There is truth in that.
But this may be completely wrong. Any pleasurable act releases substances in the brain which alter peoples disposition. Ceroc certainly reveals to people that they can enjoy dancing and introduces them to hosts of people in fluffy bunny land. I have seen countless people come to Ceroc from bad situations with all sorts of negative emotions and discover that they can actually do something that they thought was beyond them.... Let me give you an example.. if you was a miserable sod... ceroc or no ceroc, you would still be a miserable sod...
The simple act of being asked to dance by a beautiful woman can change a mans self-image forever
I have not attended any other type of dance class that has that positive ethos to the same extent as MJ classes, and Ceroc has certainly done more for more people than any other MJ organisation.... its nothing to do with Ceroc.
(James Cronin for the honours list?)
This is a timely thread, not just because of the anti Ceroc feeling generated in some people by recent events but because it is almost exactly 3 years since I first dipped my toe (or should that be partner) into MJ waters.
I know it is hard to believe now but back then I hadn't a clue about any form of dancing (some might say I still don't). I had absolutely no training or experience in any form of dance and certainly did not consider myself as a person who could dance. Many months before actually venturing across the threshold of a venue I had seen a busk at my local shopping centre. That was the first time I had actually seen anyone dancing modern jive, prior to that I was vaguely aware of the term Ceroc but had little idea what it really was. For some reason seeing that busk made an impact on me - it just looked really cool. For quite a while after that I didn't follow it up but eventually I found out where my nearest venue was and Easily Led and myself went along to Daventry telling ourselves we would just "see what is was like".
I do have to give great credit to Ceroc here for the way we were greeted as newcomers by the bubbly and enthusiastic teacher Emma and the great crew of Taxi dancers which there happened to be at Daventry at this time. We didn't know it at the time but this was the tail end of the golden age for Daventry as a venue. There were simply loads of Daventry taxi dancers back then who were all fantastic, including Kelly who subsequently went on to become a Ceroc teacher herself, and there was also a really top notch refresher class taught by John. Of course watching Emma perform anything (yes, even the beginner moves) was also a joy - I used to say that she could even make putting out the empty milk bottles on the door step look elegant and stylish. Sadly Daventry has gone downhill as a venue since those days but that is another story.
My own efforts at dancing were to begin with really quite pitiful. I thought I would never master the octopus, but something kept drawing me back week after week. I guess the simple fact was it was just a hell of a lot of fun, even if I was very slow to pick things up. Some weeks I would come out feeling down, thinking I would never get the hang of it - but such feelings were generally short lived and I never found myself wanting to miss a week.
For the first year or so I just went once a week to the same venue. I think it was about 6 months before I dared to attend a free style and I did my first week-ender after 12 months. Then I started to go to other venues to experience different teachers, dancers and DJ's. For a short while I went as many as 3 times a week and started to attend local free-styles regularly whenever I could. Initially these were just the local ones but eventually I began to travel further and further afield.
I think it was after I had been dancing for about a year and a half that I discovered Marc and Rachel as teachers, initially attending the Milton Keynes class and subsequently transferring to Rugby which is now easily my favourite class night. I am fortunate in that there are at least 6 Ceroc venues within half an hours drive time. Rugby is the furthest away of these but I go there for the quality of the teaching, and the music - it was always good, but now Marc does the DJ'ing as well as the teaching. It also has a late finish at 11:00 pm (or sometimes even later). More than anything I think you need to find a teacher whose style of dancing suits you. Emma is a fantastic dancer who I love watching but I eventually realised that her style of dancing just wasn't suited to me so I started to look for an alternative. I would advise anyone else to do the same. I suppose it is also to Ceroc's credit that although they offer what to some extent is a consistent, homogeneous product they can still accomodate teachers who style is as different as Marc and Emma.
This year I have done two Southport week-enders (and felt at home in the blues room) and am planning to do a third (Breeze), I have traveled even further afield to free-styles and discovered that independents not only exist but can also deliver a great product. Sara White's Jive Nites classes and free-styles are great. The only pity is that her nearest venue is over an hour away so I don't get to visit anything like as often as I would like. I have also started to dabble in a spot of DJ'ing here and there. These days I am increasingly inclined just to go along late for second freestyle on class nights and I am intending to cut back somewhat on class night attendance in favour of more free styles and week-enders.
So has MJ changed my life? The answer must be a resounding yes. If anyone had said to me three years ago that I would be going out partner dancing at least twice a week, sometimes until 2 or 3 am., and would be traveling hundreds of miles to stay in holiday camps just to go dancing mostly with almost complete strangers for hours on end and think that life really could not get much better than this, I would have had then certified and quickly carried away in a restraining jacket. Yes, I do have other interests and there are other things in my life that are important. Modern Jive hasn't quite totally taken over, but it has become something that is tremendously important to me in a way that I did not previously believe was possible. It is something I really enjoy, it has given me a huge amount of pleasure and I now find it quite hard to imagine my life without it.
As it happens it was Ceroc who got me into the MJ scene but it could have been an independent had there been one operating at the time in my immediate area. For getting me started and helping me through those first few difficullt weeks when so many men especially give up, Ceroc deserve and will always have my gratitude.
Dave, what a lovely thread. Before I start, I just want to say I’ve read a lot of your posts recently, and even though I’ve never met you, you really do seem like a genuinely nice guy. I hope we get to dance together one day!
Ceroc, for me, has been life changing, and I don’t know where I would be right now if I hadn’t found it. It helped me in ways that I never thought possible.
I know there is a lot of bad feeling going on right now, regarding Southport etc. I don’t know any of the ins and outs of that, and I don’t really want to either. I just want to dance.
I just want to say a special thank you to Franck, and Sheena They have given me opportunities to move forward with my dancing, and for that I will always be grateful. I’m a taxi dancer, I demo… These things have had a huge impact on my dancing. I did have a bit of a loss of confidence a few months ago, but I think my confidence is returning, I’m happy to say. This is due to a lot of things. Mostly, my friends who I’ve met through Ceroc. They have danced with me, regardless of whether they think I’m “good” or not, regardless of how I’m feeling at that time. They’ve helped build my confidence back up. If I have a bad dance, we’ll laugh it off and we’ll probably have another to make up for it! I love walking into Ceroc on a Tuesday and Thursday night, and other party nights etc too, to be greeted by all of my great friends It is the people who make it so great (for me anyway), but without Ceroc I would never have met any of them. Each one of them plays a part in my life. To name but a few… Jamie - we’ve certainly had our ups and downs (no pun intended!) Thank you for passing on your knowledge of dance, and teaching me. Oh, and scaring the living daylights out of me when doing that donut move! I’m really glad I met you, sweetheart. Brian - what can I say? You always make me smile. Getting to know you this past year has been good. When I first started dancing, you were my taxi dancer, I’ll never forget that. You were one of “the best” in my eyes, and you still are. Monty - just filth! You always make me laugh! Keep practising those body rolls, honey! William - we hardly see each other these days. But you introduced me to the shimmy, and for that I’ll always be grateful! Nobody does a bum wiggle quite like you! Gordon - you’re the dad I never had. Always passing your wisdom on. One of the first people to dance with me - thank you. CJ - thanks for always being there, and for the hugs. This was a very bad idea! There’s just too many people to mention!
Ceroc has changed quite a bit since I first started going… change of venue etc. Some of the regulars don’t come anymore, which is a shame. But change isn’t always a bad thing. New opportunities come from change. And friends who I’ve made through Ceroc, are friends in Ceroc, and out of Ceroc, and I’ll still make a point of seeing them. One of my major highs of this year was my 21st. Old and new dance friends helping me celebrate. People turning up who I hadn’t seen for months… thanks guys.
There is nothing quite like the feeling you get when you connect with someone on the dance floor… like I’ve said before in previous threads, when you get lost in the moment with a person, it’s just amazing, and for that short time, nothing matters - it’s just you, that person, and the music. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does…
So, I guess what I’m trying to say is Ceroc has helped me in so many ways, and I’ve met so many amazing people (and interesting ones too! Yes Jamie, that means you! ) and for that I am truly grateful. Whatever happens from now on, I will look back on this past year and smile.
Thank you ceroc.
I agree totally, however, i think most threads that mention Ceroc are positive and if it hadn't been for Rocky keeping other negative threads going this general "feeling of negativity" would not be so palpable. He's a liability that man
So here're* my comments. I started dancing with Leroc 10 years or so ago but when I went to my first Ceroc class I noticed how much more professional it was and how much better the teaching was. Over the years I've visited maybe 40 to 50 different class nights and the standard is always above average and occasionaly fantastic. So I couldn't level any complaint at the quality of Ceroc at all (and i was very happy to do busks and be a taxi dancer - i hope i helped). And whilst we have had a few controversial business decisions - banning DJs and Teachers from choosing where they work, the Southport incident (both of which have been beaten to death as topics in my opinion), allowing Rocky to be a spokesman etc... the positive far outweighs the negative - with constant tweaks to the format, the importance ceroc put on bringing in new people, workshops, weekender events, opportunities to branch out in other dance forms. And as I've always said, this (Ceroc) forum is a place where we can discuss
the good and the bad without prejudice. Its also important to note that many would not be interested in discussing the bad about Ceroc if they didn't, in some way, love the product. So I wouldn't read too much into "negativity", in general if nobody cared, that would be a far worse position to be in
* a much underused contraction IMO
Last edited by Dreadful Scathe; 25th-September-2008 at 09:47 AM.
A good point my friend, our loyalty does tend to stick with this people that got us into MJ.
I started with an independent when my wife nagged me to start and that is where my 'home' remains. If I'm travelling I go anywhere, and I tend to find that the Ceroc venues are a bit like MacDonalds, a successful formula in which you know what you're getting but sometimes not quite enough for the maturing palate.
I've had good and bad nights at Ceroc and independent venues.
Astro, you are lovely. Nuff said.
Ceroc started me dancing and thro this I have met some truly remarkable people, and have had the privelage of having some truly stunning dances with loads of people all over the country.
Last night at Evesham I had 2 dances with Twotone which, for me, were amongst the very best dances of my dancing career.
No Ceroc! No magical moments with a variety of people!!
Now tell me...How, or why could you knock that?
Personally I owe my very sanity to Ceroc for turning me from a lout into a dancer.
Yes there has been input from loads of independents along the way, but Ceroc started me and gave me the confidence to progress along my journey, whilst on my journey Ceroc has always been there to welcome me back with open arms, saying nice to see you again, you are always welcome however long you stay away...
You just cant beat that with a big stick as far as I am concerned.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Bookmarks