Ceroc imitation

[glads]

In our local Whats On in the area this week I came across a half page ad from the local ballroom dancing school advertising that they will now be teaching 'Ceroc' - a one hour class, taught by a lady (name mentioned) who has been teaching at their dancing school for 20 years. The ad was accompanied by some blurb patently copied from Ceroc advertising.

I actually help to run an independent venue and have done for many years, but I have to say I was incensed by this, a cheap Ceroc imitation! It appears that someone has gone along to a few classes and then decided they can 'teach' Ceroc themselves, totally oblivious of the whole MJ concept of correct teaching, and that it is built around a social evening. In fact I've a good mind to contact Ceroc about it but I'm not sure who to go to - is there a central Ceroc franchising dept? What does anyone else think about this?

[emmylou25]

Well it seems to go against trade descriptions, given that ceroc's quite strict about teaching/evening structure/crew etc and it's obviously not a ceroc venue.

I think maybe the class/teacher just needs to change their 'subject' and advertising to modern jive. Then they'd be safe, and would avoid any conflicts. Maybe contact them and point this out, then if they don't change it, go to ceroc.

[glads]

thank you Emmylou, that seems a reasonable route to go down. I've had a quick look on their website and they are obviously nothing to do with Ceroc.

[David Bailey]

In our local Whats On in the area this week I came across a half page ad from the local ballroom dancing school advertising that they will now be teaching 'Ceroc'

Christ, we don't want any of that.

I actually help to run an independent venue and have done for many years, but I have to say I was incensed by this, a cheap Ceroc imitation!

Absolutely. Expensive imitations or nothing.

It appears that someone has gone along to a few classes and then decided they can 'teach' Ceroc themselves, totally oblivious of the whole MJ concept of correct teaching

Well, to be fair, most MJ teachers seem to be oblivious of the concept of correct teaching also.

She should, obviously, have simply used the term "LeRoc" with or without capitals, and she'd have been OK.

[Andy McGregor]

Qualified teachers who are prepared to teach "Ceroc"! I never thought I'd see the day

[Rocky]

Well, to be fair, most MJ teachers seem to be oblivious of the concept of correct teaching also. .

Yeah, those that can't do it go on to teach tango...

[David Bailey]

Yeah, those that can't do it go on to teach tango...

Most Tango teachers are rubbish too.

In fact, most dance teachers are rubbish.

In fact, most teachers are rubbish.

In fact, most people are rubbish...

To be fair, I'd much prefer to learn Ceroc from a CTA-trained teacher, than from someone with a ballroom background.

I was watching a "Learn to Tango" DVD done by a ballroom-trained "professor of dance" last night, it was truly awful. I suspect that a ballroom-background approach to teaching Ceroc would similarly likely go horribly wrong.

[Andy Razzle]

which instructor is this?

[ant]

I was watching a "Learn to Tango" DVD done by a ballroom-trained "professor of dance" last night, it was truly awful. I suspect that a ballroom-background approach to teaching Ceroc would similarly likely go horribly wrong.

I have found that people with Ballroom training tend to dance MJ better just using there BR training than Tango people do. So the correlation you suggest may not be correct.

With regard to the DVD you were talking about I assume that you mean Corky Ballas but his whole approach was from a BR aspect and looking at him in the DVD, I doubt whether he has had any maistream AT experience.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...72&safe=active#

[David Bailey]

I have found that people with Ballroom training tend to dance MJ better just using there BR training than Tango people do.

I suspect that's simply because they can adapt the (BR) Jive, whereas BR Tango is nothing like as close to AT. Plus, it's possible to adopt a generic "Latin style" and posture in MJ.

(Combined with the fact that, let's be honest, most MJ dancers are less accomplished than most AT dancers, so it's easier to achieve a level of competence in MJ with some knowledge of connection, posture and so on.)

With regard to the DVD you were talking about I assume that you mean Corky Ballas

Hell no,

Corky's videos are laughably bad.
"Plan 9 from Outer Space" bad.
Almost bad-enough-to-be-good level.

No, this one was "Argentine Tango: The Tango Milonguero" with Marie Claude Martin, "graduate professor of dance".

That one's not as bad as the Corky stuff - but it's pretty bad.

The narrator (I assume it's Ms Martin) mispronounces the terms in a horrible way:
- "Tang-you-air-ohs"
- "Milon-you-air-ohs"
- "Okkas Achas" (ocho atras - back ocho!)
- "Okko Cortado"

That part's very funny

[ant]

I suspect that's simply because they can adapt the (BR) Jive, whereas BR Tango is nothing like as close to AT. Plus, it's possible to adopt a generic "Latin style" and posture in MJ.

I am not so sure the (BR) Jive or (BR) Tango are the answer. I suspect the The Latin dances have something to do with it but I think the frame and difference in the way lead and follow is conducted are nearer to the answer.

(Combined with the fact that, let's be honest, most MJ dancers are less accomplished than most AT dancers, so it's easier to achieve a level of competence in MJ with some knowledge of connection, posture and so on.)

I thought we were comparing BR and AT backgrounds in relation to MJ.

[NZ Monkey]

I was watching a "Learn to Tango" DVD done by a ballroom-trained "professor of dance" last night, it was truly awful. I suspect that a ballroom-background approach to teaching Ceroc would similarly likely go horribly wrong.

I don't know about AT, but watching Ballroom dancers doing WCS is so painful it makes my eyes bleed.

It's dangerous to assume that expertise in one dance carries over to another. Sometimes it does of course, but usually less often than we'd like to think when we're learning something new.

Then again, perhaps the offender in question was taught that way and sincerely beleives that is the way it's done. I guess that's not really much of an excuse in the information age where it's relatively easy to identify when everyone else is doing it differently, but it's better than trying to make a buck out of something you know you know nothing about.

[Devilish Whirlish]

Hi Glads,

Why not contact Maja (dance@cerocaddiction.com) who now runs what was the Ceroc Northwest franchise or HQ (ceroc@ceroc.com)... am sure they'd be quick to follow it up.

DW

[Devilish Whirlish]

Btw - when and where is it.... I might pop along and see what the script is

DW