WCS in La Grande Motte (France) with the pros - 26th july to 1st of aug

[Caro]

Ok like the past 2 years I'm happy to help people get organised for the Sea Sun and Swing.
Note that this year it is a full week of WCS only, 3 hours of workshops a day and party at night. (one day off though). Dates are from 26th of july to 1st of August, in La Grande Motte (beach resort close to Montpellier).

Teachers include Jordan and Tat, Parker and Jessica, Ben and Melina, Olivier Massart, I would think Maxence Martin too and probably a couple of others (French) teachers.

All the details here (http://www.seasunswing.net/index.htm).

I have negociated for our group to get the discounted price of 250 euros until the end of may (instead of end of january normally).
However I need to make up a gender balanced group, and we need to be at least 15.

If you want to join, please let me know :flower:


All details and reviews from last years events: 2007 (http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/land-1000-dances/11853-logistics-details-sea-sun-swing-camp-france-wcs-lindy-balboa.html) and 2006 (http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/land-1000-dances/9039-beginner-wcs-private-champion-would-you-2.html#post260417).

Accomodation: I would recommend self catering appartments, it will be cheaper for a week. Camping is another option for low budgets.

Transport: main airport Montpellier (20 km, easyjet flights) or Nimes (60 km - ok if you want to rent a car to do tourists bits, Ryanair flights).


I just got confirmation by the organisers that if anybody fancies DJ-ing for them, they would give you a further discount. :whistle:

[Mary]

Sounds interesting. I'll let you know.

M

[DS87]

I am definitely thinking about it, I just need to do a bit of a cost estimate.

I will let you know.

Steve

PS. Cheers for going to the bother of organising it :respect:

[Chef]

We have looked at the review from the previous threads. Now that is going to be a whole week of WCS it is worth the cost of the flights etc.

The time of the year is great for us.

We can have a combined beach and dnce holiday.

We have checked out the location on ggogle earth - looks good.

The flights from London are about £180 pp return

The event itself is 250 euros = £186 (good stuff)

Do you have an idea what the likely costs for accomodation are for a couple at the hotel on the beach (I think it is called st clair) or other non-tent accomodation?

[Caro]

Great Chef, the more the merrier :clap:



Do you have an idea what the likely costs for accomodation are for a couple at the hotel on the beach (I think it is called st clair) or other non-tent accomodation?

Hotel is going to be very expensive for a week (about 90 euros a night I would think, even for something basic, this is the busiest week of the holiday season).

Self catering flat for 2 to 4 peeps around 300 to 500 euros a week. The earlier you book, the more choice you have...

Will post more details about accomdation later on but right now I need to run for my flight to LA (the cruise :clap:) :D

[FunkyAngel]

Ok like the past 2 years I'm happy to help people get organised for the Sea Sun and Swing.
However I need to make up a gender balanced group, and we need to be at least 15.

If you want to join, please let me know :flower:


Caro, you are such a star for organising this! I'm really keen to go this year as is Dave - please count us in. A full 7 days makes it much more worth the trip down there.

I'll PM you when you get back from your lovely cruise :yum:

FunkyAngel

[Cruella]

Ooh, this is in the summer holidays so i'm off work! Let me work on what to do with the husband and kids and then hopefully i'll be there too.

[Smiley Sue]

I'm seriously considering this:clap:

Had some very nice dances with some French Westies at Southport who will prob be there too - more familiar faces:D

Thank you Caro for getting us all up to speed on these events:respect: Really appreciate it.

Sx

[Caro]

I got an email for the organisers today saying that places were selling fast - there's only 11 spaces left in level 3, for example.
So far we're 15 people, plus a few to be confirmed, but if you haven't been in touch with me yet or are able to confirm you're going, please let me know asap :flower:

Couple of websites for accomodation (it is the busiest week of the summer holidays so don't leave it until too late!):
here (http://www.abritel.fr/annonces/location-appartement/france_languedoc-roussillon_34_la%20grande%20motte_dt0.php)
here (http://www.mediavacances.com/FR/property.php?idv=126)
here (http://www.bertrandvacances.com/bien/location-appartement+residence+vacances-la+grande+motte-1-14-34.php)

(searched for the French websites - as I trust you can find the english ones ;) - just click on the UK flag to get it translated :flower: )

A studio for 2 to 4 is likely to cost 400 to 550 euros a week.
Camping would be cheaper!

[Caro]

ok - Important information guys !

To secure your space you now need to fill in the attached form and send it back (email here: seasunswing@allswing.org or mail address in the form), as well as pay for the event on paypal (link in the form too). All this needs to happen before 2nd of march.

I know this is not what I agreed with them (:rolleyes:) but this is due to a big demand for the workshops.

If you fail to register and pay by the 2nd of march, your place will be kept until the 31/03 but at a price of 300 euros, and after that it will be released.

People can still register, but there is now a waiting list for single ladies. People who had registered through me are all confirmed.

Any question just let me know... :flower:

[Caro]

long time since I last updated this... :blush:

Joining instructions have now been sent out, if anyone's missing theirs please PM me and I'll forward.

Last updates teachers wise include US pros Ayjay and Melissa, Christopher Hussey and Katrina Branson and our very own Paul and Cat :clap:

The line-up looks more and more like a US event.... :really::worthy:

[Rhythm King]

Wish I could go - maybe next year; meanwhile Happy Bastille Day, Caro :waycool:

[Caro]

Finally getting round to posting a review.

What a week.

