Is there a north/south divide?

[Feelingpink]

Following on from Donna's comments about the standard of dancing being lower in the north in the "Feedback on Club Nights" thread, is it really? If so, why?

[Aleks]

More like a central wilderness IMO.
Wherever there's a large concentration of nights you'll probably find the more dedicated dancers.
We're very lucky up here in Scotland to have so many nights to choose from .

[Donna]

Following on from Donna's comments about the standard of dancing being lower in the north in the "Feedback on Club Nights" thread, is it really? If so, why?

I'm so glad you started off another thread on this! I hope we find the real answer to this. (it really bugs me)

Donna.

[Feelingpink]

More like a central wilderness IMO.
Wherever there's a large concentration of nights you'll probably find the more dedicated dancers.
We're very lucky up here in Scotland to have so many nights to choose from .

Sorry - I had Manchester area, where Donna dances (I think) in mind as defining 'north', rather than Scotland. I had the theory that it's to do with cross-fertilisation/sharing. An area with very little choice (& therefore perhaps less of a perspective on standard) could be extremely poor, middling or amazingly good - but unless those dancers have other nights/venues etc to compare themselves/nights with, they'll not be any the wiser.

[Northants Girly]

(it really bugs me)

Why??

[Donna]

[QUOTE]

Sorry - I had Manchester area, where Donna dances (I think) in mind as defining 'north', rather than Scotland.

Well, Wrexham and Chester every week, Manchester (Stockport, Hyde) once every couple of weeks. Then there's Nantwich and Northwich.

An area with very little choice (& therefore perhaps less of a perspective on standard) could be extremely poor, middling or amazingly good - but unless those dancers have other nights/venues etc to compare themselves/nights with, they'll not be any the wiser.

So plenty to choose from up here, (there are freestyles every week up here but normally only one venue running) where as down South you have more choices as to which one you'd like to go to on a Saturday or even SUNDAY night! Think you might have cracked it here FP.

[fletch]

[QUOTE=Donna]

Well, Wrexham and Chester every week, Manchester (Stockport, Hyde) once every couple of weeks. Then there's Nantwich and Northwich.

So where were you on Saturday at Stockport

[Donna]

Well, Wrexham and Chester every week, Manchester (Stockport, Hyde) once every couple of weeks. Then there's Nantwich and Northwich.

So where were you on Saturday at Stockport

Ah you see, I wanted to go, but Steve didn't. Instead, we booked a hall, took the TV and a few DVD's with us, the CD Player plus video cam, and practiced there instead! Was great!

[ToeTrampler]

Sorry - I had Manchester area, where Donna dances (I think) in mind as defining 'north', rather than Scotland. [Snip]

Yep, very tactful definition of 'north' on the Ceroc Scotland forum

[Donna]

Yep, very tactful definition of 'north' on the Ceroc Scotland forum

Sorry I should have made myself more clear when I said NORTH. This doesn't include SCOTLAND! I repeat! THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE SCOTLAND!!

[jivecat]

I've decided that music is the key factor more than any other in determining whether the dancing is going to be good or bad. I don't think it's possible to dance really well to unsuitable music. Bad music inhibits subtlety, expressiveness, smoothness and musicality. If my experiences at Stockport (see the other thread) are anything to go by, and obviously I'm wildly generalising here, then the music oop North is greatly inferior to what you might hear dahn Sarf.
Do people think that if really good MJ music is played then the standard of dance across the board from novice to advanced goes up a notch - or does it just feel that way because if all else fails the music is still enjoyable?

[Donna]

Do people think that if really good MJ music is played then the standard of dance across the board from novice to advanced goes up a notch - or does it just feel that way because if all else fails the music is still enjoyable

Well, I think the music does help definately, but it's actually to do with how you are taught and how many venues there are around your area.

[bigdjiver]

To state the obvious, I would expect that there would be more of the better dancers where MJ had been going on longest, and for them to gather at centres with best access.

[Gus]

Sorry - I had Manchester area, where Donna dances (I think) in mind as defining 'north'. An area with very little choice (& therefore perhaps less of a perspective on standard) could be extremely poor, middling or amazingly good - but unless those dancers have other nights/venues etc to compare themselves/nights with, they'll not be any the wiser.

The North West isn't quite as desolate as some may think. Taking the Chester / Manchester / Stoke triangle, I think there is about 20 club nights in that region, about half of which are by the 'Big Boys' (Blitz and Ceroc). The problem is more what the punters are after. Bitter experience has shown that musicality, teaching technique and playing more 'interesting' music appeals only to the non-commercialy viable minority.

If you want to succeed, just play loads of latin and chart and teach loads of drops .... its certainly worked for the independants in the area

Having said that, the standard fomr our area matches most other areas of the UK, with the possible exception of the more 'elite' clubs like Fulham, Jango etc. I've not noticed a significant difference between, say Bowden on a Tuesday or Chester on a Monday to the standard of Glasgow or Finchley.

[Donna]

Having said that, the standard fomr our area matches most other areas of the UK, with the possible exception of the more 'elite' clubs like Fulham, Jango etc. I've not noticed a significant difference between, say Bowden on a Tuesday or Chester on a Monday to the standard of Glasgow or Finchley.[/QUOTE

]

And this is coming from someone who has been here there and everywhere! Ok, not so bad after all then. What we need Craig, is Jango North... buuut then, we'd need to clone Amir!!!!!

[Northants Girly]

. . . . . .

You're back then

[Lou]

The North West isn't quite as desolate as some may think.

Welcome back.

So - I need to pop up to Preston for a couple of days in the next week or so. Where's good to dance around there during the week?

[Daisy Chain]

To state the obvious, I would expect that there would be more of the better dancers where MJ had been going on longest, and for them to gather at centres with best access.

Not necessarily. I came across my best ever dance partner in a little village hall in Cornwall last summer. One man made my night. I am currently trying to persuade the PMC (Present Mr Chain) to take me on a return trip down there this year so that I can have another fix of this lovely man.

Daisy

(A Besotted Little FLower)

[Andreas]

You're back then

What I thought

Welcome back, Gus. We all knew you were lurking in the back and were pretty desparate at finding a topic that would get your fingers itching just enough ...

Hope things are alright!

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As for the actual topic, I haven't been up north so can't really judge but I don't actually think that the level there is worse than London. The actual reason that I believe leads to this misconception is the simple fact that there are A LOT more dancers in London, consequently the absolute number of good dancers will also be significantly higher than anywhere else in the country. Hence you are more likely to come across them. Should you, however, look at the percentage you'll probably find that London comes out worst of all.

[foxylady]

The most delicious dances I ever have, concentrated in the one place, are at Southport.... which last time I looked was in the north of England...