alain's dance blog http://blog.alainwong.com about lindy hop, social entrepreneurship and jazz music Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:40:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 en Entrepreneurs can change the world http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/09/22/entrepreneurs-can-change-the-world/ http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/09/22/entrepreneurs-can-change-the-world/#comments Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:49:36 +0000 admin http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/09/22/entrepreneurs-can-change-the-world/ This video sends a message that I totally agree with. After reading Leaving Microsoft to Change the World a few years ago - which inspired my bike ride down the West coast - I truly believe that entrepreneurs can do good in this world, and are agents of change.

]]> http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/09/22/entrepreneurs-can-change-the-world/feed/ Northern Lights performance at Frankie95 http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/07/30/northern-lights-performance-at-frankie95/ http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/07/30/northern-lights-performance-at-frankie95/#comments Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:19:17 +0000 admin http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/07/30/northern-lights-performance-at-frankie95/ Our Northern Lights team performance at Frankie95. It was such a great experience preparing for this. Melanie & Joshua, the choreographers, did an amazing job building the routine. Dancers are Eric Bertrand, Nardia Tonge, Mélanie Huot-Lavoie, Joshua Welter, Alain Fragman, Caroline Rossi, Lunou Samson-Poirot and me. The other team members who’ve danced this routine with us in the past are Sylwia Bielec, Adrian Warnock-Graham, Marie N’Diaye.

It was intended as a tribute to the past (and especially to Frankie Manning) and so you’ll see many classic vintage moves and styling. The feedback we’ve gotten so far has been overwhelmingly positive - thank you!

]]> http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/07/30/northern-lights-performance-at-frankie95/feed/ Metrics and viral loops for social games http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/07/03/metrics-and-viral-loops-for-social-games/ http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/07/03/metrics-and-viral-loops-for-social-games/#comments Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:30:36 +0000 admin http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/07/03/metrics-and-viral-loops-for-social-games/ An interesting slideshare on viral loops.

Metrics for Social Games by David King and Siqi Chen

View more presentations from justinsmith.

]]> http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/07/03/metrics-and-viral-loops-for-social-games/feed/ Montreal Shim Sham en plein air featured in VOIR magazine http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/03/19/montreal-shim-sham-en-plein-air-featured-in-voir-magazine/ http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/03/19/montreal-shim-sham-en-plein-air-featured-in-voir-magazine/#comments Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:32:42 +0000 admin http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/03/19/montreal-shim-sham-en-plein-air-featured-in-voir-magazine/ This week is Frankie Week. People from around the world are celebrating.

Marie N’Diaye and I are organizing two massive Shim Shams in Montreal. One on Friday night at the Cat’s Corner Downtown Stomp, and another on Sunday noon-time at Place Jacques-Cartier in Vieux Montreal. We will be bringing a banner and camera to film. If you have any questions, call me at 514-575-9025 or Marie at 514-995-3021. Rain or shine, we’ll be out to dance!

Check out the blog post by Fabienne Cabado from VOIR about our event.

Frankie Manning week in VOIR 2009

You can also view some of the Shim Shams already posted on youtube:

Shimsham with Korean traditional song ‘Arirang’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igcjNPMAqjs

Facultad de Derecho, Recoleta, Buenes Aires, Argentina
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pin_g4Lle8w

Dovercourt in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAmpTkr5YSE

Toronto in front of CN Tower
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GDV9WAMRhI

Kiev Swing Dance Club in Ukraine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvKnKiuhJ1I

San Francisco in front of the Golden Gate bridge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7vvhFC1AqI

Shim Sham Seattle for Frankie’s 95th Birthday!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNROkQHBK58

Shim Sham - Frankie Manning’s 95 Birthday - Seattle 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKbObsFFlHU

at Cumberland Shuffle in Nashville/Murfreesboro, TN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HwJy8svCM8

Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVMhmJpTq6Q

Fairfax, Virginia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-Eb432NVfo

Montreal loves Frankie Manning

]]> http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/03/19/montreal-shim-sham-en-plein-air-featured-in-voir-magazine/feed/ Frankie Manning 95 worldwide choreography and special Shim Sham for Frankie week http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/03/06/frankie-manning-95-worldwide-choreography-and-special-shim-sham-for-frankie-week/ http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/03/06/frankie-manning-95-worldwide-choreography-and-special-shim-sham-for-frankie-week/#comments Fri, 06 Mar 2009 07:30:06 +0000 admin http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/03/06/frankie-manning-95-worldwide-choreography-and-special-shim-sham-for-frankie-week/ Check out Frankie Manning 95 worldwide choreography by Peter Strom and Ramona Staffeld.

It was created by Peter and Ramona in a similar fashion to Peter’s famous Swing&Soul line dances. We’re planning on filming a video response on behalf of Cat’s Corner.

Also, check out next Friday’s Downtown Stomp. We will be videotaping a special Shim Sham for Frankie week!

]]> http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/03/06/frankie-manning-95-worldwide-choreography-and-special-shim-sham-for-frankie-week/feed/ Dancing and DJ’ing at the Dovercourt House in Toronto http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/01/05/dancing-and-djing-at-the-dovercourt-house-in-toronto/ http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/01/05/dancing-and-djing-at-the-dovercourt-house-in-toronto/#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:07:23 +0000 admin http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/01/05/dancing-and-djing-at-the-dovercourt-house-in-toronto/ I had an awesome time hanging out with Stephanie and the wonderful Toronto dancers this past weekend  during the Mike and Casey weekend. It was also fun to DJ at the Dovercourt House - my musical highlight happened when the band started playing along to Ridin’ and Jivin’ (Earl Hines) and after I faded out the recording, most dancers didn’t even notice - to the point that some thought they were still dancing to a record and had to be reminded to clap after the song. It was a seamless transition, and sounded really good live.

Falty also showed me a mind-bending slide sequence from the Spirit Moves that was shown to him by Nathan Bugh during Lindy Focus this past week - you can view it at the 5:29 mark of this youtube clip. Try it, it’s fun!

Thank you Simon Threlkeld for letting me DJ!

]]> http://blog.alainwong.com/2009/01/05/dancing-and-djing-at-the-dovercourt-house-in-toronto/feed/ Ann Mony on the Jam Cellar class review videos http://blog.alainwong.com/2008/12/17/ann-mony-on-the-jam-cellar-class-review-videos/ http://blog.alainwong.com/2008/12/17/ann-mony-on-the-jam-cellar-class-review-videos/#comments Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:12:54 +0000 admin http://blog.alainwong.com/2008/12/17/ann-mony-on-the-jam-cellar-class-review-videos/ My favorite teaching partner Ann Mony (who recently moved to Washington DC) is featured in this week’s Jam Cellar video class review.

Miss you, Ann!

]]> http://blog.alainwong.com/2008/12/17/ann-mony-on-the-jam-cellar-class-review-videos/feed/ Northern Lights performing at Frankie’s 95th birthday in New York city http://blog.alainwong.com/2008/12/16/northern-lights-performing-at-frankies-95th-birthday-in-new-york-city/ http://blog.alainwong.com/2008/12/16/northern-lights-performing-at-frankies-95th-birthday-in-new-york-city/#comments Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:16:22 +0000 admin http://blog.alainwong.com/2008/12/16/northern-lights-performing-at-frankies-95th-birthday-in-new-york-city/ The website just launched for what will probably turn out to be the swing dance event of our generation: Frankie’s 95th birthday in New York city May 21-25, 2009.

I’m honored that our dance team Northern Lights will be part of the dancers paying tribute to Frankie’s legacy of Lindy Hop. Seeing our team next to the Harlem Hot Shots, Silver Shadows and Ninjammerz is pretty nerve-wrecking, but exciting at the same time. If you are considering going to one dance event in 2009, make it Frankie Manning’s 95th!

Frankie Manning's 95th birthday with Northern Lights

Northern Lights lindy hop crew

]]> http://blog.alainwong.com/2008/12/16/northern-lights-performing-at-frankies-95th-birthday-in-new-york-city/feed/ Featured in Montreal International Jazz Festival book and website http://blog.alainwong.com/2008/11/20/featured-in-montreal-international-jazz-festival-book-and-website/ http://blog.alainwong.com/2008/11/20/featured-in-montreal-international-jazz-festival-book-and-website/#comments Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:25:08 +0000 admin http://blog.alainwong.com/2008/11/20/featured-in-montreal-international-jazz-festival-book-and-website/ Mélanie Huot-Lavoie and I appear in the new book “The Festival Under the Stars” (Le Festival sous les étoiles) commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Montreal International Jazz Festival.

Alain Wong and Melanie Huot-Lavoie in Montreal Jazz Fest book Festival Under the Stars

We also show up alongside Zack Richard and Maryse Lebeau on the website as well. Very cool!

Alain Wong and Melanie Huot-Lavoie on Montreal Jazz Fest website

]]> http://blog.alainwong.com/2008/11/20/featured-in-montreal-international-jazz-festival-book-and-website/feed/ Video compilation of my bike ride from Vancouver to Mexico http://blog.alainwong.com/2008/11/17/video-compilation-of-my-bike-ride-from-vancouver-to-mexico/ http://blog.alainwong.com/2008/11/17/video-compilation-of-my-bike-ride-from-vancouver-to-mexico/#comments Mon, 17 Nov 2008 05:43:04 +0000 admin http://blog.alainwong.com/2008/11/17/video-compilation-of-my-bike-ride-from-vancouver-to-mexico/ This video brought back great memories from this summer when I undertook a 3000 km bike ride along with 26 other wonderful people to promote microcredit. I miss you guys!

If you’re interested in riding, there’s still space for next year’s 2009 ride, with two routes (a Pacific one and a European one). Apply on the Global AFC website.

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