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Daniel Sandars
1st-March-2004, 03:21 PM
Lounge Lizard (Peter Phillips) Takes a Standing Ovation at the 2nd 'Jook Joint' Blues Party on the 28th of February in Ampthill, Bedfordshire. :)

The dancers just loved Peter’s music and followed him with constant enthusiasm from the comfort zone of Modern Jive music and deep into the unexplored reaches of the Blues. A good few tracks were completely novel to the dancers and many were asking Peter for details of this great new music!

The class, taken by Peter Phillips with the assistance of the brilliant and dazzling Rachel Pears, was a huge hit. During the party it was abundantly clear that the dancers were readily adopting and assimilating Peter’s moves and techniques into their own style. We look forward to teaming Peter and Rachel up in the near future for a workshop and another great party.

Peter was delighted with our new venue at the Parkside Dance Hall. He and many dancers felt that it was ideal, with an excellent parquet floor, good facilities and large enough to get in a good number of dancers yet small enough to retain the essential Blues intimacy and friendliness. The number of dancers attending was just right with many dancers marvelling that they good get in so much great freestyle, doing deep drops and leans without any danger of collisions or of being crowded-off the floor. :clap:

The crew had created a hugely inviting warm and intimate atmosphere of candles, blue light, and incense with tables laden with chocolates, sweets and other goodies. Some dancers even complained that their diets had not stood up to temptation. All were delighted when the ice-creams were served at eleven. Peter Phillips even delayed the announcement until he had got his first and was safely enjoying it on the stage. It is an idea that he wants to take and use at his own parties and events. :flower:

The Second Blues party was over 30% bigger than the first event in November. Some dancers were driving up to 60 miles in wintry and freezing weather just to be there. We look forward to building on this night with other great Blues events.

For further info see http://www.bluesdance.org.uk
BluesDance is a non-profit collection of dancers organizing events for fellow dancers who share a love of the Blues

Rachel
1st-March-2004, 04:49 PM
Wow, what a great review - thanks, Daniel! (You sound like a real marketing pro!) But you're right - Peter was fantastic, wasn't he?

It was a great night - I loved every minute. Plenty of people, but still more than enough room to dance comfortably. (Perhaps that's why the freestyles in the surrounding areas were so quiet!)

Thank you to you, too, for taking all the time and effort to organise it, decorate the hall, feed us chocolates, ice cream, coffees ... I'm very much looking forward to the next one!
Rachel

Yogi_Bear
1st-March-2004, 09:55 PM
Indeed - that ought to maintain plenty of interest for the next blues party in Ampthill. If only other events received such comprehensive reviews! Wish I had been there myself :cheers:

bigdjiver
2nd-March-2004, 04:17 AM
Originally posted by Rachel
Wow, what a great review - thanks, Daniel! (You sound like a real marketing pro!) But you're right - Peter was fantastic, wasn't he?

It was a great night - I loved every minute. Plenty of people, but still more than enough room to dance comfortably. (Perhaps that's why the freestyles in the surrounding areas were so quiet!)

Thank you to you, too, for taking all the time and effort to organise it, decorate the hall, feed us chocolates, ice cream, coffees ... I'm very much looking forward to the next one!
Rachel
I must add that Rachel was a superb demo, and it is always a pleasure to watch her and Mark dance. I made the attendance between 50 and 60, and most there blues novices, and some jive novices too. Peter played a Cerocable blues set, which kept everybody dancing, with a bit of Lindy to keep the swing dancers happy. I was very fortunate in most of my partners, though I was completely unable to lead one of the hotshot ladies. For me that revived all of the traumas of being a beginner male.

Lounge Lizard
2nd-March-2004, 09:28 AM
hi, thanks for the comments, it was a great night and well done to Daniel and crew for a job VERY well done.

Rachel was fantatic as ever - especially as the routine was made up on stage as we went along - this was deliberate, as it is a good way to pitch the lesson at the correct level of the dancers.

I look forward to the next one.
peter

jivecat
2nd-March-2004, 10:29 AM
[i]Originally posted by Rachel
(Perhaps that's why the freestyles in the surrounding areas were so quiet!)




Oh, I don't know, freestyles are like buses. Some Saturdays (like Feb 14, a sensitive date in anyone's calendar) nothing comes along at all, then this Saturday, four come along at once!

Daniel Sandars
2nd-March-2004, 03:00 PM
New dates for the "Jook Joint" Blues Parties.
Sat May 8th Joseph and Trisha Sewell lead an afternoon Blues Workshop and evening class, setting the scene for top DJ Rob McKim 'The Jive Jock' to take us into the Third 'Jook Joint' Blues Party:hug:

Sat July 3rd Nigel and Nina lead the finale of our first year... the Fourth 'Jook Joint' Blues Party :worthy:

Stop Press
We are teaming-up Peter Phillips with Rachel Pears to launch our second season with the Fifth Jook Joint Blues Party on or shortly after the 18th September.... With the promise of a workshop full of blues delights from Peter's massive repetoire of dance:clap:

Keep upto date get on the e-newsletter mr-postman@bluesdance.org.uk

NB. All workshop places are strictly limited (book early) so that the teachers can establish a rapport with every dancer and help them develop their dance in personal and friendly manner... quality counts!:flower:

:cheers:
Daniel & Stephanie Sandars:kiss:
on behalf of BluesDance

Rachel
2nd-March-2004, 04:12 PM
Thank you so much for such lovely comments - Peter, I'm amazed, you managed to keep smiling and stay so professional when I kept standing on your toes!! You were great all-round!

And BigDJiver - I thought it was you, who I saw there, but wasn't quite sure!! I never did manage to make it to the back of the hall where you were - what a shame we never got to speak or dance. Save me a dance next time, would you?
Rachel

Yogi_Bear
3rd-March-2004, 09:15 AM
Originally posted by Rachel
Thank you so much for such lovely comments - Peter, I'm amazed, you managed to keep smiling and stay so professional when I kept standing on your toes!! You were great all-round!

And BigDJiver - I thought it was you, who I saw there, but wasn't quite sure!! I never did manage to make it to the back of the hall where you were - what a shame we never got to speak or dance. Save me a dance next time, would you?
Rachel

Rachel - next time - save one for me, please?:flower:

Rachel
3rd-March-2004, 03:37 PM
Originally posted by Yogi_Bear
Rachel - next time - save one for me, please?:flower: Oh yes, definitely! Looking forward to meeting you. We don't know each other yet, do we? Or do we??
R.

bigdjiver
3rd-March-2004, 04:45 PM
Originally posted by Rachel
And BigDJiver - I thought it was you, who I saw there, but wasn't quite sure!! I never did manage to make it to the back of the hall where you were - what a shame we never got to speak or dance. Save me a dance next time, would you?
Rachel
Mostly I stayed down the beginner end where I belonged.

Rachel: One of my companions thought that you had obviously been ballet trained. True?

Daniel Sandars
3rd-March-2004, 07:17 PM
Hi Guys
I DID get a dance with Rachel.

What is more Rachel is now a permanent VIP at BluesDance to reward her for generously supporting us and volunteering to demo with Peter.

STOP PRESS
Lounge Lizard is teaming up with Rachel to launch BluesDance's second season at Parkside on the 9th October.

Daniel
http://www.bluesdance.org.uk

Yogi_Bear
3rd-March-2004, 09:03 PM
Originally posted by Rachel
Oh yes, definitely! Looking forward to meeting you. We don't know each other yet, do we? Or do we??
R.

Rachel - I don't think so (though possibly by sight). Perhaps I could get hold of a suitable Yogi Bear T-shirt, if that doesn't sound too awful...
But Bedford is definitely on my dancing map, even from Norwich.
YB

Rachel
4th-March-2004, 03:01 PM
Originally posted by bigdjiver
Mostly I stayed down the beginner end where I belonged.

Rachel: One of my companions thought that you had obviously been ballet trained. True? Beginner end? I don't think so!!! Next time I'll make a bee-line for you ....

Yes, quite right about the ballet - I've done ballet classes for almost 30 years (ouch!!!), though only for fun. I've never been any good at it at all.
Rachel

Rachel
4th-March-2004, 03:04 PM
Originally posted by Daniel Sandars
Hi Guys
I DID get a dance with Rachel.

What is more Rachel is now a permanent VIP at BluesDance to reward her for generously supporting us and volunteering to demo with Peter.
Yay!!!! Thank you so much for that - it's much more than I deserve, but I won't refuse the offer.

(Made me smile - where we work, VIP is Visually Impaired Person. Which is probably about right considering that I do most of my dancing with my eyes closed!)
R.

Rachel
4th-March-2004, 03:06 PM
Originally posted by Yogi_Bear
Rachel - I don't think so (though possibly by sight). Perhaps I could get hold of a suitable Yogi Bear T-shirt, if that doesn't sound too awful...
But Bedford is definitely on my dancing map, even from Norwich.
YB Well, I'll certainly find out who you are at the next Blues party - you are coming, aren't you? That's if I don't see you at Bedford beforehand. Looking forward to it!
R.

Daniel Sandars
5th-March-2004, 01:28 PM
Originally posted by Rachel
Oh yes, definitely! Looking forward to meeting you. We don't know each other yet, do we? Or do we??
R.

At the 3rd Jook Joint (May 8th) between last orders and ice-cream we will invite all the guys on the floor to form a circle and dance with Rachel to a nice long passionate number.;)

Anyone up for it?
Will she agree?

What track should I get the DJ to play? I think Etta James "I just want to make love to you" is unacceptably suggestive! or is it just good fun?

Daniel & Stephanie
http://www.bluesdance.org.uk

Yogi_Bear
5th-March-2004, 11:59 PM
Originally posted by Rachel
Well, I'll certainly find out who you are at the next Blues party - you are coming, aren't you? That's if I don't see you at Bedford beforehand. Looking forward to it!
R.

Rachel - yes; should be at
Ceroc Bedford freestyle on 2nd April and Ampthill blues party 8th of May.
YB

Daniel Sandars
15th-March-2004, 05:04 PM
The first set of pictures has now been added. Together with an earlier set form the GoodNight SweetHeart Blues Pyjama party.
http://www.bluesdance.org.uk/26758.html

All the best Daniel & Stephanie