Newsgroups: rec.arts.dance
Subject: Swing Dance WEB Server (Call for Cooperation)
Summary: 
Followup-To: 
Distribution: world
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept, Ithaca NY 14853
Keywords: 

Hi

I am in the process of creating a general swing dance server 
for the World Wide Web. My intention is to make everything
there is to know about swing dancing readily available for
everybody. 

I want to eventually include ALL kinds of swing dancing.
(WCS, Lindy, Jitterbug, St. Louis Shag, Carolina Shag, Balboa,
 Savoy Style Swing, Smooth Style Swing, Push, Whip etc.)

Things to include:
	- pattern library (including different styles)
	- notation
	- courses
	- history
	- swing dance choreographies
	- other links
	- technique
	- teachers & dancers
	- schedules of dance weekends
	- dance video information (eg. Victors list)
	- dance music

We could include pictures, sound, (and even video)!!

This is a LOT of work.
I am looking for:
	- any advice
	- people that want to help me,
	- other links to include 
	- warnings against documenting steps, technique & styles regarding copyright
 	 	
My goal is to create a better understanding of the different
kind of swing dances and techniques used (it is a jungle out there).
and make it known. I do not want to put teacher's out of business.
This kind of server will hopefully just add to the popularity
of swing dancing in general. And the best way to learn how to dance
is still by taking dance classes from a good teacher. 

If we get a lot of people adding to this server then I propose to 
act as some kind of moderator and put it together in a nice fashion.

PROTOTYPE 

Currently there is a small prototype of this server active on:

	http://www.cs.cornell.edu/Info/People/aswin/SwingDancing/swing_dancing.html  

It contains some specific information about the Ithaca Swing Dance Scene and some notes
of some of the class material I taught and teach myself. 
A realistic server will not be a vehicle my own "propaganda". 

Only four basic steps are included (West Coast Swing).
I did not (yet) put much effort in making the specification of the steps totally "correct".
There are several correct ways to do these steps and mine is probably not one of them.
It is currently just an example to show how the server could look like.

FOR EXAMPLE: I used simplified description like triple in place on 5&6 of the Push Break 
	     (instead of, for example, triple in 3rd foot position) 
	     I use tap step on 3,4 of the Push Break (even though triple might be better)

	All these differences in style/footwork can be encapsulated in links.

I am open for any suggestions.

Thanks, and keep swing dancing!!

	Aswin van den Berg