Rachel Stirling
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Changing the Game: Bringing Consent to Competitions

6/11/2018

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Last year at bamBLOOZled 2017 I tried something different in our Jam & Jelly competition, which other events often refer to as a Mix & Match.  We gave our competitors the ability to consent to every person they danced with. It worked so well that I used the format in the next Mix & Match competition I ran at Rose City Blues 2017.  Other organizers/events have asked me to share the details and I would love to see this format, or others like it that promote active consent, to become the standard for Mix & Match competitions.

The Old Format

For those who are not familiar, the typical Mix & Match format has competitors enter as either a lead or follow to show how they partner with others.  For the preliminary round, competitors are lined up in a set order by role and then rotated a certain number chosen at random to be paired with 3 different competitors, each for about 30-60 seconds of a song.  Competitors are ranked in each role by a panel of judges and finalists are chosen. For the final round, competitors are either randomly paired with one partner for the duration or rotate through finalists to dance to a few different songs.

The Reason for Change

This format works quite well for the goal of seeing how well someone dances with partners at a variety of levels and to different songs.  But it has its drawbacks and I’d like to walk you through the reasoning behind my format change. I’ve been a dancer, competitor, and event organizer for about 15 years now.  I’ve drawn folks in competitions that I swore I would never dance with again due to past trauma and I’ve had to pretend to enjoy myself and make them look good in the name of competition, at times helping them win and giving them more power and credibility.  I’ve watched this happen to countless other friends and dancers as well. 

Sometimes event organizers are aware of existing conflict and intentionally adjust the pairings to split folks up.  But how does that help those who are quiet about their personal life or who organizers don’t know? I’ve heard stories from dancers who were paired with someone who injured them, either in that very competition or previously in a competition or social dance, but because they never made it to finals it was never brought to anyone’s attention.  When the goal of the competition is to see how well someone dances with a variety of partners and to a variety of songs, it is unnecessary and careless to force someone to dance with someone who has caused them harm.

The New Format

For our new format at bamBLOOZled, dancers were informed of the change and it’s intentions on the website, in a Facebook post, and at the competitors meeting just prior.
The Facebook announcement: “At Capital Blues, we like to be innovative with our competitions. From having the first Solo Riffin' comp, to our past Showcase competition, and Aries changing the Jack & Jill name to Jam & Jelly, we're constantly thinking about how we can do better. That's why this year we're incorporating our consent values into the Jam & Jelly competition!

All too often we've seen a competition where someone gets stuck in rotation dancing with someone they'd never say yes to on the social floor (due to unsafe dancing or past trauma). This year at bamBLOOZled, prelims will allow dancers to find a new partner themselves and then contestants will have the ability to inform us of anyone they wouldn't want to dance with. Finalists will be selected and rotation set accordingly (and any finalist receiving a majority of refusals will be disqualified and an alternate selected). If you have thoughts on our structure or ideas on how to improve it, please let us know through email. We strive for a safe and comfortable environment for all who compete!” ​
I started out the Jam & Jelly preliminary round with competitors lined up in number order by their role, the same as typically happens, so judges could take any notes about who competitors were and their numbers.  Dancers would get 3 songs (with a potential bonus song if judges needed it) and they were in charge of finding their own partners. I told them to find a partner and then would yell “rotate” half-way through each song (after 1 or 2 phrases, about 45-60 seconds).  Anyone without a partner was to wait on the side and needed to make sure they didn’t sit out twice if they wanted to be seen, politely cutting in if necessary to swap with someone who hadn’t been out yet. Because competitors were rotating on their own they could avoid partners who were triggering and would still dance with a larger range of dancers than the typical rotation format as we would see them with around 6 different partners versus only 3.  

After all the preliminary songs were finished, leads and follows lined back up how they were originally called out for judges to take notes, this time with everyone facing the same wall (for example, everyone faces the north wall and follows are looking at leads’ backs, able to take a mental note of any lead’s competition number who they would not want to dance with due to trauma or injury).  Then we had competitors face the other direction (so folks turn to face the south wall and now leads are looking at follows’ numbers, able to take a mental note).

