Monday, January 24, 2011

FURLOUGH FRIDAY SOCIAL DANCE


Date: Friday, January 28, 2011
Location: Radford High School Cafeteria
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Music DJ: Michael Chinen

*** Monetary donations welcomed to benefit Radford High School Athletic Program
*** Bring a main dish/side dish to share with everyone
*** Dance Hawaii to provide all paper goods; serving utensils; and drinks (coffee/ice tea/hot tea)

For more info please contact Maurice Morita at Cell: 808-225-0326 or Email: Mauricetmorita@gmail.com
Website: www.dance-aliamanu.org / dancehawaii.us

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Divino Ritmo Dance @The Cupola

Looking to get an early jump in fun dancing? Well, my friend Marie Laderta has got just the venue for all you HOT "I like to dance on Tuesday night" Dancers that will get you hopping and dancing. This is the first Divino Ritmo social dance at the Cupola for 2011, so I'm not about to take the carrot away from Marie. Just go on and take a bite of her "What's Up, Doc?" e-mail..........

Hello Frank!
It's that time for our studio party again! Appreciate very much if you can get the word out for us by posting the following announcement on your blog! Thank you as always!
-------------------


So, "What's Up Doc?" It's CUPOLA time again!

Come do the "Bunny Hop," the "Roger Rabbit," the "Rabbit Dance," come shake your booties at the CUPOLA this coming Tuesday, January 25, 2011, from 7-10pm on the 2nd floor of the Honolulu Design Center at 1250 Kapiolani Blvd (corner of Kapiolani & Piikoi).

Come help Lucas and Yanna kick-off the "Year of the Rabbit" at the CUPOLA with their
Divino Ritmo ohana and other dance friends!
There will be lots of boogying to the special hand-picked ballroom and "harey" tunes by Maestro Lucas Jaime and DJ Jesse Gonzales.
Ono pupus and wine are available for purchase all evening. Carrot sticks will be complimentary!

As usual, admission is FREE and Divino Ritmo's monthly social dance party is open to the public! You never know, you may even get to meet Mr. Roger Rabbit or Bugs Bunny in the flesh...how can you beat a night of fun and dance with your friends!!!!

Hop, hop, hop.... to the CUPOLA this Tuesday!!!!!! See ya!

For more info, contact:Lucas at: divinoritmo@aol.com ph:(917) 568-3173
or Yanna at: Yannajs@gmail.com ph: (732) 499-0407

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Dance Hawaii 2nd Anniversary & Charity Ball-2011

The Dancers were real! The Performances were real! The Event was real! That was Dance Hawaii Anniversary & Charity Ball at the Pacific Beach Hotel this past Saturday. Not wanting to sound like a "Judge Judy" prelude but I gotta tell you, it was a bigger shindig with eye-catching dance performances than last year's. Gotta thank the "Ball" Committee headed by Chairperson Margaret Yee and Vice Chairperson Jim Brierly. Millie Chun did good also with Decorations, and Chris Ano made sure there were Awards and Leis. Kudos also go to the invisible volunteers who handled the Silent Auction (Gilda Morita and Leilani Alcover). Special Recognition and Appreciation go to the Showcase Choreographers and Showcase Dancers who worked hard during practice to make the Program a successful and entertaining affair.
It was a big event for Lani and me also 'cause some of our dance students from Dance Hawaii Kai and Ali'iolani CSA were gonna be there. Our son Dean who assists us at Ali'iolani CSA was gonna come to the dance, too.


But first, gotta pass by the lovelies at the Reception Table to get our table number. Diane Nishimura, Ann Manuel, Sandra Hamasaki, and Beverly Goo were just as cheerful reading those small prints on the table list and dishing out the numbers.


In photo (l-r) The Greeters and Ushers Benedict Doung, Ray Nariyoshi, Wally Nakagawa, Myrna Saniatan, Eddie Olegario, and Tony Alcover at the entrance to the Ballroom were just as accommodating. Lani and got real flower leis and were escorted to our table. Gotta thank Usher Committee Chair Roy Hamasaki for overseeing this treat.


Music DeeJay for this event was Michael Chinen who is one of Dance Hawaii's DeeJays and owns one of the largest selection of the best Ballroom and Latin music. Anytime the Rumba tune is played it casts a hypnotic spell on my Super-Exgirlfriend and she chasse to the dance floor with me in tow. Maybe it does the same for other dancers, too, 'cause the floor got awfully crowded.


EmCees for the evening were beautiful Kim Anderson and a good-looking Jake William. Both were good at the mike in keeping the program on a steady course. But first on the program was the Installation of Officers and Board Members.


Prez Maurice Morita called on Deputy Director of Parks & Recreation Richard Haru to preside over the installation. He gave an impromptu speech to inspire the new Officers and Board members to remember and play out their responsibilities to Dance Hawaii and its membership.





After the "Installation", Prez Maurice gave a "Welcome Everybody" speech and introduced the Special Guests and Presidents of the various Dance Clubs on Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island.


Professional singer Kim Anderson entertained the audience with a few songs. She also sang the prayer before the buffet dinner. Gilda Morita said the invocation and it was time to gind. General Dancing continued after dinner with some time spent on calling out winners of the Silent Auction.


Part 1 of the Program started with Dance Hawaii Line Dance Formation Team choreographed by Kevin and Margaret Yee. It's a rare commodity to see Line Dancing included in a Ballroom Showcase but there is always a "first" time. The "Mama Mia" and "Merengue" Line Dance was a brain-child conceived by Dance Hawaii Line Dance instructors Kevin and Margaret Yee and I gotta say they pulled this one out of the surprise bag with much success.


Robert and Vanelle Hirayasu who teaches for Dance Hawaii Kai this quarter danced the Argentine Tango. Lani describes the performance as a story of passionate love and hate. A little enticing to get his lady by Robert with Argentine flavor and the final blow of rejection as Vanelle walks away. Talk about love that goes astray in a movie like performance. Great acting performed in a dance!


Risking another 30 lashes with a cat-of-nine wet noodles for not getting a good shot of the dancers in this routine, I've posted this candid photo. OUCH!
The JIVE choreographed by Richard and Lynn Nakamura was performed by members of Dance Hawaii and IBDI. This is the second year that these two dance organizations had gotten together to put on a wonderful performance of the JIVE. Kudos to IBDI dancers Ed & Candy Matsuda, Ernie & Karen Choy, and Roy & Marsha Ninomiya, and to Dance Hawaii dancers Maurice & Gilda Morita, Richard & Lynn Nakamura, and Larry Arinaga & Candace Yap. I've seen this formation dance a few times throughout 2010 and it gets better and better. Another superb performance!


The Kauai Ballroom Dance Club-Hanapepe Chapter soon followed with the NIGHT CLUB 2 Step choreographed by Roy and Glenda Tamashiro. In photo the Dancers were: (l-r) Ladies: Elisa Delgado, Adela Chavez, Cornelia Works, Brenda Visitacion, and Glenda Tamashiro; (l-r) Men: Abraham Nihipali, Tomas Chavez, Dan Works, John Visitacion, and Roy Tamashiro. It was like "com'on my house" and dance feeling. Kauai Ballroom Dance Club performed in last years Dance Hawaii Anniversary Ball and dancers from Dance Hawaii went to Kauai to perform in their Anniversary Ball. Terrific relationship and a terrific performance in the Night Club 2 Step. It's no wonder it's become popular in social ballroom dancing, also.


The International CHA CHA & QUICKSTEP MEDLEY by Joshua Manzano and Jill Tengen was a poetry in speed and execution....a dynamite performance well done in the spirit of Latin and Ballroom showcase dancing.
(Photo of Joshua and Jill courtesy of Chris Ano)

More General Dancing followed during the intermission.





Part 2 opened with the International FOXTROT and TANGO MEDLEY by Richard and Lynn Nakamura. Once upon a time, Lani and I dubbed Richard and Lynn as Mr. and Mrs. Quickstep. After watching them glide so smoothly with their rendition of the Foxtrot/Tango Medley, it won't be long before we'll be calling them Mr. and Mrs Foxtrot/Tango, too. A performance very well executed.


Then the Kauai Ballroom Dance Club-Lihue Chapter performed the MAMBO choreographed by Ken and Ellen Kitabayashi. In photo the Dancers were: (l-r): Ken & Ellen Kitabayashi, Bryson & Medina Calbalteja, Russel & Jocelyn Cubangbang, and William Balbin & Deza rae Fernandez. A good relationship with the Lihue Chapter brought this Mambo Formation Team to perform in the Dance Hawaii Anniversary Ball, again. It was a good performance by the dancers and a rare look into a different style of Mambo.


An International SAMBA Formation choreographed by Richard and Lynn Nakamura was performed by Dance Hawaii dancers Jim Brierly & Lucille Nakamoto, Ed Olegario & Roxanne Kaino, Lung & Catherine Kwok, Wayne Fuchigami & Elsie McGrew, Robert & Vanelle Hirayasu, Larry Arinaga & Candace Yap, and Cory Ogawa & Valeria Luab. It was a "block buster" performance that was exciting and entertaining to watch.




Concluding the showcase program was an International WALTZ by Reggie Gascon and Gayle Kawahakui. It was a good choice to end this part of the program. The hype was still high and Reggie and Gayle danced so beautifully that the applauses were loud and clear that their styling and technique were greatly appreciated.

General Dancing continued till 11:30PM.

(Left click on photo to zoom in)

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

New Chief In Town

Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Saturday, January 01, 2011

IBDI New Years Dance

If any dance club celebrated the end of year 2010 in style, it's gotta be IBDI. Fo' sure IBDI bid farewell to 2010 and rang in the new year in a Blaze of Glory at the Pacific Beach Hotel on New Years eve. Social Dancing, Ono Buffet, Door Prizes, and Games...it's gotta be the cumulative brainwork of the officers and the capable hands of New Years Dance Committee to come up with such innovative ideas to keep the program running smoothly from start to finish. Much Kudos to all of you!

Lani and I figured that parking at the Pacific Beach was gonna be at a premuim, so we headed towards Waikiki hoping to get there at least by 5:30. Wouldn't you believe it? We hit a snag of heavy traffic on Kalanianaole Hwy. But it was smooth sailing once we got past Niu Valley. We were keeping our fingers crossed that we could find parking when we got to the Pacific Beach about 20 to six. Found a space on the 4th floor and very lucky for us 'cause soon as I put the brakes on, there were a parade of cars all lined up looking for parking spaces after us.


The Grand Ballroom on the 7th floor looked desserted except for the lovelies at the Reception Table. Gotta give those gals a lot of appreciation 'cause no matter whose dance club is hosting, Candy Matsuda, Delia Tom, Dana Morey, and Grace Nohara are always there volunteering at the Reception Table. Got our table number and a blue ticket (for the guys) and a red ticket (for the gals) for door prizes.


As Lani and I entered the Ballroom, the sweet sound of the Waltz filled the air. It didn't take too much coaxing to get dancers on the floor. DeeJays Henry Lee and Jane made sure of that during the whole six plus hours with their excellent selection of Ballroom, Latin, and Swing music. There were some rare moments of the West Coast Swing, the Night Club 2 Step, and even the Merengue (Lani and my favorite dance). Mucho gracias, Henry and Jane!



Gradually, more dancers trickled into the Grand Ballroom...some former dance students, some dance instructors, and some friends and acquaintances who Lani and I had occasion to meet some years back.


Social Dancing continued until it was time for the ono buffet that Pacific Beach is known for. EmCee for the evening was Marsha Ninomiya and she handled the podium like a professional EmCee would. She said a very inspiring prayer of thanks before the dinner.


More social dancing continued after the dinner then IBDI Prez Chris Jay took over the mike with a short speech about the events coming in 2011 and the recognition of Grace Nohara for her support in making this New Years Dance a successful one.

Grace was presented with a lei by Roy Ninomiya.


Lucky numbers for door prizes were called and I gotta say IBDI did not hold back on the money gift cards. The games started with the SNOWBALL dance which got nearly everyone on the dance floor. When the music stopped, money gift cards were given to the guy or gal who were dancing with a dancer whose name was preselected and announced. The King and Queen of the IBDI New Years Ball was selected by lucky numbers, too. James Masuoka won the King's crown, and Pat Watanabe got the Queen's.


The traditional HORSESHOE Dance also awarded couples with money gift cards when the music stopped. After more social dancing, the Balloon game started with much fun. There were a lot of winners in this game even with the Jen Ken Po elimination. So all of those standing received some kind of award. The Games part of the program was conducted by both Marsha and Grace...and what a wonderful job they did to make it fun and enjoyable.


More Social Dancing continued until the countdown to midnight. Noise makers and those string pops dominated the Grand Ballroom as 2010 faded away and the dawning of a new year approached. Those on my Table #15 got to click glass tumblers and paper cups filled with non-alcoholic drink to toast a better and healthier 2011. (My main squeeze handled the camera during the closing moments so as she nicely put it..."so you can be in the picture, too"). Dat's my girl!
(Left click on photos to zoom in).