Jive in Belfast!

[Lynn]

Just wanted to share with other forumites the news that we had our first regular freestyle in Belfast tonight. We have found a lovely venue with a great floor and its own sound system. We just played some music (mainly blues) for a couple of hours and people danced. Simple as that. There were only a dozen of us, but this was only arranged on Mon night so we hope to get more next week. We don’t have a teacher but have a couple of DVDs and are going to get a data projector and see if we can use those to learn some moves. The plan is to try and spend an hour learning moves then have an hour freestyle, with maybe one evening a month just freestyle. We have booked the venue for a month to start off with and see how we get on.

There has been no MJ in Belfast since April aside from the workshop and evening when LL came over and we have never had freestyles. But some of us were so enthused by our weekend in Southport that we are not prepared to just let MJ in NI fade away. It might be a bit strange running a regular MJ evening with no teacher, but it’s the best we can do at the moment!

I have received some PMs over the past few months from forumites with words of encouragement for MJ in Belfast or offering to come and teach a class so wanted to say thank you for the support as its much appreciated. :hug:

So if anyone is in Belfast for any reason please come along. We had a visiting forumite along tonight which was lovely. (Any visiting teachers especially welcome! :wink: )

[Rachel]

And it was brilliant, Lynn! (Sorry for such a late message - been catching up with work ...)

Thank you so much for picking me up and taking me along to your freestyle. The hall is great - such a fantastic floor - and everyone's so friendly, I had a wonderful time. I do hope to make it back again before too long. And next time I'll definitely bring Marc!

How did this week's session go?
Rachel x

[under par]

Well done to Lynn for flying the MJ flag in NI.

keep up the good work.

We really hope you get on well and find a local teacher soon.

Mrs Par and Me XX

[Lory]

:yeah: Well done Lynn :hug:

[Lynn]

Lovely to have you with us on our first evening Rachel :hug:

How did this week's session go?
A little bit disappointing as we had been hoping for more people and had about the same, (various people couldn't come for different reasons). But we had equal nos men/women and as we don't have a class, people were dancing, practicing moves and showing each other different moves so there was some learning going on. Though I'm concerned that we will get into bad habits doing that! (Especially the ones who are more 'beginner' MJ). We really need a teacher. :tears: We have the hall booked for the next 2 weeks and will see how numbers go and then decide how frequently to run evenings. Not sure how to market it - without any taught classes I can't really bring beginners in, which is what I want to do as well as provide somewhere for the current dancers to improve.

I would love to have 1 hours class (if I had a teacher!) then one hour freestyle and every 4th week just freestyle. To start with - it could be built up from there. But hey, the folk we do have are enthusiastic and that's great! :clap:

[Lynn]

Thanks UP and Lory for the words of encouragement! :hug:

Lynn

[Lynn]

We discussed our options and have decided to have our MJ evening once a month (difficult to sustain a weekly event with no teacher). Pity it wasn't more often :sad: but great that there is something happening and we have a venue. :grin: I'll just have to travel to more weekenders to go dancing :clap:

[drathzel]

are you going to do anyting for christmas? What monthly day/date will you be having it on?

[Graham]

I'd recommend having it before the 24th, Lynn :wink:

[drathzel]

I'd recommend having it before the 24th, Lynn :wink:


Oi you ... dont even think about it!!!

[Lynn]

are you going to do anyting for christmas? What monthly day/date will you be having it on? The next two planned evenings are first Wed in Nov and Dec, but that probably too early for a Christmas party, so we are checking availability nearer Christmas as well.

[drathzel]

The next two planned evenings are first Wed in Nov and Dec, but that probably too early for a Christmas party, so we are checking availability nearer Christmas as well.


well keep me informed and dont listen to graham! :hug:

[Lynn]

An update on our very small jive scene here…

A few of us are still getting together to dance on the first Wed of each month. After several emails, texts and phone calls from folk saying they couldn’t make it I expected there to be no-one there last night but there were 8 of us (5 men & 3 women) including one woman along for the first time. I just put on some music and we danced – but there was some learning too. People were asking each other how certain moves went (some even trying to learn a new move from a print out description from a website). There weren’t too many of us but we all enjoyed ourselves and it was nice the way everyone was helping one another. :hug: :clap:

Next month is our last night for this year and should get a turnout out of all our jivers and a few newer folk as well so looking forward to that! :grin:

(And of course our get together when Drathzel is here too! :grin: )

[drathzel]

An update on our very small jive scene here…

A few of us are still getting together to dance on the first Wed of each month. After several emails, texts and phone calls from folk saying they couldn’t make it I expected there to be no-one there last night but there were 8 of us (5 men & 3 women) including one woman along for the first time. I just put on some music and we danced – but there was some learning too. People were asking each other how certain moves went (some even trying to learn a new move from a print out description from a website). There weren’t too many of us but we all enjoyed ourselves and it was nice the way everyone was helping one another. :hug: :clap:

Next month is our last night for this year and should get a turnout out of all our jivers and a few newer folk as well so looking forward to that! :grin:

(And of course our get together when Drathzel is here too! :grin: )


Yeahy!!! Looking forward to it!

:flower:

[Lynn]

Went to a salsa charity dance last night, expected it to be smoky and crowded - but it was actually a lovely venue, easy parking, nice atmosphere, great floor - in fact I liked it so much I have booked it for a MJ post-Christmas party on Wed 29th Dec! :clap: Any forumites welcome!

[Lynn]

Just an update on the situation here, as there is some good news. :clap: 20 there last night, 7 of whom had never seen/danced MJ before. We showed them a few moves and some are definitely keen to learn more. Almost even match male/female so everyone was up dancing a lot of the time. Its really nice to get a few new folk along. Roll on Dec 29th party!

[drathzel]

Just an update on the situation here, as there is some good news. :clap: 20 there last night, 7 of whom had never seen/danced MJ before. We showed them a few moves and some are definitely keen to learn more. Almost even match male/female so everyone was up dancing a lot of the time. Its really nice to get a few new folk along. Roll on Dec 29th party!

Did you sell many tickets! Pm me!!!!!

[Lynn]

Roll on Dec 29th party! Well, Drathzel and I now have the party almost organised - all done by forum PMs! Its going to be a fun night!

[drathzel]

Well, Drathzel and I now have the party almost organised - all done by forum PMs! Its going to be a fun night!

All the music is sorted!!! Its going to be great, thanks lynn for co organising this, just so i can have a ceroc night in N.Ireland!!

Dx

[Lynn]

All the music is sorted!!! :clap: Must go and order the party balloons for the tables.

[drathzel]

:clap: Must go and order the party balloons for the tables.

And the helium, must not forget that!!! :hug: :clap:

[Lynn]

And the helium, must not forget that!!! :hug: :clap: Well I was going to get them to put that in the balloons already for me!

[drathzel]

Well I was going to get them to put that in the balloons already for me!

We can do it if its cheaper!!!

:hug:

[Lynn]

We can do it if its cheaper!!!

:hug: Rang a place in Lisburn, I'm going to call in tomorrow (as still have some last minute shopping to do anyway!) and look at what they have and order some.

[drathzel]

Rang a place in Lisburn, I'm going to call in tomorrow (as still have some last minute shopping to do anyway!) and look at what they have and order some.


woohoo!! This is going to be so much fun!!! :clap:

[Lynn]

Well our Belfast MJ Post Christmas Party was tonight – and it was a great success! :clap: We had more people than there has been at any MJ event in Belfast before and lots of new people along for a beginners class. And the best part of all – after the class all those beginners who had never done any MJ before were up dancing, mixing, and having fun!

Big thanks to Drathzel who co-organised it with me and who sorted the music, which kept people up on the floor. :hug:

We're planning on keeping MJ going here in Belfast, there is a growing core of people who want to learn. Any teachers who fancy a trip over here, let me know!

[Lynn]

And photos will follow...

[drathzel]

It was a huge success and at one point we counted 50 people! which is very good!! Everyone was giving something a go, even if its was't what you would call jive. Everyone seemed to grasp the moves and plenty of people wanted to know more!!!

Photos will follow however it will be the new year..... I may even have some press clipings!!!!

Well done lynn!! :clap:

P.S A Big shout out to MikRik who is a very good dancer (enjoyed the dances, must have some more next time!!)

:hug:

[Graham]

I may even have some press clipings!!!!
Well, to be fair to the press, telling tales is their job, really....... :wink:

[mikrik]

Iv'e found the thread at last !!!
I'm so poor at using forums , I am a confirmed e-mailer ; although I have to conceed that this is the only sensible way to keep up to date with the Jive scene as things in Belfast are more at the seedling stage , needing lots of TLC to sprout into a mighty Oak , or something .
Big Conrgats to to drathzel and Lynn for all the hard work they put into the Belfast Boatclub night . It was a roaring success for our local events , much appreciated by some of our other Salsa buddies who don't post anywhere .
Lets have more , and more ; please nicely

[Lynn]

Iv'e found the thread at last !!!
:clap:

Big Conrgats to to drathzel and Lynn for all the hard work they put into the Belfast Boatclub night . It was a roaring success for our local events And thanks for your help and support too Mikrik! :hug:

[drathzel]

I do have photos but they are in the wrong format so i am going to play about a bit and try and get them on in the next few days!!!! :hug:

[Lynn]

I do have photos but they are in the wrong format so i am going to play about a bit and try and get them on in the next few days!!!! :hug: :clap:

[drathzel]

Sorry about the delay on the photos, hope you like :nice:

[drathzel]

Here is a couple more photos from my photographer friend michael parker :waycool:

[Lynn]

OK - here goes (haven't attached a pic before!)

[Lynn]

It worked! :clap: