I am probably known to most as an Authentic Swing, Lindy Hop, and Vernacular Jazz Dance Instructor and Performer. However, for those who have not had the chance to get to know personally, I invite you to get to know a little bit more about the various bits of my life.
Authentic Swing Dance Specialist:
I am a total Lindy Hop Junkie. In other words, a Swing Dance fanatic, and I am very passionate about anything that has to do with the Early Jazz era; dance, music, life-style, attitude and nice suits. My life has revolved around swing for the past 10 years, which I feel is quite different then saying “I have been dancing for the past 11 years”. The subtle difference is that I have seriously danced, performed, thought and taught Lindy for a living since 1998. This a little over ⅓ of my whole life, and not one second of it has been wasted. I live the Lindy Hop lifestyle; a true pure blood in search of my roots.
Authentic Swing Music DJ:
Loving to swing dance goes hand in hand with loving the music. I find it really hard to believe that someone can feel so connected to one and not the other. The music that rocks my world is mostly the dance music of the 1930s, which practically forced the creation of Lindy Hop. I have been collecting authentic music for about 6 years now, and from this collection I enjoy DJing great dance music with a sweet sounds of the Boom Chakka rhythm that makes you wanna move like an authentic lindy hopper.
Amateur Musician:
It surprises me that I actually waited so long to pick up and instrument. To be honest, it scared the hell out of me. Having friends that could play well made it even worse. I picked up a guitar December 2008, while in Thailand on vacation for a month. My goal was to be able to play rhythm for a few simple swing songs within a year. It was my little vacation project, and I finally had the time to put towards learning. Man, did it my life change.
I have relied mostly on self study and the help of some good friends and books. I took one lesson from Robert Bell in Minneapolis, who taught me how to use my right hand. Changed my life Now my music goals have really grown. I am addicted. Playing music is now a big part of my Lindy lifestyle. I get a very similar feeling to dancing when I play music. Something like a tingling feeling of excitement as Rhythm flows through my body. Learning music changed my life ’cause it changed my dancing. What’s funny is that the change literally had nothing to do with learning about music or how to listen to it. The physical movement in a hand that is playing good Rhythm on a guitar, completely changed the way I understand rhythmical body movement. WOWZA! Check my blog for a detailed explanation on this whole subject. (Link)
Creative Mastermind:
Now this might be a bit of an overstatement, but it sure does sound good. I like to think I am the mastermind behind a few good ideas in the world. I think I am addicted to finding better ways to do things. Better ways to teach, dance, learn, do, act, visualize, dream, function, live and the list goes on. This is where my brain is constantly at work, I really can’t help it. The hamster is on crack, constantly running. I guess it is just part of my inner freak.
I think my best idea put to work to date is RhythmJuice. This project pretty much represents a large majority of the ideas, projects and little things I have wanted to bring to the dance community. If you don’t know what RhythmJuice is, check out www.rhythmjuice.com and join the fun.
I have also been pretty creative in developing simple, effective ideas to help dancers open the cage, discover and tame the Rhythmical Beast that lurks inside. Regardless, my methods are pretty creative and totally unorthodox without trying to be different, just more effective.
I am heavily addicted to living a luscious lifestyle and finding ways to make it possible. This includes small to large business adventures, eliminating useless things in my life, staying completely mobile and enjoying mini retirements as Tim Ferris has so beautifully put in “4 hour workweek”, a personal bible of mine. Oh, did I mention GTD? I am a heavy advocate of Getting Things Done, a system created by David Allen who has managed to take common sense and stuff it in your face like never before. NSCCS is my favorite. Not So Common Common Sense.
Vagabond:
I have been away from home for about nine years now. I have been truly living out of a suitcase for the last two and a half years, with seriously nowhere to call home but Samsonite. Sad at times, exciting at others but more then anything else it has really shaped who I am. I spent five years living in Japan and have been to every continent in the world except for Antarctica and Africa. If was actually traveling to travel I probably would have hit these locations but lucky me has got to see the world as a dancer, while sharing my passion with thousands of lindy lunatics like myself. I rode about a hundred sixty airplanes last year and god knows how many trains, taxies, and even horses on top of that.
The world has been my biggest influence. I have learned so much from so many people, cultures, locations, and experiences. I can’t even begin to describe all the things I have had a chance to experience. What I do know is that it has been everything and anything you can imagine. Did I mention that I honestly think Japan has the best beer, I don’t care what anyone else says…or maybe it is the insane work ethic that you must hold while living there that makes the beer taste better after you are done?
Social Freak:
“Shut up Dax!”, “Are you still talking?” I hear stuff like this a lot. I mean, shit, I love to talk… that is if it is an subject I am interested in. When it comes to dancing, I can talk forever. When it comes to projects, ideas, or learning, I can talk for hours. When it comes to small talk, I might make it a minute but not much longer. I love to socialize as well.
“I can’t believe your still up, you’re teaching in a few hours!”, “Wanna have another beer?” What can I say, I love to party.
“Dax, I love how you dance with everyone and all the beginners as well.” What can I say, I love to dance, especially with those who are smiling and having fun.
Dedicated Member of the Ninjammerz:
I have two families. My Mom, Brother, and Sister. Then I have my Ninjammerz. We are more than a dance team, it is honestly like a family filled with tons of love, passion, excitement but most of all SUPPORT. I don’t know what I would do with out my ninjas! I love you guys! HOLLA ☺ www.ninjammerz.com
Closet Computer Nerd and Inspector Gadget:
I love gadgets. I love my MAC. I love Google, I love working on my computer and cutting through loads of work in minimal time. When you are a vagabond-dancing-freakshow like myself… life is hard to manage without good gadgets, bags, and a portable office. Without a computer, I would be hopelessly lost to the world, disconnected and unreachable.
Some of my favorite gadgets and stuff:
17in Macbook Pro
9in Dell Mini Hackintosh
Kindle DX
Martin Mid Size Travel Guitar
Pocket Trumpet C/Bb
Small Expandable Badass Suitcase: The black hole, 18KG max.
Tap Shoes:
Universal Power Adapter:
Neat Receipts Scanner:
Chain Wallet: Dax
Hello and Welcome!
Thanks for visiting the Rhythm Chef. Here you will soon be able to get a taste for great dancing. Unfortunately, right now the site is under construction. You can still contact me or check my schedule. Stay tuned for a totally new website with plenty of fun stuff on the way.
About Dax
I am probably known to most as an Authentic Swing, Lindy Hop, and Vernacular Jazz Dance Instructor and Performer. However, for those who have not had the chance to get to know personally, I invite you to get to know a little bit more about the various bits of my life.
Authentic Swing Dance Specialist:
I am a total Lindy Hop Junkie. In other words, a Swing Dance fanatic, and I am very passionate about anything that has to do with the Early Jazz era; dance, music, life-style, attitude and nice suits. My life has revolved around swing for the past 10 years, which I feel is quite different then saying “I have been dancing for the past 11 years”. The subtle difference is that I have seriously danced, performed, thought and taught Lindy for a living since 1998. This a little over ⅓ of my whole life, and not one second of it has been wasted. I live the Lindy Hop lifestyle; a true pure blood in search of my roots.
Authentic Swing Music DJ:
Loving to swing dance goes hand in hand with loving the music. I find it really hard to believe that someone can feel so connected to one and not the other. The music that rocks my world is mostly the dance music of the 1930s, which practically forced the creation of Lindy Hop. I have been collecting authentic music for about 6 years now, and from this collection I enjoy DJing great dance music with a sweet sounds of the Boom Chakka rhythm that makes you wanna move like an authentic lindy hopper.
Amateur Musician:
It surprises me that I actually waited so long to pick up and instrument. To be honest, it scared the hell out of me. Having friends that could play well made it even worse. I picked up a guitar December 2008, while in Thailand on vacation for a month. My goal was to be able to play rhythm for a few simple swing songs within a year. It was my little vacation project, and I finally had the time to put towards learning. Man, did it my life change.
