Dance Season No 10: When it's time to walk away...

I danced for 5 hours on Sunday night - the music at the CurlyWurly Sunday event in Huddersfield was wonderful, the dancers varied and considerate - except for a prat who danced like he was drunk (but sadly wasn't) and wandered across the floor (through the slots and in front of dancers) like he had no self-awareness (which unsurprisingly he didn't). There was a gentleman who declined to dance with our host - how short-sighted is that?

I danced the best I could but throughout I felt I should be giving more. My energy was not sufficient to do my share - I had failed in my first task. A malaise sets in.

By Tuesday it hit a new low. I gazed at the freestyle dance floor and it felt alien. Three or four dances in it felt alien too. What on earth was I doing there?

But the time I was due to dance again I sensed the writing was on the wall for that night. I didn't belong there. I left - heavy hearted at the change in me - assured it would change back. But then since then the assurance has transmuted to hope and I'm not a hope filled man.

I have no desire to learn West Coast Swing or to go off for a few days dancing or drive for hours to a disappointing dance, no desire to compete, no desire to be taught, no desire to tumble into the self regarding cliques or into discourse habitual chatterers. I wnat to do what I used to do but get better at it by hearing the music. But I can't at the moment. No desire to dance: I don't want to be there.

All I can hold onto is that I have been here before: but for now I should just walk away.

Comments

Ceroc Southport Feb 2015

Most of my weekenders look remarkably like this from about an hour in....until they finish 60 odd hours later. They are the most fun you can have but they can be daunting. They are full of great dance enthusiasts and ideal places to combine learning new dance styles and techniques in a concentrated wine. They are the peak of dancing finesse (or they should be see below). I know that the behind the scenes staff worked very hard to get this Southport event (called Blush for reasons that are unclear until the biting cold of an Irish sea wind brings out your rosy cheeks). Pontins seem to invest money here and there in this site but it's starting to show signs of wear. The floors in the pub were grim in places - but mostly manageable. Not for the first time a layer of cheap varnish proved to be a reminder how not to treat a floor. That stayed with us as dust most of the weekend. The cracks and bumps near the bar were an adventure. ...

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And so it begins... Lucky Dip parade - the queue of doom The judges for Ceroc Northern Champs Glittering array of dance talent Introduced by our host Jamie Storey Long day ahead Amongst the competition there are copious freestyles DJ'ed by Messrs Sambridge and Gammon There's a fantastic atmosphere with vocal support, brisk but entertaining compering from Jamie and a host of diligent Ceroc Addiction staff slaving away to keep this competition moving. No clear winners yet - but a a huge variety of Ceroc styles and people form Wales, Scotland, London and Essex - it's a nice size of competition. Hot hits already: - TVs with the winners numbers - plenty of freestyle time - music by genre - A BURGER/SARNIE/SALAD van in the car park! More later :-)

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