New Southport suggestions

[Rocky]

What's obvious from Mike's post is that he wants to work with dancers to ensure that their experience is enhanced at the new SP as much as possible. However, I'm sure we all agree that people's experience of a weekender can be a very personal thing. Mike is now monitoring feedback so if you would like to add in this post how you feel your experience could be improved, or what you particularly enjoy, then the most important will get an airing.

A poll is going to be difficult, but if there are some common themes we can probably set this up. Alternativly (and probably easier initially), if you agree with the details of a post a simple 'thanks' post underneath would be a quick way to identify hot topics that could be earmarked for change or for retention.

I for one am happy to see Mike take the time to present the other side of the story. Now at least people can read both accounts and make at least some form of informed decision as to what may, or may not have, transpired.

[tsh]

ban bouncy dancers

[Gerry]

In the blues room through the day can we give the DJ's some direction / input re the music that is being played

[Paul F]

I will never forget, at Prestatyn I think it was, walking into the bar (sorry, boudoir) only to hear the bloody Mavericks being played by the DJ.

I looked at the rota board only to see his name on another 3 slots throughout the afternoon. I waited around to give the guy a chance and heard 2 or 3 tracks of the same stuff you get in the main room.

But maybe I am being selfish!! Maybe the 3 people who were dancing enjoyed that kind of music

[stewart38]

Full facilities for WCS's on the beach

[SilverFox]

Full facilities for WCS's on the beach

At high tide of course....

"1, 2, 3 & blub, blub & blub"

[Rocky]

Full facilities for WCS's on the beach

In January!?! Excuse whilst I just sugar push my nuts back out of my abdomen..

[Rocky]

In the blues room through the day can we give the DJ's some direction / input re the music that is being played

In what way? tempo? style? and if so, what would you (or anyone else for that matter) suggest?

[Gerry]

In what way? tempo? style? and if so, what would you (or anyone else for that matter) suggest?

Personally I don't want to hear Ceroc anthems, or bouncy style music, I am sure I can hear that in the main room later in the evening.
It would be interesting to hear more Bluesy soul music being an old soul boy at heart. I really enjoyed what Lee Bartholemew and Nick from Plymouth were playing which was more upto date WCS style music at the last SP

[ducasi]

Guidance to blues room DJ's during the day: "more chilled music you wouldn't expect to hear in any other room".

[DavidY]

Personally I don't want to hear Ceroc anthems, or bouncy style music, I am sure I can hear that in the main room later in the evening.

Although you could say something very similar about

WCS style music

But I also agree with the principle - that room during the day is where you can often hear music that you can't hear later.

I think that the key for me is that it needs to be varied, and I think that should include the more upbeat tempos rather than exclusively slow.

At times of the day when it's the only place where there's freestyle, this room should cater for everyone who may be passing - whether Beginner or Dance God/Goddess.

On the other hand I really don't want to hear Ceroc anthems, "Now I can Dance" , DTNA etc. which would just leave me feeling

[stewart38]

Personally I don't want to hear Ceroc anthems, or bouncy style music, I am sure I can hear that in the main room later in the evening.
It would be interesting to hear more Bluesy soul music being an old soul boy at heart. I really enjoyed what Lee Bartholemew and Nick from Plymouth were playing which was more upto date WCS style music at the last SP

Just check its still a ceroc/jive event.

Since when does 'ceroc music' equal bouncy style

Now we have 'ceroc anthems' ?? Play more WCS in the blues room

The blues room afternoon cira 2006 was perfect

what was Lee playing ?? That could have been better place in some dark room at 4am sorry it was so not the stuff that should be played on a sunday afternoon at jive event.

Some nice mellow stuff with a few 'ceroc anthems' and no sorry CJ that doesnt include Bat out of Hell, although I will allow Bohemian Rhapsody and 9 minutes of Freebird as i love that song

[Rocky]

ban bouncy dancers

And what about people who wear hats?

[LilyB]

... so if you would like to add in this post how you feel your experience could be improved, or what you particularly enjoy, then the most important will get an airing. ...

How about a soul/funk room for those of us who like Motown and can 'do the Hustle' . I thought your S'funk events were simply fabulous and so did plenty of others.

[Rocky]

How about a soul/funk room for those of us who like Motown and can 'do the Hustle' . I thought your S'funk events were simply fabulous and so did plenty of others.

I think a S'Funk session of an hour or two would be good on one of the afternoons and perfectly possible.

[DianaS]

. Mike is now monitoring feedback so if you would like to add in this post how you feel your experience could be improved, or what you particularly enjoy, then the most important will get an airing.
:

Well theres going to be no surprises from me. i'm nothing if not consistent. Give Southport back to John and Wes
..a kind of truce
have a good dance, play with each others kiddies and if you still feel the urge to take over the dance world,

get some therapy

[Rocky]

...get some therapy

Very useful and constructive Diana. Thank you. By the way, I think you would benefit enormously from the latter part of your post!

[David Bailey]

Right, now all the kids have gone, I'm going to have a crack at this one.

I'd like to see the following:

1. Opportunities for private tuition:
A dedicated room somewhere for personal and private tuition. JA Southport never really had this, and it seemed a waste of a great opportunity to me. This assumes that people actually want to learn from all these superstar teachers, of course.

Expanding this, I'd also like to see a this room reserved as a "practice room", for people to practice and work on their dancing, or to do informal tuition, for some specific times during the weekend. Again, this is acting on the theory that some of the "advanced dancers" are advanced enough to want to practice and take such opportunities.

Similarly, I liked the "masterclasses" idea from Storm, that worked well for me.

2. Clear labelling of music
If you're going to have something called a Blues Room, then for the love of Christ, please play mainly Blues music in it. Alternatively, come up with a better name for the room ("The Ecletic Ballroom"? Nah, too clever...) to describe the fact that a whole wide range of music is played there, and let people know what genre is being played when. If for no other reason than to stop people like me whingeing about the lack of Blues music in the Blues Room.

3. Teach Modern Jive
I know it's a crazy concept, but I'd like to see some real MJ teaching, not just 200 taster classes on "Sultry Salsa" and "Raunchy Rumba". We won't be able to genuinely raise the level of MJ until we get real concepts like connection taught within MJ classes on a regular basis. Basically, hire Franck for the weekend and / or clone him.

By all means, have some taster classes in other dance forms, but I'd also like to see some advanced MJ classes which aren't simply 200-moves-in-a-row routines. It's an MJ weekend; let's go crazy and teach the majority of classes in MJ.

4. Use external DJs and teachers
Bit controversial, but I think it'd be a good inclusive gesture if Ceroc asked a few of the independant teachers and DJs to come along. On the teacher front - Viktor, Nigel & Nina, Amir, even DavidB if he can be persuaded back... Similarly, there are a lot of DJs who are respected and who would enrich any weekender - Ceroc Jock, Zebra Woman, Toby, and so on.

Ummm.... that's about it for now.

[Gav]

Ceroc Jock

I used to know someone by that name, I thought he got killed and eaten by a ravenous pack of Orange Haggis?

[Rocky]

.... snip...

Pretty much all of what you say makes sense and some parts have also been covered by other people, especially the music classification issue - that's why Ceroc moved away from the term 'Blues' room and replaced it with 'Chill Out Zone' some time ago. I personally don't think the term is perfect, but along with the explanation that goes with it, it does clearly explain that it is a mix of slower music. The private tuition/practice room is of course a good idea but I'm guessing as the idea of private tuition has never been expanded at SP that an appropriate room doesn't exist? People have said they've had private tuition there though, so does that mean they had it in their's rooms or something?

Private tuition is available at the moment at all Ceroc weekenders and dancers can book their lessons when they arrive from a selection of teachers. The classes are usually held in the same place as the master classes, and there-in lies your problem regarding this all purpose room also becoming a practice area. If the private lessons are booked up there would be no availability for practice sessions.

In any event can't dancers practice in the freestyle sessions by going out early when it's less crowded or between classes? That's what I used to do along with going over moves in the chalet.