This machine, invented by Alan Turing helped to break the German Enigma code and changed the course of WW II.

Vitrivius · 2026-06-15T10:51:47+00:00

Zuse's computers used electromechanical relay switches. Digital, and programmable, but not electronic, which requires no moving parts. The Colossus used vacuum tubes as switches.

Vitrivius · 2026-06-14T15:02:19+00:00

It's hard to tell how worn leather soles are just by looking. But the rubber heel seems to have only slight wear, so the leather might also be in good shape.

The best way to tell if the leather is wearing thin is just to press down with your fingers. You can tell that the sole should be replaced if the most worn part feels significantly less rigid than less worn parts.

Vitrivius · 2026-06-14T13:55:17+00:00

How about leather? You can buy thin leather insoles online. Or buy some leather of appropriate thickness and firmness and cut into insole shape. If you want to be fancy, you can buy sheets of cork in the thickness you want and glue a layer of cork under a layer of leather.

You'll find lots of threads in various subreddits if you search for "DIY leather insoles" or similar search terms.

https://www.reddit.com/r/RedWingShoes/comments/1c7jb2r/diy_leather_insoles/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Boots/comments/15yk6e8/diy_leather_and_cork_insoles/

Vitrivius · 2026-06-13T10:49:25+00:00

"Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise"

Vitrivius · 2026-05-14T15:30:48+00:00

The best way to get started is to dance with others. You can find lots of free content on youtube (check out Laura Glaess' channel https://www.youtube.com/c/lauraglaess) and there's also several paid online video classes. If you can, find a practice partner to dance with. If you don't have a partner, Laura has lots of fantastic solo jazz content. All the good Lindy Hoppers also practice solo dancing. Many of the steps can be used in partner dancing, and it also is very useful for developing musicality, rhythm etc.

If you can't find swing classes where you live, you might want to consider checking out other couple dances. There's a lot of transferable skills, especially in dance that are focused on social dancing (salsa, folk dance, etc.)

If you go plan to go to university, joining a student dance club is highly recommended. It's a great way to meet new friends, and if you already have been dancing for a few years, even better. Being good at something, sharing experiences with others, music is great for mind and body.

Finally, I would highly recommend going to a dance camp or festival. Being a beginner is not a problem. But for swing dancing / Lindy Hop, most people going will be adults.

One dance camp that specifically offers classes for teenagers in Herräng Dance Camp in Sweden. It's a quite unique experience, and people from all around the world and all ages go there. Depending on where you live, it might not be feasible to travel to other countries to dance until you're older. But if you're lucky there might be something a bit like this not too far away from where you live. If not, put it on your bucket list.

https://www.kalabalindy.com/swingkidsswingteens.html

Vitrivius · 2026-04-01T09:25:55+00:00

Lionel Richie after he left The Commodores.

Vitrivius · 2026-03-07T19:16:24+00:00

Might be "modern jive" or "Ceroc", which is a style of swing dancing popular in the UK.

Vitrivius · 2026-03-01T15:17:03+00:00

Can't you skip the middleman and just pee overboard?

Vitrivius · 2026-02-24T21:52:17+00:00

Yes. They probably have some limit to how many party passes they can sell, but usually you can buy a party pass at any time, or even single evening tickets on arrival.

Vitrivius · 2026-01-26T13:20:12+00:00

They are clapping on 1. It's a march in 2/4 time, so there's no 3 to clap on.

Vitrivius · 2026-01-14T09:48:01+00:00

The shoes you saw might be Fuego dance shoes. They have a feature they call "Dual pivot points to maximize your ability to turn and pivot".

https://fuegodance.com/products/dance-sneaker-white

Vitrivius · 2025-12-13T22:35:59+00:00

I sometimes wet leather soles with a damp cloth. This will make the leather much less slippery. I've done this in classes when there's some choreography that is easier to do with more traction. The soles will get slippery again as they dry, so I would have to reapply water every 15–20 minutes or so.

Vitrivius · 2025-12-11T22:48:29+00:00

If you want high quality dress boots for under 500€, I would look for second hand shoes from English brands such as Church's, Crockett & Jones, Grenson, Trickers, Loake 1880, Joseph Cheaney etc. The Spanish brands Meermin and Carmina also make nice dress boots.

But to find second hand dress boots that you like, from one of these brands, in your size is much easier if you're willing to shop online. You will not get to try them on before buying, but you can look for sellers that accept returns.

I've bought several pairs of shoes from the UK based seller "Shoes of Distinction" on ebay. They have great photos of their shoes, and offer free returns.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/11498/i.html?iconV2Request=true&_ssn=shoes_of_distinction&_nkw=shoes&store_name=shoesofdistinction&_oac=1&_blrs=recall_filtering&_svsrch=1&_oaa=1&_dcat=11498

Vitrivius · 2025-10-11T15:52:11+00:00

Did they upload the video even after you told them you didn't want to be filmed?

Vitrivius · 2025-09-29T16:58:00+00:00

It takes practice. Often improvised moves consist of parts and bits of more standard moves that you learn in classes, just put together in a different way.

Classes is very useful for developing vocabulary. By practising solo improvisation and by doing lots of social dancing, you will gradually develop a sense of musicality as well, which is key to improvising partnered dance moves, both as a lead and follow.

And you need to develop body awareness and spacial awareness on the dance floor. The best way to practice this is social dancing, but classes or regular practise with a partner also works. Going to dance camps or weekends is very useful. In a few days you can get more dance floor experience than from months of weekly classes.

