Mindpoke dance

In this edition of the series on Ceroc Northern Champs, we hear from organiser Jamie Stormer and competitor, Heather Passmore. Jamie's up first... I first contacted Jamie about the idea of running a blog about the Northern Champs in May - I think he realised it was going to be a big deal (the event, not the blog) and so it turned out. I spoke to him at the time in a blog post which really set people talking (I think there was a thought that someone somewhere snaps their fingers and these events just happen) Clearly they don't they take a lot of planning and hard work. You'll find what Jamie said here: http://mindpokedance.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/how-competition-is-born-making-it-happen.html Photo: Stephen North SN: I hope you had chance to soak in and enjoy the day, it was pretty special - lots of love in that room. Are you aware of the impact it's had already? JS: I LOVED the day. I really did have a fantastic view of the crowd and the dance floor so I got ...

There's every reason to suppose there will be another Ceroc Northern Champs next year and I think it will need to be in a bigger venue. I think it will be an even bigger success. And the word of mouth will be go to Manchester for three days and have a grand time (though will be some who will say chose your hotel wisely). But whoever goes next year, and I will be amongst them, will not experience the thrill of an event lifting off quite as spectacularly as this one.  I was grateful to be at the first and that this blog has in some small way recorded the build up. Maja Kocanova, the franchisee for Ceroc Addiction picked up a challenge which I first raised in a blog some time ago here:  http://mindpokedance.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/201313-dance-season-no-5.html It has some risks associated but built around the core of the great success of Northern dancers at recent competitions - I think the timing was felicitous. There are a number of reasons why Ceroc Northern Champs rose l...

The emphasis on the music in this competition is very inspiring - some tracks are finding out dancers of high repute and those of of high quality musicality and connection are doing well -which is how it should be. There’s a pleasing atmosphere - it’s amazing how the Ceroc Addiction staff are coming together to sort the problems (which are few) and keep the event ticking over (which requires a lot of effort). As we press on towards the finals in just under half an hour we are seeing the Scots and Welsh and English come together with ritual bon hommie and good spirits - aided by burgers and booze perhaps but also by a common interest in a fair outcome.  The judges are working hard.  It has credibility and competition - but nothing aggressive.  Jamie’s compering reached a crescendo with his retort to a heckler “there’s only rom for one diva here” No blather from me on fairness or otherwise of the results here or anywhere else - it’s the taking part - and peopl...

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 :-)

These are the Northern Champions and the two halves of the North of England split by the Pennines have been the bitterest of rivals for many centuries, wars have been fought, often sublimated into cricket matches, accents mocked and football teams derided. So good then when co-operation - the hallmark of Northern dancing - breaks out.   Not so many miles east of Manchester, Ceroc Yorkshire is going great guns under new management but with an impressive roll call of teachers, DJs and demos.  Their secret of a warm welcome and maintaining attendance is well-known.  The new freestyle venue, Left Bank, is the most impressive venue I've dance in as you can see below. It's great that Ceroc Addiction's venture includes Jon Gammon - a good friend and subject of this q and a. Photo: Jon Gammon SN: You are working at Ceroc Northern Champs as a freestyle DJ, but as the owner of the Ceroc Yorkshire franchise, what will having Ceroc Northern Champs do for dancing in...

Louise Missen and Heather Passmore started competing together relatively recently, both having had competition experience in London in the past.  Like Hannah and Julie, they compete as a couple but also separately in a mix of categories.  I've known them and danced with them both for years - they share an interest in the line of the music and a great quality of connection.  Obviously it's their first visit to Northern Champs and I was curious to know how they viewed going to a new competition. I sent them some questions and they are the latest in my "How a Competition is born" series - you can read more of these by clicking on the "Ceroc Northern Champs" link in the right hand menu - but only after you've read their sparkling prose (and looked at my photos) Photo: Stephen North SN: Why do you want to compete at Manchester?  LM: All the competitions we’ve done so far have had a different vibe – it’s really interesting and really fun go...

Photo: Jonathan Hunter For this Q and A I'm quizzing someone with long experience of dancing in the North West, Blackpool born Hannah Lonsdale is a an experienced social and competitive dancer with her partner in wine Julie Duane.  Hannah knows the Northern and Scottish dance scene well so she's ideally placed to reflect on how Northern Champs is going down amongst her fellow dancers. SN: Kicking off with a local question, what will Northern Champs do for dancing in the North West? HL: The North West has so many great dancers, some who already compete, some are looking forward to giving it a try and some who haven’t even thought about it yet. Ceroc Northern Champs brings the opportunity to home turf and gives everyone a chance to show what they can do in front of a friendly local crowd and a great atmosphere. Jamie and the team have worked really hard to make sure that there are accessible categories for everyone, no matter how little or long they have been dancing. L...

Chris Uren is a very busy DJ working across three Ceroc franchises in the Midlands and Pennines.  His skills as a venue manager have benefitted many an operation and what he doesn't know about music is not worth knowing.  His own Juke Joint night in Wetherby is a magnet for those who like their dance music to be musical.  He'll be DJing the Northern Champs - with a glittering array of DJs giving him a break in the freestyles. Photo credit: Ceroc UK Chris' ability to pull out of the air a track over 50 years old that is jaw-droopingly good never ceases to amaze me.  At Southport in 'Swinger's Hour' I recall he put on some Glenn Miller  - the sound was magnificent especially over those big speakers, as good as nay fine modern classical orchestra _ I was engrossed in this wonderfully thrilling music.  I couldn't be bothered to find a partner, I just sat and bathed in the magical sound.... Chris' feel for what will challenge and surprise...

Ceroc Scorch at Southport 2014 There's a time and place for a new song - and as we heard with Tone Damli Aaberges' "Forty Years" - DJs across the land will given have a chance play soft sentimental crowd pleasers until your ears bleed.  So it was with the Ed Sheeran "I See Fire" hobbitually played throughout Scorch this weekend - it's a nice tune and DJs will respond to it's ability to render a room compliant, engulfed in Sheeran's maudlin lyrics which are about as banal as they come. I hope it has a shorter half-life than the uniquely reflective Damli vehicle of bless'd memory. That observation aside it was a grand weekend away - sun, wine, food, socialising and a certain amount of dancing. The Ceroc team did well in preparing the weekender for a series of downpours which swept the country in no fixed pattern and left us surprised by sun when it came.  The humidity did cause some problems in some of the dance rooms.  We were strugglin...

In the spirit of "while you're writing, I don't have to" I sought the views of one of the illustrious attendees for Northern Champs, Sheena Assiph. Sheena is a competition organiser, Ceroc teacher, former competitor, one of the best DJs in the kingdom and in this instance a competition judge. She makes Scottish Champs whizz along with efficiency, exuberance and generates loads of cash for charity in the process. Photo: Lorraine Coulson (http://www.lorysphotography.com) Sheena catches the mood of a dance like few others I know and she helped me fulfil an ambition I'd given up on - to dance to a piece of classical music.  There are a few dancers who can carve out the delicate shapes that match The Flower Duet from Lakme - she did with such sensitivity it was a proper treat.  :-) I asked her a few questions by email as I had for Jamie here, SN: You have organised a fair few dance competitions in Scotland, what’s the one golden rule for the Northern Cham...