View Poll Results: How do I feel about smoking & dancing?

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  • I love smoky dance floors

    4 2.21%
  • I don't mind smoky dance floors

    12 6.63%
  • I put up with smoky dance floors

    6 3.31%
  • I don't like smoky dance floors

    21 11.60%
  • I hate smoky dance floors

    104 57.46%
  • I'm making a stand and won't go anywhere near a smoky dance floor

    34 18.78%
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Thread: Smoking and Dancing don't mix

  1. #1
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    Angry Smoking and Dancing don't mix

    Over the last few weeks I've been to 4 different classes and a dance where I've danced in a smoky atmosphere

    Three of the classes had tables at the side of the dance floor where people are free to smoke the other had an open door to a smoking room where smoke spilled into the room where we were dancing - the same as at the dance mentioned above.

    There are many reasons why I don't like this and will NOT be going there again. Here are a few;

    1. One of the health warnings on cigarette packets says "Smoking seriously harms you and others around you". That means you run the risk of being "seriously harmed" by dancing on a dance floor with smokers around it. And before you say that is just government propaganda ask youself this - wouldn't the tobacco companies, with their smart lawyers, stop this warning if there were evidence it weren't true?

    2. Dancing in a smoky environment makes my throat dry/sore and sometimes makes my eyes stream. Also, it can make people cough. What do you do when someone coughs into their hand then offers it to you for the next dance?

    3. Dancing in a smoky environment makes your /boyfriend/girlfriend/wife/husband/new date smell of smoke. Not nice to snuggle up to when you get home

    4. Dance/class organisers who allow smoking are telling you that they don't care about your health. They must know the risks and have chosen to ignore them because they want the smokers £6. I think smokers will continue to attend - if everything else is good about the night they'll come and just smoke outside or in a separate smoking room.

    5. Dancing is as energetic as many sports. It would be inconceivable to permit smoking at the side of a badminton court, in your gym or at the side of your local swimming pool. When you get out of breath from exertion you take deep breaths. It's unacceptable to me for that lungful to contain cigarette smoke A few years ago I asked Ceroc HQ why they didn't have a No Smoking policy - they said it was because they try to create a 'Nightclub' environment. With this in mind, it's no surprise that 2 of the 3 classes I recently went to where smoking was next to the floor were Ceroc classes

    6. A partner who's just smoked is smelly. It's not enjoyable to dance with them.

    7-999 There are hundreds of reasons to not smoke, either actively or passively. Insert your reason to not breathe tobacco smoke when dancing here...

    There is a spurious argument in favor of smoking and passive smoking. It goes something like this (it's 5 & 6 & 7 & 8) "I take a risk every time I cross the road. Smoking/passive smoking is just another risk". This argument doesn't stand even the slightest analysis. You cross the road because you need to be the other side of it and you take a calculated risk to do so. You don't cross where it's dangerous or where people have been run over or injured if you know that's happened. In passively breathing cigarette smoke you are taking a risk you don't need to (feel free to pm me if you can't find an alternative 'Non smoking' venue) and it's hard to calculate the risk you're taking and even more tellingly, you're taking a risk that you've been warned will cause you "serious harm".

    I am now taking a stand. I will not give my money to any class/dance organiser who expects me to breathe smoke while I'm dancing. If I don't know the venue's smoking policy I'll 'phone ahead and find out.

    If we all did the same and voted with our feet we would see a change in policy at many dance classes. At the moment we're slavishly following the crowd and putting our health at risk. Dance/class orgaisers please take note. If I see no change I will start a website where I name and shame you I might even produce some t-shirts with the above health warning & listing the smoking venues in the SE then give them to my dancing friends

    p.s. Oops! I've just noticed that I look like I'm smoking a pipe in my Avatar - it's a wine cork with an orange stick in it that I used as a prop in the Ceroc Championships. I do not smoke and never have - the original Popeye would be alive today if he hadn't smoked that pipe
    Last edited by Andy McGregor; 19th-August-2003 at 04:54 PM.

  2. #2
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    After similar discussion <a href="http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=529">here</a>, Franck has made all the venues in his franchise operate a "no smoking" policy.

    Summary: 93% said all venues should be smoke free, 4% said give us a break about this anti smoking stuff and 2% didn't care.

  3. #3
    Omnipresent Administrator Franck's Avatar
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    Good points above Andy

    I agree with you, and I refer you to this earlier thread: http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/s...=&threadid=529

    Since then most of the Scottish venues have been no-smoking, though recently, We have been 'obliged to allow smoking at one of the Aberdeen venues.
    The reasoning from the venue was that they were a social club where smoking was permitted. We argued that we hired the hall for a private function and didn't want smokers in there.
    We won temporarily, but recently, they have demanded we allowed smoking again, as smokers would go and smoke near the entrance and make a mess / too much smoke
    So now we must have a smoking corner in the hall itself...
    This is not ideal at all, and I would love to just vote with my feet, but unfortunately, good venues (and this one is great) are few and far between and I'm afraid we need them more than they need us!

    Good luck on your crusade,

    Franck.

  4. #4
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    Originally posted by Franck
    Good points above Andy

    I agree with you, and I refer you to this earlier thread: http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/s...=&threadid=529

    Since then most of the Scottish venues have been no-smoking, though recently, We have been 'obliged to allow smoking at one of the Aberdeen venues.
    The reasoning from the venue was that they were a social club where smoking was permitted. We argued that we hired the hall for a private function and didn't want smokers in there.
    We won temporarily, but recently, they have demanded we allowed smoking again, as smokers would go and smoke near the entrance and make a mess / too much smoke
    So now we must have a smoking corner in the hall itself...
    This is not ideal at all, and I would love to just vote with my feet, but unfortunately, good venues (and this one is great) are few and far between and I'm afraid we need them more than they need us!

    Good luck on your crusade,

    Franck.
    I had this one with Worthing Hospital. They had people smoking around the entrances and I gave them a very hard time as a local politician. Eventually, after threats of court action (to be funded by ASH) a solution was reached. The hospital now have a smoking room for patients, one for staff and a large bus shelter for people to smoke outside. It's all very clean and tidy and keeps the smoke in tightly defined areas. The only problem was that it cost a lot of money to put up the bus shelter. But it sends a far better health message than the entrance to a hospital littered with smoking nurses and doctors

  5. #5
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    The woman who operates the bar at Westfield halls where we run Route 66 always used to put ashtrays on the tables, and smokers felt free to smoke in the hall. After a number of people complained, we decided to make the dance hall a smoke free zone.It makes sense really, as because dance is a cardiovascular aerobic excercise, people tend to breathe in more air than if they are just sitting around, and if the room is filled with smoke, their lungs get filled with smoke also. not very pleasant.
    Dancing should be a healthy pastime don't you think?

  6. #6
    Confirmed Forum Plant Basil Brush (Forum Plant)'s Avatar
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    by the way, why do they spell it smokEy bacon crisps?

  7. #7
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    Originally posted by Basil Brush
    by the way, why do they spell it smokEy bacon crisps?
    I checked the spelling in the 8th edition of the Oxford English dictionary as 'smoky' looked odd. There actually was an example of 'smoky bacon' in the entry for 'smoky'. When I checked 'smokey' on my Word spell checker it gave 'Smokey' as an option of correct spelling. My guess is that 'Smokey' is a brand name which is why it starts with a capital letter.

    I have no objection to people eating crips near me while I'm dancing - no matter what the flavour or how they spell it

    But back to the smoking. Last night (Tuesday), as my usual Tuesday venue was closed I went to the City Gate Centre in Brighton. This organiser is the one who had the smoky dance mentioned at the start of this thread. I asked him politely if he was going to continue to allow smoking at his dances. He got very agitated and told me 'You're a troublemaking prat, go f**k yourself" Prior to this I'd spoken about it with one of his loyal crew. She was friendly and rational and completely unprompted she actually used the crossing the road comparison I menioned at the start of this thread She's normally really nice but obviously has a blind spot as she's a smoker just like the organiser.

    I suppose this is the start of the 'naming and shaming' I mentioned earlier. And I'm not enjoying it at all

  8. #8
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    Smoking and Dancing don't mix
    I want to know. Just what does mix with Smoking???? Can't think of anything myself.

    Steve

  9. #9
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    Originally posted by TheTramp
    I want to know. Just what does mix with Smoking???? Can't think of anything myself.

    Steve
    Cancer, lung disease, breathlessness, smokers cough, heart attack, bad breath, sore throat, etc, etc.

  10. #10
    Teacher Paul F's Avatar
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    I would stick up a sign saying

    "If you must smoke, please dont breathe out!"

  11. #11
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    Originally posted by Andy:
    Cancer, lung disease, breathlessness, smokers cough, heart attack, bad breath, sore throat, etc, etc.
    Good point!!

    Steve

  12. #12
    Papa Smurf
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    Originally posted by Andy McGregor
    He got very agitated and told me 'You're a troublemaking prat, go f**k yourself"

    I suppose this is the start of the 'naming and shaming' I mentioned earlier. And I'm not enjoying it at all
    That sort of attitude isn't going to win him many friends so don't be bothered about possibly shaming him. There is a valid response to this question, that of: 'my customers wouldnt come if it wasn't a smoking venue' you couldnt blame a business for saying that - however thats only likely to be true in pubs , not dance venues .

  13. #13
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    Andy, I think you'd do better to only put on your t-shirt the venues that don't allow smoking, you wouldn't want to publicise a smoky venue that someone had never heard of, or never thought of going to before.
    Or maybe printed front and back - good and bad?

    I have a lingering unpleasant memory of doing blues with a heavy smoker, I almost choked on a faceful of smoky hair. I'm sure she was a wonderful dancer, but I can't recall anything about that.

    Venues with smoking bans, or where I've never noticed a smoke problem:- Hipsters, Fleet (JiveBug), Gt Bookham (JagJive), Twyford (Ceroc), Camber.

    Places I avoid:-
    100 Club, (though I love live bands, that was what first lead me into dancing), City Gate Brighton (I've not been for years, but now I know about their smoking policy, I won't even consider it).

    Greg

  14. #14
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    Originally posted by Sheepman
    Andy, I think you'd do better to only put on your t-shirt the venues that don't allow smoking, you wouldn't want to publicise a smoky venue that someone had never heard of, or never thought of going to before.
    Or maybe printed front and back - good and bad?

    Greg
    I will only go to non-smoking venues so that's not really a problem.

    Originally posted by Sheepman
    I have a lingering unpleasant memory of doing blues with a heavy smoker, I almost choked on a faceful of smoky hair. I'm sure she was a wonderful dancer, but I can't recall anything about that.Greg
    One of the problems with smoking dance partners is that you can't hold your breath for a whole track. You can't always tell they're a smoker when you ask them to dance. Also, some smokers do not smell at all and might even smell nice - so there's not excuse for stinking of smoke. I was recently surprised to find out that one of my favourite dance partners does actually smoke - and she always smells lovely and dances brilliantly

    Originally posted by Sheepman
    Venues with smoking bans, or where I've never noticed a smoke problem:- Hipsters, Fleet (JiveBug), Gt Bookham (JagJive), Twyford (Ceroc), Camber.

    Places I avoid:-
    100 Club, (though I love live bands, that was what first lead me into dancing), City Gate Brighton (I've not been for years, but now I know about their smoking policy, I won't even consider it).
    Greg
    The City Gate Centre itself is a Non-Smoking building. But you can still smell smoke on the way to the loos. It must blow up from the smokers standing around the entrance on a Tuesday. I've never smelt it at the class on a Monday and never on the dance floor on either night. The particular person who organises smoking dances is Jeff Jasper of Dance Party/Hustle Inc. These smoking dances are at Hove Town Hall in the Banqueting Suite, which is the small hall and they cost £10 to get in. The last one I went to had a lesson that didn't start 'til about 9pm and freestyle that lasted for about 2 hours. Let's see, small hall, health risk from smoky rooms, rude organiser, 2 hours of freestlye - all for £10

    Yippee, I'm off to Hipsters tonight. After last night it's going from the ridiculous to the sublime

  15. #15
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    Speaking of smoking - i found this amusing

    how to stop smoking

  16. #16
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    Saw this once, strangely enough on a chalkboard in a pub......

    Cigarette smoke is the residue of your pleasure.
    It pollutes my air, invades my space, and permeates my clothes and hair.
    All this is done without my permission.

    I also have a pleasure.
    I enjoy several pints of lager from time to time.
    The residue of my pleasure is urine.
    How would you feel if I stood on a table, and p***ed alll over your clothes and hair without your permission ?

    sums it up really................

  17. #17
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    Originally posted by Sheepman
    I have a lingering unpleasant memory of doing blues with a heavy smoker, I almost choked on a faceful of smoky hair. I'm sure she was a wonderful dancer, but I can't recall anything about that.
    Funny you should say that, but theres a man who goes to Hipsters who I avoid dancing with because afterwards you're hands stink of cigarette smoke. He must be a really heavy smoker as it's so strong. You feel like you've been contaminated. You feel almost sticky from the tar; very unpleasant!

    Shame really, because he probably doesn't realise himself how bad it is.

    Px

  18. #18
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    Yippee!

    I went to Hipsters last night and had a great time

    It's a while since I've been and it was like meeting up with an old friend. There was one difference. There were loads of good dancers there as you'd expect. But there seemed to be more women over than usual - and they were absolutely lovely too Oh yes, they could dance too One regular had her strappy top come completely undone while I was dancing with her, which could have been nice/funny - then, when I was dancing with a different partner she spotted David B and with a partner whose skirt had just come off I didn't see the unskirting but I did notice that it was the same girl. With there being so many women over she obviously thought she needed to do something different to get asked to dance. Come on girls, try it, this really works

    Oh yes, and not a whiff of smoke

  19. #19
    Papa Smurf
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    Originally posted by Andy McGregor
    I went to Hipsters last night and had a great time
    You there next week, Andy ? or are you one of the hordes going to Beach Boogie ?

  20. #20
    Teacher Paul F's Avatar
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    Originally posted by Andy McGregor
    Yippee!

    I went to Hipsters last night and had a great time
    A fab night last night. So much more room than on a tuesday.


    [B]But there seemed to be more women over than usual - and they were absolutely lovely too Oh yes, they could dance too With there being so many women over she obviously thought she needed to do something different to get asked to dance. Come on girls, try it, this really works [B]
    i was chatting to a girl in Birmingham who mentioned that Hipsters sounded like a strip joint!!!

    Im a two night a week man now :sorry

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