Crazy Crackers...

Someone called the office today wishing to know why exactly, Savion Glover was using the stage at Duke Performances to talk about Jihads. This person sounded like they were, approximately, nine-hundred years my elder and it was an intriguing question so I dug deeper. "Really?" I said. "I confess, I was unable to see some of the show and did not witness the incident in question. Could you be more specific about which part of the show you are talking about?"said I. "The end, the end." said the voice, urgently. "He said one of the dances was called "something...Jihads and was dedicated to Jihads!". At this point, the clouds parted. The dance in question is called "Get down, G. Hines" and is dedicated to Gregory Hines, the tap dancer. I must confess that I was more than a little disappointed that Savion was, in fact, NOT using tap dance as a vehicle for his terrorist agenda, but instead, simply dedicating a dance to a departed friend. Mystery solved. You may now set your threat-o-meter back to orange, madam.

Sir, your agent is confused...

I just got a call from an agent asking for an itinerary for an artist that had been provided to me by said agent and cc'ed by said agent to the artist. Now, if you can't remember the flight you booked and who you told about it, you might want to look into another line of work. I called the artist to clarify and ask if he needed anything, but also get to the bottom of this agent thing and he said: "Oh, he's just not very smart, but I like him." I feel that way about our terriers, but I don't have them book flights for me or handle my money.

Timothy Ferris is genius...

He's the author of the The Four Hour Work Week. Check it out. I can't wait to outsource my life.

Savion Glover is a really nice guy...

You hear horror stories in this business about artists who are difficult to deal with. Some are dead-on accurate (I wish I could mention a name right here because this guy really is a douche!)and some are not. I think they start out being true and may stem from one or two or ten incidents of bad behavior and then, through the telephone game, get blown out of proportion until it is rumored that the artist eats babies while dealing heroin out of the dressing room.

I had heard some stories about Savion (nothing about baby eating) that involved bad behavior, but having met the guy, it's hard to believe. He was one of the nicest, most fun, and gracious individuals we've had here. His show was really great, he was generous with is time (signing autographs and taking pictures with fans afterward), and he even helped load the truck. No joke.

Maybe in the past he's been jerky, and it's hard to live that down, but if last night is any indication of the real Savion Glover, he's doing his best.

Faith vs. Religion

I am currently enamored with Seth Godin's new book called Tribes. In particular, I like his description of the difference between faith and religion. Paraphrasing heavily here but the idea is that faith allows, and is central to, a group moving forward, a tribe surviving. Religion is a set of rules to be followed. Religion is useful to reinforce faith, but religion on it's own can cause stagnation and resistance to change and growth.

I think I like this idea because it perfectly explains my feelings about Lindy Hop over the years. I have always sided with the folks who had faith in the dance, that it would survive in some form or another no matter what happened to it. On the other side of the coin have been the religious preservationists who have sought to freeze the dance in time or apply rules to it that prohibit it's growth. Change is frightening to them. Change is natural to me. Why should the dance be immune to the cyclical nature of things? Why should new ideas that excite the enthusiasts be cast aside? It's a mystery, but many people do feel that way and it's always baffled me.

One reason I decided to leave the dance world was the fact that I didn't like what I was being asked to do. I did not enjoy having conversations about the dance and where it was going. I did not enjoy being on the same bill and surrounded by people who were religious about Lindy Hop. Heretics are way more interesting to talk to, dance with and be around. Sharing in faith is a beautiful and awesome (in the original sense of the word) thing. Participating in religion is, for the most part, a lifeless exercise in rule following.

Gorilla me

I think the reason I like going to the zoo so much is that animals have an authenticity to them that I don't see in humans. Is it bad that I am more touched by a gorilla holding it's baby than I am by a human mother? Who knows? I just am. Maybe it's because animals can't help but be authentic and that authenticity is deeply touching. There are no hang ups in the animal kingdom that prevent their true being from coming through. They just are. They don't put on airs. They don't know how.