I seem to have a reversed experience to the rest of you.
My first weekender was Franco's first Butlins one with only about 300 people - and this was the very first Modern Jive weekender.
I had an amazing time - and for the next 3 or 4 years every weekender seemed to be better than the last one. However, although I do still enjoy them, the buzz is nowhere near the same - possibly because there are so many now, I miss the absent faces (and dances) and the social scene has become a little cliquey.
I have moved on these days to different weekenders different crowd and different expectations - but even those don't have the same buzz of the early Southport events and prior.
Sounds as if I am moaning ............. I am NOT, I still love the weekenders, but not as much as I used to.
--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 think I've had some fab weekenders because for the best part of two years they were pretty much the only time I got to dance. There was no MJ locally aside from what I organised myself on occasion (which involved as much running round organising stuff as actual dancing).
I remember my first weeked - which was the first SP. I'd never even been to a freestyle before and was totally overwhelmed, scared to ask anyone to dance, even hid behind the pillars in the blues room so no-one would ask me to dance in there! But I bought dance shoes, did lots of classes and loved the music. It did help that there was a forum meet so I got to know some names and faces.
Oh yes - going on a weekender tired is never a good idea. I've also in the past packed some emotional baggage along with my dance shoes and that's not good either... I now prepare for a weekender by resting plenty the week before. I've only done one weekender in the past 14 months and I was in pain and tired so couldn't dance much, it was still a pleasant break but no weekender 'high'.
Weekenders - basic accomodation, not enough sleep, bad eating habits, sore feet... if tired/sore/not dancing well its not a great combination. But... seeing familiar faces, meeting new people, hearing great music, eating cake, dancing, dancing and more dancing and walking back to the chalet in the morning sun - when its good... its very, very good.![]()
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.
That's definitely NOT on 'my list' but somehow it does manage to creep in sometimes!
Routine - weekender - routine - weekender....... nope, its not computing!
and that's what its all about!and we work well together in terms of being compatible![]()
MODERATOR AT YOUR SERVICE![]()
"If you're going to do something tonight, that you know you'll be sorry for in the morning, plan a lie in." Lorraine
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.
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.
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.
Froddo my lovely do you still do Ceroc weekender's?
DTS XXX XXX The Horror, Oh The Horror, Oh The Horror.
I love the atmosphere of a weekender, it’s different to a freestyle and I think that’s because we are not all trying to cram as many dances as possible into a couple of hours that we don’t have time to chat and laugh with others but at a weekender where there are hours upon hours of dancing, we are all so much more relaxed. There is time to get to know people and have a laugh especially in the quizzes.
The accommodation is pretty poor but I think that adds to atmosphere, don’t ask me to explain because I can’t. We always have fun in our chalet, good chats, dissecting the day, at 7am before we go to bed.
For me I loved my first weekender, which was the first Storm 4/5 years ago, it where I discovered the blues room and have hardly left it since. I remember doing so many classes that first time but think I used to go to bed really early in weekender terms about 2:30. Now I rarely do any classes but rarely leave the blues room before 6 and have been known to still be there at 7:30 am. I think they are getting better and better and the last Southport was just the best for me.
Lastly what is special about the weekender for me is the peopleI have met and friends I have made the country and Scotland, some that I only see there but it is always so good to catch up.
Can’t wait for February and Southport![]()
Last edited by Maxine; 19th-November-2009 at 09:18 AM.
Ceroc or any other dance weekende'r organiser provide a venue, music and lessons. The atmosphere, enjoyment and fun are provided by YOU, the dancers.
If you are not enjoying weekender's then look to your own input and see if there are any changes you could make to better the experience. There are about a dozen, or so, people on this Forum, who have forgotten that we are Social Dancers only. These constant Ceroc bashers seem to think that technically perfect dancing is the only thing that matters, anything less is just horrific and below them.
If you are one of this elite gang of constant whingers then please do us happy social dancer, who dance for pleasure and fun, a favour and do not attend the Ceroc weekends, you do not seem to enjoy them anyway.
I am sure there must be some technically perfect weekender's that cater for the elite dancers. If you guys/girls can not find one then why don't you all meet up together and sit around moaning and whining with like minded superior dancers that you are.
You know who you are, if you take offence at this post, guess what, you are one of the elite, technically perfect ars*holes I am referring to.
Bit of advice to you guys. If you put your hand in a fire and it hurts, to relieve the pain, take your hand out of the fire. Look to yourself, for any improvments to weekender's, that the majority of dancers enjoy.
Bit of a rant but most people will get my point.
DTS XXX XXX The Horror The Horror The Horror
That's pretty much why I didn't enjoy Skegness, along with being dog-tired the whole weekend, unable to sleep well in the grotty chalet, and consequently dancing like an idiot and getting pitying looks from embarrassed partners who couldn't wait to let go of my hand and escape.![]()
I remember a few years ago seeing SP on one of those 'Holidays from Hell' type programmes (this was before they'd updated some of the chalets) and while they were showing peeling paint etc I was thinking 'oh look, there's the blues room'...
It feels like so long since I've properly done a weekender (its really only 14 months but considering I usually do 4-6 per year that is a big gap) and I'm looking foward to doing a few next year.![]()
Its almost impossible to have a good weekender experience if you're really tired - all the rough bits seem so much worse.
If you thought the chalets at Skegness were bad... glad you didn't try Camber or Southport!
I remember the first Storm - the damp was literally running down the walls, the bedding was wet to the touch... but I'd only paid £29 so wasn't complaining (mightn't have been as laid back about it if I'd paid over £100...). We just stuck the heat on to dry it all out and went out dancing.
If you though the chalets at Camber and Southport were bad, you should've gone to Beach Boogie!!! You're lucky to have a roof over your head at all at that place. Honestly, it makes Camber and Southport look like 5 star luxury.
Most people go to these weekenders and kind of expect the accommodation to be rubbish and just think of it as a place to get a few hours kip in between dancing. If you really can't stand slumming it, there are loads of other weekends you can go on with excellent accommodation.
So Lynn my lovely the chalet was cold and damp. Solutions, 1 Do something about it yourself, ie turn on heating and go dancing.
2 Do nothing but sit in cold and damp complaining.
Who will have a better weekend, 1 or 2?
This is not rocket science is it pips. If something is having a negative inpact on your weekend, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
Mike Ellard and David Bradley are nice approachable guys, if you have a genuine concern, go and tak to them. If they can do something to improve your weekend they will.
There are loads and loads of crew on duty at a Ceroc event so if you have any concerns, go and talk to the crew, they are not mind readers you know.
DTS XXX XXX The Horror x3.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Bookmarks