Seven is definitely more than three ...

[Andy McGregor]

It isn't necessary to be world champion or to have a degree in the subject or even be able to walk, in order to point out something simple.

The new Kia ad sums it up for me.

There are people who will tell you the most obvious and simple things as if they were the result of the greatest thinking on the planet. This tells you something about their thinking ability.

We should take care not to patronise those of little mind who find great thinking where there is none. But we should reserve our pity for those who don't even understand the most simple things.

I'm sorry, is it just me or does anyone ever have the foggiest idea of what Fro-doh is talking about??

[Andy McGregor]

In the story of "The Emperors new clothes" it took a child to point out the obvious, the Emperor was naked.

I think the best bit of this story is the smoke and mirrors of the trickster who sold the idea that you were thick if you didn't see the clothes.

I'm afraid that I find there is a similar thing going on in dances that are meant to be social dances. There is a mind-set that you can't be a good dancer if you can't do dance X, Y or Z. This will fool the simple minded and less than simple but gullible if it's said with enough confidence and associated glamour.

The simple truth is that we are social dancers through and through if we are attending Modern Jive events. Being "special" or knowing a "special" dance that others in the Modern Jive scene do not know does not mark you out "special" or superior, it makes you anti-social because it excludes people in a social setting.

[fletch]

I think the best bit of this story is the smoke and mirrors of the trickster who sold the idea that you were thick if you didn't see the clothes.

I'm afraid that I find there is a similar thing going on in dances that are meant to be social dances. There is a mind-set that you can't be a good dancer if you can't do dance X, Y or Z. This will fool the simple minded and less than simple but gullible if it's said with enough confidence and associated glamour.

The simple truth is that we are social dancers through and through if we are attending Modern Jive events. Being "special" or knowing a "special" dance that others in the Modern Jive scene do not know does not mark you out "special" or superior, it makes you anti-social because it excludes people in a social setting.

I dance with everyone, so am I not special anymore Andy

thats my bubble burst.......and I was going out on such a high, neaver mind, i'll help you with your 'house' 'garage' 'funk' dancing next time I see you, sorry its just free style..



ps its been ages.

[Andy McGregor]

I dance with everyone, so am I not special anymore Andy

You are now, of course, special to everyone

thats my bubble burst.......

Having seen and felt your bubbles, I think they take a lot of bursting

and I was going out on such a high, neaver mind, i'll help you with your 'house' 'garage' 'funk' dancing next time I see you, sorry its just free style..

And I'll help you with your hip-hop.

ps its been ages.

Sometimes we find people who we click with and don't have to keep living in each other's pockets to know we'll get along just the same the next time we meet - next year, next week, whatever

[stewart38]

I dance with everyone,

I can vouch for that

8 moves Stew

[straycat]

I'm afraid that I find there is a similar thing going on in dances that are meant to be social dances. There is a mind-set that you can't be a good dancer if you can't do dance X, Y or Z. This will fool the simple minded and less than simple but gullible if it's said with enough confidence and associated glamour.

If I may offer an alternative interpretation... it may be possible that these people you refer to have simply, through learning these other dances, learned techniques and concepts that have been of immense benefit to themselves, to their own dancing / leading / following... and that they are keen to share those techniques and concepts, in the hopes that they benefit others in a similar fashion.

[Andy McGregor]

If I may offer an alternative interpretation... it may be possible that these people you refer to have simply, through learning these other dances, learned techniques and concepts that have been of immense benefit to themselves, to their own dancing / leading / following... and that they are keen to share those techniques and concepts, in the hopes that they benefit others in a similar fashion.

Those people straycat describes are called dance teachers.

The people I'm talking about are the ones who attend MJ events and tell you they've given up MJ now they'd discovered dance X, Y or Z. They make no effort to share their special dance. My answer is that they're in the wrong place.

[Gerry]

Those people straycat describes are called dance teachers.

The people I'm talking about are the ones who attend MJ events and tell you they've given up MJ now they'd discovered dance X, Y or Z. They make no effort to share their special dance. My answer is that they're in the wrong place.

Andy
I am sorry but I think that is a load of rubbish. I think a lot of the major weekenders as an example are bringing in teachers to teach other dance styles. I am no teacher but I think my learning WCS has helped my MJ. Are you saying I am going to the wrong events. I can happily say that I still dance more MJ than I do WCS and I can't really see my self changing.

I know some dancers that have never learnt MJ but have gone on MJ weekenders to go on the WCS workshops who have said no to a MJ dance because they really don't know how to do it. I also know others who will just give it a try with a smile.

I really can't make a comment concerning Tango.

I think and I have seen other dancers who obviously have been ballroom trained who have master MJ quickly and are so much better dancers because of their other dance training.

Lastly, surely by all these other dancers joining in on the MJ scene they are shairing their dance skills by dancing with others, I am sure there are alot of ladies that will pick up things by following men who lead well because of their dance training

[David Bailey]

AI think a lot of the major weekenders as an example are bringing in teachers to teach other dance styles.

And Modern Jive weekenders have always done this - it's not a new trend.

I know some dancers that have never learnt MJ but have gone on MJ weekenders to go on the WCS workshops who have said no to a MJ dance because they really don't know how to do it.

It seems a bit weird to go to an MJ weekender without knowing anything about MJ.

Mind you, you may be right, I encountered a lovely tango dancer from France at my last Southport weekender, and she'd come mainly for the WCS classes...

I really can't make a comment concerning Tango.

I can

I wouldn't attend a "Tango + other-dance-form-I-don't-know" weekender; especially if the other-dance-form-I-don't-know were the main focus of that weekender. It would seem a massive waste of time and effort.

But if I did attend such an event, and if I did attend the non-tango freestyle part of that event, then I guess I'd .... I dunno. I simply wouldn't be there in the first place, so it's too hypothetical a question.

But I'm happy to attend a (for example) MJ / Tango weekender.

[Andy McGregor]

Andy
I am sorry but I think that is a load of rubbish. I think a lot of the major weekenders as an example are bringing in teachers to teach other dance styles. I am no teacher but I think my learning WCS has helped my MJ. Are you saying I am going to the wrong events. I can happily say that I still dance more MJ than I do WCS and I can't really see my self changing.

I think Gerry is mis-reading what I've said. I've no problem with people like Gerry. I am also one of those people. I attend classes other than MJ and dance many dances. But I wouldn't attend an event in a dance style I did not know and expect people to dance one of the dances I know - I'd make an effort to learn the appropriate dance.

But what I am not and Gerry is not is the person I described earlier. That person attends MJ events and does not dance MJ. What's all that about? For some reason Gerry thinks this is OK at MJ events. He and I do not agree on this single point. If I attended a Tango weekender where there was a MJ taster lesson I would still expect to dance tango in the majority of the freestyle. I wouldn't say "I'm sorry, I only dance MJ". But, for some reason, Gerry thinks acting this way is acceptable at an MJ weekender or other MJ event

I think DB summed it up.

I wouldn't attend a "Tango + other-dance-form-I-don't-know" weekender; especially if the other-dance-form-I-don't-know were the main focus of that weekender. It would seem a massive waste of time and effort.

But if I did attend such an event, and if I did attend the non-tango freestyle part of that event, then I guess I'd .... I dunno. I simply wouldn't be there in the first place, so it's too hypothetical a question.

But I'm happy to attend a (for example) MJ / Tango weekender.

[straycat]

The people I'm talking about are the ones who attend MJ events and tell you they've given up MJ now they'd discovered dance X, Y or Z. They make no effort to share their special dance. My answer is that they're in the wrong place.

I now have this vision of an ex-MJer standing by the side of a dancefloor, sneering at the dancers, saying "I now do West Balboa Paso Blues Hop! But I'm not sharing it with you. I'm not even going to show it to you. That's how special it is."

I'm not certain that's quite what you mean, but it's the picture you're painting....

[Andy McGregor]

I now have this vision of an ex-MJer standing by the side of a dancefloor, sneering at the dancers, saying "I now do West Balboa Paso Blues Hop! But I'm not sharing it with you. I'm not even going to show it to you. That's how special it is."

I'm not certain that's quite what you mean, but it's the picture you're painting....

That's because it's the picture I occasionally see. These non-MJ dancers seem to make camp together at MJ events. And I get them coming up and requesting all sorts of tracks that are marginal for MJ and would make it a dreary MJ set.

[nomoves]

[/The simple truth is that we are social dancers through and through if we are attending Modern Jive events. Being "special" or knowing a "special" dance that others in the Modern Jive scene do not know does not mark you out "special" or superior, it makes you anti-social because it excludes people in a social setting.

Perhaps event organisers should hand out Anti-Social Balboa Orders to discourage this kind of heinous behaviour

[Andy McGregor]

Perhaps event organisers should hand out Anti-Social Balboa Orders to discourage this kind of heinous behaviour

There is absolutely no reason why consenting adults shouldn't dance Balboa at a MJ event.

But they shouldn't refuse the request for a dance at a MJ event because they are a Balboa purist and don't dance MJ any more.

[straycat]

But they shouldn't refuse the request for a dance at a MJ event because they are a Balboa purist and don't dance MJ any more.

I think it's safe to say that this is an unlikely scenario. I can't see any born-again MJ-shunning Balboa purists actually attending an MJ event....

[Minnie M]

There is absolutely no reason why consenting adults shouldn't dance Balboa at a MJ event.

But they shouldn't refuse the request for a dance at a MJ event because they are a Balboa purist and don't dance MJ any more.

[David Bailey]

I'm afraid that I find there is a similar thing going on in dances that are meant to be social dances.

Aren't most dances meant to be social dances?

The simple truth is that we are social dancers through and through if we are attending Modern Jive events. Being "special" or knowing a "special" dance that others in the Modern Jive scene do not know does not mark you out "special" or superior,

You missed out "with the exception of Argentine Tango, of course" from that sentence.

it makes you anti-social because it excludes people in a social setting.

You say that like it's a bad thing?

[Andy McGregor]

p.s. I set this thread up to have a dig at Rocky because he was having a dig at frodo. Not to debate non-MJ dancing dancers at MJ events.

p.p.s. The answer is 7 ...

.. or possibly 3. It all depends on the question

[straycat]

p.s. I set this thread up to have a dig at Rocky because he was having a dig at frodo. Not to debate non-MJ dancing dancers at MJ events.

Well - that one went (silently) whooshing straight over my head.....

[David Bailey]

p.s. I set this thread up to have a dig at Rocky because he was having a dig at frodo.

Yeah, but that was boring.

This topic is more fun.