Everybody has their guilty pleasures. Maybe yours is old Love Boat re-runs or that repertoire of Barry Manilow songs on your MP3 player. Maybe its Nutty Buddy ice cream treats or nachos. Could be the Boot Scoot Boogie or the Detroit Tigers. As for me, I recently went through a “Davey Dance Blog” phase. (Drama alert - Nobody in my life is aware that I have been checking the dance blog web-site – I am revealing it here for the first time!!)
Davey is a guy traipsing about Europe and shooting a sort of video diary as he goes. Its unique in that there is no narrative. Nothing is written or spoken. Davey just picks a spot and a song on his I-pod and improvises a dance for the camera. Sometimes the song seems to directly relate to the place (like “Don’t Let Me Down” at the Leaning Tower of Pisa). Other times it’s much more of a puzzle. Davey is not a great dancer – but it’s awesome because he has so much fun with it. He’s in his own little world with his music even when there are hundreds of people around. Sometimes the people run the other way when Davey busts out his moves. Other times they clap or sing along or try to join the dance. I just thought the blog was brilliant because without Davey saying a word, so much could be conveyed. You could see where he was and how he was doing. You could discern details about the weather, his mood, his energy level and how much he was enjoying the people of the places he was visiting.
As an Urban Planner by trade, I always have to wonder about the geography of a thing. Was there something place-specific about the varied reactions to Davey and his dance? In some places, there was more of a collective response – like in Barcelona, a large group sits in audience-like fashion, watching from beginning to end, as if they had paid the price of a ticket. In other places, the reactions are very individualized, with some people staring and pointing and taking pictures, others glancing and moving on and still others who were oblivious to the whole thing. I then applied this query to The 3 Day.
This July will be my 4th Walk and having done three different cities already, I’m starting to wonder if the subtle differences in how we are received place to place is significant or attributable to anything. Don’t get me wrong – The 3 Day gets tons of support everywhere it goes and we all have our individual supporters that we just couldn’t do it without and they would follow us to the moon if they had to for a walk. But let’s face it; there are varying degrees of reaction to The 3 Day column of walkers – in our feather boas and butterfly wings; our pink hair and tutus; our giant bras on the outside of our clothes and all those crazy striped knee socks with gym shorts (and that’s just on the men! Ha!)
Just as some people applauded the charm and uniqueness of Davey and his dance moves, others shunned it – ran as if trying to escape, or (and I don’t know which is worse) appeared to not notice it at all. We 3-Day Walkers have seen it, too! There are those who welcome and applaud and adore and then there are those who look at us like we’re nuts. Maybe there are just two kinds of people in the world; 1) those who embrace each day and all that it brings (even if it’s a line of a thousand ladies chanting something about boobies); and 2) those that can’t break out of their box to appreciate, much less accomplish, anything that’s bigger than themselves.
If you have thoughts on the attitudes in the various walk cities please feel free to share them. All I know is, if there are certain places that seem to foster, produce or accommodate that first group, that’s where I want to spend my time.
Davey is a guy traipsing about Europe and shooting a sort of video diary as he goes. Its unique in that there is no narrative. Nothing is written or spoken. Davey just picks a spot and a song on his I-pod and improvises a dance for the camera. Sometimes the song seems to directly relate to the place (like “Don’t Let Me Down” at the Leaning Tower of Pisa). Other times it’s much more of a puzzle. Davey is not a great dancer – but it’s awesome because he has so much fun with it. He’s in his own little world with his music even when there are hundreds of people around. Sometimes the people run the other way when Davey busts out his moves. Other times they clap or sing along or try to join the dance. I just thought the blog was brilliant because without Davey saying a word, so much could be conveyed. You could see where he was and how he was doing. You could discern details about the weather, his mood, his energy level and how much he was enjoying the people of the places he was visiting.
As an Urban Planner by trade, I always have to wonder about the geography of a thing. Was there something place-specific about the varied reactions to Davey and his dance? In some places, there was more of a collective response – like in Barcelona, a large group sits in audience-like fashion, watching from beginning to end, as if they had paid the price of a ticket. In other places, the reactions are very individualized, with some people staring and pointing and taking pictures, others glancing and moving on and still others who were oblivious to the whole thing. I then applied this query to The 3 Day.
This July will be my 4th Walk and having done three different cities already, I’m starting to wonder if the subtle differences in how we are received place to place is significant or attributable to anything. Don’t get me wrong – The 3 Day gets tons of support everywhere it goes and we all have our individual supporters that we just couldn’t do it without and they would follow us to the moon if they had to for a walk. But let’s face it; there are varying degrees of reaction to The 3 Day column of walkers – in our feather boas and butterfly wings; our pink hair and tutus; our giant bras on the outside of our clothes and all those crazy striped knee socks with gym shorts (and that’s just on the men! Ha!)
Just as some people applauded the charm and uniqueness of Davey and his dance moves, others shunned it – ran as if trying to escape, or (and I don’t know which is worse) appeared to not notice it at all. We 3-Day Walkers have seen it, too! There are those who welcome and applaud and adore and then there are those who look at us like we’re nuts. Maybe there are just two kinds of people in the world; 1) those who embrace each day and all that it brings (even if it’s a line of a thousand ladies chanting something about boobies); and 2) those that can’t break out of their box to appreciate, much less accomplish, anything that’s bigger than themselves.
If you have thoughts on the attitudes in the various walk cities please feel free to share them. All I know is, if there are certain places that seem to foster, produce or accommodate that first group, that’s where I want to spend my time.
Hi, Lisa - found your blog through the link from ChaiLattePlease, and think you've hit on something (although I venture to say that 2,000 walkers in pink tutus and fairy wings and whathaveyou is probably easier to swallow by the masses than a striking individualist like Davey!)
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I've walked in three cities - Washington DC, Seattle, and San Diego - and there's a VAST difference in the "audience." Washington DC has been an on-again, off-again host to the 3-Day (2000-2002, 2004, 2008-2010), so it almost seems as though it hasn't had a chance to grow momentum and awareness. Cheering stations are pretty sparsely populated, and drivers on the road pass by with hardly a glance, let alone a honk or wave. Seattle is much more welcoming, with lots of homeowners along the route ready with a bowl of candy, some Starbucks, or a garden hose on a hot day. One lady even stopped her car and handed my teammate a donation! But for community support, I don't think you can beat San Diego. Walker stalkers coming out in force, in costume, with beer (!) and with their dogs (also in costume) supplying four-footed love. One of the best 3-Day experiences I've ever had. I'm walking Boston this year - how did you find the community there?
Lynne - So glad you found my blog and thrilled that you took the time to comment. I had a real "ah-ha!!" moment when I read your comment about DC. I walked there in 2008 and would agree that it must be on the low end of the "walker friendliness" spectrum. I have a theory about that city - they seem to always be having a rally or march or walk or something and maybe they are just fatigued with the whole thing - or it could be, as you said, The 3-Day doesn't have the same momentum there. The consensus seems to also be in agreement with you about San Diego! Everyone says that's an extremely supportive community! Also hear good things about Dallas as Komen has such a big presence there. I thoroughly enjoyed Boston and am looking forward to being back there this year (maybe I'll see you). I think you'll find it very welcoming! Thanks again!
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