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View Full Version : TOTAL EXPRESSION the end of ceroc or the start of something new



stewart38
24th-January-2007, 02:29 PM
Interesting development at Berko and for ceroc. Not 'knew of course' but clearly ive seen more classes going this way. whats happening to the old bouncy ceroc.

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'TOTAL EXPRESSION' CLASS WITH HOWARD AND NICOLA

This Sunday 28th January and every last Sunday of the month Howard and Nicola will be teaching 'TOTAL EXPRESSION' as an Intermediate class at Berkhamsted Town Hall at 8.00 (after the Ceroc Beginners class)

'TOTAL EXPRESSION' is a fusion of Latin, Soul, and Blues, ideal for dancing in the 'Berko Blues Room, Fresh and Utopia, but also to help take Ceroc to another level adding style, technique and musicality.
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David Bailey
24th-January-2007, 02:36 PM
'TOTAL EXPRESSION' is a fusion of Latin, Soul, and Blues
What? :what:

How does that work exactly?

Everyone keeps on saying these buzz words, but I personally haven't got a clue how to fuse Latin, Soul and Blues dancing. In fact, I've no idea what Soul dancing is either, so only know "TWO-THIRDS EXPRESSION".

And actually, I've no idea what "Latin dancing" means - Tango? Salsa? Paso Doble? They're not exactly all the same style are they? So that's down to "ONE-THIRD EXPRESSION".

It's taken Amir several years to start fusing MJ and AT into a dance, fusing three dance styles in a single workshop, well that's impressive.

I know, perhaps I should go on a workshop and find out these mysteries. :rolleyes:

Lee Bartholomew
24th-January-2007, 02:41 PM
Ahhh, just buzz words.

Dancing is dancing. MJ is a mixture of dances in itself so claiming to teach a mixture of styles is nothing new.

Lory
24th-January-2007, 02:46 PM
'Berko Blues Room, Fresh and Utopia,
Where/What's Fresh?

FunkyAngel
24th-January-2007, 02:51 PM
'TOTAL EXPRESSION' CLASS WITH HOWARD AND NICOLA

This Sunday 28th January and every last Sunday of the month Howard and Nicola will be teaching 'TOTAL EXPRESSION' as an Intermediate class at Berkhamsted Town Hall at 8.00 (after the Ceroc Beginners class)

'TOTAL EXPRESSION' is a fusion of Latin, Soul, and Blues, ideal for dancing in the 'Berko Blues Room, Fresh and Utopia, but also to help take Ceroc to another level adding style, technique and musicality.

This sounds like Howard and Nicola will be continuing to teach exactly what they were already teaching once a month at Berko just that last time I checked they were calling it Blues. Hardly surprising the new improved version is still ideal for dancing in the Blues room then :wink:

I'm still trying to work out what Blues is anyway (other than the music). I seem to remember a lot of what is now being called Blues was being taught by some teachers a good 15 years ago just that back then it was still called Ceroc (or "smoochy Ceroc moves" or "Ceroc suitable for slow music" depending on who you talked to).

Mind you back then Ceroc was "the partner dance from France" not "a salsa-jive fusion" too... Am I the only one a bit fed up with all the re-badging of what is essentially the same thing?

FunkyAngel

Dizzy
24th-January-2007, 02:55 PM
Where/What's Fresh?

I believe it is Saturday Chiswick nights.

Tessalicious
24th-January-2007, 02:55 PM
Where/What's Fresh?The newish freestyles at Chiswick Town Hall are an example of a 'Fresh' night - with a Groove room (classics) and Smooth room (chillout/blues). It's a branding thing that is being spread around the UK, apparently, although Chiswick is the only one I know of as yet.

David Bailey
24th-January-2007, 03:05 PM
Where/What's Fresh?
She is.

She's Fresh.
Fresh and exciting.
She means so much to me.
etc.

:whistle:

Actually, I've just realised that I'm not very good at Blues dancing either, so I'm probably more like "ONE SIXTH EXPRESSION" or possibly even "ZERO EXPRESSION" :eek:


Am I the only one a bit fed up with all the re-badging of what is essentially the same thing?
God, no, me too.

I'm also hacked-off with the whole "grouping of every other dance form under the sun into a single so-called-style". Calling a single style "Latin" is just insulting, it's just done to sex it up. Grrrrr :angry:

fletch
24th-January-2007, 03:12 PM
Actually, I've just realised that I'm not very good at Blues dancing:eek:


:


I'll 'blues; with you if you stop Tango'ing with me :wink:

You could to a Rodger Chinn :whistle:

stewart38
24th-January-2007, 03:21 PM
What? :what:


Everyone keeps on saying these buzz words, but I personally haven't got a clue how to fuse Latin, Soul and Blues dancing. In fact, I've no idea what Soul dancing is either, so only know "TWO-THIRDS EXPRESSION".

