Asher, if you're so passionate about these dances, I don't understand why you don't take the plunge and just travel to a meet-up. Aside from DEMF, the Liquid Conference is going to be about as good an opportunity as you'll ever get. And if you're willing to commit, you'll discover two things. One, the people that make up our community are much nicer and more laid back than their e-personalities will ever give them credit for. Without question, they are some of the most open, generous, and hospitable people I've ever met. For instance, Kevin puts a good number of people up at his home each year so they can afford to attend DEMF. The second thing is that one day of experience with all the dancers in our community is more educational and inspirational than all the information and experience you can process by practicing and studying alone at the highest level for 6 months to a year. Seeing as I live in the same town, believe me when I say I wish it wasn't true, but you can only learn so much about a performing art on the internet. Feeling, stage presence, proper viewing angles, vibe, tone, setting, the list goes on...there are so many things that just don't translate well on film.
And I'll even say that in your defense, Lucas doesn't have the foggiest idea what kind of an ordeal it can be for people not located in metropolitan northeast/midwest to participate. But then in Lucas' defense, seven years ago a 20 year old me wanted to come up to Baltimore during my spring break and learn from whoever was around. Annoying as I was (am), Lucas and Little Phil played host to me, a person they didn't really know at all, the entire week. Lucas even took me out on my 21st birthday which was in the middle of the work week. It was a really nice gesture that I never forgot. Just saying, don't misinterpret him talking shit. I have no doubt he'd love to hang out with you. Just be prepared to get schooled 3 ways from Sunday when you step on a dance floor. It'll be good for you. The bottom line is if you're gonna keep doing this thing, traveling is the next step. You give the impression of practicing and training way too hard not to include this critical component.
So, stop feeding the gobbledegook. There's no expensive equipment to buy or classes to pay for or any etc. for that matter. At the current juncture in time, our art has not been monetized. It's free. The only payment you have is in the form of respect to your peers and predecessors. The sort of respect that comes with dragging your ass from South Carolina to where ever and presenting yourself as a student before someone. That's an agenda worth preserving.
IN THE MEANTIME, if you wanna throw some water under the bridge, then we can start getting up and sessioning. Difficult and stubborn as we both are, it's silly to have a peer in your own town that you never hang out with. There just aren't that many of us to spare. Consider this post my olive branch, no strings attached.
I've also been talking to Verb about getting up either in Asheville, NC or Knoxville, TN. Obviously, you're more than welcome to join us if we do. During the week and on some weekends I will be in Greenville, but Jenny and I now have a place in Asheville. My goal is to use our place as kind of a central hub to get the southeastern liquid dancers together (whom I've listed below). Rocky, living the farthest away, I'm hoping to get him to drive to Greenville, and I will drive him from Greenville to Asheville and back.
Knoxville, TN: Verb
I'm hoping there's others I don't know about.
Raleigh, NC: Tanner
Atlanta, GA: Rocky
Greenville, SC: YOUR NAME HERE
Me
Southeast: Again hoping there's others I don't know about.
