfortunately, a little too laid back for a Latin Night, but I definitely would get them for a barbecue, or festival like they were playing at that day. The icing on the cake? I was videotaped and photographed for the Syracuse Post Standard, and if you want to see me I am there starting at about 44 seconds into the short video. Not really dancing as such in the video, but I think you can see Eva and I were enjoying ourselves.
After Grupo Son Borica, the band Salsa Son Timba came on as part of the 2011 Syracuse Jazz in the City celebration. A totally different experience. The girl singers were not good. The male singer's voice was ok, but his strutting and swaying looked artificial and contrived. Then the playing! It sounded like a bunch of individual musicians playing, not like a band. However, Eva and I decided that sometimes a band can need a little time to warm up, or perhaps have an off song. So we stuck it out through the first. Then the second song began and after 20 seconds we ran away. I was sorely disappointed with them and expected a lot more. I hope that they can improve with time as currently I feel they are giving local live Latin Music a bad name. I love Latin music and dance, and think that good live music is a great way to get more people to be seduced into joining the Latin music/dance community.