Dance Innovation. A wee bit of rural and the lasso cougar.

It seems every good time ever had in my living memory has been embodied by a particular dance move. Here is a selection from recent and distant memory...largely popularised by an eccentric friend of mine.

• the bar stool boogie
• the hail jesus
• the T-rex
• the twist
• the hoe-down
• the slater
• the moa
• dare I mention the Macarena?
• the chainsaw
• dice and broom sweep and something-a-rather
• right down to the good ol' two step we all fall back on.

Picture an idyllic rural garden at a historic homestead with a lawn full of eager (mostly 65+ year olds) awaiting the highlight of thier year. A twilight summer picnic concert. Featuring idolised local celebrities such as, singing school teachers, the RSA band and some musically talented young-uns.

A unbelievable plethora of hats; faded, salty, fresh from a christmas stocking, wide brimmed to the utterly purposeless, every sports team and country imaginable represented.

By half time the sun is only just poking its head over the horizon and 90% of the audience have downed a bottle of wine and things start to get AWESOME! the oldies doing a half body seated bum dance resulting in several collapsed deckchairs, a few stumbling loose hippy looking characters swaying beneath the trees and the more audacious dancing in the 'aisles' or on top of their picnic blankets. Then one woman beat them all. Donned in a black cowgirl hat, tight long sleeved low cut black top, stonewash denim tubes and cowgirl boots, with the figure of a 20 year old and face of a botoxed 45 year old, this woman was going for Prom Queen of the night. But by god she had the most kick arse dance moves Ive seen in a while. She was quickly labelled "the lasso cougar".

Never before have I seen a more perfect limp-wristed lasso with equally well timed hip swing . It was as if she had an invisible hula hoop going. It didnt end there. She stepped it up and knocked my socks off with the double lasso! A full two arms and swirling hands in the air, going for it, completely on her own amid 500 seated elderly people. Made my week - think I will try to break out that one sometime soon, but I doubt I could do it as well as her...clearly much practice in front of a mirror.

Good times.

C.K.

New friends.

You can never have enough friends. Sure you will always spend more time with some than others but they are all valuable no matter what level the friendship! Don’t forget you can learn something from every person you meet. Everyone has been new and alone at some stage in their lives whether at a social function, work place or new town. I’m sure we all appreciate those who have taken the time to get to know us.


A very close friend of mine (and source of much inspiration) is the master socialite. She walks into a room and sets it on fire with her energy, hilarity, ear to ear grin and enthusiasm for life. While the average night out for many is dancing holes in your shoes, sweating till you look like you’ve swum in a fountain and being dragged out of a gutter, my friend will happily spend an entire night conversing with strangers. She has a vast collection of great stories ranging from swapping sweaters with a bag-lady, sharing a cigarette with a homeless man, casually chatting to a recently released convict, as well as wooing savvy millionaire businessmen, professional sportsmen, pilots and police officers with her witty banter and warm open nature. This is quite an extreme example but we could all take a leaf out of her book and take a risk in talking to someone new. You may just learn something life changing.


I am fairly new to town and still establishing new friendships and always thankful to those who go out of their way to extend a casual invite in a place known to be quite clicky, difficult to meet people and a scene that is hard to break into. Think about when you were a kid and all it took was to sit next to someone new and you were instant friends. No pretension, no judgement and openness that us adult folk should seriously consider adopting. Its easy to play it safe with the solid friends you have - I am no proponent of losing them - they are invaluable but try extending an invite next time you meet someone new. Introduce them to some of your friends - they can only be an asset bringing new stories, insights and laughs!

C.K.

A dose of local

Agricultural and Pastoral shows. Rural New Zealand at its best and most concentrated. Candyfloss, ferris wheels, laughing clown sideshows, dog trials, shearing, woodchopping, horseriding, home enterprise, dust, sunburn and kids on sugar. Magic.

Got some local down me today and loved every moment from patting clydesdales, checking out some live milking, and world champion shearers and axemen competing while the sunshine had a cancer party on my nose. Was a great little nostalgia fix for me being a country kid who actually once entered the home enterprise and calf rearing competitions and who for 3 years in a row brang home a purchased baby animal of some description much to my parents dismay. If you are a city kid make sure you get to one in your lifetime - you wont regret it.


C.K.