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horsey_dude
4th-April-2003, 09:05 AM
Does anyone know of any Ceroc like dancing in L.A.? I am visiting for a few days and it would be be fun to go to a class or out dancing but I don't think there are any franchises in America.

horsey_dude
8th-April-2003, 04:16 AM
Well, I am here in L.A. no dancing, but they do have some very entertaining T.V. It is sunny here every day... I'm really not used to this. I will be arriving in London in two days. I'm not really familiar with what the seasons are like in the U.K. can anyone tell me what sort of weather I can likely expect?

Gary
8th-April-2003, 04:25 AM
I would look at it as a great opportunity to check out Swing dancing instead (that's what I'm planning to do if/when I'm transferred to California for a bit).

horsey_dude
8th-April-2003, 04:55 AM
Originally posted by gcapell
I would look at it as a great opportunity to check out Swing dancing instead (that's what I'm planning to do if/when I'm transferred to California for a bit).

Unfortunately I am not really a swing fan. I have seen some pretty amazing swing dancing but it just doesn't really appeal to me. Its the same with Latin styles as well. I can watch them and appreciate the skill but its just not something I want to do.

Gary
8th-April-2003, 04:59 AM
Originally posted by horsey_dude
Unfortunately I am not really a swing fan. I have seen some pretty amazing swing dancing but it just doesn't really appeal to me. Its the same with Latin styles as well. I can watch them and appreciate the skill but its just not something I want to do.

Fair enough. I'm afraid I just don't get the Latin stuff myself.

It's a small world: an Australian guy talking with a New Zealand guy on a Scottish ceroc site about dancing in California.

horsey_dude
8th-April-2003, 06:17 AM
Originally posted by gcapell
Fair enough. I'm afraid I just don't get the Latin stuff myself.

It's a small world: an Australian guy talking with a New Zealand guy on a Scottish ceroc site about dancing in California.

Have you been here before? The weather is great but it is a bit depressing around L.A. because it just doesn't feel like a safe place to live. No one walks anywhere, I sometimes wonder why they even have footpaths. The internet has been great for finding ceroc venues and contacts and booking accomodation. Its funny that the main drivers for its expansion has probably been pornography and illegally copied music when its a great way to get informaiton and get in touch with people.

TheTramp
8th-April-2003, 08:19 AM
It's a small world: an Australian guy talking with a New Zealand guy on a Scottish ceroc site about dancing in California.Isn't it great though. And I've just been exchanging emails with a girl in Canberra that I'll meet on Friday 6th June before competing with her in the ceroc champs in Sydney on Saturday 7th June :D

I will be arriving in London in two days.Also great. We'll look forward to meeting you HD. How long are you staying, and how will we know you at dances. There's a big dance at Hammersmith on Saturday, which we'll hope to see you at.

Steve

SwingSwingSwing
8th-April-2003, 08:31 AM
Originally posted by horsey_dude
Have you been here before? The weather is great but it is a bit depressing around L.A. because it just doesn't feel like a safe place to live. No one walks anywhere, I sometimes wonder why they even have footpaths.

horsey_dude,

how safe do you (did) you feel when out and about in LA?

My partner and I are thinking of going over in July for Camp Hollywood (http://www.camphollywood.net). The event is in a hotel which has a free bus to/from the airport so we wouldn't have to go far. But we were thinking of staying a few days either side to do a bit of site seeing. I've got concerns over safety and getting around, hence my question.

SwingSwingSwing

Dave Hancock
8th-April-2003, 08:59 AM
Originally posted by SwingSwingSwing


how safe do you (did) you feel when out and about in LA?

SSS,

Though directed to HD, thought I'd share my thoughts on LA. While there I found it fairly intimidating and the only place I've found worse was Buffalo, but that's because I arrived their the night after several gang shottings which made for the most oppressive feeling I've ever received from a city.

LA has certain areas which are definately no goes after dark, even nice places during the day like Venice Beach, Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood etc, are extremely intimiadting after night especially if you are on foot. There are quite a high level of groups of young men walking about literally looking for trouble, not a good place to be waiting for a bus, which leads onto the public transport which is utter mince and in my experience was consistently late. LA is also a city without much of a centre and it is lots of little areas stuck together so you aren't able to walk about like you are say in Manhatton.

All that said though there are some fantastic places in LA and you can have great fun, if you are able to go slightly north and on the coatal road towards Santa Barbara and into the wine country you reach some really spectacular scenery.

I think my final words of advice would be if you are staying in LA to hire a car.

SwingSwingSwing
8th-April-2003, 09:20 AM
Thanks for that Dave

I don't drive and I'm not sure if my girlfriend would want to...
Hmmm, might just go for the event and come home!

Cheers

SwingSwingSwing

DavidB
8th-April-2003, 12:16 PM
Originally posted by horsey_dude
Unfortunately I am not really a swing fan. I have seen some pretty amazing swing dancing but it just doesn't really appeal to me. Its the same with Latin styles as well. I can watch them and appreciate the skill but its just not something I want to do. {Sweeping generalisation mode ON}
You get 2 different styles of swing dancing in the US - the 'Lindy' style (danced to swing music) and West Coast Swing (danced to anything from blues to RnB and rap.)
{Sweeping generalisation mode OFF}

I'm not really a Lindy fan - I can appreciate it when it is done well, but I'm not too bothered about learning it. I don't like the music or the style enough.

West Coast Swing is different - mainly because I like the music and the style. It might be worth going to a class or a dance while you are there - they have some of the best WCS dancers in the world in LA.

You can try contacting Let's Dance LA (http://www.letsdancela.com/contact.shtml) on (626) 227-2572. Robert Cordoba teaches there (5-times US Open champion) - he also does Modern Jive, and has given lessons to several UK Jive champions recently.

(The studio is at 216 E Main St, Alhambra, California, USA, 91801

Otherwise we will hopefully see you in the UK???

David

Divissima
8th-April-2003, 01:41 PM
Originally posted by horsey_dude
It is sunny here every day... I'm really not used to this. I will be arriving in London in two days. I'm not really familiar with what the seasons are like in the U.K. can anyone tell me what sort of weather I can likely expect?

At the moment, the weather is quite changeable. Today is fairly typical - some sunny spells followed by overcast skies and the wind is quite brisk (gloves are recommended). I imagine you can expect more of the same - or, knowing the British weather, it could get worse, or have a mini-heatwave.

Let's face it, it's more likely to get worse.

So tell us, Horsey Dude, how long will you be in London and where will you be dancing (would be fab to meet you).

As David said, there's a big Hammersmith party night on Saturday. Hope to catch up with you there... :wink:

TheTramp
8th-April-2003, 01:48 PM
First up. Gloves are only recommended today if you're a big girl's blouse :D As usual, I've been walking round in a short sleeved shirt. It's a lovely day. (And people wonder why I want to move to Scotland!!).

Oh, and secondly, it was Steve who said about the dance at Hammersmith on Saturday. Let us know what you look like if you're coming (or wear a red carnation, or something)......

Steve :rolleyes:

Divissima
8th-April-2003, 02:05 PM
Originally posted by TheTramp
First up. Gloves are only recommended today if you're a big girl's blouse :D As usual, I've been walking round in a short sleeved shirt. It's a lovely day. (And people wonder why I want to move to Scotland!!).

Oh, and secondly, it was Steve who said about the dance at Hammersmith on Saturday. Let us know what you look like if you're coming (or wear a red carnation, or something)......

Steve :rolleyes:

Sorry Steve, it was you who said about dancing on Saturday - I stand corrected. :sorry As for the 'big girl's blouse' comment - I object! :( I can't help it if my girly hands get cold - best way to warm them up again is a brisk dance :wink:

About Saturday night - if you are coming along you could send one of us a private message and maybe we can grab a beer and some food beforehand...

TheTramp
8th-April-2003, 02:18 PM
There are much better ways to warm them up than that.

But I'm gonna stop this conversation right now!! :wink:

Look forward to seeing you on Saturday (that goes to anyone who's going there!).

Steve

horsey_dude
9th-April-2003, 04:53 AM
Originally posted by SwingSwingSwing
horsey_dude,

how safe do you (did) you feel when out and about in LA?

My partner and I are thinking of going over in July for Camp Hollywood (http://www.camphollywood.net). The event is in a hotel which has a free bus to/from the airport so we wouldn't have to go far. But we were thinking of staying a few days either side to do a bit of site seeing. I've got concerns over safety and getting around, hence my question.

SwingSwingSwing

Don't let me put you off... nothing actually happened to me, the place just has a bad vibe which I never got in London, australia or european countries (e.g. italy, france, holland etc.). The first time I visited I stayed with my sister and the place she lived had a security guard and a big steel security fence around it (the carpark had razorblade wire around it). I was standing outside the front gate and the security guard asked me what I was doing. I said "its okay, I am staying here" his reply was "If you stand outside like that you will get jacked (robbed). They don't care what country you come from, they don't care what colour you are, If they see you standing out there they are going to hurt you". This put me off the place for some reason.

horsey_dude
9th-April-2003, 06:59 AM
Originally posted by Divissima
Sorry Steve, it was you who said about dancing on Saturday - I stand corrected. :sorry As for the 'big girl's blouse' comment - I object! :( I can't help it if my girly hands get cold - best way to warm them up again is a brisk dance :wink:

About Saturday night - if you are coming along you could send one of us a private message and maybe we can grab a beer and some food beforehand...

I will arrive on the 10th and I will probably stay for Saturday (nothing like a party to get over jet lag!). I would definately be keen to meet up for a drink and or dinner. It is very intimidating going into a group of people you don't know even after years of having to ask strangers to dance. It would also help with the problem of being identifiable (other than wearing a carnation or dying my hair green).

I will be interested to see The Tramp in action giving the conflicting reports about him (his own versus everyone else).

Phil.

horsey_dude
9th-April-2003, 07:21 AM
Originally posted by TheTramp
First up. Gloves are only recommended today if you're a big girl's blouse :D As usual, I've been walking round in a short sleeved shirt. It's a lovely day. (And people wonder why I want to move to Scotland!!).

Oh, and secondly, it was Steve who said about the dance at Hammersmith on Saturday. Let us know what you look like if you're coming (or wear a red carnation, or something)......

Steve :rolleyes:

Steve, I worry that if I promise to wear a red carnation then it can be guaranteed that they will become completely unavailable under any circumstances. I had considered dying my hair green or going completely naked but then there is a concern of finding anyone who would want to dance with me. I should have brought my NZ taxi shirt or some other non local Ceroc merchandise but I only have "normal" clothes. I am not sure how hot the venue is likely to be so I will be wearing a longsleeved T-shirt or sleevless shirt depending on how things go.

Ideally the stream of women walking away from me saying the they just had their best dance ever (hey dreams are free!) will give my position away.

I definately want to come on saturday and go to classes in London before travelling on. I don't actually have any real plans for what I am going to do. The only definate thing for my travel is that I have to be back at work by 1st of march next year. Unfortunately my countries currency is virtually worthless anywhere else in the world so I will not be staying long in London initially but I may come back if I can get a job.

I definately want to visit scotland so the rest of you mayl be "blessed" with my presence.

TheTramp
9th-April-2003, 07:26 AM
Heya HD.

It'll be a pleasure to meet you on Saturday. I've just sent you a PM with my phone number in. Give me a call when you get to London, and we can sort out meeting up.

Anyone else from London who is coming to Hammersmith on Saturday and wants to meet up beforehand, get in touch too, and we can sort out a meeting place!!

Look forward to seeing you.

Steve

Chicklet
9th-April-2003, 09:12 AM
Horsey Dude, will the long face not give you away???????????:wink:


sorry, that was poor, late night last night.


Steve, I heard the only reason you don't wear gloves is cos the nice piece of pink string that connects them and goes thru your sleeves so you don't loose them broke and they fell off:D


best way to warm them up again is a brisk dance

(hands)

I think I have my lenses in the wrong eyes and read this as "against a brisk dancer":waycool:


work, must work now

Cx

TheTramp
9th-April-2003, 09:40 AM
Steve, I heard the only reason you don't wear gloves is cos the nice piece of pink string that connects them and goes thru your sleeves so you don't loose them broke and they fell off Chickie....

You've been reading that book 'How to win friends and influence people again!

Steve

Chicklet
9th-April-2003, 09:47 AM
nah - i'm just in my own little stillalittlebittipsyfromthenightbefore world of wednesday and am chortling quietly to myself at an endearing image of you with gloves on a string.

I'm probably just far too easily amused

:kiss:

TheTramp
9th-April-2003, 09:54 AM
Probably :D

Steve

SwingSwingSwing
9th-April-2003, 03:40 PM
Originally posted by horsey_dude
Don't let me put you off... nothing actually happened to me, the place just has a bad vibe which I never got in London, australia or european countries (e.g. italy, france, holland etc.). .

Well, when I'm in London I get bad vibes! so I'll think I'll play it safe and just stay for the duration of the camp.


SwingSwingSwing

TheTramp
9th-April-2003, 03:58 PM
I get bad vibes about London too!!!

Steve

SwingSwingSwing
9th-April-2003, 04:09 PM
Originally posted by TheTramp
I get bad vibes about London too!!!

Steve

Is that why you're escaping to the relative tranquility of Scotland?

SwingSwingSwing

TheTramp
9th-April-2003, 04:10 PM
It's one of the reason :D

Steve

Divissima
11th-April-2003, 08:50 AM
Anyone in London fancy a bite to eat and a drink before Hammersmith tomorrow night? A few forum members are planning to be there to give Horsey Dude a warm welcome before he braves 'refusal row'.... :wink:

The more the merrier - we'll be in the Thatched House on Dalling Road in Hammersmith from 7pm.

TheTramp
11th-April-2003, 09:31 AM
And if you needed any additional inducement to be there:

I'll be there :D

Steve