Last night I got the opportunity to attend a powwow of the Classic Ragtime Society of Indianapolis. I like ragtime - for the most part it's bubbly and happy and it makes me tap my feet and think about times long gone by. There are some real hot pianists who play the society's gig including a 16 year old kid who's got more going before he can order a beer than I do to this day. That was a little depressing - but I got over it.
One of the interesting bits, though, was a group of period dancers who came in costume to demonstrate some of the dances of the early 19th century. It was cool to see that a lot of the dances I'm learning now - the foxtrot especially - have really evolved over the decades. The one that really got me was the Charleston.
The Charleston I saw last night is not the Charleston I work into the Lindy Hop! It's a lot less together and a lot more athletic (if that's
possible). I think I've come away with an understanding of where my dances are coming from and an appreciation for what I'm doing in comparison to the 'classic' versions.
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