I have relied mostly on self study and the help of some good friends and books. I took one lesson from Robert Bell in Minneapolis, who taught me how to use my right hand. Changed my life
Now my music goals have really grown. I am addicted. Playing music is now a big part of my Lindy lifestyle. I get a very similar feeling to dancing when I play music. Something like a tingling feeling of excitement as Rhythm flows through my body. Learning music changed my life ’cause it changed my dancing. What’s funny is that the change literally had nothing to do with learning about music or how to listen to it. The physical movement in a hand that is playing good Rhythm on a guitar, completely changed the way I understand rhythmical body movement. WOWZA! Check my blog for a detailed explanation on this whole subject. (Link)
Creative Mastermind:
Now this might be a bit of an overstatement, but it sure does sound good. I like to think I am the mastermind behind a few good ideas in the world. I think I am addicted to finding better ways to do things. Better ways to teach, dance, learn, do, act, visualize, dream, function, live and the list goes on. This is where my brain is constantly at work, I really can’t help it. The hamster is on crack, constantly running. I guess it is just part of my inner freak.
I think my best idea put to work to date is RhythmJuice. This project pretty much represents a large majority of the ideas, projects and little things I have wanted to bring to the dance community. If you don’t know what RhythmJuice is, check out www.rhythmjuice.com and join the fun.
I have also been pretty creative in developing simple, effective ideas to help dancers open the cage, discover and tame the Rhythmical Beast that lurks inside. Regardless, my methods are pretty creative and totally unorthodox without trying to be different, just more effective.
I am heavily addicted to living a luscious lifestyle and finding ways to make it possible. This includes small to large business adventures, eliminating useless things in my life, staying completely mobile and enjoying mini retirements as Tim Ferris has so beautifully put in “4 hour workweek”, a personal bible of mine. Oh, did I mention GTD? I am a heavy advocate of Getting Things Done, a system created by David Allen who has managed to take common sense and stuff it in your face like never before. NSCCS is my favorite. Not So Common Common Sense.
Vagabond:
I have been away from home for about nine years now. I have been truly living out of a suitcase for the last two and a half years, with seriously nowhere to call home but Samsonite. Sad at times, exciting at others but more then anything else it has really shaped who I am. I spent five years living in Japan and have been to every continent in the world except for Antarctica and Africa. If was actually traveling to travel I probably would have hit these locations but lucky me has got to see the world as a dancer, while sharing my passion with thousands of lindy lunatics like myself. I rode about a hundred sixty airplanes last year and god knows how many trains, taxies, and even horses on top of that.
The world has been my biggest influence. I have learned so much from so many people, cultures, locations, and experiences. I can’t even begin to describe all the things I have had a chance to experience. What I do know is that it has been everything and anything you can imagine. Did I mention that I honestly think Japan has the best beer, I don’t care what anyone else says…or maybe it is the insane work ethic that you must hold while living there that makes the beer taste better after you are done?
Social Freak:
“Shut up Dax!”, “Are you still talking?” I hear stuff like this a lot. I mean, shit, I love to talk… that is if it is an subject I am interested in. When it comes to dancing, I can talk forever. When it comes to projects, ideas, or learning, I can talk for hours. When it comes to small talk, I might make it a minute but not much longer. I love to socialize as well.
“I can’t believe your still up, you’re teaching in a few hours!”, “Wanna have another beer?” What can I say, I love to party.
“Dax, I love how you dance with everyone and all the beginners as well.” What can I say, I love to dance, especially with those who are smiling and having fun.
Dedicated Member of the Ninjammerz:
I have two families. My Mom, Brother, and Sister. Then I have my Ninjammerz. We are more than a dance team, it is honestly like a family filled with tons of love, passion, excitement but most of all SUPPORT. I don’t know what I would do with out my ninjas! I love you guys! HOLLA ☺ www.ninjammerz.com
Closet Computer Nerd and Inspector Gadget:
I love gadgets. I love my MAC. I love Google, I love working on my computer and cutting through loads of work in minimal time. When you are a vagabond-dancing-freakshow like myself… life is hard to manage without good gadgets, bags, and a portable office. Without a computer, I would be hopelessly lost to the world, disconnected and unreachable.
Some of my favorite gadgets and stuff: