Simon Borland's Party at the Hippodrome, 20/10/06

[Zebra Woman]

I went

.... and I didn't feel violated at all.

Simon goes home every night and notches on his bedpost another Ceroc class taught...hmmmm I don't think so. It was clear to most of us that celebrating 250 dance classes was a very unlikely reason for a party so we were definitely expecting Simon to announce something. I was amazed it was a weekly class, on a Monday and £10! Gobsmacked, I was expecting a monthly freestyle of some sort.

The night totally lived up to my expectations (which were quite low). I was expecting hoardes of people, really loud clubby music, not enough space to dance. Tick, tick and tick.

Initially I had a great time socialising and some nice (if a little confined) dances, by midnight though the lack of variety in music had become very wearing. I wonder if the DJs fellt the same way? I felt that the whole set up especially the strobe lights were crying out for a younger clientele..ie. not me .

Amir and Cat were stunning in the fog but a lot less fog would have been better.

[David Bailey]

I went

.... and I didn't feel violated at all.

Well, to be fair, I didn't go.

I felt that the whole set up especially the strobe lights were crying out for a younger clientele..ie. not me

They didn't have the lights on last night.

Amir and Cat were stunning in the fog but a lot less fog would have been better.

Well, if you hadn't been stuck up in the Elite Cliquey VIP Area, you'd have seen them without the fog.

[Lory]

Well, if you hadn't been stuck up in the Elite Cliquey VIP Area, you'd have seen them without the fog.

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, you've really got this bit wrong! There was NO V.I.P bit, everyone was free to go wherever they liked.

It just happened by pure fluke, that the people stood downstairs, right in front of the stage/floor, had the most smoke to contend with, during the performance.

[David Bailey]

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, you've really got this bit wrong! There was NO V.I.P bit, everyone was free to go wherever they liked.

I know, just teasing

(Actually, where the forumites were was technically the VIP bit, I believe, but I'm sure that was just coincidence)

[under par]

I know, just teasing

(Actually, where the forumites were was technically the VIP bit, I believe, but I'm sure that was just coincidence)

We know our place us forum people

[frodo]

[*]£10 is a bit steep if you also factor in (say) £5 for travelcard transport.[/LIST]

I think the central location, and the ease of travelling to / from central London / likelihood of travelling through anyway offsets the cost nicely.

I notice Ceroc Surrey are shortly starting to charge £8.00 for venues in rather less prime locations.

[Spin dryer]

I am told that there were approximately 10 people at the first Jive Nation "Super Club" night on Monday 23 October. I doubt that anyone can verify, but let us know if you can. As per my post on the other Boreland (sic) thread, no defamatory comments please.

[Amir]

Amir, you really don't get it. I see little point in replying to this paragraph as clearly integrity and honesty aren't things that you expect from your friends or indeed the people you deal with.

Well you're right. I don't expect honesty from anyone. When I encounter it, it is often an unpleasant surprise.

But I don't think with-holding the truth, or even lying, is immoral unless it harms someone. It might not be 'nice', like not saying 'please' and 'thankyou' is not nice, but that doesn't make it immoral.

A government lying about a war is immoral. People die because you lied.

Me lying about a girl looking great in a certain pair of trousers is not immoral. Sometimes it is pure self defense.

The following statement is not very honest:

Amir, I am delighted that you acknowledge that the behavior of Simon is up there with Indian sweat shops and unethical business practices.

I mean, I obviously don't think that, and I don't think you do either. So the statement lacks integrity. But that doesn't make it immoral.

[David Bailey]

I am told that there were approximately 10 people at the first Jive Nation "Super Club" night on Monday 23 October. I doubt that anyone can verify, but let us know if you can. As per my post on the other Boreland (sic) thread, no defamatory comments please.

More than 10, less than 700.

I also don't think it's right to judge based on numbers for the first night of a new venue - I don't see anyone posting the Jango numbers on a regular basis for example. Any new venue will have low numbers to start off - Ashtons only had a couple of dozen for ages when it started.

[Astro]

Originally Posted by Spin dryer
I am told that there were approximately 10 people at the first Jive Nation "Super Club" night on Monday 23 October. I doubt that anyone can verify, but let us know if you can. As per my post on the other Boreland (sic) thread, no defamatory comments please.

SpinDryer's soure is wrong, as I was there myself.There may still have been 10 people still dancing at 11-30 when it finished, the rest & myself having left earleir.

The constant ongoing critisism of Simon is also completeley wrong, especially regarding the commercial email address harvesting accusation. I followed Simon's website advice & sent him my guestlist of 10 names. Similarly Natalie at 02 centre sent in 9 names. Simon ONLY has Natalie's & my email addresses,... both of us being group leaders. The group leaders then re-send the invitation to their list. If he had wanted a large email address list he would not have done it this way.Would he!
... and NO, should someone ask, Simon has not asked me for my friends email addresses

[Spin dryer]

I am told that there were approximately 10 people at the first Jive Nation "Super Club" night on Monday 23 October. I doubt that anyone can verify, but let us know if you can. As per my post on the other Boreland (sic) thread, no defamatory comments please.

SpinDryer's soure is wrong, as I was there myself.There may still have been 10 people still dancing at 11-30 when it finished, the rest & myself having left earleir.
[/I]

At a party last night I overheard someone question Boreland about numbers. He says that there were 40 people in total on the first night. He also mentioned that he has booked the Hippodrome for the next 12 weeks.

[David Bailey]

So, who's going tomorrow night?

I'm happy to act as fly-on-the-waistcoat reviewer again, if you want to send me your reviews anonymously

[Spin dryer]

A rather more conciliatory and self-effacing message from Boreland and Co received by email today:

"Thanks for the range of feedback about the ideas for running energetic Modern Jive nights in the centre of London - there has been loads of great ideas, some useful feedback, and many learnings for us.

Particular thanks to those of you who have been kind enough to write your thoughts, the good the bad and the ugly, to me directly, and I have been busily responding in all cases to each of you directly - very much appreciated!

Our teachers never ever leave the dance floor - come and experience the energy for yourself.

With exuberance, energy and passion,

Simon, Susie and Seamus"

[Minnie M]

Our teachers never ever leave the dance floor - come and experience the energy for yourself.

With exuberance, energy and passion,

Simon, Susie and Seamus"

Can't talk for Susie but "exuberance, energy and passion" is definitely what the guys have, I LOVE dancing with Simon always a fantastic dance and Seamus Waldron IMO is one of the best leads in London

[Feelingpink]

A rather more conciliatory and self-effacing message from Boreland and Co received by email today:

"Thanks for the range of feedback about the ideas for running energetic Modern Jive nights in the centre of London - there has been loads of great ideas, some useful feedback, and many learnings for us.

Particular thanks to those of you who have been kind enough to write your thoughts, the good the bad and the ugly, to me directly, and I have been busily responding in all cases to each of you directly - very much appreciated!

Our teachers never ever leave the dance floor - come and experience the energy for yourself.

With exuberance, energy and passion,

Simon, Susie and Seamus"

It's great that they were able to receive feedback. When I tried to send a note to Simon after his party via his website, my email was rejected, saying the address did not exist.

[stewart38]

More than 10, less than 700.

I also don't think it's right to judge based on numbers for the first night of a new venue - I don't see anyone posting the Jango numbers on a regular basis for example. Any new venue will have low numbers to start off - Ashtons only had a couple of dozen for ages when it started.

I think some people want to try and destroy something that is new

If someone says there was only 10 people there of course that would put others off.

I think its nasty and not called for

Its a new venture and a new concept as Ive said before good luck to them

[Gus]

If someone says there was only 10 people there of course that would put others off.

In the absence of fact, rumour pervades. Where is our weekly report form our covert investigator, Messr DJ? Was anyone actualy there? Was chatting to a leading light last night and he expressed a firm view that REGARDLESS of how the venture wa set-up, it can only be to the good of MJ/Ceroc if it succeeds, and I tend to agree. Even if its not to the tastes of many of the Forum, it does hold many possibilites and maybe it will give somone somehwere else the confidence to 'give it a go'. London already has Utopia to look forward to ... wonder if we might try something similar in the cold dark North?

Actualy, I know someone who has been planning a smaller one-off project for a while and it should come off in December. Whether it works or not, who knows. BUT, at least they are trying.

[David Bailey]

In the absence of fact, rumour pervades. Where is our weekly report form our covert investigator, Messr DJ?

Righto, yes, sorry - forgot about that.

Ahem.

Disguised as the third button down on the waistcoat (the shiny one, just above the danger line of the opening), I snuck in again last night.

The big news is that there was a genuine celeb there last night (apart from me of course), but I won't divulge his identity.

The attendance was definitely up on last week - about 50% more I reckon. The three-hour freestyle thing seems to be attracting latecomers, people were still arriving around 10pm or later.

It also makes a big difference with there being a proper grownup sound system - and also now they've fixed the floor and removed the lights. The atmosphere is very different from a normal Ceroc night.

And of course, it being Central London, there's loads of food / drink places to go afterwards.

Next week: The Second Button

[NZ Monkey]

Well, I went along last night to see how everything was shaping up and I have this much to say:

I cannot think of a regular class and freestyle night I’ve been to in the UK that I had more fun at than last night. I only mention the UK part because you always have fond memories of the places and people you started with and not because of anything else (before anyone misinterprets that statement ).


Points of Note:

Class Numbers
The numbers were fairly low, but that’s hardly a surprise to anyone considering it’s only two weeks old. For the lions share of the evening there were around 20 people on the floor, which was a nice change to the more crowded venues around London, and there was virtually the entire spectrum of experience on the floor at any given time as well. It was nice to watch, with the teachers very much a part of the class themselves teaching ‘’in the round’’ and interacting personally with their class.

Floor
The floor has definitely been cleaned up since the infamous party. There is no longer broken glass on the carpets and the dance floor isn’t sticky anywhere (that I found). Obviously there is still the issue of grooves( from the raising stage) for the ladies in heels but all things considered these didn’t seem too difficult to avoid. It isn’t the best floor I’ve danced on, but it’s a long way from the worst as well.

Drinks
Tap water if free. It also comes with a hefty supply of ice. Yay

Music
More of the ‘’standard MJ night’’ fare. For those of you who were worried, it wasn’t excessively clubby, with a few very slow and smooth tracks in the mixture as well and a generally well rounded selection. The music was varied enough that I never found myself wishing a couple of tracks would just end so we could move onto something more interesting.

Sound System
The sound system in the Hippodrome really is excellent, and that makes the music feel so much ‘’better/fuller/something’’ to dance to when you’re on the floor. It may seem like a small thing to a few people, but it’s the small stuff that makes a difference sometimes. It wasn’t as loud as the party, but that shouldn’t be surprising either. An added bonus was that the teachers mic actually worked. I’ve lost count of the number of venues I’ve been to in London where the audio system or acoustics are so bad it’s very difficult to hear the teacher in class (OK, if I put my mind to it I probably could count them – but I’m lazy that way). Simon and Susie were both crystal clear no matter where in the club they happened to be.

The Classes Themselves
Well taught and fun. The beginner’s class is clearly using a different set of beginner moves to Ceroc, including at least a few that are taught as intermediate ones in the UK like the pretzel. There are plenty of moves that could be taught at beginner level but are not for the sake of keeping a manageable list, but I thought some of may find that interesting.

The Intermediate class was very dynamic and interesting without being completely beyond anyone in the class so congratulations to Susie on a job well done there.

Freestyle
As mentioned earlier, there were not huge numbers of people there, but there were enough to keep the evening varied and fun. The ladies in particular had some good dance partners, and the guys were hardly lacking either


I hope this venture works out for everyone, and that it grows into something sustainable that keeps up the quality of an evening out that I saw last night.

[Spin dryer]

I think some people want to try and destroy something that is new

If someone says there was only 10 people there of course that would put others off.

I think its nasty and not called for

Its a new venture and a new concept as Ive said before good luck to them

Preposterous. If someone sets up a commercial venture, then it's open to anyone to critisise it or praise it as they see fit. It's clear from his recent email that Borleland (and therefore his punters) has benefited from the feedback on this and similar threads. What is your point? Are you seriously suggesting that anyone setting up a new venture should be immune from criticism? If so, you can look forward to a world of mediocrity or worse.