Blues Championships - was it Blues?

[Gus]

OK ... I was waiting for someone else to start this debate, but I suppose I'll have to light the blue touchpaper and run ....

FIRST OF ALL, can I say that the whole competition was a delight, well run and some of the dancing was beautiful. Like many others I await the DVD with baited breath. ALL the competitors gave a good account of themselves and I truly hope it will inspire more to take more chances with their dancing.

Now ... to the crux. My personal view (no ODA BS for once ) is that there was a real range of dance styles within the competition. I think the final really exemplified it. The style of the top three couples couldn't have been more different. If someone from a 'formal' dance style watched I suspect they have been hard pressed to identify the similarities. All were entertaining to watch but .... were they ALL Blues?

I challenge Messr Rockov (in a friendly way). He stated something to the effect that "You all know what Blues looks like". Well, having seen the competition I'm more confused. I would like a POSITIVE discussion/debate about what Blues dancing is. If it is really as diverse as what we saw on Sunday, then I think there is a real gap in what is being taught under the Blues banner and a huge opportunity to teach blues dancers more.

Personal view ... in the interests of improving Blues, methinks that in addition to my original proposal to cloning DavidB, we should simply encase Dale and Partner in a Blues environment for the next month and just watch they come up with ... their performance was something else

[straycat]

Has any footage of the competition come to light on Youtube or the like as yet? Be interesting to have a visual reference for debate purposes...

[Gus]

Has any footage of the competition come to light on Youtube or the like as yet? Be interesting to have a visual reference for debate purposes...

Aye .... if Maz (?) is online it would be a really good promo for the forthcoming DVD is some footage could be 'leaked' to YouTube or put on the Ceroc HQ website. Hadn't really thought the thread through but only a small majority of Forumites actually will know what the heck I'm on about because most people weren't there.

Of course there is a whole separate debate about whether you should hold a Open dance competition at a Weekender.

[Vegetable]

Well Alot of ppl say there is a differnce between slow ceroc and blues so im hearing alot, What i seem 2 belive is.... Blues is how u express ur self thro the music show ur soul, how u feel, i dont belive it has 2 be sexy or raunchy, And blues is slow.... I think its mainly jus an expression of what blues means 2 you, And the moves r doing shouldnt make much differnce becos... its how ur stlye blends into the moves, blues is meant 2 be close it seems, but I dont understand why its meant 2 be sexy... i always thought blues meant depression sad times, not sexy raunchy stuff, but maybe im rong...

[Froggy]

Well I usually never post on here but I just wanted to say a huge Thank-you to everyone who supported Dale and I in the Blues comp.

To be honest I'm still in shock, especially with the reception from everyone when the results were announced!

Dale, I couldn't have asked for a better partner, you're a star!

P.S. Please don't put it on You Tube!!

[stewart38]

Well I usually never post on here but I just wanted to say a huge Thank-you to everyone who supported Dale and I in the Blues comp.

To be honest I'm still in shock, especially with the reception from everyone when the results were announced!

Dale, I couldn't have asked for a better partner, you're a star!

P.S. Please don't put it on You Tube!!

well done I had you 1st in DWAS and in Open

As Gus says the dancing done was very different and i guess at present there is no 'template'

I found the final 5 (in the open) very hard to judge as there were big differences

Some had strong quick moves others slow and more considered

[stewart38]

Well Alot of ppl say there is a differnce between slow ceroc and blues so im hearing alot, What i seem 2 belive is.... Blues is how u express ur self thro the music show ur soul, how u feel, i dont belive it has 2 be sexy or raunchy, And blues is slow.... I think its mainly jus an expression of what blues means 2 you, And the moves r doing shouldnt make much differnce becos... its how ur stlye blends into the moves, blues is meant 2 be close it seems, but I dont understand why its meant 2 be sexy... i always thought blues meant depression sad times, not sexy raunchy stuff, but maybe im rong...

There has to be a ‘connection’

My partner was age 12/16 ? and spent the whole time looking at the floor so we didn’t get far , I blame my ugly face

I dance with lorry before the comp and affirmed I would dance bluesy in comp not standard ‘who is over there’ type stuff

I.e. eye contact etc

To me blues is having to change your pants without anyone noticing ??

[Tiggerbabe]

To me blues is having to change your pants without anyone noticing ??

Priceless

[Gus]

I found the final 5 (in the open) very hard to judge as there were big differences

I thought there were 6?

Dale & Froggy; Jamie and Drathzel; Becky and Chris(?); Jammy and partner; Trampy & partner; Bandanna man and lady nearly wearing absolutely nothing .... or did I just dream it?

Oh ... the muisc selection for the whole competition was also superb

Note to self: must stop being positive about Ceroc events ... people will assume I've been assimilated!

[TheTramp]

I thought there were 6?

Dale & Froggy; Jamie and Drathzel; Becky and Chris(?); Jammy and partner; Trampy & partner; Bandanna man and lady nearly wearing absolutely nothing .... or did I just dream it?

Oh ... the muisc selection for the whole competition was also superb

Note to self: must stop being positive about Ceroc events ... people will assume I've been assimilated!

Chris and Sarah I thought?

Trampy & Zara

Roger & Cathy

Jammy and Carly

Just filling in the blanks...

[Groovy Dancer]

Well I usually never post on here but I just wanted to say a huge Thank-you to everyone who supported Dale and I in the Blues comp.

To be honest I'm still in shock, especially with the reception from everyone when the results were announced!

Dale, I couldn't have asked for a better partner, you're a star!

P.S. Please don't put it on You Tube!!

Hi Sarah,
Just wanted to say I was very lucky to get you as my DWAS partner.

Funny as I saw you on friday when I arrived, but the first time we danced was on sunday at the competition.

Thank you to everyone who cheered us on It was great fun!

GD

[stewart38]

Chris and Sarah I thought?

Trampy & Zara

Roger & Cathy

Jammy and Carly

Just filling in the blanks...

Only 4 ?

God know wonder it was hard i had 5 we had 6 now 4

think it was 6 ??

[robd]

Well, 50% of the judging panel are forumites so we could hope that they might give their opinion on here of the general strengths and weaknesses of what they saw.

Personally I saw a lot of what I would class as slow ceroc (even by some of the finalists) and many fewer dips, lingering seducers, etc than I expected. There was also less presentation to the judges than I would expect given that they (the judges) were statically based but then it's easy for me to say all this given that I didn't enter. It was very entertaining, both in the DWAS and the Open competition and maybe I'll consider giving it a go next year

[TheTramp]

Only 4 ?

God know wonder it was hard i had 5 we had 6 now 4

think it was 6 ??

Ah. Was filling in the blanks. He managed to get 2 of the couples right!

[stewart38]

Well, 50% of the judging panel are forumites so we could hope that they might give their opinion on here of the general strengths and weaknesses of what they saw.

:

Respect to those judges in the earlier rounds that did all the 'judging' in the first 1/3rd of the record and then chatted to each other for the rest

[Tiggerbabe]

Wasn't it Becki and Tom?

[robd]

Respect to those judges in the earlier rounds that did all the 'judging' in the first 1/3rd of the record and then chatted to each other for the rest

LOL, Mr Controversy lets his fingers do the typing again!

Reminds me of a scene in the film Bring It On that reminds me of this as an irate parent berates a judge for looking down at one point and missing a move by her child's team.

[straycat]

LOL, Mr Controversy lets his fingers do the typing again!

Out of interest, what exactly do you use for typing?** Or don't I want to know?

**In addition to a keyboard

[robd]

Out of interest, what exactly do you use for typing?** Or don't I want to know?

It's an obscure reference alluding to a previous controversial post by Mr 38 (sounds like a Tarantino character now )

[Minnie M]

Shame no-one used the 'Blues Moves' Lucky & Ruby taught