Aberdeen Beach Ballroom

[Freya]

Just Curious but who all is gonna be at the Beach ballroom this weekend??

Would love to meet some of you guys in the Flesh and see others again.:flower:

I'll be at the Beach Ballroom on Sat Night and The Northern Hotel on Sunday!

Freya xXx

[ducasi]

I'll be there for a couple of the workshops, and at the Beach Ballroom! :nice:

Anyone else coming up and staying at the Station Hotel?

Really looking forward to meeting all the lovely people of Aberdeen again... :D

Oh, I guess I better confirm my pencilled-in booking... :blush:

[TheTramp]

I'm DJing both the Saturday and Sunday nights...

Not sure about the workshops yet.

Look forward to seeing you :flower:

[Freya]

Trampy... Ducasi Did one of you turn this into a Poll??

[TheTramp]

Nope. We don't have the power to do that. Must have been Franck (who also voted on it!) :rolleyes:

[Tiggerbabe]

Oh, I guess I better confirm my pencilled-in booking... :blush:
All inked up! :waycool:

[ducasi]

All inked up! :waycool:
Excellent... Saved me a PM. :nice:

I was getting round to it, honest... :innocent:

[Freya]

Nope. We don't have the power to do that. Must have been Franck (who also voted on it!) :rolleyes:
Ahhhh Cool! Was curios! Take it he voted that he wasn't going :confused: ???

[Freya]

Never mind forget last post just figured out how you can see who voted what!!!! :rofl:

I should've been blonde:blush:

[janey]

I'll be there for the Saturday workshops & the Beach Ballroom :clap: :clap:

See you there!!

[janey]

Anyone else from Inverness going????

Its practically next door :D

[Tiggerbabe]

Yes, Nessa and Ade are going, Saturday workshops and party.

[Dance Demon]

Mrs DD and me are coming up to the Saturday night party, and staying over at the Patio:clap: :clap:

[Tiggerbabe]

Hey DD, maybe we'll get a dance :clap:

[Dance Demon]

Hey DD, maybe we'll get a dance :clap:

Indupitably:D ..or maybe two:wink: ....You DJing Sheena?

[Piglet]

Well done for this thread Freya cos its reminded me I've got to find out where the Friday night party is on... must look, must look... Mind you, I'd find it anyway, cos if its not one then its the other hotel or I'd just have to go home and look it up on the net.

Wish I could take some of these lovely dancers in Gloucester, Worcester and Cardiff home with me, but maybe they'll make another BB!

Can't wait.... :hug:

[TheTramp]

Well done for this thread Freya cos its reminded me I've got to find out where the Friday night party is on...
Friday and Sunday parties are both in the Northern Hotel...

Sheena and Sheepy are DJing on the Friday, and I'll be doing the Sunday.

[Freya]

Well done for this thread Freya cos its reminded me I've got to find out where the Friday night party is on... must look, must look... Mind you, I'd find it anyway, cos if its not one then its the other hotel or I'd just have to go home and look it up on the net.

Wish I could take some of these lovely dancers in Gloucester, Worcester and Cardiff home with me, but maybe they'll make another BB!

Can't wait.... :hug:
:rofl: Sounds like you hun!!! At least Aberdeens not too big a place!! Either that or txt someone!!! ;)

Just thought I'd be my usual nosey self and find out who i might see there!

[Piglet]

Friday and Sunday parties are both in the Northern Hotel...

Sheena and Sheepy are DJing on the Friday, and I'll be doing the Sunday.
Thank you honey! Thought they were, but needed to check. Won't make the Sunday until very late (if that :tears: ) cos I'm seeing Tom that night :D but I'm hoping to do both :devil:

(Hope that slow mud didn't get you last night!)

[Tiggerbabe]

Indupitably:D ..or maybe two:wink: ....You DJing Sheena?
Nope, not on Saturday - so look out boys (and girls)! I'm dancing ALL night :clap:

[Lorna]

Hi,

I have my weekend pass too. So will be doing the the Sat and Sun parties and watching the workshops on Sun.

See you all there.

Lotsa love lorna x-x

[DaveD]

Nope, not on Saturday - so look out boys (and girls)! I'm dancing ALL night :clap:

Maybe I'll get a dance too - providing my cheque doesn't bounce .. :blush:

[Dance Demon]

Maybe I'll get a dance too - providing my cheque doesn't bounce .. :blush:

Just as long as your hand doesn't bounce when you're dancing the ladies will be happy:D

[Cruella]

Leaving home in 30 ninutes to go to the airport. I hope you Scots are ready for me.:D Looking forward to some great dancing and company. :flower:

[Msfab]

Leaving home in 30 ninutes to go to the airport. I hope you Scots are ready for me.:D Looking forward to some great dancing and company. :flower:

GOOD LUCK SCOTLAND!!!! Especially Aberdeen!

Cruella > Cap > Crossa?

[Cruella]

GOOD LUCK SCOTLAND!!!! Especially Aberdeen!

Cruella > Cap > Crossa?
In my suitcase. Cheers love!!!:innocent:

[DaveD]

Just as long as your hand doesn't bounce when you're dancing the ladies will be happy:D

Plenty of things bounce - not the hand though :wink:

[ducasi]

No-one got anything to say about the Beach Ballroom weekend? Or are you all still in your beds after partying 'til 7 in the morning?

I had a rare old time. Nice to see everyone there, even the ones who didn't recognise me... ;)

Thanks to absolutely everyone. So many great dances. :flower:

You can read more about it all in my blog. Just click here (http://ducasi.org/blog/2006/04/17/beach-ballroom-weekend-val-dave/). :)

[Caro]

No-one got anything to say about the Beach Ballroom weekend?

Brilliant week end AGAIN!!!! :respect: :D :clap:

The workshops with Val and Dave were absolutely great, and even quite challenging on the sunday! (corkscrew anybody? :wink: )

As usual parties were fantastic, and I had a great time! It was good to see all the dancers from around scotland as well as the usual faces! ... thanks everybody for some wonderful dances!

Huge thanks again to Franck, Sheena, and those who DJ-ed and helped to organise! :respect: :kiss:

[The Passion Harem]

Another fantastic Beach Ballroom. Thank you Sheena (Franck told me you did all the work:respect: ) and Franck (a great wee chat on the Sunday:respect: ) for a great weekend.

The after party party in Sheena's room was great. I enjoyed Val & Dave's company, they are a really nice couple. Thank you Val for the dance (Fever), it was one of my best of the night :flower: . Dave you are an expert (well better than me) at opening Champagne :cheers: .

Cruella - Nice to see and dance with you again. :flower:

Tramp did an excellent set on the Saturday. :waycool:

Nice to see Piglet again, if only to say hello.

Thank you all for the dances on Saturday night :hug:

[Freya]

No-one got anything to say about the Beach Ballroom weekend? Or are you all still in your beds after partying 'til 7 in the morning?

Well 4 on Friday night, 6 on Saturday and 3.30 on sunday night! Up by 9 every morning tho!!! Eek!!! :eek:

Had a fantastic time On Friday, Saturday and Sunday Nights!!!! No Workshops for me!

Must say it's been my favorite BB so far (Only been to 3 tho!) Thanx Sheena and Franck and steve for DJing and playing fantastic music!
:respect: :respect: :respect:

Ducasi great to meet you I had a fabulous dance! :hug:
Franck My dance was amazing! Couldn't have asked for a better one!:awe:
Sheepman Good to finally meet you! Thanx for the lovely dances!:D
IainL some fantastic dances on sunday night will have to come down to London at some point!:grin:

Can't belive how awesome the whole weekend was!

Freya xXx

[melb]

Arms are aching!!! Body feels like it has done a couple of rounds in a boxing match. But it was all worth it!

What a fantastic weekend :clap: Val and Dave are amazing teachers and made the workshops very enjoyable and fun (Corkscrew anyone??). :respect: to Lorna for the skirt moment (Honestly didnt see a thing :hug:)

Thank you Franck and Sheena for a great weekend and of course Steve for the music :kiss:

Thanks to my wonderful partner Jammy for putting up with me the whole weekend and Cheeks and Shortstuff my travelling buddies (What a laugh):rofl:

Cant wait for June!!

Melb

[Tiggerbabe]

It was an absolutely brilliant weekend, Friday's party was great and Greg played some awesome tracks to get us in the Bluesy mood. Val and Dave are definitely party animals too :respect: what a laugh!

The workshops were fab! I've learned some amazing new moves, which I hope I can follow if anyone tries them tonight - and I got some brilliant pics of everyone else trying the corkscrew - so how much, not to post them? Tee hee hee :whistle:

Saturday's party was the best one I think I've been to - so many amazing dancers :love: :worthy: special thanks to Brian from Edinburgh for a great "Slowboat" and to Franck for showing us all "the sexy look" :rofl:

Sorry to have missed last night's party, but hoping to catch Sheepy at the Invercarse for a last boogie before he heads home :tears:

[jammy]

where do i start well i start here
Thanks to my wonderful partner Jammy for putting up with me the whole weekend and Cheeks and Shortstuff my travelling buddies (What a laugh)
no thank u for puttin up with me!

what a weekend was brilliant!so many things to say i know i will forget some of it will have to do another post later but thankz frank and tiggerbabe i really enjoyed myself thankz to val and dave workshops were brill and thankz to mel for doing them with me im sure theres a few fab moves we picked up and will definitely practice. and also need to practice the corkscrew with trampy but willl try remember to were a long sleeved top next time lol. dont know if i should thank val for my new nickname:rofl: (dont ask). well all thoes workshops have made me sore all over. the partys were brill all in there diffrent ways. loved the music at them all had so many great dances the whole weekend also had loads of great dances as a follower

it was also great seein loads of people i dont get to see alot like di and little em and all the people not from glasgow hehe

well thats all for just now hehe


ill be bak
jammy xxxx

[DaveD]

Just echoing all the comments above - great weekend thanks to Sheena & franck :respect: Enjoyed the Saturday workshops. Shame I missed the Sunday ones - can someone show me the corkscrew :wink:

Nice to meet & dance with Cruella (not to mention all the "regulars" I also got to dance with)

Hope to get to the next one in June

Dave

[Caro]

Arms are aching!!! Body feels like it has done a couple of rounds in a boxing match.
Melb

:yeah: so true! the whole right hand side of my body especially! wonder why :whistle:
hope Gadget is ok!!! :flower: am afraid the corksrew might have killed him! and thanks again by the way Gadget for partnering with me! :hug:

[Piglet]

Nice to see Piglet again, if only to say hello.
:tears: I can't believe that I missed a dance with you :tears:
Serves me right for not making the Saturday night!

I did manage to make a couple of hours on the Friday and the music was fantastic so thanks Tiggerbabe and Sheepman. I didn't want to leave when I did, but my thumping head told me otherwise - that was one of the best Friday nights I've been at in a long time, so I'm not surprised to hear the Beach Ballroom event was one of the best.

And thanks to Ducasi for the wee practice on Sunday. It took me a while to realise why my thigh was sore today - didn't think it had anything to do with being with my boyfriend :rofl: Actually I did at first but I couldn't make sense of it! :eek: I really must get into yoga before we try that Aussie move again!! :hug: :hug:

[The Passion Harem]

How could I forget ducasi :blush: , a BIG thank you for the tunes on your iPod on the Sunday dude. I had the best chill out dances to your selection. Argentine Tango with tattie(:flower: ) was fab and the slow ones with Isabelle just :awe:

[Crossa]

No-one got anything to say about the Beach Ballroom weekend?
Had a fab weekend:clap: first time in Aberdeen, thanks to Franck and Sheena for all their efforts and Val and Dave for the challenging but relaxed workshops :respect:

corkscrew!! any excuse to get a lady between your legs!! Thanks Doune for being my partner!:flower:

Lots of people with sore muscles!! anyone want a strength & conditioning programme before the next one?:rolleyes:

