Forum Power

[Paul F]

Can the forum make or break a venue?

Looking back over the threads I noticed that each week a thread appears concerning where to dance the following weekend.
IMO this is great and should happen every week as it helps people get together with friends and enjoy a dance or six.

What it also means is that a large number of dancers, a lot of whom are very experienced, tend to converge on the same venue on a given day. That got me thinking and I wondered if its possible that the forum could cause, or at least contribute to, the success/failure of a night.
This convergence is great for the targetted night but do the other nights suffer as a result?

Its the old issue of "Im going to venue x because so and so is going to be there".


May the forum force be with you :flower:

< I was very tempted to put the word "Discuss" at the end but I hate that :nice: >

[KatieR]

Can the forum make or break a venue?

Looking back over the threads I noticed that each week a thread appears concerning where to dance the following weekend.
IMO this is great and should happen every week as it helps people get together with friends and enjoy a dance or six.

What it also means is that a large number of dancers, a lot of whom are very experienced, tend to converge on the same venue on a given day. That got me thinking and I wondered if its possible that the forum could cause, or at least contribute to, the success/failure of a night.
This convergence is great for the targetted night but do the other nights suffer as a result?

Its the old issue of "Im going to venue x because so and so is going to be there".


May the forum force be with you :flower:

< I was very tempted to put the word "Discuss" at the end but I hate that :nice: >

I dont know that it would make or break a venue, perhaps in very extreme circumstances where the venue wasn't busy in the first place and the only people attending were forumites. IMHO the forum makes up for only a small part of the Modern Jive Community in the UK. If you removed the forum you would still have a very large number of people still dancing. I know about 4 or 5 people already in my immediate circle who dance who aren't on the forum and thats not including their friends who dance either.

It is however, a great way to initially meet people, if it hadn't been for the forum I wouldn't have some of the fantastic friends I have now, but you can't restrict yourself to only go when other forum people are there. Well I dont anyway.

[Tessalicious]

Can the forum make or break a venue?

Looking back over the threads I noticed that each week a thread appears concerning where to dance the following weekend.
IMO this is great and should happen every week as it helps people get together with friends and enjoy a dance or six.

What it also means is that a large number of dancers, a lot of whom are very experienced, tend to converge on the same venue on a given day. That got me thinking and I wondered if its possible that the forum could cause, or at least contribute to, the success/failure of a night.
This convergence is great for the targetted night but do the other nights suffer as a result?

Its the old issue of "Im going to venue x because so and so is going to be there".


May the forum force be with you :flower:

< I was very tempted to put the word "Discuss" at the end but I hate that :nice: >Within each of the major groups by location that chat on the forum, and talk about venues, there is such a sociability between forumites that a small group heading for a venue can result in additional groups and stragglers turning up, which for many of us makes an evening more enjoyable. That isn't necessarily because of the improved overall standard of dancing at the venue but instead because of the presence of friends to dance/chat with - the comfort zone if you will, even in a new venue. Of course for the more contrary forumites, the presence of others from here will put them off a venue - but what can you do?

For the rest of the dancing community - those who are quite rightly oblivious to the forumite gaggle descending (or not) on their home venue - I think it makes very little difference beyond the fleeting observation of 'wasn't it busy this evening, Ethel?'

[El Salsero Gringo]

Within each of the major groups by location that chat on the forum, and talk about venues, there is such a sociability between forumites that a small group heading for a venue can result in additional groups and stragglers turning up, which for many of us makes an evening more enjoyable. That isn't necessarily because of the improved overall standard of dancing at the venue but instead because of the presence of friends to dance/chat with - the comfort zone if you will, even in a new venue. Of course for the more contrary forumites, the presence of others from here will put them off a venue - but what can you do?

For the rest of the dancing community - those who are quite rightly oblivious to the forumite gaggle descending (or not) on their home venue - I think it makes very little difference beyond the fleeting observation of 'wasn't it busy this evening, Ethel?'You've been at the gin again, haven't you?

[David Bailey]

Looking back over the threads I noticed that each week a thread appears concerning where to dance the following weekend.
It's great for "what's happening this weekend" info, sure - and great for feedback, which I notice now seems a little more balanced than it used to be.

In terms of actual feet-on-floor, the difference it's not trivial, but it's not massive either. Even if you have a big forumite presence - say, 20 or so - at a venue, that's probably no more than 10% of a big venue's figures.

(But of course, I'm only talking about posting-forumites, not lurking-forumites. It's difficult / impossible to tell how useful a thread is with this larger group, in terms of advertising, or marketing. Like all marketing activities, really!)


What it also means is that a large number of dancers, a lot of whom are very experienced, tend to converge on the same venue on a given day.
Yeah, and they all clump together as well, the miserable gits.


That got me thinking and I wondered if its possible that the forum could cause, or at least contribute to, the success/failure of a night.
This convergence is great for the targetted night but do the other nights suffer as a result?
That only makes sense if you're using a redistribution-of-dancers model, rather than a dancer-creation model :)

I don't think there's a fixed number of good dancers, and one venue's success is always at the expense of another's. Good venues promote more dancing, which I think leads to more venues - look at the growth in weekenders for an example of this in action.

And one venue trying to "close down" another venue will (IMO) rarely work - dancers, especially experienced dancers, go where the fun is.

The Forum is a good way to transmit information about venues, but it can't make a venue good - and more to the point, if a venue is not good, the feedback will reflect that.

So a big forum presence is a double-edged sword for most venues. With the exception of Jango, but only boring people go there anyway.

Oh, and the Ten control the forum (had to mention them somewhere...)


Of course for the more contrary forumites, the presence of others from here will put them off a venue - but what can you do?
Yeah? Come over here and say that... :puts fist up icon:

[Paul F]

One of the examples of why I posted this thread was the Cheshunt/Hipsters debate the other week.

It appeared that there were quite a few people who were destined for Cheshunt who turned up at the BFFF. This is great but I cant help but think it was down to the forum that this happened.
I know the forum represents a small proportion of the dancers but I also think it represents a substantially larger proportion of the more experienced dancers. This effect is exaggerated through the 'influence' factor on casual browsers of these hallowed pages. They see a thread for a particular night and decide to go along.

When I found out about Peter Pillips' twickenham night had closed down I was dissapointed as it sounded great. Again, if 'the 10' had posted informing the rest of us they were going I get the feeling that the night would have survived. (all the ingredients seemed to be there)

Could it just be concentrated advertising? Thats my attempt to sound business-savvy :blush:

[El Salsero Gringo]

One of the examples of why I posted this thread was the Cheshunt/Hipsters debate the other week.

It appeared that there were quite a few people who were destined for Cheshunt who turned up at the BFFF. This is great but I cant help but think it was down to the forum that this happened. And about a dozen or more (from memory) who went to Cheshunt - who otherwise might have gone to Ealing, including me.

Overall, I can't see that it makes much difference.

[Lou]

I think it makes very little difference beyond the fleeting observation of 'wasn't it busy this evening, Ethel?'

As it happens, in Bristol we always make a point of going wherever Ethel goes. :D

[David Bailey]

One of the examples of why I posted this thread was the Cheshunt/Hipsters debate the other week.
Strangely enough, happens every month. Funny that :)


It appeared that there were quite a few people who were destined for Cheshunt who turned up at the BFFF. This is great but I cant help but think it was down to the forum that this happened.
"Destined"? Bit strong...

I remember posting a complete and wonderful comparison of the two venues (http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/showthread.php?p=146457#post146457). Both venues are successful, and they're far enough away from each other to not be too much competition in my opinion.


I know the forum represents a small proportion of the dancers but I also think it represents a substantially larger proportion of the more experienced dancers. This effect is exaggerated through the 'influence' factor on casual browsers of these hallowed pages. They see a thread for a particular night and decide to go along.
I'm not convinced that the forum has any large effect on real life, except possibly on specific occasions such as the weekenders, where there may be 100 or so gathered together. Most of the rest of the time, I believe any "influence" is limited to that of any other information-medium.

I'd also like to think most forumites are ornery and adult enough make up their own minds and go wherever the hell they want to, but maybe that's just me.

Anyway, the real power lies elsewhere...

When I found out about Peter Pillips' twickenham night had closed down I was dissapointed as it sounded great. Again, if 'the 10' had posted informing the rest of us they were going
Yeah, but that'd have meant blowing their cover... Hold on a second though:

As it happens, in Bristol we always make a point of going wherever Ethel goes
Aha - the Bristolean Ten member surfaces! One down, nine to go...

[Tiggerbabe]

< I was very tempted to put the word "Discuss" at the end but I hate that :nice: >
You and me both Paul :hug:

[Lynn]

Looking back over the threads I noticed that each week a thread appears concerning where to dance the following weekend.
IMO this is great and should happen every week as it helps people get together with friends and enjoy a dance or six.

What it also means is that a large number of dancers, a lot of whom are very experienced, tend to converge on the same venue on a given day. Funny you should say that, I think there may be a few forumites in Glasgow this weekend.:wink:

[Baruch]

As it happens, in Bristol we always make a point of going wherever Ethel goes. :D
I wonder if we could persuade Ethel to visit us in Cardiff too? :)

[philsmove]

As it happens, in Bristol we always make a point of going wherever Ethel goes. :D

I have noticed Ethel has been missing recently
So I guess I’m going to the wrong venues
If GW knows were Ethel is going this weekend can he let us know

[Gadget]

psst... she'll be in Glasgow :wink:

[Clive Long]

psst... she'll be in Glasgow :wink:
She's supposed to be seeing me!

Hussy! :mad:

Ethel - we're finished ! :look to the hand icon:

[Lou]

I have noticed Ethel has been missing recently
So I guess I’m going to the wrong venues
I see she's joined the Forum (http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/member.php?u=1673). :eek: That's a scary thought....

[ElaineB]

I see she's joined the Forum (http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/member.php?u=1673). :eek: That's a scary thought....

She sometimes goes dressed in disguise............heard she does a wicked impersonation of Elvis!


Elaine

[CeeCee]

Welcome to the Forum, EthelGlad to see that Ethel has finally joined the Forum, she's been talking about it for ages.

Ethel is still a bit shy so she asked me to tell you about when she went to Surbiton last Wednesday and had a fantastic time. The beginners and intermediate classes were taken by Val and Dave, unfortunately, they're not there every week but perhaps they should be, Ethel said they are great.

Ethel particularly enjoyed the class because there were ten men over, she told all of her friends and they were so envious.

Then she loved the freestyle before really enjoying the demonstration for the advanced class. Ethel said that Simon was really on form and even more energetic than usual with his review of previous classes. Ethel liked the fact that the advanced class took place downstairs at the same time as the intermediate class upstairs so she had more time for freestyle afterwards.

Ethel is quite a girl and thought that the advanced class was a real cracker with around 70 dancers, she particularly enjoyed the Valentino which was oh so popular with the ladies and the Swayze dip which was a real cool dip.

Ethel said you really should get yourselves down there, she knows you'll have fun in the classes, the freestyle and in the pub across the road afterwards. Ethel thinks it's funny the way the pub has given up trying to throw the cerocers out because they are usually having too much fun to listen to them yelling "time to go now", "haven't you got homes to go to" "blah blah blah"

Go on Ethel be brave and send your own post next time.

[David Bailey]

Ethel is still a bit shy so she asked me to tell you about when she went to Surbiton { ... etc. }
Have you been trying Tessalicious' gin?