Southern UK Jive

[Boppin' Betty]

As we walked in there was no one on the floor by 8.15 and thought wrong decision . Then the smoothhjive class started and the people that were there generally got up to participate. A good class not too long (not a great fan of classes at freestyles, but if not your usual venue a good way to meet). Moves you could remember that flowed nicely, as the class was going on a steady flow of people came in.

Well in the end it was the right decision as i had a wonderful time, the floor was never too crowded, the music was good all night with a good mix and lots of new tunes to me and not a "duff one" amongst them.

All very friendly, had lots of dances and return dances too! David and Val (the teachers) were on the floor all night asking folk to dance, unfortunately not me, but may be next time)!

I'm sure the bar prices had come down this time to a £1 for a squash which is more acceptable than before. Tea,coffee etc at 12 which was nice although i had to wait to eat my cake (too busy dancing), but i'm not complaining!!

Already booked for Utopia on the 27th March - can't wait.

[Nigelz]

Decided to try Newbury rather than Totton or Wilton this weekend especially after hearing about the excellent Utopia night there last time. The hall has been done up since Ceroc took over and is now a great modern dance venue with great lighting and sound system with a brilliant dance floor.
Very quiet to start with and didn't look like many had pre-booked but I think there must have been about 100+ dancers shortly after nine and the warm up class. I know people moan about classes at freestyles but this was a nice smooth jive class and I thoroughly enjoyed it and even used the moves later on in the evening.
Everyone there was friendly and on the whole they all mixed with each other. I like listening to the music as much as I do dancing and Ceroc Newbury always play an excellent selection of tracks with plenty of new ones that don't get played at other venues which is always good. I was also pleasantly surprised with the bar prices as it used to bit of a rip off back in the GJ days.
I danced lots and even had a couple with Val which was really good. We ended up staying until very near the 1:00am finish so it shows it was a great night and if we had gone Totton we would have been home well before that time with its 11:30 finish.
I'm also looking forward to the Utopia twisted night on the 27th with an even later finish at 2:00 am I think.

Thanks Dave & Val for starting up Ceroc Newbury and creating a perfect dance night for all us local jivers.

[Boppin' Betty]

See you there Nigelz if not before

[DR]

Thanks for your kind comments guys - we are working really hard to make Newbury a success and so appreciate your feedback.

We've got some great class and freestyle ideas planned for 2010, so hopefully the venue will go from strength to strength.

Also a big thank you to Steve at The Liberty who, without us asking, has introduced lower prices on soft drinks, gives free tea and coffee etc. on workshops and after midnight on freestyles and has introduced great offers on beer and alcopops - I don't know of anywhere that you can get 3 bottled beers for £5!

Regards,

David

BB, make sure you grab me next time for a dance - I do try and dance with as many ladies as possible inbetween DJing and so apologize for missing you.

[Hop Skip Splat]

Steve & Lindsay worked so hard and spent so much their own time & own money on the makover of the ball room its so nice to see nice comments and happy dancers arriving.

Its nice when the owners get praise as well as the people renting the venue. People love to complain so it's great to see such positive reviews.

It's a great place to go, I love it there, its one of the best venues in the country & only takes me an hour to get there' well worth it. I just have to find out how I get to dance with Val now as that would be the cherry on my cake icing!

HSS

[DR]

[Hop Skip Splat]

Does Val really dance with people like me who have two left feet & struggle to get the moves in my memory?
Id been trying with the old teacher for well over a year but whenever I plucked up courage to ask if she would I was turned down. I thought teachers just didnt want to dance like a beginer or was just too busy with the in crowd & there own friends to bother with me. I even asked if I could have just one dance in the entrance room where the lounge is now but even that didnt work. I thought I was lucky once as i was promised a dance with the teacher at the next freestyle. I practiced really hard for two weeks but when the next freestyle came the teacher had gone on a cruise for a month so i gave up asking, i didnt want to be a pest. It looks like I might be luckier with ceroc. I understand the classes and even remember some of the moves so maybe i'm not so stupid as I thought I was & will ask Val next time so if a nervous shy blushing guy gets a chance to ask her I hope she says yes and isnt to embarissed dancing with me. If she says no, i wont pester her again.

Hop Skip Splat

[Boppin' Betty]

Hop Skip Splat, i know kind of where you're coming from. I've been dancing for quite some time, but i still find it extremly difficult to ask men to dance whatever their abillity. It's not nice being turned down, let alone by a teacher, that is terrible. A mojive teacher turned me down some years ago and i still have never gone back to ask. It took alot of courage to ask and then to walk back to the table as i felt i couldn't then ask anyone for a long time.

I question myself why? 3-4 minutes is all a dance lasts it's not a life time comittment. IT is just as bad when someone says no and then you turn round and they are dancing with some one else to the same song .

The worst was when i asked a man at the TA centre in Southampton, he literally looked me up and down and said no! A short time ago he was heading in my direction and i thought what shall i say if he asks me - do i, or do i say no. Well i had the dance and he was no better than anyone else, so i didn't feel i'd missed out the first time. I never say no. We were all beginners once.

My new years resolution was to ask more, so far i have tried harder, but with difficulty.

HSS if you're going to Utopia be brave. Who knows we may even dance with each other, if i ask please say yes!

[lilblue]

Hop Skip Splat, Boppin Betty - it is horrible getting turned down for a dance however well you dance or whatever the level of the person who says no. I only ever turn down a dance if my feet are dropping off, or if I'm on duty as a taxi and am asked by an intermediate - I then make a point of finding them later on in the evening and asking them.

I do agree, it does knock your confidence but as Boppin Betty says, you just have to keep trying! I have been turned down a couple of times (one similar experience to Betty's 'no not really') but it is a bit like getting back on the horse! The more you ask the easier it gets - honest!

Also Hop Skip Splat I confess I am intrigued to know where you were dancing that the teacher showed so little interest in their class. I have danced all over the south and never seen a teacher turn down a dance (unless the next class is about to start or something and generally they grab a dance later on) so I confess I am shocked! As you say, I'm sure you'll find your new venue much more friendly.
_________________
I used to have a handle on life - then it fell off.

[DR]

[Nicky]

Lilblue wrote:

[Hop Skip Splat]

[Hop Skip Splat]

HSS if you're going to Utopia be brave. Who knows we may even dance with each other, if i ask please say yes! [/quote]

oops i should have said, BB, I should be at the liberty for utopia so I'll try to find out who you are and will definitely be up for a dance if you dont mind me treading on your toes and I will definitely say yes if you ask me first.

I was nervous when I posted but glad I did, see you there

HSS

[Boppin' Betty]

Hi HSS

That will be great, look forward to it. We'll have a "brave" night if you ask all the women and i ask all the men we're bound to have a dance or two