browser icon
You are using an insecure version of your web browser. Please update your browser!
Using an outdated browser makes your computer unsafe. For a safer, faster, more enjoyable user experience, please update your browser today or try a newer browser.

Author Archives: Ruby

About Ruby

Born in the mountains of Idaho, I spent the early years of my life learning how to figure skate, ski and traverse the country by air, van and foot. At age 10, I was re-located to San Francisco by way of family drama and I lived there for 19 years, with the exception of four years at Boarding School. When I returned to the West Coast for college, I began to examine my interests in audio engineering, writing, dance, music and performance art. In 2001, I took up social dance, and by 2003, I was traveling to other cities for Swing and Blues Exchanges. In 2005, I packed up my San Francisco life, stuck it in a storage unit, and struck out across the United States in my very first car, an '88 Ford Camper Van. After three and a half months of travel, dance, adventure and introspection, I settled in a Chicago suburb, with the help of a few local Lindy-Hoppers. Today, I live in Chicago and travel regularly from my home-base to teach dance. In between, I practice bodywork and am honing my web and graphic design skills. For fun, I concoct fancy cocktails, play drums and guitar, ride my bicycle whenever possible and engage in culinary experiments, which I foist on any willing participant.

How to Do Something You Don’t Know How to Do

A discussion of how to dive into something new, whether it’s dance, music, writing or business. 10 ways to get started without spending too much time or money. Continue reading »

Categories: Business, Change, Dance | 1 Comment

Dance Party

I went to a birthday/holiday party at a Mexican restaurant with my family over the weekend. We walked in and there was fried food, cake, a DJ/smoke/light setup and several bottles of Tequila. The birthday boy switched off with one of his nephews on the DJ setup and for the first time in three weeks … Continue reading »

Categories: Anecdotes, Dance, Travel | 5 Comments

Solstice Dance

The long journey through the night… It was the end of the solstice service and the elderly woman who had spoken throughout the evening about the dark night at the end of winter, the annual death, the stillness of the sun and the coming of the light announced to us that we were all going… … Continue reading »

Categories: Dance, Travel | 2 Comments

Writing Your Bio – made simple

Writing a bio is challenging and most of us write our own, which means we’re bound to fail. So here are some guidelines to make sure you include the most important information in your artist or professional bio. Continue reading »

Categories: Business, Dance | Leave a comment

What I Want in a Dance Class

A list of things I’m looking for in a dance class, depending on the level and some commentary about how choreography impacts follows in a partnered class setting. Continue reading »

Categories: Choreography, Dance | 5 Comments

Getting the Local Feed

Sitting in a small-town café is a whole different ball of wax from sitting in a city café. First of all, I’m one in maybe 5 people with a laptop instead the standard 95% laptop population of San Francisco and Chicago. Second, every day that I’ve come in, (which is about 6 days out of … Continue reading »

Categories: Travel | Leave a comment

Things I Learned from Small Town Fitness Classes

Taking movement classes in styles you’re not that familiar with can create good learning experiences for your own teaching. Continue reading »

Categories: Dance | Leave a comment

To Note or Not to Note

A discussion of how taking notes in dance class is detrimental to the learning process, with a few exceptions. Continue reading »

Categories: Dance | Tags: | 2 Comments

Writing vs. Living

The view from the trail. We walked 11,000 steps on this hike! This morning, I decided I would get some damn writing done… and so I spent almost two hours hacking some kind of problem with the note-taking software that was holding hostage my latest blog entry. As the sun leaves my writing room and … Continue reading »

Categories: Travel | Leave a comment

Tame Your Message For The Medium

A brief complaint about the misuse of texting and the ultimate realization that I have to adapt. Continue reading »

Categories: Change, Communication | Leave a comment