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Thread: Weekenders - why do you go to where you go?

  1. #1
    Formerly known as DavidJames David Bailey's Avatar
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    Weekenders - why do you go to where you go?

    Inspired by a post on the "Blues too far" thread, what does influence your choice of weekender?

    (I was going to go for "social events" generally, but I thought it best to keep it at weekenders)

    Is it to "support your friends"? (I know that some of JA's customers did that after JA got kicked out of Southport, for example)

    Is it to have a good time socially with other customers?

    Is it because of the classes? The music? The lovely accommodation? (OK, maybe not the latter)

    Personally, I flit around - between Jive and AT, between Ceroc and independents, between large and small scale.

    Over the past year or so, I've been to weekenders in Edinburgh (Tango), Torquay (Rockbottoms), Camber (Storm), and Sussex (Tango) - so I think it's safe to say there's not much in the was of a pattern there...

    My choices are pretty much on a case-by-case basis depending on whether I want to go a specific weekend.

    What defines your choice?

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    Registered User Twirly's Avatar
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    Re: Weekenders - why do you go to where you go?

    I have a fondness for Camber, as it's the first one that I did, but it's also more convenient than any other in terms of travel as well as frequency.

    I like Southport, but it's such a long way. The autumn one is usually around my father's birthday so that's out, and February doesn't really appeal, so that leaves me with the May one. The appeal tends to be that some of the Scots will be there, plus a whole range of other dancers whom I won't see anywhere else, both folks I know and completely unknown dancers too.

    I've only done a couple of JA ones (SP, and Skegness once). I seem to end up doing mostly Ceroc ones, but that's possibly because I'm more aware of them. In the past, I knew that there would be quite a few people whom I knew, but I've noticed that this is happening less and less these days.

    I also like self-catering, as I'm rather fussy about my food. So the catered ones don't appeal as much (despite the cr@ppy kitchens at Pontins!). And I won't share a bedroom either, and some of them appear to be twin rooms to share with a friend (if I've read the blurb correctly - but can't remember which ones now). So I take these things into account as well, and this is why I've probably not done the smaller ones, as well as not being sure if there will be anyone there whom I know, which as I'd be likely to be going on my own is pretty important.

    So it's a mix of things.

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    Re: Weekenders - why do you go to where you go?

    Not much experience of weekenders. Only been to one. Not sure who it was run by, but it was in Bognor. I went because mates were going and I got a lift. But were I to go to more it would largely depend on who and how many of my friends were going. Food and accommodation are not concerns.

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    Re: Weekenders - why do you go to where you go?

    Simply because it is near to home and it doesnt involve a lot of travelling.

    Swish is just an expensive but lovely weekender. Superb facilities
    Jive Addiction Hemsby was excellent value.

    Wherever you go its an excuse to overdose on dancing and socialise with your friends.By the time Sunday night comes around I have had enough,my feet are killing me,I'm ready to go home.After Mondays breakfast of course.

    As for the music and the teaching - who gives a s**t.

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    Registered User daveb9000's Avatar
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    Re: Weekenders - why do you go to where you go?

    I'm traveling from Scotland, so I've only been to Southport as it's the closest.

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    Forum Bombshell - Our Queen! Lory's Avatar
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    Re: Weekenders - why do you go to where you go?

    I choose to go where...

    * I think I'm going to have a good time

    *my friends are going to be

    *I think its value for money

    * I've been before and know I like

    * I haven't been before, to test it out

    * I know some of the DJ's I like will be
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    Registered User Twirly's Avatar
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    Re: Weekenders - why do you go to where you go?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    I choose to go where...

    * I think I'm going to have a good time

    *my friends are going to be

    *I think its value for money

    * I've been before and know I like

    * I haven't been before, to test it out

    * I know some of the DJ's I like will be
    So that's just about all of them judging by your travels over the last month or so then isn't it?!

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    Re: Weekenders - why do you go to where you go?

    my decision is based on

    where I think I am going to enjoy myself most - which is usually determined by DJ's and friends going.

    the other general considerations are
    general atmosphere
    Teachers
    cost
    travel time
    available leave

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    Re: Weekenders - why do you go to where you go?

    Quote Originally Posted by Yliander View Post
    my decision is based on

    where I think I am going to enjoy myself most - which is usually determined by DJ's and friends going.

    the other general considerations are
    general atmosphere
    Teachers
    cost
    travel time
    available leave


    Available leave quickly followed by cost are my limitations.

    Travel I can't really call an issue, my first true weekender was Breeze and I got there by train. My only other weekender of late has been May's Southport, though I'm booked for the next one too..

    I don't want to totally abandon some smaller venues such as Beach Ballroom and the Scottish Champs (Both last for at least 2 days, but don't seem to be classed as weekenders) which eat up my available resources.


    I would probably try most of them if my resources lasted.

    Rob a bank or win the Euro millions??? What a choice!

    WT

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    Registered User Lynn's Avatar
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    Re: Weekenders - why do you go to where you go?

    Travel is a major factor. Both time (ideally under 6-7 hours) and cost (under £100). Bearing in mind that by the time I get to England its usually taken me 3 hours and about £60/70 (gone are the days when I could get return flights for £11, it costs more than that for my case now!) that means I like to go somewhere that is reasonably close to an airport that has cheap and regular flights to Belfast.

    Who's going - I've done many a weekender on my own, just meeting up with people when I get there - mostly because I've got to know some folk through the Forum. But if a lot of my friends from NI are going away on a weekender, I'm likely to want to go with them.

    And in terms of the event itself - a decent blues room, good DJs, daytime dancing etc...

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    Re: Weekenders - why do you go to where you go?

    I'm steered by a couple of things:
    • People I like dancing with also booked - I'm there to have fun so want to know that I will
    • Accommodation - I don't care but my good lady wife hates crappy rooms and dirty toilets (like Southport)


    I don't care about the teachers and pros, I'm mostly not there to do classes anyway and frankly if I want to watch a pro dancing I'll go to a show.

    I'm also not going to weekenders to show solidarity with an organiser or because friends are going (unless of course they tick bullet 1)

    All of that said I forget what a residential weekender is like since I've not been to one for ages, but now my wife's foot is better we'll cure that in September at Hemsby and then hope to do Lush or something similar a bit later on.

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    Re: Weekenders - why do you go to where you go?

    Distance often is a deciding factor for me
    So, this year, I shall be going to Breeze again ,its less than an hour away,
    I prefer a room to myself, I am not bothered about decor, carpets or curtains, it's just a place to sleep
    As a singleton, I prefer events that attract other singles. which tends to rule out most hotel events, were single rooms are ether unavailable or just too expensive (£392 for lux)

    It does not bother me ,if no one else I know, is going
    Let's be honest, if you have been dancing a few years, its difficult to go to an event, were you dont know someone

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    Re: Weekenders - why do you go to where you go?

    Ive been to Breeze, Camber and Southport and have just loved them... Priorities and finances mean my limit is 4 weekenders a year and that feels about right to me, cos they are far enough apart to really really look forward to them and they feel like a special treat.

    I've not yet been to a non-Pontins Ceroc weekend, although I know lots of my favourite dancers enjoy the others a lot. I've been pondering why I haven't booked on any in over 3 years and came up with the following reasons:

    - easier to book on something with a format I know.
    - now feels like part of my dancing calender
    - i like something with huge numbers, so i know i'll always find plenty of like-minded dancers whatever time i'm on the dance-floor.
    - it's affordable
    - there's always local dancers going too, to share driving / travel costs.

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