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    Weekenders - What's all the fuss about??

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory in Mod mode
    I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION TOPIC
    What's your experiences of weekenders 'in general'?
    Good, bad or indifferent?
    What makes it a particularly good/bad one?
    Lory x


    p.s. brought over from the Camber Afterglow thread
    Watching Lory's video left me wondering if any actual dancing happened at the weekend... there was a brief glimpse towards the end though! It also reminded me of the only "big" weekender I've been on, Skegness in June, and how much I didn't enjoy it. I'm not sure how I'm managing to miss all this wonderfulness that everyone keeps talking about, and what it is that makes people reschedule the rest of their lives around dance weekenders, but I'm afraid I've never encountered it - although judging by quite a few people's reactions to my 'dancing' at Skegness, maybe the problem's just me.
    Last edited by Lory; 18th-November-2009 at 01:01 PM.

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    Re: Camber-the afterglow

    Quote Originally Posted by CheesyRobMan View Post
    I'm not sure how I'm managing to miss all this wonderfulness that everyone keeps talking about,
    I don't know either?

    Just pullin' ya leg!
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    Re: Camber-the afterglow

    Quote Originally Posted by CheesyRobMan View Post
    I'm not sure how I'm managing to miss all this wonderfulness that everyone keeps talking about, and what it is that makes people reschedule the rest of their lives around dance weekenders, but I'm afraid I've never encountered it - although judging by quite a few people's reactions to my 'dancing' at Skegness, maybe the problem's just me.
    We all get/want different things from our dancing....each to there own

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    Re: Camber-the afterglow

    Quote Originally Posted by CheesyRobMan View Post
    maybe the problem's just me.
    I used to feel that way but the more weekenders I go on the more fun I seem to have.

    It’s a lot like being in a new School, it takes time to find new playmates to have fun with

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    Re: Camber-the afterglow

    Quote Originally Posted by DundeeDancer View Post
    I used to feel that way but the more weekenders I go on the more fun I seem to have.

    It’s a lot like being in a new School, it takes time to find new playmates to have fun with
    Yes I'd totally agree with that. The more weekenders you go on, the more you feel "part of the family". I didn't really enjoy the first Camber I went on and couldn't understand what the fuss was all about.

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    Re: Camber-the afterglow

    Quote Originally Posted by Double Trouble View Post
    Yes I'd totally agree with that. The more weekenders you go on, the more you feel "part of the family". I didn't really enjoy the first Camber I went on and couldn't understand what the fuss was all about.
    I did my first weekender about 13 (? I can't remember exactly) years ago. At that time I only danced locally (Chelmsford area) so I only knew my local crowd. I went to the weekenders once a year (Camber), it was a totally different experience to the weekenders I've been on in the last few years (about 4 or 5 a year).
    This is mainly due to where I was/am on my dance journey.
    I was in my 'honeymoon' period and went to experience new teachers, new dance partners and danced non stop til the doors shut. Back then I don't recall there being dancing all night long, just til about 2am. I was in awe of the dance teachers and more experienced, but that also made me too nervous to ask the 'good' dancers. So the enjoyment was more about having the opportunity to be totally absorbed in dancing for two and a half days. Pure escapism!
    As the weekenders were only once or twice a year you would meet new people and only see them at weekenders. So it was a great reunion and every year there would be more people added to that reunion.
    Weekenders are now a completely different experience for me, I go more for the socialising. There are still some people I only see on weekenders, but as they are so often that can mean I would see them every month or two instead of annually. I have travelled for my dancing more and more over the years so a lot of the people I will see at freestyles too.
    Recently I've found the buzz from weekenders has dissipated because of the market being saturated, the 'reunion' isn't so large, as not everyone goes to the same weekenders anymore.

    Reviews on weekenders can be taken with a pinch of salt as most things that make or break a weekender for the 'author' are out of the organisers control. All they can do is supply the best music (even this is down to each person's personal taste), floor, workshops, accommodation, and non dancing activities possible. The rest is up to you!

    Lory's video shows approximately 3 minutes out of 3 days of the event. I'm sure she could equally have made a 3 minute video with sad music and made it look like it was a crap weekend. So to look at that and expect to have 'the time of your life' is a bit like watching The Wizard of Oz and thinking every time you wear your red heels you'll be able to talk to lions.
    Last edited by Cruella; 18th-November-2009 at 02:50 PM.

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    Re: Camber-the afterglow

    Quote Originally Posted by Cruella View Post
    I'm sure she could equally have made a 3 minute video with sad music and made it look like it was a crap weekend.
    Hey, I was just thinking about new idea's
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    Re: Camber-the afterglow

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    Hey, I was just thinking about new idea's
    Look forward to seeing the result!
    Some of the arguments and sulks because 'they didn't dance with me all weekend!'

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    Re: Weekenders - What's all the fuss about??

    I remember my first weekender, I did the share with a stranger option.
    I'd only been dancing about 9 months, once a week and only in my local ceroc venues in Norfolk.
    I found I was sharing with a bloke who'd brought his guitar and his "gay" dance shoes who I barely saw for the whole weekend.
    He did tell me that he'd started dancing after me, but he'd been dancing about 6 or 7 times a week!
    It was only later that he became the infamous "Woodface". and No, I didn't tell him about the forum .

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    Re: Camber-the afterglow

    Quote Originally Posted by DundeeDancer View Post
    I used to feel that way but the more weekenders I go on the more fun I seem to have.

    It’s a lot like being in a new School, it takes time to find new playmates to have fun with
    totally agree.

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    Re: Weekenders - What all the fuss about??

    By the way, I had a look at Lory's Video and I have to say, if you think your weekend experience is going to be like that the you're going to be very dissappointed. Weekenders are great, but not that great!

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    Re: Weekenders - What all the fuss about??

    Weekenders are what they say on the label 'Escape'.

    I can be with like minded people, who love dance as much as I do and are there just to have a brilliant time.

    Accomodation is crap, food is what you make it but it's the socialising and dancing when and whenever you want that makes it for me.

    I go twice a year and have always had a cracking time. Although I would say with there being so many to choose from now it seems to have spread the crowd, as before you knew most people would be there but now it is only the hardcore you see everytime, which is a shame, I used to look forward to seeing people I only ever see at weekenders now there is no guarantee that they will be there.

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    Re: Weekenders - What's all the fuss about??

    I love them, they are 'all that' for me.

    what I look for in a good weekender.

    1. I don't so work shops or lessons so i'm looking for other activities in the day, dancing Quiz Karioke , etc.

    2. I like to socialise and chat, so people milling around.

    3. I don't like to eat before I dance so posh dinner doesn't do it for me.

    4. I like to dance late and party on, so finishing at 2am doesn't do it for me.

    5. I don't spend time in my apartment so cheep and cheerful, is all i'm looking for

    6. I don't need a colour T.V. or microwave

    7. I love to be close to the venue, so I can change quickly, pleasssse

    8. Muggles don't understand my dress style, so NO thanks i'll stick with dancers.

    9. ceroc weekenders seem to fit what i'm looking for at the moment.


    If I had a partner that I wanted to spend time alone with might mean what i'm looking for might change, I have never experienced that feeling, dancing and socialising with different people has always been more important.

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    Re: Weekenders - What's all the fuss about??

    I've now been to a few weekenders (mostly Ceroc, 1 Eclipse). Predominantly I go for the dancing, in particular to dance with people I don't get to dance with the rest of the time. I still like to take part in the workshops because there's a lot you can learn from different teachers/styles, and I like the buzz i get from the different music I wouldn't always hear at my regular venues/freestyles. (I'm also a cheapskate, so if classes are included I'm going to make the most of them!)

    I'm not too worried about what the accommodation's like (as long as there's a decent shower, microwave/fridge, warmth when required) as we don't spend much time there. I don't use the additional options like wellbeing, massages, quizes or such like, but it's nice to know it's there for those who want it.

    I would never go to a weekender on my own - I like to have company of friends even if I tend to go off to classes on my own during the day. It's nice to see a few friendly faces to have a base to go back to during the freestyles, and my usual chalet mates & I now have a nice routine/food organisation thing going on, and we work well together in terms of being compatible in terms of how we cope with weekenders/dancing til similar times etc.

    While I like to have a few people i know around me, if there's too many (usually Bliss is the one that tonnes of people from my area go to) I start to get a bit lazy and don't bother finding new people to dance with, so having fewer people i know means I probably benefit in terms of experiencing more people to dance with.

    But ultimately I just want to go to dance - I love the fact that I know I can find the inspirational dancers there to watch, and potentially dance with, and it just gives me a massive buzz. It's like being in a dance bubble; my work colleagues think it's extremely odd just to go off for a weekend of dancing but for us it's the emergence into the real world afterwards that's the oddity.

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    Re: Weekenders - What's all the fuss about??

    Quote Originally Posted by Lynn View Post
    in the past packed some emotional baggage along with my dance shoes
    That's definitely NOT on 'my list' but somehow it does manage to creep in sometimes!

    Quote Originally Posted by emmylou25 View Post
    my usual chalet mates & I now have a nice routine

    Routine - weekender - routine - weekender....... nope, its not computing!

    and we work well together in terms of being compatible
    and that's what its all about!
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    Re: Weekenders - What's all the fuss about??

    I suppose I've not been to a lot of MJ weekenders. I cut my teeth on the second Beach Boogie, and had an absolute blast - it was the first time I'd ever seen outside my local Ceroc scene, and it was a real eye-opener.

    All told, I've been to four and a bit Beach Boogies, two Southports (the first and last JA ones, ironically enough), one Blitz event (was it called Ribby?) .... and ... (C2D at Blackpool excepted), that's it.

    Nowadays, I don't know of any MJ weekenders which fit what I want / need.
    Two simple aims: I want to learn, and I want to be inspired. I like the bootcamp approach to dance events, where you get a lot of very intensive workshops with a real focus on technique, with at least a degree of continuity.

    Loads of amazing social dancing is icing on the cake.

    Oh - and two days isn't really long enough. I'm not sure I could cope with more than a week though.

    In short, I'm far too demanding of my dance events, and currently I need to go abroad to get what I want.

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    Re: Weekenders - What's all the fuss about??

    I love weekender's dance with everyone, refuse no one and ruin me knees, can not ask for more methinks.

    I tend to hit the zone quickly and stay in it longer and longer nowdays. I really don't give a monkey's what other people think of me, this is my time to be camp as hell and be nice to everybody and dance untill I cannot stand any more.

    I love em I do. i am not a holiday type of guy I would rather have all my holidays dancing. I love the social side of weekender's chatting and laughing, honest i cannot think of a better way to spend your time.

    I would gladly sell both me arms and legs for a chance to dance forever.

    Weekender's are fab however you only get out what you put in. Dance and enjoy and that's exactly what you will get to do, dance and enjoy.

    DTS An excited little dance puppy.

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    Re: Weekenders - What's all the fuss about??

    Quote Originally Posted by dave the scaffolder View Post
    DTS An excited little dance puppy.
    I suspect I'm going to get very excited early next year and bounce rather a lot - a crowd from NI have booked for Blush and I'm excited at their enthusiasm, as well as my own. I think I forgot how much I love weekenders... can't wait.

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    Re: Weekenders - What's all the fuss about??

    You get out of a weekender what you put in, and I think I know that one more than most!

    I love my dance weekenders, but have had very mixed experiences - yet I still keep going back for more. That's because I love the dancing. It's the other stuff that gives me trouble... such as turning up with a sprained ankle, or getting over a bad cold, having an accident on the way there...

    Also, have had mixed experiences with chalet mates, as I've got a history of losing them! Two developed new partners who were also at the weekenders so were a but, uhm... busy , my planned chalet-mate has had to sell their place and the new chalet mate has been less than ideal, or someone just hasn't been able to make it and I've been on my own. All these situations have resulted in my being disappointed that what I was expecting in the way of socialising hasn't materialised, and have on occasion left me feeling quite lonely. And that is the key thing for me - there is nothing worse than feeling lonely when you are with hundreds of other people who are having a fabulous time. However this has been where the forum has been invaluable to me - just having someone to share a hug with, have a natter with or just sit quietly with and watch the other dancers, as well as dance with. I'm not sure that I would be doing much in the way of dance weekenders if it wasn't for the folks I've met through here, and the people they've introduced me to.

    Bliss was good for me as it was a last minute thing, and I didn't know who I'd be sharing with, so I had no chance to build up my expectations. And it was odd, as I knew there would be fewer people there whom I knew, so possibly fewer opportunities to socialise. But I didn't care, and knew I was going to focus even more than usual on the dancing. And I had a wonderful time! My chalet mates were lovely, and there were enough people there for me to feel connected. I have booked a chalet on my own for Storm, figuring that if I didn't have any chalet mates, I couldn't lose them! I'll be adopting the same attitude, and am expecting to have a great time.

    As I said, what keeps me going, despite the problems I've had, is the dancing. When I first went, to Bliss 3 years ago, I was very shy and terrified of dancing in the blues room - but loved the atmosphere and the music down there as well as the different style of dancing. I was hooked! It's taken me a long time to feel really comfortable there, but now I feel at home, even if sometimes I still struggle to get dances - am better at getting up and asking people these days, or if it's just not happening going to the main room to get my energy levels back up. I would say that I've had to work at it though - I didn't just slot in and find it easy. But I knew that I wanted to be able to dance as I saw others dance there. The dancing/music I find in the main room is very much like the dancing I can get every week at my local venue - it's good fun, but I like the change in style in the blues room/COZ.

    And the thing that I take away is, almost always, an improvement in my ability to dance.

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    Re: Weekenders - What's all the fuss about??

    Quote Originally Posted by CheesyRobMan View Post
    although judging by quite a few people's reactions to my 'dancing' at Skegness, maybe the problem's just me. :sad
    The problem is definitely NOT your dancing

    I still get tingles from memories about that dance, then there is that one too, and definitely that one

    perfect Lory!

    As for me:

    I've only been to 2 of the "Real" Weekenders - Both of the May Blazes (Renovations grr), but I would include Kirrie and Beach Ballroom too.

    What I look for in no particular order:

    • Classes on interesting and varied topics, with the Best Teachers in each area
    • The Best DJs
    • Basic accomodation - I only need a roof, warmth, somewhere to sleep, eat and wash.
    • Baking
    • Socialising
    • The Best Freestyle Dancing with friends old, new and not met yet.
    • Blues room open ALL weekend


    As for making the most of everything: As an intovert/loner (yes I know I dance like that but hear me out!) I recognise that I need a little space to recover and be on my own (during the weekend) in between all the extrovert dancing..

    And I also need to respect my need for sleep - I know it isn't fashionable, but even if I'm in 7th heaven in the blues room I need to respect my body's needs, otherwise I don't dance as well, get grumpy and annoyed and very antisocial (Not pretty!)

    Oh and for some reason I work best travelling on my own (or in a very small group), I love socialising while at an event, but I think I need to travel alone - a sort of calm before the storm, and a winding down gently process as it were...


    My only weekender booked so far for next year is Breeze, but I'm sure there will be others once I get myself organised. Maybe that is why I still get the buzz... I don't crush my calender full of weekenders - so they are a treat.

    Cheers WT
    Last edited by whitetiger1518; 19th-November-2009 at 12:51 PM. Reason: another point

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