I didn't make it on Friday but quality tunes from Trampy Sat and Sunday :respect:

Great to see and dance with Cruellla thanks, for bringing up my hat, hope you had a good trip home.:flower:

Lots of lovely dances, too many to mention!! well maybe just one: Late night Salsa and Tango lunges in Estamanee:)

Got to know the Dundee crowd a bit better and met lots of new people from Aberdeen, special thanks to Tim and Freya for their hospitality on Sunday evening:flower: :cheers:

[Freya]

Lots of lovely dances, too many to mention!! well maybe just one: Late night Salsa and Tango lunges in Estamanee

:yeah: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Great Fun! Not sure if it was the Wind down expected after the BB!


special thanks to Tim and Freya for their hospitality on Sunday evening
Any Time! Although I will be expecting the same sort of hospitality if i ever make it down to edinburgh!!!:wink: (Hmmmm :rolleyes: been cheking the Calender!)

Arms are aching!!! Body feels like it has done a couple of rounds in a boxing match. But it was all worth it!
My neck and shoulders were aching! As Well as my jaw! Probably too much too soon (All 3 Parties)! The Price We Pay!

Lots of people with sore muscles!! anyone want a strength & conditioning programme before the next one?
Or Some Physio Following? (Trying to Drum up some Business are we?:wink:)

[Dave T]

Just adding my thanks for all those that contributed to a wonderful weekend, be that organisers or fellow attendees.

Special thanks to Val & Dave for the Saturday workshops and the cheeky routine for the Saturday night class (have you recovered yet Freya? :rofl: )

Roll on the next one (good job it's not addictive :whistle: )

:cheers:
Dave

[Freya]

Special thanks to Val & Dave for the Saturday workshops and the cheeky routine for the Saturday night class (have you recovered yet Freya? :rofl: )

Just about I think! :grin:

Roll on the next one (good job it's not addictive :whistle: )

Nah! It's not like i'm currently working out PArties I can get to in Edinburgh and Glasgow or Anything :whistle: :wink:

[Gadget]

As with most events that last over a few days, everything is a bit blurred and sorting out the exact order of events is not too accurate :rolleyes: First, a huge :hug: and thank you to everyone - some amazing dancing, amazing dances, some amazing dancers. Beautiful bodies enwrapped in beautiful dresses enwrapped in not quite so beautiful leads. :wink::flower:

Friday party: Sheena started the weekend with some funky and "bouncy" tracks, gradually smoothing into some blusey tunes for Sheepy to take over and slink into the night with. Nice fast floor with just about perfect numbers (floor was not too busy with plentiful variety of dancers to dance with). Not too impressed with the bar charges, but that's about the only thing I can find to moan about :D I had a great time. Nice to see Val & Dave getting stuck in as soon as the plane touched down. :respect:

Saturday workshops: The teaching was really good. Paced about right, covering everything they needed to with a few tips and techniques thrown in. They made sure that they danced with everyone and gave one-on-one feedback.
I think I have discovered a lot of where my "side-on" problem lies; the slotted thing encourages it: If you're lazy like me, you get out of the follower's 'slot', but then don't step back onto it to re-establish the connection. :blush:
{As a brief aside, I'm getting increasingly puzzled with everyone teaching this "WCS Slotted" style as if it's an amazing cure-all and the best thing to happen to MJ since Cronin. From day 1 we are taught to dance in a slot. :confused: We line up in rows and all the moves are taught parallel to the stage. Yes; teach control of your partner and yourself; teach floorcraft and positioning; teach the difference between static and flowing leading. But why associate it with WCS?}
Introduction to blues still hasn't explained to me what 'blues' is, although it did highlight something I have had issues with for a while - how to get a nice transition from the 'blues' holds to a "move" and back again. I'm not sure that I learned anything new from what was being taught in the workshops, but I love having one-on-one time with a partner to work on things.

Saturday party: :waycool: Need I say more? I moved from one brilliant dancer to the next in an endless stream of music. As ever, the lights go up and the music stops only to discover that I missed a few people. So :flower: and thank you to everyone that made it such a great night. Especially the visiting ambassadors.