Competitors were asked to turn in their numbers once the preliminary round concluded and anyone who made a mental note of a partner they did not want to be paired with would write that on the back of their number before turning it in.  Anyone receiving a majority of declined dances from finalists in the other role would be disqualified. Collecting numbers in this way allowed us to gather data on anyone in the competition not just those making it into finals, for folks to feel safe sharing that information, and also for us to prevent the potential of someone making it into finals only to find out that the majority will not pair with them and having to publicly disqualify them and select an alternate.  With all the refusals by competitors taken into account, finalists can be paired or rotated during the final round to ensure safe partnerships.

I made it very clear during the competitors meeting that this was for the purpose of making folks who don’t feel comfortable or safe competing due to trauma feel taken care of as they don’t need to dance with someone who isn’t safe for them.  It is explicitly *not* for someone to just opt out of dancing with someone whose dancing they don’t care for or who they think isn’t going to improve their chances of winning. I asked “Do you understand?” and had competitors verbally confirm “Yes.” I made sure to state again slightly different and got verbal agreement from the competitors again.

Final Thoughts and Reflections

That last piece was the crux of all the concerned criticism I received upon announcing the format change.  Folks felt it would defeat the purpose of a Mix & Match and that competitors would abuse the system. I’ve already explained how this new format still fulfills the purpose of seeing someone dance with a variety of dancers, even more so than usual.  No competitors submitted the number of someone they didn’t want to dance with at bamBLOOZled and only one competitor submitted a number at Rose City Blues, which tells me that our competitors did not take this lightly. And I received so much positive feedback and support both from folks who are too afraid to compete due to the chance of drawing someone unsafe and also folks who relive that potential trauma every time they compete because they don’t want to have to stop competing.
“It is still a J&J competition in that folks are being judged on their ability to dance with a wide range of dancers. You never dance with everyone in a J&J competition, so not dancing with one specific person in a competition does not change that. Our goal is to make the people who've experienced trauma feel safer competing, and have faith it will not be misused by folks to refuse a dance because it will improve their odds at winning.

So many times in a J&J competition I've seen someone forced to dance with someone who's caused them physical injury and/or trauma when there were other people they could have just as easily been paired with. And as organizers, we want to know if there is someone who is causing many people physical injury or trauma so that we can protect others in our community.” (My response to a concern that this format change took away from the spirit of the Jam & Jelly competition)
I saw the very thing this format prevents play out at the next two events I attended, triggering panic attacks and compounding trauma.  It’s my hope that through innovating our competition formats we can take better care of each other and empower those whose voices too often go unheard.  

Thanks for reading and please share with organizers and other competitors so we can keep this conversation going.  Feel free to contact me with any comments and thoughts. Anyone is welcome to reference the wording I used here from bamBLOOZled announcements, please use proper attribution.
From the bamBLOOZled website: 
New structure and name for our Jam & Jelly Competition!
You may be curious about our new Jam & Jelly competition. It’s our formerly known Jack & Jill competition with a new name since the old name implies a gender for our lead/follow roles and we encourage anyone to enter as a lead or follow. Aries Indenbaum coined the catchy name years ago when MC’ing a competition at our weekly Thursday night Back Room dance. We have also adjusted the structure of our competition to align more with our values of safer spaces. In many competitions, when you rotate to an assigned partner sometimes you are forced to dance with someone you would never dance with on the social floor, due to them causing a previous injury, making you feel unsafe, or being the perpetrator of past trauma. We want to make sure everyone has an enjoyable time competing and gets to dance with who they want to. For this reason our prelims will allow competitors to find themselves a new partner when we rotate and our finals will allow finalists to refuse dancing with another competitor (and if the majority of finalists in that role refuse to dance with a competitor, that competitor will be disqualified and an alternate will be selected). If you have thoughts on our structure or ideas on how to improve it, please let us know. We strive to make the best blues event we can with a safe and inclusive environment.
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Mardi Gras playlist

2/21/2018

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The first week of February was such a hit (you can see my playlist and description here) that I decided to do the same structure for this year's Mardi Gras night on February 13th.  I've dj'ed Mardi Gras at Tuesday Blues for the last 3 years and it's such a treat to play the rich and diverse music that comes out of New Orleans and Louisiana.  This year I chose to only play black artists, often playing a couple tunes by the same artist and giving a little introduction so that the dancers could learn a little bit about the artist and history behind the songs.  I received rave reviews from the format I used both weeks, with many people coming up to ask me the name of the artist or a track or just to thank me for sharing stories and playing such great tunes.
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Black History Month - Women in Blues

2/14/2018

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I got asked to fill in at the last minute to dj at our weekly dance the first week of February, which is Black History Month.  I knew I'd be djing all black artists during the month of February, but I wanted to do something special, so I decided to feature an often under-represented demographic in blues: Women.  For the most part I played multiple songs by an artist so that the dancers could really get a feel for their sound.  I introduced the artists and tried to give a little tidbit of information about them.  It was challenging at times interrupting the typical flow and chatter between songs to talk, but once folks got used to it, they started quieting down when they heard my voice to hear what was next.
We started off with none other than Ma Rainey and then transitioned into Bessie Smith, who worked with and learned from Ma Rainey.  I told folks about the movie Bessie, which follows Bessie Smith's life.  Next I featured two songs by Portland artist.  First a song that Bessie Smith kinda turned into the first music video, St. Louis Blues, done by two late great gospel singers Linda Hornbuckle and Janice Scroggins; and then a song by the women who is holding it down in their absence, LaRhonda Steele. ​
Keeping in the gospel theme we moved to Ruthie Foster.  After that we moved to some piedmont and country blues, starting with an artist who just passed away who was not only an incredible piedmont blues guitarists, but also a phenomenal buck dancer: Algia Mae Hinton.  Then another piedmont blues guitarist, Etta Baker, then Mattie Delaney, and then some hill country with Jessie Mae Hemphill.  Then we transitioned to Kim Massie, a Chicago artist who plays for dancers and is incredible live, starting with an atypical delta song and then moving into her more typical sound full of sass and soul.  Following that we had our birthday jam, done to Big Mama Thornton's Hound Dog.

We came back into the social dancing with Ruth Brown.  Next up we had Linda Hopkins first with an earlier track and then a live one from late in her life.  Then we had Dinah Washington.  After that I played Catherine Russell, an artist based in New York who is incredible and I've had the pleasure of hiring for bamBLOOZled a number of years ago.  The next artist I featured was Gaye Adegbalola, an incredible Virginia artist, both queer and an activitst, who I also had the pleasure of hiring for bamBLOOZled this past year.  The first song is with her former group Saffire The Uppity Blues Women.  After that I played some Etta James, playing a less familiar and then likely very familiar song.  I ended my set with two artists who very openly used their music to work through their suffering and sang about their experiences as black women in America.  First we had Billie Holiday.  I mentioned that she wrote Strange Fruit, which I was not going to play because of it's graphic depictions, but highly encouraged folks to listen to if they hadn't before.  Finally we had Nina Simone, who was also a political activist and had a movie about her, which had controversy due to her struggles in the industry with having very dark skin and wide nose and that not being reflected in the actress who played her.  Because of it's content, I prefaced the last song and asked folks to really listen to the words of what it is like to be a black women in America.  I requested that if someone wanted to dance that they solo dance and refrain from partner dancing and really let the song sink in.

I then passed it off to Jeff Anderson who played other artists I didn't get a chance to, like Sister Rosetta Tharpe, LaVern Baker, Alberta Hunter, Mavis Staple and Aretha Franklin. So I'll leave with one more...
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5 reasons to compete in dance

5/15/2015

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With Portland's local weekly alt/fusion dance, Barefoot, having it's first ever Jack & Jill competition, I've had a number of people come up to me seeking advice and reassurance on competing.  I figured I'd write down my thoughts and hopefully ease some terrified souls' minds (and maybe in the process even convince a few more folks to get out there).

So here it is... 5 reasons why I compete and why I think you should, too  :)

1.  It's an opportunity to showcase what you've been working on and share your perspective and expression of the dance.  There is beauty in all levels and skills of dancing when it comes from the heart and soul.

2.  It's an opportunity for feedback on your dancing.  You can ask for thoughts from the judges, other competitors, and spectators on what they liked about your dancing and what they'd like to see in the future.  You can also take video to see for yourself what your dancing looks like to self-critique.

3.  It challenges you to expand and push your dancing to new levels.  Competing often takes you out of your element and into uncharted territory.  Being on the spot can be scary at first, but it can also inspire you to take risks you might not otherwise take.

4.  It's a chance to dance with new people you might not otherwise ask.  Being an introvert I have trouble asking new people and I know some folks are too intimidated to ask me.  Competing in a Jack and Jill gives you a chance to meet and dance with folks you've never danced with before.

 5.  Because it's fun!  Ok, ok... I know some of you would argue that it's scary, nerve-wracking, intimidating, or a waste of time.  But it *can* be a lot of fun.  I find that when I go into a competition with the mindset of having fun and sharing my whole self through dance, it's the most rewarding.


So get out there and shake it.  I guarantee that no matter your ability, there will be someone in the audience watching you with awe feeling incredibly inspired.  Just remember that.  You are an inspiration just by stepping out on that floor and sharing your dance.
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Mardi Gras blues dance

3/16/2015

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I recently djed Mardi Gras at our weekly Tuesday Blues dance in Portland, OR.  It was something I was looking forward to for over a month, and I had the privilege of djing the whole night.  I did a ton of research and scouring for songs to show the range of music played and inspired by New Orleans musicians.  That city has so much damn incredible music and I wanted to share my love of its blues, jazz, soul, and funk.  The youtube playlist is here and I'll briefly walk you through my selections below.

1. I started off with the Staple Singers doing "New Orleans."  I decided to start off with someone not from New Orleans, singing about their love of New Orleans.  Seemed appropriate.  

2. Then we've got Lonnie Johnson singing "Big Leg Woman" off of Prestige Profiles. Lonnie Johnson was born in New Orleans, and this is a wonderful country blues track.

3. Next we've got "Basin Street Blues."  It's a classic about the main street in the Storyville district of New Orleans and there's so many versions it's hard to choose from.  Personally I'm a big fan of the one by Ray Charles, so I featured it.  

4. "New Orleans Bump" by Wynton Marsalis... this song is so inspiring.  Sass, intensity, attitude, sneakiness, silliness, there's just so much to draw from.  There's a reason folks use it for competitions and performances.

5. This is the first of a couple songs I played featuring Dr. John.  He's a New Orleans staple and this song "My Indian Red" references the Mardi Gras Indians and their traditional chant.

6. Joe Krown Trio - "Tchoupitoulas St. Rag"  I got to see Joe Krown perform when I was in New Orleans for my 30th birthday.  The Saints had just won the game that placed them in the Super Bowl and New Orleans was insane.  We took the trolley way out to a seedy bar where they dumped giant tubs of crawfish boil on plastic tables in the middle of the dance floor (which was consumed with a fury I have yet to encounter again).  Then Joe Krown on his organ led the trio in an amazing night of music.  It was memorable and perfectly New Orleans.

7.  Slim Harpo wasn't from New Orleans, but Baton Rouge, Louisiana is just a stone's throw away.  "Baby Scratch My Back" is a classic swamp blues song and one of my favorites.

8.  "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" is another classic New Orleans song originally written by Jessie Hill, but covered by numerous musicians (I was tempted to play the version done by Trombone Shorty, who funny enough is Hill's grandson).

9. "There'll Be No Next Time" is one of my favorite Louis Prima songs to dj for blues.  The New Orleans native is known for his over the top songs such as "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody" and "Jump Jive An' Wail."  This song has just the right amount of ridiculous with it's back and forth with Sam Butera, Louis' sax player, also from New Orleans.

10. Alvin Robinson is the New Orleans artist I'm most excited about finding in my digging through music for djing this night.  He recorded glorious southern rhythm and blues songs.  "Down Home Girl" crawls into my soul and transports me to a late night house party.

11. Ain't no party like a brass party!  I decided to close out the first hour before announcements with this cover of "Sexual Healing" by the Hot 8 Brass Band.

12. Jam song time!  I went with Preservation Hall Jazz Band's "That Bucket's Got a Hole In It" off of their 50th Anniversary Collection.  The first of many to feature the iconic Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

13. Back to the dance!  I kicked things off with the perfect song to get the party started, Professor Longhair's "Go To The Mardi Gras." Just try not to jump up and shake it.  

14. Keepin' the party rollin' with Dr. John's "Chickee La Pas."  I love the rhythms and horns in this tune.  So many layers and so much sass.

15. Next up a cover of New Orleans' own Fats Domino's "My Girl Josephine."  Taj Mahal teams up with The New Orleans Social Club, featuring New Orleans artists George Porter, Jr.,  Henry Butler, and Ivan Neville.

16. Eden Brent is a great pianist who recorded "Right to Be Wrong" and the rest of her "Ain't Got No Troubles" at the New Orleans' Piety Street Studios, enlisting the help of George Porter, Jr and achieving a great New Orleans sound.

17. Fats Domino is another one of New Orleans icons who has lived there his whole life (didn't even leave during Hurricane Katrina).  He's had many hits, but "Blueberry Hill" was his biggest.

18. There are lots of hymns featured in New Orleans music.  You'll commonly hear them during second line and funeral processions.  Preservation Hall Jazz Band does this soul-nourishing version of "His Eye is On the Sparrow."

19. First time I saw Meschiya Lake was before she'd achieved recognition in the dance community and we just happened upon her busking on the street in New Orleans.  I was blown away her and the band, including the clarinetist and other vocalist, Aurora Nealand (who's incredible in her own right).  Here's Meschiya's band doing "I Ain't Got Nothing But The Blues."

20. I couldn't dj a New Orleans night without playing something by the great Sidney Bechet.  Speaking of great clarinetists, he's one of the tops in my books.  Here's the sultry "Black and Blue."

21. I also couldn't dj a New Orleans night without playing Louis Armstrong.  Everyone loves Louis.  And most folks are familiar with his version of "La Vie En Rose."  It's timeless.  There's an incredibly beautiful and bittersweet delight captured in this song.

22. Yep, it's another Preservation Hall Jazz Band song.  Get used to it.  The band has endless combinations of many different musicians since it's formation in 1961, making nearly every performance unique.  The venue is a landmark, even the weathered turquoise door is iconic. Here's their version of "Le Petit Fleur" off of the 50th Anniversary Collection.

23. Here's another hymn, "Just Another Closer Walk With Thee." This version is performed by Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton, with Taj Mahal singing on this track.  The album, "Play The Blues: Live From Jazz At Lincoln Center," is incredible.  You should get the whole damn thing.

24. Alright, those of you who know me, know there's a special place in my heart for Sam Cooke.  John Boutté is pretty much the next best thing.  He's a New Orleans native who I first saw on the HBO series Tremé about New Orleans post-Katrina (which I highly recommend if you've never seen it).  Drool.  This is his original song, "At the Foot of Canal Street."

25. Sweet Emma.  This woman had so much damn talent.  She played piano and sang with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.  In 1967 she had a stroke that paralyzed her left side and she continued to play piano and record with_one_hand until she passed away at the age of 85.  No words.  This is one of my favorite Pres Hall tunes featuring Sweet Emma on piano and vocals, "A Good Man Is Hard To Find."

26. It seems appropriate to follow the last song with "If I Was Your Man."  Henry Butler, an incredible New Orleans pianist, is joined by Corey Harris on guitar and vocals.  I had the pleasure of seeing Henry Butler play the dirtiest, grittiest blues I've ever seen (at a reputable establishment) at the House of Blues during Lindy Gras my first visit to New Orleans. Then we stopped by Donna's, a hole-in-the-wall joint with late night home cookin', and he randomly stopped by to play some blues at the piano right next to our table.  Heaven.

27. Irma Thomas.  She's the "Soul Queen of New Orleans" for good reason.  This is her doing "There Must Be a Better World Somewhere" and killing it.

28. Here's another Alvin Robinson, "Something You Got."  This one you can really feel a Ray Charles influence.  But the addition of the brass gives it a great New Orleans feel.

29. So Hugh Laurie obviously isn't from New Orleans, but he put out a great album that really captures the vibe.  I actually like his version of "Tipitina" better than Dr. John's :P

30. I had no idea that Lily Allen's song "Knock 'Em Out" sampled Professor Longhair's "Big Chief" before researching music for djing this night.  The original has such a great groove and is pretty damn cool.

31. Another Fats Domino cover, "A Whole Lotta Loving," this one featuring Lenny Kravitz on vocals, backed by Maceo Parker and New Orleans Trombone Shorty and the Rebirth Brass Band.

32. Harry Connick, Jr. is another native New Orleans musician to make a name for themselves in multiple genres.  "(I Could Only) Whisper Your Name" took a step away from the jazz standards most folks know from him with a funkier sound.  If you had any doubts about him, check out this clip of him turning the tables on an audience cringingly clapping on 1 (he adds an extra beat around 0:40 so the crowd will be clapping on 2).  Brilliant.

33. "Every Night About This Time" is another great Fats Domino cover with Joss Stone on vocals, Buddy Guy on vocals and guitar, and New Orleans' The Dirty Dozen Brass Band on horns.  It's a sultry combination.

34. John Boutté's voice just gets me every time.  This is his version of "A Change Is Gonna Come," super simple and beautiful.  

35. I've had this version of Nina Simone's "House of the Rising Sun" in my blues library since I first started dancing.  It's just guitar and her piercing vocals (and occasional snaps, which I love).  It's a gorgeous blues waltz and perfect for late night dancing.

36. The New Orleans Jazz Vipers are another band I'm happy to say I got to see play live on one of my visits there.  Their music called us off the street and into the bar they were playing at because we absolutely had to dance to them (best version I've heard of Digga Digga Do to date).  I played "Ghost of a Chance" and faded it out around 5:30.

37. I love the pairing of Cory Chisel's vocals with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band on "Some Cold Rainy Day." The song trudges on with a beautiful resilience.

38. Alvin Robinson... sigh... just soak it in.  Can you blame me for playing another one?  He does a killer version of "Fever" but I was trying to restrain myself from just playing this guy all night.  This is him performing the gut-wrenching song "Let Me Down Easy."

39. Sticking with the old school rhythm and blues for another song with Fats Domino doing "I Hear You Knocking."  The song was written by New Orleans' Earl King, who also wrote Professor Longhair's "Big Chief."

* The last hour of our Tuesday Blues dance is free to veer away from blues and the tendency is to play music that falls into the alt or fusion category, so my choices start to branch further from blues.

40. You may have heard Portland's Kevin Selfe cover "Hey Pocky-Away."  It's a song by The Meters, a New Orleans band comprised of Art Neville, George Porter Jr, Zigaboo Modeliste, and Leo Nocentelli.  It's a New Orleans standard.

41. This Preservation Hall Jazz Band song features Tom Waits and a whole lot of sass and latin rhythms.  I'd expect nothing less from a song called "Tootie Ma is a Big Fine Thing."

42. A different take on the usual "St. James Infirmary."  Dr. John is joined by Eddie Bo, another famous New Orleans pianist, to create a version of the song that combines latin and funk elements on top of the usual jazz components.

43. This song, "I Count The Tears," was a moments-before-clicking-play decision.  I remember vetoing the song I had cued up 'cause I knew the floor needed something else and being not thrilled that I was about to play another Irma Thomas song after the following song, but there were reasons at the time that this was the song to play despite that.  Whatever the reason, it's a great chill song that'll make you want to meander around the floor.

44. I love Trombone Shorty.  His was the first concert I went to here in Portland and he's a wonderful entertainer.  "On Your Way Down" has a healthy dose of chill funk and groove and features another New Orleans artist, Allen Toussaint, who wrote the original song and plays piano on the track.

45. So back to Irma Thomas, this time with "River is Waiting."  I first heard this song when Jae Wilson djed it and I've loved it ever since.  It's an uplifting, feel-good tune with wonderful rhythms and a rolling, driving beat.

46. This Harry Connick, Jr song, "One Fine Thing," is off his most recent album and I really like the vibe. It's sultry, chill enough for late night dancing, and still has lots of fun rhythms to play with.

47 In doing some research on the hip-hop/rap scene in New Orleans I came across Nesby Phips.  He's got great flow, beautifully crafted lyrics, and he doesn't fall into the all too common trap of gratuitous violence and/or objectifying of women.  It's refreshing. He's got a bunch of great tunes, but I went with "Inside Lookin Out."

48. Next up we've got Big Chief Monk Boudreaux doing "Monk's Mardi Gras."  Boudreaux is the Big Chief of a Mardi Gras Indian Tribe who recorded a fair amount of music with The Wild Magnolias.  This tune has a nice funky, jazzy feel.

49. I'm so excited about this collaboration.  Mos Def, Lenny Kravitz, Preservation Hall Jazz Band.  "Ain't My Fault" is about the oil spill in the Gulf.  Sad that it takes a terrible event to create something this cool.  That's just how art works sometimes.

50. Continuing on with another kick-ass collaboration, "A La Modeliste" is produced by Mark Ronson and features Erykah Badu, Mos Def, and New Orleans artists Trombone Shorty and Zigaboo Modeliste.

51. This track is also produced by Mark Ronson, though this one features New Orleans rapper Mystikal.  Mystikal has a rap style unlike any other and I dig it.  Prepare for a healthy dose of funky ridiculousness.

52. Alright, to close out the night I decided to bring the last couple songs back towards trad blues, starting with Dr. John and Mavis Staples doing a haunting version of "When The Saints Go Marching In."

53. Another track off the live album with Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton.  "Joe Turner's Blues" is a perfect late night blues song with a touch of melancholy and a whole lotta soul and heart.

54.  Only one way to close out a night of New Orleans music.  Louis Armstrong's "Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans."  This song gives me a lump in the throat.  Every. Single.  Time.  I'm used to a different version by Louis, but I really like this one and the energy and incredible playing by the band.

This night was an incredible treat and I was so touched by all the folks who dressed up, danced their asses off, and thanked me for sharing this amazing New Orleans music that only touched the surface.  It was absolutely my pleasure.
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"Zen and the Art of Delta Blues" class

11/12/2014

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First off, let me just say I had an amazing time at Rose City Blues.  Wonderful live music, competitions, dancing, and people.  I was honored to return this year as a headlining instructor and judge.  Despite not dancing as much due to nursing an injury and fighting off a cold, my classes were fantastic.  Students were eager and excited to learn and open to new challenges and mindsets.  I received wonderful feedback during the weekend and since, and I'm blessed to have contributed to such growth and positive change in people's dancing.

There were two classes I was simultaneously most excited and super anxious about:  "Zen and the Art of Delta Blues" and "Polyamorhythms."  I taught material that was really close to my heart and I was nervous folks wouldn't really be interested and appreciate it.  But those two classes ended up being the most fun, beautiful, exciting, and inspiring classes to teach.  I had a number of people ask me to share my playlist from the "Zen and the Art of Delta Blues" class, so here it is.  It contains a variety of country blues songs, with Delta, Piedmont, and Hill Country tunes.

A lot of times I see folks struggling to connect with really twangy, minimal country blues and it breaks my heart.  To me this music is incredibly beautiful and hypnotic.  I can fall into a trance with the music and my body movement and forget the rest of the world even exists.  I'm so glad I got to share that with the students and thanks to everyone who opened up to that experience in my class.
Zen and the Art of Delta Blues by Rachel Stirling on Grooveshark
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    I don't consider myself much of a writer, but occasionally I like to share my thoughts on the dance scene and this is probably a better place to do it than Facebook.

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