Feedback on Club nights

[ChrisU]

Well I look forward to meeting you some day and we can discuss the business over a couple of beers.

I will have to make the trip over as your Freestyles are well regarded. They are nice venue's, but not worked them in a long time. Bet I might learn something.

And apologies if I upset you in any way. Not my intention. But I do like a lively discussion.

DJ Chris Uren

[Dazzle]

Beer always an accepted currency! Tonight proved to me I still don't know anything about this game !

[robd]

My personal opinion is that I didn't find the music in any way inspiring or memorable but I also didn't actively dislike it. I have had nights around here where I have hated the music especially one fella who insists on playing mad euro pop versions of eighties songs - urrgghhhh. I suspect the music is less of an issue for me than for some people - I tend to concentrate on the interaction with my partner (and too much talking to them whilst dancing) and the music gets pushed to the background.

Well, having, if not exactly defended the music at St Neots a few weeks ago on this thread, been less judgemental than most, I have to say that I now empathise more with that POV. I had the misfortune of going to Milton Keynes yesterday and the "fella who insists on playing mad euro pop versions of eighties songs" was DJing. There was barely a handful of smoother, slower tracks amidst the constant bang, bang, bang which over the course of 4 hours on a Sunday night is just too much. It really did ruin the night for me. Unfortunately I don't think there's an easy way of finding out who is DJing at the Ceroc Central freestyles in advance because if I knew this person was playing it would make me seriously reconsider attending even if I knew that the venue was nice (MK is, could be bigger but is OK) and I'd be among familiar, friendly faces (which I was yesterday).

[Lou]

Let's face it people are stupid - they go with the herd. I had someone tell me that they go to a venue in spite of the fact that they know the teaching is poor - barmy.

It's not always that people are stupid, it's just that your average punter has different needs to be serviced from an MJ night.

I've also had someone tell me that she goes to a venue where she admits that the teaching is poor. We're probably thinking of the same place. However, she tells me that she goes because of the atmosphere & that a lot of her friends go, too. OK, so you & I probably value the music, teaching & standard of other dancers as important. She has her own preferences. She might be wrong, but she isn't stupid!

[Chef]

Unfortunately I don't think there's an easy way of finding out who is DJing at the Ceroc Central freestyles in advance because if I knew this person was playing it would make me seriously reconsider attending even if I knew that the venue was nice (MK is, could be bigger but is OK) and I'd be among familiar, friendly faces (which I was yesterday).

A group of friends had a similar problem with one DJ in our area - we didn't like his choice of music and he was the roving Dj that filled in for absences of the rgular DJs.

We decided that we would all form a text messaging group. If one person in the group heard of, or arrived at a venue where he was DJ for the evening then we would send a text message to all the others. What you did with that information was up to you. Some were too far into a journey to turn back or divert to an alternative venue. Most just decided to stay at home.

Just a thought.

[ChrisU]

A group of friends had a similar problem with one DJ in our area - we didn't like his choice of music and he was the roving Dj that filled in for absences of the rgular DJs.

We decided that we would all form a text messaging group. If one person in the group heard of, or arrived at a venue where he was DJ for the evening then we would send a text message to all the others. What you did with that information was up to you. Some were too far into a journey to turn back or divert to an alternative venue. Most just decided to stay at home.

Just a thought.

Wouldn't it have been easier to just complain to the organisers about the DJ!!

I am sure they would have been pleased to find out so they could ADJUST their business to hopefully provide what you wanted.

Regards

ChrisU

[jivecat]

Wouldn't it have been easier to just complain to the organisers about the DJ!!

I am sure they would have been pleased to find out so they could ADJUST their business to hopefully provide what you wanted.

Regards

ChrisU

Well, yes, except it's unlikely to make much impact unless a number of other people also make complaints. If the floor is full most of the evening and only one person makes a complaint there is no reason why that complaint need be taken very seriously by the organisers, as far as I can see. Most punters wouldn't dream of commenting on the music and the handful that do so are easily dismissed. As has been said so many times before, the idea of what is "good" or "appropriate" music is highly subjective anyway.

It's also not particularly easy to approach a strange DJ and introduce the subject of his/her cr*p music choices in a friendly & non-judgemental sort of way. Much easier for me (and apparently more productive ) to have a good whine about it behind their back on the forum.

Tactically, I think it's probably better to praise what has been good about the music rather than endlessly criticise, especially if it's a venue that I'm likely to be returning to often.

Because complaining is not easy, I would like to see feedback forms for music available at every venue. Nobody would HAVE to fill them in but it would be nice to have the option to comment on the overall set and any particular tracks that worked or didn't work. There is still the likelihood of bias because the opinions of a small but vocal minority, who care a lot about the music, would probably dominate. But I'd have no problem with that as long as their opinions were the same as mine!

[Chef]

Wouldn't it have been easier to just complain to the organisers about the DJ!!

I am sure they would have been pleased to find out so they could ADJUST their business to hopefully provide what you wanted.

Regards

ChrisU

Yes, complaining to the organiser was the easiest and first course of action. Since this DJ was the partner and father of the organisers baby he could do no wrong. He still took our monthly friday night freestyle from 300 attendees to 24 in the space of 3 dance nights though.

All we were looking for was a varied mix of music so that there was something for everyone. The music that was played made us feel that we were in a goth teenagers bedroom. After my encounter with people at a weekender it would seem that the dancers in the MoJive area (Bournemouth) also suffer from a musical monoculture.

I am glad to say though that was about 3 years ago and he plays a much more varied mix of music now. I still don't go to his nights though because in the intervening years my musical tastes have changed and I dance at other places as a result. The West Coast Swing class at Dartford that I go to on a thursday clashes with his regular night.

[Lou]

The music that was played made us feel that we were in a goth teenagers [sic] bedroom.

I'd die for a freestyle like that (well, if I wasn't already undead....)

[Donna]

[QUOTE]

The music that was played made us feel that we were in a goth teenagers bedroom.

I can imagine!

[Trousers]

Positive Feedback again. . . . . .

Rob at Northampton - bloody great musik last night.

rolled from the ordinary stuff thats so easy dance to you can chat with your partner into blusey and out via rock n roll.

oh and jack johnson

oooooooh it was smooth. good nite. cheers rob.










minor niggle - cliquey talenteds all practicing for showcases makes them look aloof and too good for the rest of us. boooooooo! (only a minor niggle tho - much better to dance with people that want to dance with you i think)

[tsh]

I had the misfortune of going to Milton Keynes yesterday and the "fella who insists on playing mad euro pop versions of eighties songs" was DJing.

That's a shame, Milton Keynes is now the only Ceroc Cental venue I consider worth making an effort to go to, since Marc's teaching does seem to have enough of a beneficial effect on the locals that I enjoy dancing with a significant proportion of them.

Fortunately we have a new local organiser, Fridays at Huntingdon and Sundays at St Neots (not at the priory centre), where the music is good (i.e. less pop/club stuff) and most of the people I used to have to go to Ceroc venues to see also seem to dance. The venues are small, but the floors are good. A few more people turning up wouldn't do any harm though!

Sean

[robd]

That's a shame, Milton Keynes is now the only Ceroc Cental venue I consider worth making an effort to go to, since Marc's teaching does seem to have enough of a beneficial effect on the locals that I enjoy dancing with a significant proportion of them.

Fortunately we have a new local organiser, Fridays at Huntingdon and Sundays at St Neots (not at the priory centre), where the music is good (i.e. less pop/club stuff) and most of the people I used to have to go to Ceroc venues to see also seem to dance. The venues are small, but the floors are good. A few more people turning up wouldn't do any harm though!

Sean

The MK I went to was a tea dance and Marc wasn't teaching. Don't know if that same DJ (**** Dave) does the regular MK nights too.

I cede to no-one in my admiration for Marc as a teacher but I am not sure I have experienced the effects you describe at other venues where he has taught for a while - there are still similar proportions of good, bad and indifferent dancers there. And there are people who do not like Marc's style of teaching - they're not necessarily people I wish to dance with but they do exist.

On the other point I have been to a number of Sara's Sunday classes and generally enjoyed them though in my experience it's often pretty much the same faces as you'll see at ceroc (and jivevibe and basically anywhere there's a chance to dance ). Interesting that Ceroc Central have now decided to put on more tea dances on Sundays in that area (Bedford, St Ives, etc) - surely they're not worried of the competition??

Robert

[Lou]

I went to Blitz in Chester for the first ever time on Monday.

I really liked the venue. It's in a great location - very central, and easy to find. And the building is beautiful. The guy on the door was welcoming, and extremely honest & gave me the correct change, as I'd accidently given him £20 instead of the tenner I thought that it was.

The beginners class was pretty straightforward. The only thing that felt awkward to me was going into a lady spin, straight after a return. That always feels odd to a LeRoc lady, as it's two spins in the same direction (we'd prefer either a spin, or a return, not both together!). The people were friendly, and exchanged names and chatted as we rotated, which is always nice. The intermediate class was very popular, however it did seem pitched at a slightly higher level than the majority of the male dancers, as whilst it was a nice routine, it contained some quite tricky moves which would require quite advanced leading techniques (or a partner who knew what was expected of her ).

The music during the freestyles was a standard mix of what you'd expect pretty much anywhere. If anything, there were a few too many clubby tunes for my particular taste, but that's just my preference. It seemed like the DJ was keeping it pretty varied, to cater for everyone, which was safe, but not too inspiring.

The one thing that struck me, was that there are A LOT of bouncy dancers in Chester. Far more than at any of my regular haunts. I danced with a fair few men there, and even the better dancers were bouncy. The only person I danced with who was smooth was our lovely Gus (despite the fact that he was somewhat the worse for wear and a little confused as to who I was!). With them being that bouncy, it did mean that I wasn't really able to relax & enjoy the dances as much as I'd like. And I did keep myself on guard for the particularly bouncy ones, although I didn't get yanked.

I have a theory that the bouncing comes from a bizarre exagerated swaying-from-side-to-side movement that everyone did during the 5-6-7-8 count. The only other place I've ever encountered it was in Swindon.

On the whole, it was a positive experience, although I don't think I'd make an effort to go back. But if I did find myself in Chester on a Monday, I'd definitely go along again.

[Donna]

I went to Blitz in Chester for the first ever time on Monday.

Tut! Awww! Met a couple of forumites there already and missed one! I don't usually go there on a Monday as too packed out(especially when you need all the practice you can get, it's not such a good place to practice) I always go on the Tuesday night. Anyhow, glad you did enjoy it. The guy on the door is Steve. Yes nice bloke. The venue is fab, great floor ( at least it's not as slippy as it used to be)

And the building is beautiful.

it contained some quite tricky moves which would require quite advanced leading techniques (or a partner who knew what was expected of her ).

I take it Paula was teaching? Always up for a challenge that one!

The music during the freestyles was a standard mix of what you'd expect pretty much anywhere. If anything, there were a few too many clubby tunes for my particular taste, but that's just my preference. It seemed like the DJ was keeping it pretty varied, to cater for everyone, which was safe, but not too inspiring.

It was more Jive and Blues music being played last night. Even though I quite like that stuff, I'd have preferred a bit more dance and latin.

The one thing that struck me, was that there are A LOT of bouncy dancers in Chester.

Veeery bouncy! Imagine if everybody in this country danced like that at the same time?! This island would sink!

The only person I danced with who was smooth was our lovely Gus

Lurvley dancer.

[Russell Saxby]

The beginners class was pretty straightforward. The only thing that felt awkward to me was going into a lady spin, straight after a return. That always feels odd to a LeRoc lady, as it's two spins in the same direction (we'd prefer either a spin, or a return, not both together!)

Return - anti-clockwise
Ladyspin - clockwise

Wot am I missing?

[Lou]

Return - anti-clockwise
Ladyspin - clockwise

Wot am I missing?

It's that block before the ladyspin. We're turning in an anti-clockwise direction before the block, and if you put it straight after the anticlockwise return, it feels odd.

You're right - the actual spin is indeed clockwise.

[Trousers]

I went to Blitz in Chester for the first ever time on Monday.

I like Donna obviously missed you too - but i was there

Hey Ho!

Lots of newish people there of late thats why they are bouncing I think; well apart from Scoobie as they call him.

Some cracking ladies there

[Lou]

I like Donna obviously missed you too - but i was there

Ah! We may have met. How would I recognise you?

[Donna]

I like Donna obviously missed you too - but i was there

Hey Ho!

Lots of newish people there of late thats why they are bouncing I think; well apart from Scoobie as they call him.

Some cracking ladies there

There was 140 in Chester Monday night you know! They usually get that amount on a freestyle night! That's why I stick to Tuesdays (even though that's busy) it's not so stressful.