Do They Dance Different In The Us?

[Guest Matt Male]

Good photos from the Kansas Soul Club but it got me thinking... Do the American soulies dance differently than us lot over here? From the photos it looked a bit more moddish in style.

Matt

[Guest Kevin J]

Quite frankly, we dont know how to dance. No real history of exposure to yalls northern soul dancing i'd imagine. its a lot of back and forth with the occasional hand-clapping. i do hear that the folks down in northern california know how to shake it, but ill have to see that for myself someday.

Edited March 1, 2006 by Kevin J

[asboannie]

Good photos from the Kansas Soul Club but it got me thinking... Do the American soulies dance differently than us lot over here? From the photos it looked a bit more moddish in style.

Matt

I know this is not northern soul dancing , but in the early 80's I went to San Francisco , and several times went to a disco , the dancing was totally different to us British. Sorry no photos to show.

[steve z]

I know this is not northern soul dancing , but in the early 80's I went to San Francisco , and several times went to a disco , the dancing was totally different to us British. Sorry no photos to show.

Hi Annie,do not recall ,other than the known dancers from the good old US of A ,seeing "northern dancers"However been to a true "Greek" night GOD talk about sexy Was a few years ago...and when in Holland ,couples (man and woman) superb dancing to soul records,very tight fast dancing ATB Stevie

[asboannie]

Hi Annie,do not recall ,other than the known dancers from the good old US of A ,seeing "northern dancers"However been to a true "Greek" night GOD talk about sexy Was a few years ago...and when in Holland ,couples (man and woman) superb dancing to soul records,very tight fast dancing ATB Stevie

Yes, but did they ring your bells twice

[steve z]

Yes, but did they ring your bells twice

ANNIE sooooo funny to us Not for others I bet ATB Stevie....

[Guest Kevin J]

i would also add that any exposure to northern soul in the US, generally speaking, is going to be via the Mod or Skinhead scenes here who seem have attached it to themselves. i, for one, know that was how i was introduced to it ... which leads me to a question:

How much a part of the original Northern Soul Scene were mods and skinheads? i would really love to hear some first hand knowledge on the subject.

[Guest Baz]

Remember last year in the States, we got friendly with a guy called Mike (cant think of his second name) DJ/collector from San jose or around that area he, was with a guy forgot his name, looked quite young but about 35, quite a few tattos had the push in centers tattoed on his elbows, now he could dance! and would put most of the english guys to shame

[Guest]

i would also add that any exposure to northern soul in the US, generally speaking, is going to be via the Mod or Skinhead scenes here who seem have attached it to themselves. i, for one, know that was how i was introduced to it ... which leads me to a question:

How much a part of the original Northern Soul Scene were mods and skinheads? i would really love to hear some first hand knowledge on the subject.

I was never a mod or a skinhead, i found the music through older friends, the mod scene had a revival in the late seventies, and i never liked the aspect of being one of the crowd. I always thought the music (Scene) stood alone from any fashion dictate. (i know/knew and adore plenty of mod/skinhead followers who also were as passionate as me about this music by the way) The majority of music scenes seem to have or had an identity fashion wise (indeed the Northern scene did also...baggys, vests etc) but i was never a part of that era, so for me it was music first and music last...........

Edited March 1, 2006 by Brett

[FrankM]

Good photos from the Kansas Soul Club but it got me thinking... Do the American soulies dance differently than us lot over here? From the photos it looked a bit more moddish in style.

Matt

I think they dance with each other.

[Sweeney]

This may sound churlish or heretical even - but wasn't this beautiful sexy music made for two lovers to dance to together?

The sight of pasty males (or females) spinning around like idiots on their lonesome must make the Gods of Rare Soul scratch their heads in disbelief.

Discuss.

Edited March 2, 2006 by sweeney

[Guest]

Would agree that most dancing is more of "mod" style here in the US. Limited exposure to the Uk scene and space between events does not really allow one to hone their dancing skills. Typically a month or so between good nights, and anything weekly usually is in a bar without a suitable dance area. I get my practice in the living room in my socks(and little else) LOL

Edited March 2, 2006 by recordwanted

[Guest glyn-w]

i would also add that any exposure to northern soul in the US, generally speaking, is going to be via the Mod or Skinhead scenes here who seem have attached it to themselves. i, for one, know that was how i was introduced to it ... which leads me to a question:

How much a part of the original Northern Soul Scene were mods and skinheads? i would really love to hear some first hand knowledge on the subject.

Hi kevin.. I can say that i came from the scooter/mod sceen when i first realy got into the Northern sceen, trouble was whith motown, it was the abought 50 records played over and over again..It was a revelation to get in to something different...but my first introduction to the music was at chicksands u.s.a.f air base, we used to go to the local pubs where the Black aimen used to bring there records pluss a dicotrone, and just play there sounds loved it then and love it now...and that was back in the mid 60`s..

Glyn

[Tomangoes]

1. The USA dancers at the LA gig in 2004 did look a bit like a mod style and quite a few had come on scooters to the gig. Nevertheless they stayed on the dancefloor all night and held their own. They all looked like they took image seriously and were well heeled. A few could have got a job in the cast of quadraphenia, especially the girls. (Not sure why they have tattoos on the ankle, and was too scared to ask).

2. I got into the scene in 1975 via stuff like exciters - reaching for the best, dobie gray - out on the floor, the flasher, ghost in my house etc. BUT about a year or so later there was a massive influx into the scene via the mod revival and in turn a great chance to commercialise it even more.

3. Again around the 1977/8 mark the jazz/funk element split from the mainstream and in some ways the mod revival influx kept the traditional scene alive whilst the progressive element went there own way.

4. It was quite funny going to a soul night with a Northern and a seperate Jazz Funk room just to see the difference in clothes, dance styles, and music. You would not think there was any connection.

Ed

[Steve L]

This may sound churlish or heretical even - but wasn't this beautiful sexy music made for two lovers to dance to together?

The sight of pasty males (or females) spinning around like idiots on their lonesome must make the Gods of Rare Soul scratch their heads in disbelief.

Discuss.

Heretical is absolutely right

Theres no way on planet earth that a man and a woman should be seen dancing to a northern record together!

[Winnie :-)]

Heretical is absolutely right

Theres no way on planet earth that a man and a woman should be seen dancing to a northern record together!

===========

Not even to something like Corey Glover?

[Simsy]

I think they dance with each other.

Frank, who is the bloke dancing with the girl?

[Guest Richard Bergman]

Dancing differences country by country is quite funny.....

I was chatting to a friend of mine once regarding this very subject ...his tongue in cheek remark was that "Germans couldn't dance as there legs were made for marching" ...(obviously untrue...before the soul source moral inquest starts )

[Guest Richard Bergman]

I think they dance with each other.

Thats not a scene from a soul nite, it's an outake from the long forgotten and sadly missed Beverly Hills 90210

[Simsy]

Whoever he is, he's the spit of our MD.

[Guest Brian J]

Dancing differences country by country is quite funny.....

I was chatting to a friend of mine once regarding this very subject ...his tongue in cheek remark was that "Germans couldn't dance as there legs were made for marching" ...(obviously untrue...before the soul source moral inquest starts )

They used to do a dance in Germany called the 'Disco Fox'....it was a foxtrot danced to disco music but with a contemporary slant added. Absolute magic to watch.

[Guest enchantedrythm]

i remember visiting a shagg scene night in caraolina and it was dance with each other even to the tomango's, a sight to behold.

very different atitudes towards dancing, always for two

here its 99% dance for yourself

[Guest in town Mikey]

I went to a club (not a soul one) in the states with a mate. We had a couple of shandies and some Motown came on. Jer and I took to the empty dancefloor to show those septic tanks how we dance Uk stylee. A bouncer came over and said

"will you two gay guys find a girl each to dance with please"

Edited March 5, 2006 by in town Mikey

[Guest Brian J]

I went to a club (not a soul one) in the states with a mate. We had a couple of shandies and some Motown came on. Jer and I took to the empty dancefloor to show those septic tanks how we dance Uk stylee. A bouncer came over and said

"will you two gay guys find a girl each to dance with please"

==========

That's interesting......I didn't know you was gay Mike!

[Guest in town Mikey]

==========

That's interesting......I didn't know you was gay Mike!

Neither did I.

Maybe if I was I'd have a bit more luck with the ladies.

[Guest Brian J]

Neither did I.

