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2014 First Quarterly Report: star quality



So my seventh year of weekenders began - as it has begun for the last six - with a trip to Southport for a Ceroc do.  As it happened, as generally happens at all Southport weekenders (except the summer ones), the sun shone brightly to such an extent that we had some daytime dancing out of doors.  There's still a lot to be said for a small patch of decking, folding French doors and dancers of sunny disposition.  This can - with the wind in the right direction and a bit of Autumn sunshine happen at Pontins at Brean Sands but the revellers at Southport get the most reliable outdoor treats.

Camber Sands Pontins has no such facility and no real prospect of have one. The bar area has been much improved for dancing but the space is still very warm.  Stu Bassie's enhancements, from grotty to grotto have improved the ambience for the WCS sets - presumably distracting them from all that counting ;-) It provoked me to quote Dante Alighieri at a dance weekender which is a first ("lose hope  etc etc").

Southport and Camber continue to offer different musical experiences.  The main room in Camber seldom hits the heights that Southport on Saturday night achieved. Up north Ms Assiph and Ms Nicholls are adept at dragging the last drops of energy out of exhausted tanks and then keeping people on the floor with tune after tune that defy the self-constrained limits of mind and body.  You think you're fit to drop and they demand your last breath.  Mr Gammon, Mr Uren and OXO are a little gentler but no less creative.  Camber's main room was harder for me to enjoy - stymied by the lack of space, astonishing lack of floor craft and lowest common denominator music: the inspiring main room dancers no longer dance at the front - so it wasn't even worth watching.  If one did watch there was a certain amount of wincing as inexperienced dancers struggled to rein in their moves and collisions were a virtually constant feature.  And some of the music seemed of a bygone Ceroc age - catering no doubt for the older age profile but ultimately too retrospective.  Some of these tracks used to be known as Ceroc Classics - as though they are on a par with Beethoven's Ninth symphony.  They are to the extent that classical masterpiece is over-played and could do with a rest too.

As I reported last time, much of the variety and innovation at Camber comes only in the Sack the DJ slots in the pub.  There's a continuity to some sets in the Chill Out Room and some great new tunes from a few of the DJs - there was too much fast dancing in there for (that is fast dancing to slow music).  This time there was a stand out set in the pub - Simon Pius wove a majestic magical spell which turned this pub: rugby on the TV,  tea and coffee on tap and all those niceties, into just about the homeliest night club on the planet.  Music to explore from a man who knows music we don't, but also knows our dance.  It was fantastic - up there with him was Roger Brent - adding and abetting in the nicest possible way.  It lasts in the memory - star quality.

Beyond the weekenders, the competition season has started and its pleasing to see so many competitions popping up.  There's no reason why there shouldn't be: it offers encouragement and prize money to more people and a solid crop of competition dancers can have a go at smaller comps before the bigger one's.  It will be interesting to see which survive and which fall and some of the established competitions are already feeling the pressure to up their game.  All good though not for me: I'm a social dancer.

In Yorkshire magic is happening at Ceroc venues - dancers young and old are advancing quickly and in numbers because the venues are nurturing them.  Main rooms are filling at freestyles, new faces are on the scene, competition dancers are eager for partners (some men need to step up to the plate on this).  Workshops are teaming.  For dancers looking for slower fare, there's a local tolerance which sees partnerships with expert teachers and = to my delight - this fills Chill Out rooms too.  Numbers are enhanced with tango dancers and West Coast Swingers served by a varied musical diet.  The atmosphere is building great nights out.

The key here is that the Ceroc team led by Jon Gammon where many people first encountered the dance world is very very good. It is definitely a team effort investing in their customers - they manage the venues in a way that has gone out of fashion in some places for example, the team deal with those who step out of line on the dance floor.  The experienced dancers are encouraged to dance with beginners as a result beginners are staying to the end of class nights.  There are even online debates about venues being too full: always the best debate for a venue owner!.  The general opportunity of having more dancers looking to improve in all sorts of way is also helping local community.  The totality which I see as a customer is that most dance events more attractive in Yorkshire now.


It was with great pleasure that I visited a new Ceroc venue for a new Leeds based freestyle.  Left Bank is a converted church and its got so much going for it as a dance venue.  Last week the inauguration boasted visitors from all parts of the civilised dance world - and Manchester.  Its not perfect but it is characterful - people will give a lot to dance under vaulted ceilings, with people from out of the area and drink beer that's come all the way from Wakefield... It's a measure of Yorkshire's success.

It's no surprise then that Yorkshire now boasts four terrific monthly weekend events Juke Joint, CurlyWurly, Snickers and Supper Dance - each of which fill the hearts of any dancer wish to test their mettle with something slow and/or different - none has any prescribed musical style. All are independently run - all populated with enthusiastic and/or experienced, no nonsense dancers and some fantastic tracks.  Yorkshire dancers are very lucky to have all this and it's a pleasure to visit.

And just a brief note too about a lovely freestyle event at Blackfriars Hall in Newcastle where the welcome was warm, the quality of dancing high and the bar man made me a mug of tea!  Newcastle is growing in reputation - only an hour up the road for many Yorkshire dancers - it's well worth a visit.  I hope over time their dancers will come down the road too.  Cheap Travelodges litter the A1 verges! My only regret is not seeing more of their beautiful city - something to savour next time.







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