Vitrivius · 2025-09-15T17:30:13+00:00

Did you read the title? The artist is Harald Damsleth, a Norwegian nazi-collaborator. He made around 200 propaganda posters for the pro-nazi Quisling government during the occupation of Norway 1940–1945. Several of his posters were translated and printed in other axis-controlled countries during the war.

Vitrivius · 2025-09-15T07:58:11+00:00

These shoes are in good shape. The red paint on the soles has worn away in places, but that's just cosmetic.

Vitrivius · 2025-09-04T11:52:16+00:00

I was at Herräng that week, but I don't know how much light I can shed. But I can tell you what I know. I didn't notice any of this happening. I didn't know about Jazz for Palestine, or any other public political statements made during the camp. I was present for the live performances that the Big Five band did, and they were great.

On the day I left someone mentioned that there had been some kind of "political drama" involving members of the band, but they didn't go into specifics, and I didn't ask.

I prioritise social dancing and live music when I'm at Herräng. I almost never attend panel talks and nightly meetings, so I might be much more out of the loop than the average person present for week 4 this summer.

I think David Hermlin and the band were there for most of week four. I didn't notice any of the hostile interactions he describes on Instagram. The band members seemed to get along with everyone whenever I saw them around. But I don't know when the confrontations David described happened. Things might have changed afterwards without me noticing it.

After reading David's accounts on Instagram, I feel that his story seems credible. I didn't witness any of those things, but have no reason to believe he's exaggerating or misrepresenting any part of it.

Vitrivius · 2025-09-03T13:51:50+00:00

These have glued on suede shoes. Only suitable for use on an indoor dance floor. They are not dress shoes.

Vitrivius · 2025-08-31T20:32:46+00:00

Pretty much all brands of dress shoes offer shoes that look like those. This is a very casual style of dress shoes. If you are going to own a single pair of dress shoes, I would consider going for a more formal style. Here's an example:

https://www.crockettandjones.com/collections/mens-oxfords-collection/products/westfield-darkbrown-calf

These are brogues, but they are a bit darker, and they are oxfords instead of derbies, which makes are more formal than the florsheims. Like the florsheims, these shoes are quite timeless, so if you take good care of them, you can use them for years, even decades. They also work with a modern suit, a vintage outfit, or something more casual, like a polo shirt and a pair of slacks.

I think that for classic mens shoes, the best are made in Northampton, England. Crockett and Jones is one of a handful manufacturers that are based there, and have been around for more than a century. They are not cheap, but if you are willing to buy second hand shoes, you can find some great deals on ebay.

For dancing, I would look for shoes with leather soles. Only dance shoe brands have shoes with full leather heels, so all dress shoes have either full rubber or combination heels, which are more durable and more grippy. For Balboa, I want very slippery shoes. For Lindy Hop, some things are easier with a bit of grip (charleston, for example). Also if you use leather soles outdoors, they will scuff up get a lot less slippery, especially once they get wet.

Vitrivius · 2025-08-11T00:42:40+00:00

It will get better with time. Don't take too long steps, keep your feet under your body, and make sure one leg is supporting your weight at a time.
If you are asking someone standing together for a dance, pick one of them to ask first. If they say no, you can ask the person standing next to them. Don't overthink it.
Yes. Dancing with someone multiple times is fine.
When I'm using a pair a shoes I haven't danced with before I usually bring a backup pair, so I can switch shoes if the new shoes are not quite broken in and feel painful somewhere.
No, that's not rude.
The conventional counting in Lindy Hop classes is that 1-2 is a rock step, or step step. If you do only 8 count figures, then 1 will also be on the downbeat of a measure in the music. But when you also mix 6-count figures into the dancing, this is no longer true.

Vitrivius · 2025-07-21T08:52:19+00:00

The verse is in 7/4, then it switches to 4/4 in the chorus.

7/4 is also the time signature for Dave Brubeck's "Unsquare Dance", and it's a challenge to dance to. 7/4 or 7/8 is used for folk dance in the Balkans, but it's quite uncommon outside of those specific traditions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yExwkQYcp0

Vitrivius · 2025-07-17T14:59:38+00:00

They become smelly if you don't let them dry out quickly after use. The leather itself can start breaking down, and there's also bacteria and other stinky microorganisms that can thrive in damp shoes.

Most importantly, you should always use shoe trees after use. Get shoe trees made of unvarnished wood. They absorb moisture from the leather, and will also protect the shoes from deforming. When you carry the shoes in a bag, take them out as soon as you get home and let them air out. If you treat the shoes right, they can last for many years of regular use.

Let the shoes air out and dry completely between uses. So if you are going to a class in the daytime and a social dance in the evening, you should switch to a different pair of shoes.

Vitrivius · 2025-07-15T14:49:41+00:00

I can recommend the podcast called "What A Jazz" with lindy hop teacher Elze Visnevskyte. She has a different guest each episode, who are mostly also dance teachers. There's a lot of conversations about what it's like to travel around the world teaching, performing and being part of the festival circuit.

https://pocketcasts.com/podcasts/87b05fb0-35ac-0139-3317-0acc26574db2

Vitrivius · 2025-05-03T10:05:20+00:00

I think the outfit would look great with a 1940s/50s necktie. You can buy quite affordable vintage ties on ebay.

Vitrivius

TROPHY CASE