Peggy Spencer - Ballroom Blitz

[Chicklet]

today's Metro paper has a wee interviewette with Peggy Spencer.

thought she could be an honorary forum member with her answers to the first two questions

Q What can you tell about a man by dancing with him?

A Rather like a man driving a car, you can tell if he is aggressive and a bully or if he is considerate and understanding of the fact that he is guiding you round the ballroom and you could get damaged if he doesn't do it properly


Q What about a woman?

A You find that some are receptive and some are not, it's like life really.

The rest of the Q & A also echo many discussion we have had!

At the bottom in mentions a Ballroom Blitz Big Workshop Day on Monday at the South Bank, any of you southerners going?

[Sheepman]

Originally posted by Chicklet
Ballroom Blitz Big Workshop Day on Monday at the South Bank, any of you southerners going?
For anyone that doesn't know, the South Bank regularly has free bands on Sunday lunchtimes (and others), usually once a month it is swing or jazz, and you can nearly always find some familiar faces dancing there, though mainly swing dancers. Worth a trip if you're at a loose end on a Sunday. Check here (http://62.231.133.197/main/free/month.asp?n=n&month=0) for current events.
Monday sounds tempting, but I'll be too busy packing up for Beach Boogie. (Yippee ! ! !) (And I'm not going to ask who's going to that, as I'll find out soon enough, plus it's all too complicated with 3 different splurges.)

Greg

[frodo]

Originally posted by Chicklet
the bottom in mentions a Ballroom Blitz Big Workshop Day on Monday at the South Bank, any of you southerners going?

Originally posted by Sheepman
Check here (http://62.231.133.197/main/free/month.asp?n=n&month=0) for current events.
Thanks for mentioning it, and for the link. I cannot say I've ever heard of Peggy Spencer, but it looks worth a look.

[Will]

Originally posted by frodo
Thanks for mentioning it, and for the link. I cannot say I've ever heard of Peggy Spencer, but it looks worth a look.

Did she once have something to do with Blue Peter?

[Dance Demon]

Originally posted by frodo
I cannot say I've ever heard of Peggy Spencer, but it looks worth a look.

Peggy spencer is one of the most famous ballroom dance teachers in the UK. She is particularly well known for her formation teams, that regularly won UK and probably world championships. they were also regulars on "Come Dancing" during the 70s & 80s. I'm sure she was made a dame for her services to dancing.

[Jayne]

Originally posted by Will
Did she once have something to do with Blue Peter?
I think the article said that she'd been on Blue Peter 18 times... Imagine all those badges.... :rolleyes:

As DD says, she's probably the most famous Ballroom dancer in the UK - she makes a fleeting appearance in the "behind the scenes" bit of Burn the Floor too...

J :nice:

[DavidB]

We went for a while - the alternative was fighting through the traffic at the Notting Hill Carnival!

It was ok if you were a ballroom dancer. I doubt it would really encourage a non-dancer to take up lessons. The music was typical strict-tempo ballroom stuff. The floor was really slippy, and there were 6 big concrete pillars in the middle of the floor.

The one thing that struck me was just how bad everyone's floorcraft was. This was not so much in the modern dances (ie waltz, quickstep etc), but in the Latin dances. We did one rumba when the floor was not particularly busy. Everyone seemed to be taking huge steps, and occupying a lot of space. And most were doing competition-style arm movements - arms held almost fully extended at shoulder level. It was far worse than Hammersmith on a crowded night.

David

[TheTramp]

Originally posted by DavidB
The one thing that struck me was just how bad everyone's floorcraft was.Is that literally, as well as what you noticed??

Steve

[Jayne]

Originally posted by Jayne
I think the article said that she'd been on Blue Peter 18 times... Imagine all those badges.... :rolleyes:

I checked, it was 13 times...

J :sorry

[frodo]

Originally posted by DavidB

I doubt it would really encourage a non-dancer to take up lessons.Very much agree with that.

The manner and accent of the announcer (at least in the coffee dance), just seemed to be from another era.

I couldn't identify strict tempo, but the songs I heard were very much the usual suspects and could have been on a ballroom compilation of a couple of decades ago. Atleast in modern jive fashions change.

Even if it did attract non dancers, there was little advertising of classes or events to follow on.

Did not see any evidence of Peggy Spencer but thanks to the educational posts above now know something about her. :)