Chris Pirillo » dance

Geeks can Dance!

Chris — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:47:50 +0000

Geeks can Dance! is a post from Chris Pirillo

Different types of dance seemed to be a common theme today when I was browsing around on both Lockergnome and Geeks. We had blog titles with the words Jitterbug, Rhumba and Cha-Cha in them! Don’t tell me Geeks can’t get their groove on! I happen to know for a fact that while I myself cannot dance, many of you can! My friend Andy, for instance, is an accomplished Swing and Ballroom dancer… and he’s a hard-core coder! How do you like those apples?

Can you dance? Do you just shake it in time to the music, or can you do fancy steps with difficult names? Do you step on your partner’s feet, or are you a regular Fred Astaire (or Ginger Rogers!)? Let’s hear it… we promise not to laugh!

Hula Dancing

Chris — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:42:36 +0000

Hula Dancing is a post from Chris Pirillo

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

While I was in Hawaii last week, I was fortunate to be able to experience many local customs and traditions. One of these is, of course, Hula dancing. There is a lot more to this than you would expect, and it makes for one heck of an awesome show! Do you know what the tradition behind Hula dancing is?

Hula is a dance form accompanied by chant or song. It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there. The chant or song is called a mele. The hula dramatizes or comments on the mele.

Hula performed for spontaneous daily amusement or family feasts were attended with no particular ceremony. However, hula performed as entertainment for chiefs were anxious affairs. High chiefs typically traveled from one place to another within their domains. Each locality had to house, feed, and amuse the chief and his or her entourage. Hula performances were a form of fealty, and often of flattery to the chief. There were hula celebrating his lineage and his name. Sacred hula, celebrating Hawaiian gods, were also danced. All these performances must be completed without error (which would be both unlucky and disrespectful).

It’s absolutely beautiful to watch – and not just because the women themselves are gorgeous. Hula dancing is truly an art form, and something you definitely should make time to witness yourself if you are ever in Hawaii.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

How Do You Discover New Music?

Chris — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 22:37:20 +0000

How Do You Discover New Music? is a post from Chris Pirillo

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

Pixie gets upset with me when I won’t listen to her favorite music, which is Slim Whitman. I listen to all sorts of different music, but that’s just something I can’t handle for long. Recently, I got turned on to a band named Ratatat, thanks to my friend Mona. So I started playing Ratatat in Firefox using Rhapsody, and it’s great. I’ve yet to find a song of theirs I don’t like. I’d play you something in this video, but I don’t have the rights to. Anyway, as I was listening to this music, I received a list of top five bands that sound similar and I may like.

Dosh sounds quite a bit like Ratatat. They combine a variety of instrumentals with excellent lyrics.
Talkdemonic may have a weird name, but their music has a great beat to it. Apparently, my speaker setup would be able to take full advantage of what they play.
El Ten Eleven has awesome instrumentals, and their percussion stands out from the melody.
Blue Man Group is just amazing to watch live.
Couch is more of a techno mixed with futuristic sounding band.

Steven, I appreciate the recommendation. I listen to pretty much anything and everything. I even like listening to 8-bit sounds! Send along any other recommendations you may have for music I can get into!

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

How to Develop a Sense of Rhythm

Chris — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 04:56:11 +0000

How to Develop a Sense of Rhythm is a post from Chris Pirillo

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

Apparently, it’s quite obvious when I play with the KAOSSILATOR that I don’t have a sense of rhythm. Mbonzo is a long-time percussionist, and sent me these tips to help me out. Let’s see if they work.

Start practicing to songs that you listen to all of the time. Rock or hip hop songs are easiest in this exercise. Simply listen for an even cymbal hit or an even bass drum beat within the two genres. This will give you a good sense of where the rhthym is. Just tap your foot (doesn’t matter which one) to that beat. Make sure that your foot is tapping consistently and you are not tapping any heart beat like rhythms. As you tap your foot, try to start counting 1, 2, 3, 4. Most rock and hip hop songs are in what is called 4-4 time. If you are having problems finding the 1, 2, 3, 4 then try to find a song that has a more obvious rhythm.
Once you’ve found the four beats try to add your hands. Try playing the four notes twice as fast or twice as slow. In musical terms this covers the whole scheme of quarter notes, half notes, and eighth notes.
Rub your tummy and pat your head. Something that you may have tried to impress people with in grammar school is now significant! Just try to rub your stomach and pat your head at the same time. This will allow you to become detached from having the same rhythmic feel in both arms. Soon you maybe able to do all sorts of rhythms that once seemed awkward, such as doing the four even beats with your left hand and at the same time playing beats twice as fast with your right hand.
Dance to it. If you are comfortable dancing you may be able to pin point the beat easier. If you can find the beat with the other steps, then keep track of it and get off your butt all ready. Dance to the music!

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

Geek Fashion

Chris — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 03:56:13 +0000

Geek Fashion is a post from Chris Pirillo

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

So maybe there IS something fishy in my egg nog. Or just maybe… it’s Geek Gone Wild! No matter… it made me feel like getting up and dancing to some awesome music!

Nah, it’s the newest fad in Geek fashion! The 8-Bit Tie is sure to please any Geek on your shopping list.

A few of us monkeys at ThinkGeek had this great shared dream a few months ago. In it, the whole world was 8-Bit, just like the video games we grew up on. We found ourselves having to leap from platform to platform, to search for pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom, and to fight scary mutated plants and animals. The music was awesome (and still stuck in our heads) but the coolest part was what we were wearing: a tie. But not just any tie, an 8-Bit tie!
We woke up screaming. An 8-Bit tie – what an awesome way for the drones of Cubeland to show their independence from Corporate America! So, we did what we knew you’d want – we had the ties made. Silk-like Microfiber construction, clip on* (for easy dressing and t-shirt wear if needed), and custom designed by us for you. You’ll be the envy of the office or, at least, you’ll get tons of attention.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

Dance a Dance with DDR

Chris — Sat, 12 May 2007 07:24:51 +0000

Dance a Dance with DDR is a post from Chris Pirillo

It’s no secret: I’m not a dancer. I can’t even dance poorly – I simply have no rhythm. It has nothing to do with my genetic code, however. Were I raised with an Xbox 360 dance mat instead of the Atari joystick, I’d likely be able to cut a rug.

Ponzi lamented that she missed having DDR around – even though she didn’t play it all that often when we had the classic Xbox version. When I was in Target the other day, I spied both the Xbox HD-DVD drive as well as Konami’s DDR Universe for the Xbox 360. She was pleasantly surprised that I brought ‘em home with me – even though she knows I won’t be using the latter all that much.

Mind you, I’ve never had a dancing lesson in my entire life. Be careful, though – the mic was quite hot at the beginning of this clip:

I think this is where Weird Al Yankovic would say: “That boy can dance!”

Dance Dance Revolution

Chris — Wed, 31 May 2006 15:16:54 +0000

Dance Dance Revolution is a post from Chris Pirillo

The first time I saw DDR in the arcade, I thought to myself: “Oh, now there’s a game I’ll never play.” I’m not much of a dancer, even in slower tempos (just ask Ponzi). Sure, I know where to find rhythm – it’s under the word “rhythm” in Google! Seriously, I couldn’t even get the jump timings on Donkey Kong right – what makes you think I could do some Dance-Dance Revolution thing with my real feet? Well, Ponzi wanted a DDR mat – so we got ourselves a DDR mat (with accompanying DDR Ultramix game for the classic Xbox). Even if I laid it out in front of the television for the next year, we’d still not use it as much as we’re not using it today. Anybody want a hardly-used Dance-Dance Revolution embarassment blanket? Seriously, I don’t want to hold onto my failed attempt at coordination any longer. I can’t dance. I can’t sing. I don’t want DDR in my home any longer. Please, take this thing away?

How to Handle Remote Tech Support

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:30:00 GMT

Using GoToAssist is the easiest way to view and control another person's computer online. Use it to provide instant technical support to family, friends and customers. Start a session with just one click, and instantly connect with the other party.

Network Tools for Windows

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

You need these network tools, no matter which operating systems and networks you have to support. SolarWinds ipMonitor: Affordable Network Monitoring for SMBs. Get turnkey network, server and application availability monitoring with SolarWinds ipMonitor v9.0. This easy-to-use, reliable solution for SMBs delivers out-of-the-box availability monitoring so you always know exactly what's up with Active Directory, DNS, Exchange, FTP, Web, IMAP, MS SQL Server, and SMTP. Download your free trial today. Or, try their totally free tools! And, through 2/29, save 20% when you purchase ipMonitor 9.0.

Get Your Own Web Site

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

Starting at just $3.99/month, web hosting from GoDaddy includes 99.9% uptime, 24/7 support and free access to GoDaddy Hosting Connection, THE place to install over 30 FREE applications sure to help you get the most from your hosting plan and Web site. Enter code CP2 at checkout, and save an additional 10% on any order.

Plus, as a friend of Chris Pirillo, enter code CHRIS7, that's C-H-R-I-S and the number 7, when you check out, and save an additional 10% on any order. Get your piece of the internet at GoDaddy.com.

VMware and Parallels for Virtual Machines

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

It doesn't matter if you're running on Windows or Mac OS X - every power user needs either Parallels or VMware (or both). There's never been an easier way to test software without destroying your primary operating system's stability. Think of how many times you wish you could press a 'reverse' button on your computer. Plus, there's no easier way to try new Linux distributions - see what all the fuss is about. Run Windows in OS X, run Linux in Windows, but the best way to do either is with VMware and/or Parallels.

Coupons for Online Shopping

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:56:13 GMT

This feed is fueled by Lockergnome Online Shopping and Coupon Codes

Before you shop next time, see if we have a coupon first.