And actually, I've no idea what "Latin dancing" means - Tango? Salsa? Paso Doble? They're not exactly all the same style are they? So that's down to "ONE-THIRD EXPRESSION".

It's taken Amir several years to start fusing MJ and AT into a dance, fusing three dance styles in a single workshop, well that's impressive.

I know, perhaps I should go on a workshop and find out these mysteries. :rolleyes:

How about putting coffee and Latin usic together

Latinolatte Dance :waycool:

A fusion of passion and desire leaving a smoothy creamy after taste , bring you own kleenex :sick:

Princess Fi
24th-January-2007, 03:27 PM
I'm also hacked-off with the whole "grouping of every other dance form under the sun into a single so-called-style". Calling a single style "Latin" is just insulting, it's just done to sex it up. Grrrrr :angry:

Well I used to go to 'Latin' Dance classes, and the reason I think they called them 'Latin' was cause "rumba, cha cha, samba, salsa, pasadoble, tango classes" was too much to get on the flyer.

Could they just mean they will teach you style points reminiscent of each discipline that you can incorporate into your dancing?

On the otherhand if they are talking about blending them all simultaneously I'd be interested to see what that would look like! :confused:

under par
24th-January-2007, 03:40 PM
I know, perhaps I should go on a workshop and find out these mysteries. :rolleyes:

Yes.. participation is good :cheers:

David Bailey
24th-January-2007, 03:40 PM
I'll 'blues; with you if you stop Tango'ing with me :wink:

If you can't Tango, you can't Blues. That's a rule.
Yes, OK, I just made it up, but that's OK, as everyone else seems to be doing that too.


Could they just mean they will teach you style points reminiscent of each discipline that you can incorporate into your dancing?
:rofl:
Yes, I guess it could be that. In theory. And if they spend time talking about use of claves, comparisons of rumba vs. tango weight-changes, and the difference in hip action between cha-cha and salsa, and how to incorporate all these styles into Ceroc, then I'll be suitably impressed and abashed.

What do you reckon the odds are?

Princess Fi
24th-January-2007, 03:45 PM
Yes, I guess it could be that. In theory. And if they spend time talking about use of claves, comparisons of rumba vs. tango weight-changes, and the difference in hip action between cha-cha and salsa, and how to incorporate all these styles into Ceroc, then I'll be suitably impressed and abashed.



Like when the music is more a slow blues like rumba slow steps (I forget the terminology -actually I never bothered to remember it in the first place) whereas in faster, more up beat music using triple steps and shaking'that thing' may look good?

Just a thought :innocent:

under par
24th-January-2007, 03:48 PM
Yes, I guess it could be that. In theory. And if they spend time talking about use of claves, comparisons of rumba vs. tango weight-changes, and the difference in hip action between cha-cha and salsa, and how to incorporate all these styles into Ceroc, then I'll be suitably impressed and abashed.

What do you reckon the odds are?

DJ Have you ever thought about teaching ???

Instead of posting all about how it is/could/should/might be done.

You might hate the branding but anything that gets away from bouncy ceroc hands and music is good for me in whatever packaging guise is in this week.

And it doesn't mention Tango ... :clap:

tsh
24th-January-2007, 03:51 PM
Isn't blues a fusion of tango and a crowded floor?

David Bailey
24th-January-2007, 04:00 PM
DJ Have you ever thought about teaching ???
Been there done that - for example, I was teaching salsa for a while, back in the 90s.

I stopped for several reasons, one of which was to improve and enjoy my dancing more.

But do I need to be a teacher in order to critique a class? Surely as a (potential - very potential in this case) punter my opinion is important?

To be clear, I'm not against being taught technique, I'm against the false marketing and dodgy branding which Ceroc indulges in.

Learning dance properly is hard, it takes work and effort and more work.

Dumbing-down a course to imply that technique can be picked up easily is just, well, dumb, if you're trying to improve general dance ability. Of course, it makes perfect sense if you just want to market something sexy and different, and don't care whether people improve at all.

David Bailey
24th-January-2007, 04:01 PM
Isn't blues a fusion of tango and a crowded floor?
Nope, as Tango floors can get much more crowded than any conceivable MJ floor.

TheTramp
24th-January-2007, 05:32 PM
Am I the only one a bit fed up with all the re-badging of what is essentially the same thing?

Nope. And am I the only one fed up with word 'fusion' being applied to any re-badging??

Blues Latin Soul - Hmmm. If it's a 'hit' with the punters, then you could come up with the name Bulls(hit).... :rolleyes:

David Bailey
24th-January-2007, 05:39 PM
Blues Latin Soul - Hmmm. If it's a 'hit' with the punters, then you could come up with the name Bulls(hit).... :rolleyes:
:rofl:
I notice that this franchise (http://www.cerocscotland.com/) has a particularly good set of workshops, including:

Focus workshops: A very targeted two hours of learning and practise covering technical aspects of dancing such as: Lead, Follow, Connection, Frame, footwork, Spins, Turns, Style, Posture, Balance, etc...

Note the complete and utter absence of any buzzwords, such as "Latin", "Fusion", "Sexy", "TOTAL", etc.

It does exactly what it says on the tin, in other words.

Why can't we have these in the South?

MartinHarper
24th-January-2007, 05:44 PM
Note the complete and utter absence of any buzzwords....

"Connection" is a pretty buzzy word at times. Right now I'm maintaining an emotional connection with the dinner I have planned after I leave work.

Andy McGregor
25th-January-2007, 09:20 AM
Ahhh, just buzz words.Something right from woodface :clap:


Dancing is dancing. MJ is a mixture of dances in itself so claiming to teach a mixture of styles is nothing new.I knew it couldn't last :whistle:

MJ is not a mixture of any dances. It's a dance in its own right. Woodface is nearly right though (so he's getting better) MJ is danced in many different styles - that's why we like it :flower:

What Howard and Nicola are teaching looks like musicality to me. They're talking about dancing to particular types of music, but the're talking about doing MJ to those types of music. I'm sure they'll be teaching moves and techniques which particularly suit those types of music, but they will be MJ moves and technique.

TA Guy
25th-January-2007, 10:02 AM
This sounds like Howard and Nicola will be continuing to teach exactly what they were already teaching once a month at Berko just that last time I checked they were calling it Blues. Hardly surprising the new improved version is still ideal for dancing in the Blues room then :wink:

I'm still trying to work out what Blues is anyway (other than the music). I seem to remember a lot of what is now being called Blues was being taught by some teachers a good 15 years ago just that back then it was still called Ceroc (or "smoochy Ceroc moves" or "Ceroc suitable for slow music" depending on who you talked to).

Mind you back then Ceroc was "the partner dance from France" not "a salsa-jive fusion" too... Am I the only one a bit fed up with all the re-badging of what is essentially the same thing?

FunkyAngel

Hot Damm, a year and a half ago I was at Howard and Nicola's workshop at Salisbury, I only got taught a 'Total Blues workshop'. Where's my Latin, Soul, Blues TOTAL EXPRESSION as suitable for Berko etc. ?????!!!!! Feel I've been ripped off now :)



Don't get fed up with it, rebadging is just an attempt to keep things fresh, new and entertaining. but as someone else who's been around a little while, some of things peeps come out with on this forum make me smile. In a nice way. My all time fav was 'Musicality started 4-5 years ago' or something along those lines. Musicality workshops are what used to be called 'style workshops' re-badged. And it's attracted a whole new genre of people. So that can't be bad.
I remember Blues dancing as 'smoochy Ceroc' about ten-twelve years ago also. I did hear it called Blues around then, but not as a standalone dance 'The Blues', just as a method of describing a slow dance, as in 'it's a bit Latiny Bluesey'.

I sometimes wonder what has caused this explosion of Blues. Is it the inspiring teachers who just happen to be around right now also happen to just like that genre? the music? lack of fast dance skills? just a 'equal/opposite reaction' to the Lindy/MJ association of a while back? or just the latest fad for the fashionably bored? I really dunno, probably a mixture of all of them. For me it's the 'fashionably bored', just something a little different. Not sure I could be bothered to do a 'smoochy Ceroc style workshop', but TOTAL EXPRESSION, hell yeah!

MartinHarper
25th-January-2007, 10:25 AM
I sometimes wonder what has caused this explosion of Blues.

The story I heard was that it was imported back into the UK MJ scene from Herrang in Sweden.

David Bailey
25th-January-2007, 10:50 AM
What Howard and Nicola are teaching looks like musicality to me.
Ah, but is it TOTAL MUSICALITY?

JiveLad
25th-January-2007, 01:26 PM
On the subject of new made up names for dancing styles, I know there is one called 'Jango'.

I wonder if the people who came up with this, actually realise what a 'Jango' is: see http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jango

Oooeer! :sick: :eek: :eek: :eek:

David Bailey
25th-January-2007, 03:14 PM
On the subject of new made up names for dancing styles, I know there is one called 'Jango'.

I wonder if the people who came up with this, actually realise what a 'Jango' is: see http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jango

Oooeer! :sick: :eek: :eek: :eek:
I could have done without knowing that... :rolleyes:

purplehyacinth
25th-January-2007, 06:36 PM
:rofl:
I notice that this franchise (http://www.cerocscotland.com/) has a particularly good set of workshops, including:


Note the complete and utter absence of any buzzwords, such as "Latin", "Fusion", "Sexy", "TOTAL", etc.

It does exactly what it says on the tin, in other words.

Why can't we have these in the South?


The reason that we Scots have them and you in the South don't could be because it is the Scots who are lucky enough to have Franck :worthy: :D

Cornish Pixie
25th-January-2007, 07:22 PM
Why can't we have these in the South?

At least youre lucky enough to have these classes at all,whether they are rebadged or not, some people :whistle: have to make do with one night of dancing in the WHOLE week!