Sunday workshops: Interesting that safety wasn't hammered in too much. Not a criticism; I think that Val & Dave looked at everyone and made a call as to how familiar with each other we were and how 'controlled' our dancing was.
{Caro deserves big :hug::kiss: for putting up with me and my inability to recall the correct sequence of events in a move :blush:}

It highlighted to me a couple of things that I will have to overcome if I ever want to be any good at the flashy stuff:

- I need to put as much trust and faith in my partner as they do in me. As a lead, I practice being the 'core' of the dance and something stable for the follower to work from. Releasing this control to 'trust' them is something I personally find really difficult. For a lot of flash stuff, counterbalance is required; this can't be achieved by muscle power alone.

- It's a lot easier if you build up of a micro-routine (or even a simple 'preparation move') to set yourself up and give each other fore-warning as to the flash move coming up. In fact it could be almost impossible (and dangerous) not to.

- Timing and positioning combine to be the key to many moves - the timing of when you catch/prepare to catch and exactly where the follower is in relation to yourself need to be accurate. Being out of time/position at the start is multiplied by the time you reach the end.

These can only really be developed with a regular partner to practice with. Give a couple hundred more times doing the moves and I might get the nuances of them :sick:
BTW: :respect: to Val & Dave for surviving another of Franck's after party party's :D {I swear that they are getting more renowned than the events that precede them! :what:}

Sunday party :cool:Chilled dancing in a hot atmosphere. Smooth wind down with lots of bluesy dances.

My shoulders are a bit tense today, as are a few other muscles. I have to 'pay' for some of the excesses of the weekend by not dancing tonight :tears: I suppose it will give a chance for all the pop and fizzle to crystallise :D

[Lorna]

Hello everyone,

am now just about fully recovered from the sickness bug I got on Sunday evening. YUK!! I had to stop 4 times on the way home to be sick. The 5th time I couldn't stop (motorway). :sick: :sick: :sick:

As a result, I had to go home early and couldn't teach a class at the Sunday party. Nevermind, I'm sure Trampy kept you all amused.

I had such a great time at the party on Sat. There were so many great dancers there. It was one of the best BB parties i have been to.

Some of my dancers from Brechin were there. I hope they really enjoyed themselves. Was a good night to choose for their first BB.

Thank you for all the dances. :worthy: And apologies to those that I didn't get to dance with. :flower:

Really enjoyed the workshop that I did on Sunday. Wasn't planning on doing them, hence the skirt. My arms were really sore from that corkscrew. :sad:
Thank you Val and Dave. Fabulous teaching.

Roll on June!!

Lotsa love Lorna x-x

[TheTramp]

I had a great weekend. Arriving on Friday night, the music played by Greg and Sheena was great. And the party after the party was rather good fun too.

Nice to see Dave & Val again. It's been a while. Enjoyed the workshops.

Had a very good time on the Saturday night. Had an absolutely fantastic time on the Sunday night. Some very enjoyable dances on the Saturday, and the Sunday nights dancing was the best I've had so far this year.

Will miss the next beach ballroom as I'll be away. But already looking forward to the one in November.

[Little Monkey]

I had a fab time!

Great music and lots of space on the dance floor on Friday night, and some nice dancers, too! Oh, and the sweets.... :drool:

The after party party in Sheena's room Friday night was a laugh, too! Val is a Very Naughty Girl! Oh, and going through the photos on Greg's digi camera the other day, we came acros a video clip..... The footage wasn't that thrilling (hotel room carpet:rolleyes: ), but the sound recording was very interesting indeed! I wonder how much we could get Val or Franck to pay us for not releasing that material on the internet...... :whistle: :rofl:

Had a good time on Saturday night, too, despite being drugged to the eyeballs on painkillers, and only having had about 3 1/2 hours sleep the previous night...... Apparently I gave the word / phrase 'space cadet' a whole new meaning....:what: But still managed to have some cracking dances!

Oh, and the music was good too, at least the last couple of hours of it!:wink:

[Cruella]

The after party party in Sheena's room Friday night was a laugh, too! Val is a Very Naughty Girl! Oh, and going through the photos on Greg's digi camera the other day, we came acros a video clip..... The footage wasn't that thrilling (hotel room carpet:rolleyes: ), but the sound recording was very interesting indeed! I wonder how much we could get Val or Franck to pay us for not releasing that material on the internet...... :whistle: :rofl:


Actually, i'll pay you for it!! The after dance parties are part of the reason for coming up to the Beach Ballroom. Laughed so much my sides ached. 32DD bet she doesn't remember that bit.:innocent: The dance on friday was a good catch up time for me socially. The music from Greg and Sheena was too good, i was getting frustrated at not having enough men to dance with. :rolleyes: But the ones i had were lovely.:flower:
Sat i spent out and about with local dance friends, Brian you were great company thanks. Not sure the walk in the rain and the dance along the seafront was the best way to impress a girl though. :rofl:
We went to see Take the Lead which was a nice film but not outstanding, Good soundtrack though.
After the most yummiest meal on Sat night, (It was worth the journey to Scotland just to taste Karens Banoffee Pie :drool: ) We made our way to The Beach Ballroom feeling far too full to dance. Although the music was too mainstream for my taste at the beginning of the night it mellowed into more my sort of music later in the evening. Had an exhausting nights dancing and it's the first time i've been to a venue where the floor was so well sprung that if you sat in the chair you felt like you were bouncing up and down.:D Sorry Ducasi for not recognising you :flower: I promise i will next time. So many friendly people as usual in Scotland and a bit worryingly a few that seemed to know who i was when i'd never met them before. :sick: Whatever you were told it's all lies!
Stayed sat night in Ellon (I think thats right?) Lovely scenic countryside and a great host. :hug: The easter Bunny even left me an easter egg outside my bedroom door! Chilled day sun eating sleeping and talking. Perfect.
Back to dance on sunday night. Where i was forced , sorry requested :D to demo in the class. Trampys music was sublime and it was a really lovely way to finish off the weekend. Thanks Steve for playing Angie Stone as that extra track for Jamie and I. :hug:
The entertaining dance by Steve and Jamie was so good. Absolutely brilliant.:respect:
Back to Vonneys for more Banoffee Pie and to listen to Trampys music collection. Wow, he's got some good music. Looking forward to him playing some of the new stuff at Southport. :wink: No pressure Steve :rofl:
Blimey, that was a long post, but i was being nagged for a review so thought i'd make it a full one.:D
Back to the diet now though before i visit Scotland again. :sick:

[janey]

Just got over a nasty fluey bug thing I've had since the Aberdeen weekend & catching up on forum reading...

Had a fantastic time - the workshops were brilliant although I'm not sure if I'll ever get the hang of blues. Great to have some fellow Invernessians (real word??:what:) making the journey as well.

Thanks to everyone I danced with - Gadget, Trampy, Passionharem, Jammy, Neil, Dave & anyone else who's name I didn't get. :love:

Thanks to Sheena & Franck for organising another fab event. I'm never drinking champagne again! :sick:

See you all next time,

Janexxx

[TheTramp]

Where i was forced , sorry requested :D to demo in the class.

Thanks Steve for playing Angie Stone as that extra track for Jamie and I. :hug:

The entertaining dance by Steve and Jamie was so good. Absolutely brilliant.:respect:

Back to Vonneys for more Banoffee Pie and to listen to Trampys music collection. Wow, he's got some good music. Looking forward to him playing some of the new stuff at Southport. :wink: No pressure Steve :rofl:

Forced? You loved it. Especially doing the strutting bit! :drool:

No worries. I'm usually happy to play requests. Unless it's Call on Me. Or Hanky Panky in a chilled out room :devil:

It was a fun dance. Especially the corkscrew. Watch out the showcase section at Blackpool next year then!

No pressure at all. Especially not after you saying that. I'll see if I can oblige!

[Little Monkey]

Actually, i'll pay you for it!!

How much? :cool: