Well I’ve finally managed to sort of catch up with myself. – and am going to go with the the time honoured format
Good
- Fabulous Chalet Mates – who not only feed me - oh so delicious meals - but don’t object when I dash off to a class and leave them with the dishes
- Boys cooking!!!
- Being in a caravan of CAKE!!!!
- Straightening and glittering LemonCake
- Lovely chats
- Lots of lovely dances
- Huge amounts of fab hugs – which were just what I needed
- Great classes
- Water in the venues
- PMJD’s dark chocolate truffles
Not so good
- The heat in the rooms - friday night was sweltering in the blues room - and I'm normally the one wishing there were less fans in a venue
- 1 key between six of us – not as bad as thought – only one lock out over the weekend
- no bed linen when we arrived
- not being able to take cakes into the Venues.
- Not being in the best head space for a weekender
- not managing to get dances with everyone I wanted to
The Sublime
- My Saturday night dance with Mario – took me right out myself *sigh*
- Dancing to Sweat with PaulF
- Good friends who looked after me when in need
- Spice n’ Easy nabbing of me for a dance on Friday - look on Raph's face was classic!
hope someone takes it soon!
Anytime, was my pleasure so much exuberance was impressive and delightful - look forward to seeing the photos - just sorry I wasn’t able to stay for dinner as well.
...personnally, I prefered you in your Pirate outfit! (I found your eye patch by the way...but I'm not saying where)
Thank you everybody for a fantastic weekend, my best yet...and I'm a bit of a veteran at these
Boy, those truffles were good....a huge thank you for the hospitality at Little Monkey's Cafe.
Apologies to anybody who was unlucky enough to endure my dire dancing...I've turned into a dance dyslexic and couldn't jive without triplin'...in the end I gave up and hid
A huge thank you to Sam and Mario for being such an inspiration, you guys are awesome!
Mxx
ooo I forgot my friday evening dances in stockings with MikeyR - lovely first dances for the weekend
Blaze III
I’m finally feeling what you might call normal again, so here goes nothing:
Yes!
* I did 4 of Mario’s classes and was very impressed at his clarity and teaching style as well as the content; I think it’s the first time I’ve understood everything a teacher has been trying to get across (although putting it into practise is another matter entirely!) and I’ve come away with lots to work on.
* Paul F’s rhumba class was good fun and I found myself really getting into it! Definitely a dance style to look out for in the future.
* The Cabarets – I love and hate how the pros can make freestyle look so stylish and easy at the same time. Well done to all those who did Sheena’s performance routine too; it was good fun practising so I was a bit disappointed I lost my partner for it, but that’s life. Maybe next time!
* Dance shoes – I was quite pleased to discover there was no sign of dancewear or shoes on sale, having splashed out on two pairs last time. However, I couldn’t resist a peek late on Saturday when they did appear and though I didn’t buy anything, I do have the style and size I need for a pair of sparklies I’ve been eyeing up on Sheena’s feet for a loooong time now! Wahey!
* Cake…cake… and more cake… Once again there was an insane amount of cake (if you knew where to look!) so I didn’t even try to be good this year. Lemoncake’s gingerbread was just yummy, when I finally found it, and a big thank you to Little Monkey and pmjd for your hospitality, tea, cakes, truffles and ice-cream… I’ll try to be more decisive next time!
* Cheeks’ massage – the girl has magic hands. I’d forgotten how freely my shoulders should move!
* Meeting new forumites – it was nice to put faces to some more names!
* Muddling through WCS - thanks to MikeyR and Blueshoes (I think) for being so patient and putting up with my efforts – I really appreciated the chance to practise!
* Saturday’s ceilidh. I almost put this in the “maybe” list because I actually didn’t want to do it – I had decided it was far too hot to ceilidh but knew I’d be tempted, so turned up just as it was supposed to finish… which turned out to be just when it was about to start! Had PurpleHeather not asked me up for the Gay Gordons I think I’d have retreated elsewhere, but once I was up that was me till the end and I loved every minute! Thanks to our entire Strip the Willow set – we rocked! – and to LM for being the funnest fastest spinniest partner I could wish for – weeeeeeeee!
* Sunday night was the best night's dancing for me this year too. It seems to be when I find my "mojo" (I’m not sure where it hides until then; in future, if anyone finds it lurking please give it a kick and return to sender) and had some really fun dances, in particular with Ducasi, practising my syncopations and earning a backhanded compliment in the process! Love ya! Also with Brian (non-forumite?) and Little Monkey - you’re also one of my favourite playmates!
* Trying to leave on Monday morning… I planned to leave at 2am, finally made my move at 3am and then took another twenty minutes to get away because goodbye hugs kept turning into dances! Thanks LM, Cheeks & Esther, and Franck.
Maybe!
* Staying in a silver apartment – a bit shabby in places, but warmer and a bit more spacious than in a caravan and no hint of seagulls tap dancing on the roof! Was much closer to the dancing than I’ve been before too, woohoo! Not sure if it beats a gold caravan though.
* The muggy weather. (I know, I complained about the horizontal rain and wind last time – I’m a Scot, I’m never happy with the weather!) It was a bit too warm to be comfortable inside and as has been mentioned it wasn’t pleasant arriving at the venue and feeling decidedly sticky before even reaching the dance floor. Still, the fans helped and it seemed to improve during the course of the evening, perhaps as air conditioning kicked in… or maybe I just became acclimatised?
No!
* Missing the first WCS class on Friday as I was only just arriving.
* I owe apologies to Paul F for what was probably my most uncoordinated dance of the weekend – I hope your knees have recovered!
* Getting turned down by Mario.
* Sore feet!
Cuddles ready and waiting whenever you want them.
Yeah that! Franck? *whistle*
Another yeah that! Lmao!
There’s a definite knack to using those taps! As for the floors, I dropped a Kirby grip on Saturday night and left it because, well, I didn’t relish retrieving it from that floor. It was still in exactly the same place 24 hours later…
Finally got round to putting fingers to keys to say to Franck and Sheena 'a huge thank you for a fantastic weekend! '
It was my third Blaze and definitely my most fun which was very largely due to the great caravan-mates I had. I normally lilve with 4 males and castrated cat so my 'girlie weekend' was a breath of fresh air - in more ways than one!! Thanks, girls, it was fab,
Thanks whoever sent me a lovely rep in response to my post, there was no name!
And thanks to isis for hers, was lovely to meet you too
Last edited by ducasi; 16th-May-2008 at 02:37 PM. Reason: fixed quote
Oops! That might have been me – I went on a rep spree this morning, but forgot to sign my name to any of them!
Just wanted to thank the folks who mentioned me. I didn't feel I was dancing especially well at the weekend, so to know my dances were remembered was very touching.
Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story
I am really really gutted not to have gone to Blaze, Franck & Sheena are the bestest at making people at ease and are so friendly but at the same time very professional. The line-up for 2008 Blaze was fantastic, and the guarantee of great dancing friendly Scots was always assured.
However, I am deeply upset about the comments about Mario. I personally would have been devasted to have been turned down for a dance from him once, let alone THREE times. However, I can see that it must be difficult for him to dance with all. If he was selective, by how ? or what ? Surely he is far too professional to only dance with the slim pretty ones - or just the good dancers ???
Although I have never actually met him, he has an enourmous following and highly respected throughout the dancing community.
How did Michael K manage on the last Blaze ?
--ooOoo--
Age is a question of mind over matter, if you don't mind, it doesn't matter
Leroy (Satchel) Paige (1906-1982)
Mickey Mouse's girlfriend, Minnie, made her film debut, along with Mickey, in "Steamboat Willie" on November 18, 1928.
That date is recognized as her official birthday.
Thanks D, shame you cant make it out to play tonight. have fun with the parents though! xx
I think he was really in demand a lot - turning someone down 3 times is not good and I'm sorry for those it happened to. But I did see him up doing Ceroc with a few followers who were not advanced/experienced. He didn't look overly comfortable with Ceroc and I wonder is it possible that the women he turned down hadn't been to his WCS classes/in the WCS line up in the mixed classes so maybe he didn't realise they did WCS and thought they wanted a Ceroc dance? Maybe he preferred to do WCS.
That might be nothing to do with it, just one possible explanation...and fair play to those who asked more than once, one refusal and I'd have given up!
Thanks Franck and Sheena and everyone else who helped to make the week-end so special. Definitely worth travelling hundreds of miles to!!
Highlights for Judith and me wereLittle Niggles:
- Seeing Scottish dancing friends again - you're always so friendly and pleasant!
- Quality of dancers - too many to name but it was great to dance with you all!
- Sheena's Blues Room set... brilliant tracks! Thanks.
- Quality Workshops (I'm not a WCS fan so missed most of Mario's workshops thinking they were WCS oriented... looks like I may have missed some magic!). However I did go to Mario's spinning class... brilliant... he makes it sound so easy...(so how come I can't do it?!!!)
- Mario's showcase - freestyled.... brilliant ...how does he do it???!!!!!
- Learning to waltz for the first time in my life! (thanks Paul for taking time after the class to help me get it right... much appreciated and now we're hooked!)
- Taking Monday off work so we could stay Sunday night too instead of having to drive hundreds of miles back at 2.00am in the morning!
All in all a great week-ender and if we can get the time off work again we'll definitely be back for the next one.
- The heat in rooms has already been mentioned. I think I went through about 25 different tee-shirts over the week-end trying to keep my back dry for the ladies!
- Sack the DJ/Boudoir. In October we had a fantastic time on the Saturday and Sunday afternoons with some great dancers who just wanted to dance rather than workshop. We were hoping the same would happen again, so were a bit disappointed that the Sack the DJ room/slot, despite being advertised in the programme, was actually shut all day Saturday for filming/private lessons. I went to do a set on Sunday afternoon at 2.30pm but hardly anyone turned up, and it felt awkward with 3 teachers all doing private lessons in there at the same time as well. It's a shame, because the programme was so full of classes that freestyle dancing in the main rooms didn't really start till quite late in the evening. It would have been nice to have day-time sessions available in Boudoir.
- [Only mentioning this coz others seem to have had similar experiences with teachers at the week-end] Amir turning Judith down for a dance. He's a great teacher and we've learned a lot from him at 3 of his JANGO classes elsewhere as well as at BLAZE III, but this refusal damaged her confidence for a while over the week-end. I wonder whether men (especially very good dancers) realise the damaging impact they can have on women's confidence when they turn them down for a dance after the lady has taken the courage and trouble to cross the floor to ask? I notice how Franck asks and enjoys dancing with everyone.... all ages and abilities, and makes people feel good about themselves and their dancing. Great example! (I wish generally more really good male dancers would 'follow his lead'!).
It was my absolute pleasure. I love hanging around for questions after my workshops.
Im so glad you enjoy the Waltz. Of all the dance styles that I have danced and competed in the Slow Waltz is still my absolute favourite. When everything comes together - flow, connection and music - it is the best feeling ever in dance.
I can sympathise with the impact this may have had on Judith's confidence (especially as I do not know the manner in which the refusal was made) but I don't think the implication that there should be an obligation on 'really good male dancers' to accept every request to dance or to seek out people for dances should go unchallenged. I've written elsewhere that I believe I am a popular social dancer and this is reflected in the amount I am asked to dance and the frequency with which followers mention how difficult is has been for them to get a dance with me (their perception not mine) and I am under no illusions that this situation is amplified even more for someone of the status and ability of Mario or Amir. I am sure Franck has to turn people down from time to time and I am equally sure that he never manages to dance in a night with all the people who would like to dance with him.
Teachers are employed to teach. Mario and Amir both do this very, very well. Any expectation beyond that is entirely of our own making so we shouldn't reproach them for failing to live up to our ideals. Besides which, maybe Mario just doesn't like needy women, eh SF?
Mario isn't a jiver and it must have been very difficult for him to dance with the non wcs dancers, but I did see him attempting to Ceroc with a few women, of various standards, that asked him (one even knocked his glasses off). Also you have to remember that he had arrived from the USA just the day before, taught workshops and privates all weekend and been at all the freestyles, I can't imagine how tired he must have been. I was tired just from the freestyles and workshops I attended!
I guess for him it was like one of us being at a Lindy event, for instance, with the purpose to introduce people to jive, then being asked to lead Lindy. (This is presuming you don't have any experience of Lindy)
I know I'd be taking it as a personal slight though if I had been turned down three times by the same person, but I guess it was just down to bad timing.
I would like to echo Rob's sentiment here, There have been times when I have ended the evening severly dehydrated because of this, and I still managed to upset somebody
I am sure almost all of the guys that find themselves in a similar position will
agree that while its an unfortunate situation It will happen.
I know that Mario would be saddened that he may have caused anyone distress!
But I also know for a fact that by the time Mario/Sam Got the keys to their accomodation on the Friday afternoon they had been on the go for close to 30 hrs straight and yet they still managed to stay out social dancing till 3am.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Bookmarks