Rock Bottoms Brighton (Nov 21-24)

[Simon]

Was I the only Forumite to attend Rock Bottoms in Brighton last weekend? Did I dream the whole thing? :confused:

Apologies if there's a post somewhere else on the site but I've not spotted it. I'm still on a high from the event and wanted to share some of the outstanding moments I enjoyed. These included:

- Watching the rugby in a hotel bar full of jivers (including a bit of light-hearted banter aimed at the Australian contingent present, ie. Clayton! At least when the English were storming the first half).

- Excellent modern jive classes from Roy Asagba-Power and Janine Myers. Really useful moves taught with style and humour.

- A truly outstanding showcase from Adam (surname?) and Tas Beckett. Quite a few people who were sat around the edge of the dancefloor stood to applaud them at the end. They were awesome.

- A terrific showcase from Roy and Janine that will surely win any competition they enter it into in the next year (but only if Adam and Tas don't compete :wink: )

- An inspired mix of music from JB, Russell "Strut Rocks" Payne and Sean "Strange". I've been to a couple of previous Rock Bottoms where there was a bit more emphasis on lindy music. That wasn't the case this time round and better for it.

- All the terrific dances I enjoyed with so many talented women :drool: , including Janine (unquestionably the best dancer around), Tas (surely the best dancer around :wink: ), Daisy (so there was another Forumite present! Thanks again for the dances :kiss: ), Amanda from Edinburgh (come on Scotland who is this brilliant dancer? Tell me more), Dawn from Gingerjive (sorry for bumping you around the dancefloor. Bad driving! :sorry ), Keeley from Bournemouth (I was blown away! :yum: ), plus all the others, too numerous to mention.

The constructive feedback I can offer would be that the Grand Ocean Hotel needs a lick of paint, the dead pigeon needs to be removed from the staircase balcony :what: the food was rather basic and there was a little bit of queuing to be seated for dinner. But all that pales into insignificance beside the wonderful atmosphere that dominates these weekends. It's the friendliness and little extras put on by the team (such as the welcome gift, the tea/coffee and cakes at 1am, the slices of fruit in the afternoon, etc.) that make these the premier dance weekenders. All I can say is I'm glad I booked for Rock Bottoms Torquay next May before it sold out! :grin:

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by Simon
Was I the only Forumite to attend Rock Bottoms in Brighton last weekend? Did I dream the whole thing? :confused:

Bah. Life can be so unkind. Did I need to be reminded that I couldn't be there? I don't think so. :mad:

Do I want to be reminded of the fact that I have missed out yet again on dances with the beautiful and talented Daisy? The awesome and breathtaking Tas?

I think not. :mad:
It sounds like the RB team have done it again. What a gang. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

[Divissima]

Roll on April for my own first RB experience - Brighton again so happy to update re pigeon situation :wink:

[Tiggerbabe]

Originally posted by Simon
.Amanda from Edinburgh (come on Scotland who is this brilliant dancer? Tell me more),
Come on Simon, need a little more information than that - I know of one Amanda (Kremner) from Edinburgh, she's quite small with dark hair - is this your girl? She's a beautiful dancer and dances/teaches with Chris Docker - in fact if you look on his website I'm sure there will be some pics and info about her :D

Sounds like you had a great time but most of us were up here having a fabulous time at the Beach Ballroom Weekend, a "never to be missed" event :drool:

[TheTramp]

Interesting. I was talking to a friend who went on this weekend. And she said that it was the worst Rock Bottoms event by a long way. In fact, she was so fed up after Saturday night, that she left early on the Sunday to go home - even though she'd originally planned on staying until the Monday. (Her reaction to previous Rock Bottoms events are that they've been totally brilliant, and I think that she's been on most (if not all) of them).

Her issues were that Saltdean is really out in the back end of beyond (if you don't have a car). At least at the other Rock Bottom events, you are in the town, so you can get out, and do something during the day(please don't anyone state the obvious about this being the same at Camber - this isn't a comparison between the two, it'd be like comparing apples and pears anyhow).

He main gripe though, was with the Saturday night. She apparently went downstairs for dancing at about 10pm (not unreasonable, given that she was planning on staying until the end). By the time the 'fun' class, the cabaret, and the silly game were over, by sometime after midnight, she felt that she'd had about 20 minutes of freestyle dancing, and was so fed up, that she went to bed. All of which, just ruined her weekend, so she left the next day.

She did however say that Adam and Tas' cabaret was absolutely brilliant. Although, she was less complimentary about the rest - including Roy and Janine's, which she thought was freestyle, and not a routine. Though, the fact that the cabaret section went on for about 40 minutes may well have had something to do with this....

Just goes to show that you can't please everyone all the time though I guess.

She is planning on feeding this back to Tor herself as well.

Steve

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by TheTramp
He main gripe though, was with the Saturday night. She apparently went downstairs for dancing at about 10pm (not unreasonable, given that she was planning on staying until the end). By the time the 'fun' class, the cabaret, and the silly game were over, by sometime after midnight, she felt that she'd had about 20 minutes of freestyle dancing, and was so fed up, that she went to bed. All of which, just ruined her weekend, so she left the next day.
At the Ryde one in October, I hadn't been the least bit in the mood for fancy dress or fun classes, so I bunked off after dinner, had a little nap and came down shortly before the cabaret which was scheduled for 11.

Given that the Friday night freestyle had been great, Sunday night's was still to come, and that Saturday's became brilliant and went on till 5-ish (or was it 6-ish, the clocks went back at some point) I didn't feel short-changed at all.

Going to bed at midnight on any of those nights, on the basis that it hasn't really got going yet, is a big mistake, IMHO.

Chris

[TheTramp]

I'd probably agree with you Chris. Actually, if I knew what was going on, I'd probably not bother going down to dance until after midnight anyhow.

Although, I can see the point of view - if you've gone to dance, and you've then just been sitting around for the best part of 2 hours having to do things that you're not interested in. I guess it's possible that you may well have lost the will to live (or dance).

Steve

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by TheTramp
Although, I can see the point of view - if you've gone to dance, and you've then just been sitting around for the best part of 2 hours having to do things that you're not interested in. I guess it's possible that you may well have lost the will to live (or dance).

Indeed. And if it was her first one, she wouldn't have known what to expect. I only felt relaxed enough to feel ok about bunking off the "fun" stuff because I'd been to several before.

Chris

[Lounge Lizard]

Originally posted by TheTramp
Interesting. I was talking to a friend who went on this weekend. And she said that it was the worst Rock Bottoms event by a long way. In fact, she was so fed up after Saturday night, that she left early on the Sunday to go home - even though she'd originally planned on staying until the Monday. (Her reaction to previous Rock Bottoms events are that they've been totally brilliant, and I think that she's been on most (if not all) of them).

Her issues were that Saltdean is really out in the back end of beyond (if you don't have a car). At least at the other Rock Bottom events, you are in the town, so you can get out, and do something during the day(please don't anyone state the obvious about this being the same at Camber - this isn't a comparison between the two, it'd be like comparing apples and pears anyhow).

He main gripe though, was with the Saturday night. She apparently went downstairs for dancing at about 10pm (not unreasonable, given that she was planning on staying until the end). By the time the 'fun' class, the cabaret, and the silly game were over, by sometime after midnight, she felt that she'd had about 20 minutes of freestyle dancing, and was so fed up, that she went to bed. All of which, just ruined her weekend, so she left the next day.

She did however say that Adam and Tas' cabaret was absolutely brilliant. Although, she was less complimentary about the rest - including Roy and Janine's, which she thought was freestyle, and not a routine. Though, the fact that the cabaret section went on for about 40 minutes may well have had something to do with this....

Just goes to show that you can't please everyone all the time though I guess.

