Ceroc / Modern Jive for the under 18s

[Katie Kicks Ass]

Well I'm not a teenger anymore (but I was when I started ceroc).

I had a couple of niggles before I became an adult, but on the whole didn't feel out of place. I used to attend with my mum but since my little break from dancing she hasn't been back.

I think that under 18s should be allowed as long as they have the sufficent maturity to realise it is an adult environment (thats not to say we are all boring so and so's). At my regular venue we used to have (dont know whats happened to them) a bloke bringing his two sons who were 10 and 16, no one had a problem with them being there and everyone used to dance with them.

[glads]

I'm with Katie on this. We had a great regular crowd of youngsters at our (independent) venues for a few years. They started aged 14-16 and all knew each other from school. Unfortunately (as is the wont of young people!) they got older and by stages, all went off to Uni etc., Some of them come back occasionally and visit us but we do miss them and the impact they made.

I can't understand why people on here have done nothing but suggest that Minnie's grandsons try ballroom, street, lindy, salsa etc., in fact anything BUT MJ, when Minnie clearly started the thread by stating that MJ was what the boys wanted to do.

[David Bailey]

I'm with Katie on this. We had a great regular crowd of youngsters at our (independent) venues for a few years. They started aged 14-16 and all knew each other from school. Unfortunately (as is the wont of young people!) they got older and by stages, all went off to Uni etc., Some of them come back occasionally and visit us but we do miss them and the impact they made.

I can't understand why people on here have done nothing but suggest that Minnie's grandsons try ballroom, street, lindy, salsa etc., in fact anything BUT MJ, when Minnie clearly started the thread by stating that MJ was what the boys wanted to do.

Well, partially because, if they get casually involved with a casual dance, then they find it easy to walk away - they're not "hooked". Whereas a dance style in which they invest more of themselves is more likely to be something they continue with.

As your own experience demonstrates.

[David Franklin]

Well, partially because, if they get casually involved with a casual dance, then they find it easy to walk away - they're not "hooked". Whereas a dance style in which they invest more of themselves is more likely to be something they continue with.

I don't have figures, but I'd guess that if 100 youngsters started ballroom and 100 started MJ, you'd find many more of them still doing MJ after a year than ballroom.

Sure, if you want to take your dance really seriously, you may be better off with ballroom, but at the same time, because you can do MJ casually, from what I've seen it's also easier to get back into after a layoff. It's easy to discount the people who more-or-less give up but still go every now and then, but it's better than doing ballroom and completely stopping once you can't devote the time to take it seriously.

For someone at the ages described, I'd say it's far more important to do something you're going to enjoy than something that is theoretically "better". (I would advise anyone who goes the MJ route to investigate their university Ballroom Dancing society, however - something I wish I'd taken advantage of at uni).

[cederic]

Well, partially because, if they get casually involved with a casual dance, then they find it easy to walk away

I've known three teenagers that became UK champions in a physical sport at 13-15, and all three found MOTOS, alcohol, music and freedom, and were never seen again.

Casual or serious, kids get new interests.

[Prian]

Is anyone a regular dancer at Fulham Town Hall?

Does Rachel still demo? Can anyone remember her demoing?

I mention her because she has been Cerocing since she was about 9 or 10.

[Minnie M]

Does Rachel still demo? Can anyone remember her demoing?

I mention her because she has been Cerocing since she was about 9 or 10.

Rachel who ? and how long ago are you talking ??? and what age was she demoing ??

I didn't realise they allowed children as young as 9 at Ceroc classes

I beleive Annalisa Martin (Ceroc Surrey) was very very young (possibly a teenager) when she become a franchisee, that was about 10 years ago (maybe more) - so she must have been a teenager when she started learning

Nigel Anderson's girlfriend Sarah started at 15 - she demo'd with him at Franco's 2nd Weekender at Butlins in Bognor (that was 15 years ago)

PS: They weren't dating then

PPS: Or did Sarah demo with Garry (forgort his surname) - the Ceroc teacher who is usually associated with Hayley, I believe he teaches at Fulham

[carollloyd]

The great thing about MJ for teenangers is that they can do it anywhere to current chart music. Sophie had a boyfirend that had learned Ceroc when he was 12, which is probably why she agreed to come with me and start dancing.
They used to dance at school discos etc and get a huge crowd watching them in awe!! And they loved that!
Couldn't do that with Ballroom.

[Prian]

Rachel who ? and how long ago are you talking ??? and what age was she demoing ??

Rachel Mulcahey. This would have been about 2005/06 that she was demoing and she would have been around 16/17.

I didn't realise they allowed children as young as 9 at Ceroc classes

This wasn't an official Ceroc class. It was Ceroc but run separately from the company by James Cronin, maybe that's why they allowed her. But she wasn't the youngest.

[Minnie M]

..This wasn't an official Ceroc class. It was Ceroc but run separately from the company by James Cronin, maybe that's why they allowed her. But she wasn't the youngest.

Do you mean it was Modern Jive, rather than a Ceroc franchise ? Ceroc is a brand name not a type of dance (see many threads about this )

[Prian]

Do you mean it was Modern Jive, rather than a Ceroc franchise ? Ceroc is a brand name not a type of dance (see many threads about this )

I know that Ceroc is a brand name. But this was Ceroc, It was administered by James and Janie Cronin. Numerous Ceroc teachers taught there James and Janie, Viktor, but mostly Cliff who also teaches in Bromley. They advertised other Ceroc venues and one received a Ceroc membership card. But it was not advertised at other Ceroc venues and the proceeds went to charity and not to Ceroc. There are a couple of people on here that attended.