Crossposted to Facebook so everyone who needs to can see it

[sorcyress]

At 6:49 PM, I posted a (private, I am not stupid) entry enumerating some of the reasons why I hate this state. Recognizing that this was an unhealthy outlook to have, and would ultimately lead to a truly miserable summer if I didn't remind myself of the good in the world and quickly, I soon thereafter went out for a walk.

After spending ten or fifteen minutes just swinging on a swingset, which is about the best thing there ever is or was, I found my eyes drifting sideways, to the hill next to the playground, with the broad flat field on top. Very flat, with nice lush grass. And big, too. As big as a ballroom.

A fiendish wicked grin later, and I was prancing about atop the hill, trying quick little one step maneuvers and waltzes. It's possible to do some bare footed swing up there, my standard test for skirts works just as well for dance floors --can I do a pas de basque? With a solid "yes" as an answer, I knew that I would have to plan a formal and *fabulous* dance up there some night.

My brain has ever since been thinking of problems and solutions --how to get music is easy, just hook speakers up to mom's generator. Citronella candles should help with the bugs, also bug spray and politely asking people to just suck it up, bugs are part of the charm. I'll do a sweep an hour or two before for animal poop and trash. If there are people there playing football or whatever (bastards) I know of another field that would be almost as good. And I have a little red wagon that I can fill with water jugs and cups.

The biggest problem, of course, is that of attendance. Pretend I have a poll here: Would you be willing to come to a barefoot ball? Bare feet would be optional, and the dress code would boil down to "whatever you find comfortable, and aren't afraid of potentially getting grass stains on.

It would probably run from about seven? until nine? Until it got too dark to see, and since this is Columbia, we may very well just dance all night. I would provide water and possibly cookies. I can't say when exactly --I'm torn between some weekend, when more people might be able to come, and just some generic single night I have off from work.

Dance forms would include: Waltzes, one-steps, tangos, swing, polkas, and a little bit of blues. I would try my best to have a Grand March, as well. If I feel I can teach them satisfactorily, and can find music for it, I'd be happy to do some SCD or contra. I'll probably toss in some random "just dance around like an idiot and stop caring about how you look" music, because I enjoy that. You're welcome to get me other music for other dances, though if it's hugely complicated, I'd like to have some kind of teaching provided as well.

Is this an incredibly stupid and lame idea? I'm currently in full out epiphany mode, so I can't actually tell. If you don't think it's lame, and would like to be on the list of people I send e-mail to when I have actual potential dates, tell me and please make sure I have your e-mail --either in the comments of this post or by dropping a line to kdsorceress at gmail dot com, along with your name.

~Sor
MOOP!

((Regardless of whether you have any interest in this specific thing or not, if you want to be on my e-mail list for "Maryland is boring, people are fun, let's run around outside like idiots" type-activities (Random dances, marshmallow wars, capture-the-flag, outdoor games, maybe a Get Childish Party or two, and whatever I plan on doing for my birthday) Leave me a comment telling me you want to be on that list.))

Comments

[leiacat.livejournal.com]

I'm so totally in!!! If you don't have my email (which is my first name at io dot com), I will write it down for you when I next see you, after mocking you terribly for not knowing my first name. :)

[kdsorceress.livejournal.com]

...it's Leia, right?

HAVE I BEEN DOING IT WRONG ALL THESE YEARS?!

~Sor

[leiacat.livejournal.com]

Well, I would certainly respond to "Leia" in casual conversation, but my mailer isn't likely to. You're a smartass, dear.

[tolkienkookad.livejournal.com]

List me, baby

[springiswrath.livejournal.com]

Great idea!

[lonebear.livejournal.com]

you are insane, in the best usage of the term.
Of course I am in, and so is giraffeaholic and senora_gem

[blaisepascal]

In the "OMG it's a third of the year and I already have probably more accrued vacation than I really know what to do with which I have to use before the end of the year and I know lots of people in MD/DC/NoVA area including people that haven't been in the States in years and family and such so planning a summer trip down there would be a good idea" frame of mind, it sounds interesting.

I'm not going to plan my trip around whatever date you pick, but if it happens to coincide, it'd be neat.

[clarinetfear.livejournal.com]

This sounds pretty awesome! Count me in on either list, granted I have to admit I don't know much formal dancing, only a little bachata. I'm using getztravis @ hotmail dot com for emails these days.

[harena.livejournal.com]

Man, you know i would love to be in on that even if in reality i couldn't participate at all. i think barefoot ballroomin' sounds loverly!

((and srs bsns, i'd love to be the ferret under the couch in *everything* you do))

[harena.livejournal.com]

P.S. maybe down here one could happen? i even have a swingset >.>

[fizzygeek.livejournal.com]

I'm in! racegeek at mac dot com.

I would love to be a part of this.

[dhs.livejournal.com]

But I'm up here.

OTOH, keep me posted on the plan. (You do have my email address, right?) I do have a trip to do to NC one of these days. And if the timing works just right...

[ncarraway.livejournal.com]

If I lived anywhere near that state of yours, I'd be excited. Instead, I simply hope to hear the tale of how it goes.

[thorog.livejournal.com]

Heyo, if it's when I'm around I'd be there. Of course, my ability to dance is limited to Modern Jive, Bachata, a tiny bit of Salsa, and Rueda. But Rose will be there too, and she can dance them all plus swing and other stuff as well. You know how to get hold of me.

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

bachata! Are you local? I only just learned what that is. You should show more people ;)

[werewulf.livejournal.com]

tho is SO not local. He's our cute little New Zealand connection!

But he'll be here for a few weeks IN a few weeks HURRAY!

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

cool!will it coincide with a movie night?

[thorog.livejournal.com]

Does New Zealand count as local? Also, I've had a grand total of two lessons, with three or four more before this course is finished. It's a bit more....involved...than most dances I do.

[marcmagus]

Sounds like fun.

I'll admit I'm a bit nervous about the idea of people doing some of the more momentum-containing dances on that list barefoot on grass, especially if the grass gets damp in the evenings. [polka in particular, but also SCD and some forms of waltz]

[genarti]

I've done SCD on grass pretty often. The key thing is to not do the really ground-covering dances, and be willing to let footwork go if need be. (On an uncertain surface, really, it's kind of harder to NOT let your footwork go. And this is me saying this.) But, yeah, you want to make sure you're not doing anything that involves tight corners and potential wipe-outs if the floor isn't up to it. And to be careful of the evening damp and mud, yes.

If it turns into semi-ceilidh dancing, though, there are worse things. *grin*

[marcmagus]

Ah, I see I didn't actually post the part where I suggested that being more toward the contra and ECD end of the country dance spectrum would probably work better in this setting than the SCD end. Which isn't really that different from what you're saying.

Your point about selecting more appropriate dances to the surface is definitely well taken. And, I can't say I disagree with your conclusion.

[genarti]

I nearly said "semi-contra" instead of "semi-ceilidh dancing," so... I think we're pretty much in full agreement here, yep.

[artemisfowl2nd.livejournal.com]

I totally want to be on the list.

[mikethegirl.livejournal.com]

This makes me want to go hunting for suitable locations around here. Dancing + Being Outside sounds like pretty much awesomeness. If I was a bit nearer, I'd be keen.

[tacnukesoul.livejournal.com]

I would be interested.

[la-vie-cynique.livejournal.com]

*waves fantastically* Count me in on both lists! Maryland is amazingly boring, people are really awesome and I like dancing!

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

i've done lindy hop barefoot on grass, before. sure, let me know. no guarantees my timing will work with yours, but the /idea/ is attractive.

Columbia may be boring, but DC's certainly worthwhile :)

great great great idea!

[rrainew.livejournal.com]

i will be there in spirit, tho not in physical form, dammit.

[whimmydiddle.livejournal.com]

Great idea for lots of folks, have fun with it. Bare feet not my thing. (Long story involving poor feet.)

On a related note, I wish to object to the statement "Maryland is boring." Open your eyes, Hon. In the 1950's Mayland used to promote itself as "America in Minature," and it was not so absurd a notion. We've got mountains (OK, not big ones, but for people who come from flat countries, Maryland's mountains are a revelation, so it's all relative.), we've got ocean, we've got forests, we've got funky cities & sophisticated cities & we've got quaint small towns, we have immediate access to the Nation's Capital, and we've got four seasons. We have the nation's biggest bay. all this packed into one reasonable and accessible sized package. The only major omission is deserts, and I'm OK with that.

Open your eyes. Put your epihany mood to work. I love the state I'm in & if you took another look, you could too.

BTW, I'm not alone. (http://llamagraphics.com/Meadow/Essays/MDPurdy.html)

[marcmagus]

So you're saying the mountains follow the "America in Miniature" theme by being miniature mountains? Is that true for the other geographic features as well?

[muzikmaker21.livejournal.com]

I'm interested! That sounds like a blast!

[jazzfish]

specific: maybe? I side with Phil Collins and the rest of Genesis on dancing.

Running around like idiots in general: yes please.

[madbodger.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a total blast! Thinking about it whilst watching it rain, another idea coalesced in my brain. We could have a group shower! This happened serendipitously one Baitcon when it started raining, and people broke out their soap, shampoo, and washcloths, and had a nice natural shower in their (aptly named) bathing suits. 'Twas unexpectedly fun. Trickier to schedule, however, as you'd have to know when you'd have a nice warm rain, hopefully without lightning.

[genarti]

I'm nowhere near your state, but I approve wholly of this endeavor! And wish I could come, because I totally would.

One question, which may or may not be relevant depending on the field in question: are there neighbors who might be reasonably expected to complain about dance music lasting well into the night? If so, you might want to take that into account, in terms of speaker size and hours involved.

Also, I assume this isn't the kind of field one needs to reserve in advance for stuff like that, but it might be worth double-checking.

[tirerim.livejournal.com]

It might not be so much a reservation that's required as a permit, even if there aren't neighbors; many municipalities have restrictions both on use of public parks after dark and on amplified music. The last thing you want is to have your party broken up by the cops. There's probably a parks department or something like that that can tell you.

Also, I suggest using skip-change, rather than pas de basque, to test uneven or slippery surfaces like lawns, since it's affected more by those things.

And I also heartily approve.

[macaroniandtuna.livejournal.com]

I'm no dancer, and that's okay, but I'll certainly go on the second list. Also I don't have a clue if it's appropriate for the sorts of dances you're planning, but may I suggest the Greyboy Allstars and Karl Denson in his various groups and bands and incarnations as music? That's about the bounciest, dancingest music I have, myself.