She is planning on feeding this back to Tor herself as well.

Steve
I have heard this from a number of sources now and complaints about Lindy/tango set on the Saturday night freestyle.
Hope feedback is given to RB team who try so hard to put on a great weekend.

[Sheepman]

Originally posted by ChrisA
so I bunked off after dinner, had a little nap and came down shortly before the cabaret which was scheduled for 11. Ah, so that's how you survived the 5 or 6 am finish, you young'sters have no stamina!

I wasn't at the Saltdean one, so my experience is also based on Ryde, but I agree with Chris, going to bed at midnight just isn't giving it a chance.

True Saltdean isn't Brighton, probably most people did go by car, but it is only a 20 minute bus ride into town. Rottingdean, with plenty of tea shops, pubs, and it's Kipling quaintness is less than 10 minutes walk away. But given the atrocious weather last w/e, who in their right mind would want to step out of the hotel anyway?

Yes there is plenty of daft stuff that goes on at Rock Bottoms, you're not forced to join in, but if you do, it will certainly put a smile on your face.

I'm glad I'm booked for the April one, especially as David and lily will be teaching again.

Greg

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by Sheepman
Ah, so that's how you survived the 5 or 6 am finish, you young'sters have no stamina!

Yeah, and I slept thru the Sunday breakfast class too... having seen your Satuday night outfit I was just too scared to chance it.:what: :really: :tears:

Quite happy to post a picture if people would like.. :devil:

[plankton]

Originally posted by Simon
Was I the only Forumite to attend Rock Bottoms in Brighton last weekend? Did I dream the whole thing? :confused:


No I was there..... my purple outfit was rather warm !



Apologies if there's a post somewhere else on the site but I've not spotted it. I'm still on a high from the event and wanted to share some of the outstanding moments I enjoyed. These included:

- Watching the rugby in a hotel bar full of jivers (including a bit of light-hearted banter aimed at the Australian contingent present, ie. Clayton! At least when the English were storming the first half).

- Excellent modern jive classes from Roy Asagba-Power and Janine Myers. Really useful moves taught with style and humour.

- A truly outstanding showcase from Adam (surname?) and Tas Beckett. Quite a few people who were sat around the edge of the dancefloor stood to applaud them at the end. They were awesome.
[/B]

agree this was the best showcase I have ever seen. I stood to applaud too. No wonder Rena was not too keen to go on afterward but their Boogie Woogie routine was excellent too.



- A terrific showcase from Roy and Janine that will surely win any competition they enter it into in the next year (but only if Adam and Tas don't compete :wink: )

- An inspired mix of music from JB, Russell "Strut Rocks" Payne and Sean "Strange". I've been to a couple of previous Rock Bottoms where there was a bit more emphasis on lindy music. That wasn't the case this time round and better for it.

~ snip ~

[/B]

The music was excellent but I like Lindy so was not quite so pleased. but the Blues was fantastic. Thanks to all those kind ladies who danced with me. :cheers:

The general standard of dancing was very high, on occasions the floorcraft not quite so good.

The only solution to overheating was a quick dip in the pool !
:yum: followed by emergency donuts to replace the energy loss.:yum: :yum:

I managed to survive untill close down each night. infact never made it to bed on Monday doesn't that blues keep going round and round in your head.


Keith

[Amanda Kremer]

Amanda from Edinburgh (come on Scotland who is this brilliant dancer? Tell me more),

Hi Simon

Sorry it's taken my so long to reply to your lovely compliment thank you - only I've been struggling with the technology (I'm only an IT Sales Consultant!!)

Are you Simon from the South-West (Bristol and that area?) If so, I really enjoyed dancing with you and am glad to hear you are going to RockBottoms at Torquay cos so am I - more of the same please. And RB in Brighton in April too.

I thought the whole event was fantastic and had a brilliant time and I exactly what you mean about the little touches of the RB's team which made it more special.

Happy dancing till then,
Amanda:)