I have to be honest and say that at first I thought this would probably be my last year at SSS and that I would go to another US event next year - well it's fair to say I've changed my mind. It was that good. I will be back next year.

I feel the addition of 2 US couples, Arjay and Melissa and Christopher and Katrina, plus the improvement in the organisation, made it a truly great event.

Christopher Hussey was no doubt THE revelation of this week for me. The guy is absolutely magical to dance with... so creative, so trusting, so generous. In fact he's probably my dream leader. :worthy:


There were in the end 5 groups for classes. I registered for level 4 but got upgraded to level 5 during the initial assessments, which has greatly contributed to make this week very worthwhile and challenging.
We got about 6 (out of 8) hours with J&T and P&J to learn a group routine that we performed on the friday night. It was on Forever (Chris Brown) and god was that fast and difficult. When they demonstrated the routine to us I was convinced they were just kidding. They weren't. :eek:
I never thought I'd be able to do such complicated things - so it shows that with practice anybody can do things that first seem impossible. It helped having a great (and patient!) partner though (thanks Kofi!)
When we performed it, it certainly didn't look quite the same as when J&T do it, but we executed it, and on time. Wow.

The rest of the classes (and there were 4 hours a day) were split between A&M, C&K, Olivier Massart (who placed 1st in advanced in Phoenix) & Henriette, and our very own Paul and Cat.
The standard of teaching was so good that I couldn't possibly skip an hour - and god knows I was tired at the end of day! With the parties and routine practice, I think I danced on average 10 hours a day - for a week. :eek:

Sadly that had some incidence on my body as at the end of the last party my ankle was very inflamed and on saturday I could not walk on it. Not fun. It must have just been over-exhaustion as it improved quickly after a couple of days of anti-inflammation gel and complete rest, though.

As a result, I didn't even have a dip in the sea - I barely even saw it. :what:


There were parties every night, and all the pros were there and being very social - the best year so far for that (I think there is something in their contract about being there for social dancing, though!). Much respect, especially to Paul W who as usual was on the dance floor until the last track.

We had pro/ams and JnJ as well, where the UK was well represented.

Hope I don't forget anyone,
- Ellen (funkyangel) and Ben got to the finals of the combined JnJ level 2 and 3 - and drew each other !
- Fiona (peaches) was in that final too
- Balca, Sue (smileysue) and myself made it to the finals of the JnJ level 4/5, and I got 2nd place


What more is there to say ? The event is growing fast and becoming a truly European rendez-vous: there were people from Russia, Ukraine, Iceland, Holland, Hungary, and even the US !!!

I believe the organisers are already working on next year event. Teachers need to be confirmed but J&T and P&J will be there for sure, and I believe Christopher & Katrina and Paul W may be there too, and possibly A&M.
Chances are parties will take place in a different venue that has wooden floor. Dates are Aug 1st to 7th.

Note that as I said the event is very successful and the organiser want it to remain capped to about 250 dancers, so I expect they will run out of spaces towards march - april next year.

I'm happy to get another group together again for next year, I got confirmation that the price for my group will remain discounted at 250 euros. Also if we get organised quickly enough we can get a big villa for the week with a swimming pool for the price of 2 or 3 night in a hotel room... :whistle:

Anybody interested PM me, if villas with pool are booked about a year in advance in La Grande Motte. It's worth it believe me ;)

[Smiley Sue]

What a week.


PHEW!
It was awesome:clap:
SO glad I went.


Christopher Hussey was no doubt THE revelation of this week for me. The guy is absolutely magical to dance with... so creative, so trusting, so generous Me too! My favourite pro by a long shot so far :drool:(I know I cannot compete with you on that front Caro, but I am starting to be less intimidated nowadays:blush:)


The standard of teaching was so good that I couldn't possibly skip an hour I didn't attend the pre-evening dance classes, choosing instead to stay longer in the pool or extend the pleasure of dinner, but I didn't think for a moment that I would have the desire to attend all 25 hours of daytime workshops, but I found that I just couldn't bear to miss one!! I applied for level 3 & was bumped up to 4, & was still occasionally frustrated by the lack of technique some people had compared to that which we receive in the UK from the likes of Paul, Cat & Lee, but all the dancers who rotated in the class had improved measureably during the week & I was delighted to have much less to have my dance-geeky moans about!! (sorry Randal & Dirk:innocent:my lovely room mates)



We had pro/ams and JnJ as well, where the UK was well represented.
Hope I don't forget anyone
How about my 3rd with Olivier Massart in the ProAm then....?:whistle:



Chances are parties will take place in a different venue that has wooden floor. Great - it took a bit of getting used to dancing on hard tiles in the evenings eeek!

I came home with some new variations, some reminders of my technical shortcomings, sore feet & a heat rash:sad:, & a swollen head from all the lovely comlpiments.


Dates are Aug 1st to 7th.
Anybody interested
ME ME ME!!!
SueX

[Caro]

How about my 3rd with Olivier Massart in the ProAm then....?:whistle:


sorry babe - for some reason I completely forgot the placements in the ProAm :blush:

Congrats - I don't think anyone else from the UK got placed in ProAm ?

[Lory]

We got about 6 (out of 8) hours with J&T and P&J to learn a group routine that we performed on the friday night. It was on Forever (Chris Brown) and god was that fast and difficult. When they demonstrated the routine to us I was convinced they were just kidding. They weren't. :eek:


I really like the sound of this, I wish there was somewhere here, where we could learn choreographed routines.

I suppose its a case of 'liking' and being able to 'work well' with the partner you get for it though


Anyway, great review Caro ! :cheers: