Nahhhhhhh....... you were right in the first place TB
None of the dancing pros, have a problem dancing with any of us poor mortals - even Vincent Simon (tango & ballroom pro) kinda danced MJ with us at Southport AND most of the US WCS pros danced with who-ever asked them (westies and MJ dancers) plus Lucky Skillen (a Lindy pro) who had never danced MJ when he first came over (most of us girlies have had a dance with Lucky)
But as said in TB's original post, they need to be good leads to be able to do this
--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.
More tosh.
The pros are a different case - they are paid to be there. They have a PR angle to protect - as Benji found out to his cost when he came to Southport.
And this snidey 'oh they are obviously crap leads if they can't adapt their dance to all different styles and levels of experience' line bugs me too. Yes, a really good lead can do this (I know I can't) but are these ppl setting themselves up as that or is their reticence to dance MJ due to their lack of confidence in their abilities in this area?
Ultimately I'd really like to know WHY do you (the ppl complaining) ask or wish to dance with the ppl you are criticising so much if they are
* up their own arses
* inflexible
* unwilling to adapt
* dance snobs
* blah blah blah
* crap leads
* in possession of an ego writing checks that their body just can't cash (just had to get that bastardised quote in somehow)
[delete as appropriate]
I'm Sorry but I'm with Rob on this one!
I got turned down this weekend by one guy I asked to dance coz I'd seen him dancing and thought he looked fun. His response "No thanx I only jive and your a West coaster!" I was so gobsmacked I couldn't respond and he wandered off! It made me think 2 things! Wow I've obviously worked hard enough at my WCS that it's now recognisable but that came after the initial shock as I think of myself as a Mjer!
It works both ways for the West coasters and the Jivers. I think that it is only polite to ask in these situations especially if you can't do one of the styles in question. If someone who is a beginner asks you to dance then they should say so and the experienced person should give them the best possible dance they can!
Rudness works both ways! We are all here because we dance and we should respect other peoples choices! I'm quite often given the choice by some people who can dance both and I really like this as they are considering what I would like to do! and often if I can I have one of both (ok so I'm greedy!)
Ok a little bit off thread maybe but just had a conversation with a friend about this thing of "them and us"
When I go to a weekender I socalise with the people I know and love. I may not see them very often or I may see them every time I go dancing. They are what I call my friends. I also want to dance with my favorite dancers and have as many as possible with them! They make me feel great about my dancing and when the dance ends I always feel a little bit of a high! (I hope I do the same for them)
what I said to my friend was this:
I think it's the same when you get people who dance any sort of style thats a minority to the majority! but I think it's unfair to label them as hotshots or anything else! they paid their money like everyone else and want to get what they want from the event!I think because the WCS are all kinda friendly with each other then it appears that theire unfriendly to others. It's not that, it's the fact that there are so few that when ever you go to a WCS event it's the same people your socialising with and therefore it's natural when at a weekender to hang out with the people you know!
Just a tiny point of order here; Steven, when you say 'someone' we all know you mean sway.... and when sway says 'someone' we all know you mean Steven. So, will you two get a room (or a chalet) before a moderator bundles your lurve-fest white noise into its own thread.
It's happened before
Possibly ............ but I wouldn't call the idea tosh
You do yourself an injustice Rob you ARE a good lead and you do adapt well, I talk from experience - I have never had a bad dance with you, even when our styles were completely different, and although my WCS is rubbish, you make me feel that I am dancing well (thank you) - which I believe is what a good lead is supposed to do
......not sure where this "snidey 'oh they are obviously crap leads if they can't adapt their dance to all different styles etc etc" comes from
Anyway, we have moved away (again) from the main topic - maybe this is a good idea for a new thread
--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.
I haven't quoted Freya's post - but do agree, dancing rudeness is not a WCS thing, it can happen and DOES happen with all dance genres (sp?) and unfortunately does. I have been told the tango dancers are the worse
--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.
Ooooh, I have the post-weekender lurgy in a big way!
I could feel myself getting ill on Sunday night, as I was losing my balance and co-ordination. No wonder, as I now have sinusitis! Yuck.....
Right then. For me, this was a bit of a mixed weekender, partly because of having two ill chalet mates, who in the end went home on Sunday morning (hope you're feeling better now, guys!). I felt rather lonely rattling around in a three bedroom chalet on my own. But Princes Fi saved the weekend for me, just by being her lovely, cuddly, friendly and incredibly cute self - I'm seriously thinking about adopting her!!
The accomodation:
Fab! Clean, spacious, warm and comfortable. Kitchen was well equipped, and had toaster, microwave and even wine glasses and bottle opener! Bed was comfortable, duvet nice and warm, and there was plenty of hot water.
Unfortunately we were stuck in Oyster Bay, the furthest away from the dance venue it was possible to get, so a good 10 minute walk away. This meant far less socialising outside the dance rooms, and having to plan well what to take with you when you went out, as it was just too far to keep nipping back for a snack/change of clothes etc.
Other facilities:
I only used one restaurant (Papa Joe's), which had an 'eat as much as you like' buffet for £6.99 (or £8.99 incl. dessert), which was fine. Service was a bit slow, but with lots of charm and smiles from our waiter, who fell head over heels in love with Princes Fi!
The on-site supermarket was WAY better than at Pontins, with an in-store bakery and everything you needed for the weekend, really.
But for me, the most important part of a weekender is the mix of great blues-room music, a good dance floor, and a great bunch of super dancers. The latter two was there, but I agree with the vast majority of people I talked to in Jack's who thought the music was rubbish a lot of the time - most of Friday in fact, plus a few hours of dodgy stuff on Saturday and Sunday, too...
Couldn't put it any better myself! Bland thump-thump. Some people might think of this as 'WCS music', but although I do dance wcs, I hated it. Like others have pointed out, wcs can be danced to a huge variety of musical genres (including r'n'b, blues, latin style music etc etc etc etc), and with wcs like any other dance style (blues, jive...), I prefer music that is interesting, pretty much like described by PretzelMeister below:
Although a lot of people think of the music played on Friday as 'WCS music', I only think of it as bland rubbish. Somehow this music has become associated with wcs, though, probably as a result of the increasing number of wcs dancers and the popularity of wcs classes at weekenders in the last couple of years, coupled with the music in the blues room at SP and Skeggie shifting more towards bland thump thump stuff. I heard as many wcs dancers complain about it as MJers, though, so I think some of the djs just missed the point completely!
I gave up the will to dance a few times over the weekend, but decided to stay until the last set every night. Thank god I did!!! Sheepman's set saved Friday night (or rather Saturday morning) for me, and so did Dance Demon's set on Sunday morning and Tesalicious' set Monday morning. Fantastic, guys!!!
On Saturday I thoroughly enjoyed the daytime sets by Tessalicious and Sheepman, and Blueshoes' 20-21.30 set was great (giving me back the will to live again!), followed by another good set by DD. Then the music was abysmal again until DD's set at 4am. Sunday was rather mixed, and again I lost the will to dance (or live!), until Tessalicious saved the day with a FANTASTIC last set of the weekend.
I'd be a happy Little Monkey indeed if we could get more sets from Sheepman and the wonderful Tessalicious!
I wish I'd had time to bake more, too! My four cakes vanished within minutes of putting them on the table...... Will do better for June, guys!
My personal favourites are LemonCake's lemon cake and gooey brownies..... Mmmmmm.........
Last but not least: Am I going back again? YES! I didn't have sky-high expectations of this event, and did foresee a few teething problems. But I know from past experience (I have been to all Southport weekenders bar the first two, after all) that John and Wes listen to the punters, and always work hard to improve things, so I'm expecting things to have improved by June, and be even better by September. I've booked for both!
Oh, and did anyone find the plonker who put talc on the floor in Jack's on Friday and shot him (or her?)? I do like a fast floor, but.......!
Slightly off-topic and I'd be happy for this to start in a new thread but this seems to be where everyone is reading so I'll ask here - please would the DJs post their playlists? I'm particularly interested in Dance Demon, Blueshoes, Roger Chin (Jaks & Reds) & Tessalicious's lists but it might be interesting for people who didn't attend (or like me who missed early evenings) to see what the comparisons are between comments fed back for different times of day vs their own taste.
Plus there were songs I danced to that I loved but can't identify, and would like to source them to put on a playlist for our wedding!
Thanks
LC
Journey......... shorter distance for us but we travelled Thursday through most of the snowstorm... made it quite a tiring 7 and half hour journey..going home was 4 and a half hours.
Accommodation ...........excellent
Cleanliness ..............very clean and tidy
Hot water .............loads
Cooking facilities ........all there but not used much
Distance from your accommodation to the venue? ...a brisk 10 minute walk
Venues
Distance between venues and was this an issue? no 100yard max between each
Timings of available dancing .....only really danced in Jaks never a problem
Size .......
Floor ........ very fast Friday but fast the rest of the time (not a problem)
Heat - fans - air-con etc ........air con working well in Jaks
Bars - efficiency and prices ...........never saw a queue....... overexpensive for soft drinks but average for beer and shorts...ALWAYS loads of free water
Seating plenty of seating if not too much in Jaks was better when some were moved
Atmosphere? generally good....
Arthurs was a much brighter venue than the SP latin room and a much bigger dancefloor....
Reds was huge had a large dancefloor and very chic looking.
Restaurants.....used Finegins fish and chipshop lovely... Papa Joes all you can eat for £6.99 they made a loss when I was in there...... and BurgerKing.(as a BK should be)
Quality
Prices......... reasonable
efficiency .......good always smiles
Other facilities
spa ..not used
swimming ....not used
Shops ........adequate for what was required
Bars .....not used except in the venues
the good the bad and the Ugly of the...
Music - Dj's music was in parts disappointing (more to follow)
Workshops .....didn't do any
Cabarets.... Unfortunately Mrs Par was unwell on Saturday evening and I stayed in with her and we didnt dance. (It was Valentines, I couldn't leave her )
and any other incidentals.
Forum meets etc N/A
Would a BBQ be feasible for the summer? possibly
Any complaints? lack of community... everyone spread out. If the cafe called Front Room (opposite Jaks)could be comandeered from Butlins it would make a fab front desk/meeting place and create the community enviroment.
Any surprise.... 'Wow..... that was a brilliant innovation'? I thought taking the distibution of keys off of the holiday camp made for a quicker turn round and there was no queueing when I was on the desk.
What could be improved on? .I can only comment on Jaks but the sound system was pushing all the sound out from the stage towards the bar and did not cover both ends of the room... this could be remedied with a couple of additional speakers at the end of each room as per SP blues room.
It might be helpful in June for a "Jive Addiction venue map" to be handed out on arrival highlighting where all JA bits where in relation to each other. The Butlins map was very
Any Shocking gossip??? no
Lovey dovy news, Valentine proposals etc? no
and finally ... compared to the previous JA Southport's, how does it rate, as an overall experience??? .....It was different. .
It was difficult for us all to get our heads round the location because it was new to us all... the 10 minute walk to venues meant preparation was a must ...you really didn't want to have to go back for that missing item!!
I missed seeing/speaking to/ dancing with quite a lot of people. Some of this is my own fault as I persevered with Jaks all the way through when I should have moved to another venue.
I had a great time and will be back in June and Sept.
I know John and Wes worked tirelessly to overcome the teething problems of their first Skegness.
I know they will listen to all the feedback and make June an even better experience.
P.s. I missed you all! We all missed Lory
I will make a separate post about music.
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