🗑️ Adventures of the Blues Bin: Sunday Blues Field Notes – Episode 1
Confession: I may have been sneaking around Sunday Blues dance classes… and this week, things got very interesting.
Part 1 – Spirit Moves & Sneaky Prep
This week, the humans tackled Spirit Moves - inspired by “The Spirit Moves: A History of Black Social Dance on Film”, a treasure trove of African American vernacular dances from the 1900s–60s. These dances carry history, rhythm, improvisation, storytelling, and culture - all in motion.
The teacher was nervous. She’d shown the humans a film clip from the archive, and for a moment, I swear I saw panic in their eyes. She half-expected them to bolt out of the studio. Honestly, I may have nudged them back in… purely to see what would happen next.
(Side note from me: humans really do make hilarious faces when confronted with proper snakey legs. 10/10 for comic value.)
Before class even began, hours had gone into planning: props, sequences, music, tempos, and transitions. It’s like an iceberg 🧊 - the dancing you see is just the tip. And yes, I peeked behind the curtain. No snacks involved. Rude.
Part 2 – Secret Ingredients & Bin Wisdom
At first, the humans looked… stiff. Arms locked, legs hesitant. Before they were reminded “you have arms”, I feared I’d have to give them a gentle shake myself.
Slowly, they discovered the secret ingredients of Blues: rhythm, improvisation, control, agility, asymmetry, and dynamism.
They even absorbed (without me telling them) a Kongo proverb: “Dance with bended knees, lest you be taken for a corpse.” Soon, stiff limbs gave way to flexible knees and lively feet, and suddenly the room was alive with movement.
(Observational note: one human attempted a fishtail and nearly collided with me. I held my bin lid firmly — dignity preserved.)
By the end of class, smiles were everywhere, high-fives were flying, and the humans had absorbed both history and skill. Even I, the Blues Bin, may have shed a tiny bin tear.
Part 3 – Tea & Gossip Hour
After the last note faded, humans gathered around mugs of tea.
Stories were swapped, laughter erupted, and reflections on history and movement filled the room.
(Personal insight: prime biscuit-dropping opportunity achieved. Humans remain delightfully unaware.)
They called it “community.” I called it research heaven.
Sunday Blues is more than dancing. It’s history, rhythm, improvisation, effort, joy… and a little magic hidden in every step.
The Blues Bin will return next week… purely for research purposes, of course.
Spoiler: I may have plans to hide a hat or two in the studio…
💙
