Sad People: Dead at 25, Buried at 70

The store where I purchase rhinestones requires customers to take a number and wait to be called. I’ve come to know each of the sales clerks enough to make small talk and ask them how they’re doing.

In other words, I don’t just start with, “Let me see Swarovski, ss20’s in crystal volcano.”

The last time I was there I was being helped by the woman with whom I’m most familiar. I greeted her with a big smile and enthusiastically said, “How ya doing’?”

Most of us don’t think about our reply to this question. We impulsively respond with the generic,

• I’m fine
• I’m good
• I can’t complain etc.

However, this encounter was different.

Contemporary Dance: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

“Contemporary” is a loose genre, mixing modern, jazz and ballet techniques along with un-named, interpretive movements. This leaves a lot of room for beautiful creative adventure, but also a lot of room for …the not so beautiful.

As with any broad topic, there’s room for great things, but also for disaster. All forms of dance stem from technique and strength – this includes ballet, tap, and even hip-hop.

So you’d think that “Contemporary” dance should also come with the same respect for technique, but sadly that is not the way it is always goes. It is becoming a fad, and in some instances, a cover for having no technique at all.