Maybe if I was I'd have a bit more luck with the ladies.

Pretend you're a lesbian...that used to work for me!

[FrankM]

It came from a beach music site. I was looking for a couple shagging but you try googling that.

As you can see from the watermark superimposed on the photograph this is from the Supershag site.

Edited March 5, 2006 by FrankM

[Guest Brian J]

It came from a beach music site. I was looking for a couple shagging but you try googling that.

As you can see from the watermark superimposed on the photograph this is from the Supershag site.

Frank, have you got an addy for that site.

I remember Steve Martin on KTF pasting some good sites up with downloadable clips of dancers shagging. Remarkable stuff to watch and a must see for anyone who loves watching good dancing.

[FrankM]

www.supershag.com

[Guest Brian J]

www.supershag.com

Thanks Frank, you're a star.

[Guest naisygriff]

I went to a soul/jazz/latin night in San Fran and I felt really stupid, cos everyone danced with each other, I started feeling like billy no mates cos I was dancing on my own and thats the way I prefer it, other peoples' rhythm puts me off.

Blokes come up to u to ask u to dance and they find it realy wierd that u don't want to.

My bro is on the scooter/northern scene there so I think its different then.

[Guest Brian J]

www.supershag.com

Couldn't see any on that site Frank.

Here's a site I've just got off Steve on KTF

https://www.usagrandnationals.com/video_clips.htm

[Guest in town Mikey]

I went to a soul/jazz/latin night in San Fran and I felt really stupid, cos everyone danced with each other, I started feeling like billy no mates cos I was dancing on my own and thats the way I prefer it, other peoples' rhythm puts me off.

Blokes come up to u to ask u to dance and they find it realy wierd that u don't want to.

My bro is on the scooter/northern scene there so I think its different then.

Hi Sian

Two of my friends are moving to San francisco in September. hopefully a visit will be planned soon after. What is the music scene like out there?

[Chris L]

I think they dance with each other.

Crikey!!..... I think I've seen that picture on a porn site !!! The bloke with his tongue hanging out has

his thumb in the back pocket of the bolnde girl !!! Just what will he do next ???

Chris L

[Chris L]

It came from a beach music site. I was looking for a couple shagging but you try googling that.

As you can see from the watermark superimposed on the photograph this is from the Supershag site.

That's a shame, I though it was a message on that lasses skirt bragging about what she did :-(

Chris L

[Chris L]

i would also add that any exposure to northern soul in the US, generally speaking, is going to be via the Mod or Skinhead scenes here who seem have attached it to themselves. i, for one, know that was how i was introduced to it ... which leads me to a question:

How much a part of the original Northern Soul Scene were mods and skinheads? i would really love to hear some first hand knowledge on the subject.

You ask a good question, you'll probably get lots of different answers.

The "real" Northern Soul scene started about end 1968 beginning 1969. This is when there evolved a conscious effort to find the Motown sounda-likes. By that time the Mods had long disappeared and Skinheads had grown their hair somewhat longer. I seem to remember being called "smoothies".

Mods were into the Kinks, the Small Faces, etc. as well as soul music.

Skinheads were predominantly blue-beat & rock steady although soul music featured strongly outside of the London area. In fact the Northern youth only had 2 choices, standard pop or soul music to listen to.

It's still weird for me to see young(er) people dressing up like what we done

yonks ago, although I'm so glad they like the music.

Talking of the youth and dancing there a young bloke at Stoke Saturday, guess about early 20T's, tall lad, top dancer. Real Northern Soul like, his

very tasty looking girlfriend had yet to "get it" (the dance that is...hhmmm)

But she was so good looking..............who cares ?

Chris L

[jazzyjas]

Lots of serious dancers in the US dance as couples (like the Beach scene). The concept of dancing alone like the northern soul scene just BARELY exists over here. And the average person that goes to clubs isn't very serious about music over here either. It's just a background thing. They are usually there to drink, pick someone up, or score drugs. The music is purely incidental. Most people over here just accept what's dished out to them whether it's new crappy hip hop, insipid R&B garbage or whatever. That picture of the Americans dancing just sums it up perfectly--completely dorky clueless whitebred idiots driking jello shots and dancing to 50 cent. Just slow and easy-nothing too complicated.

Specialty nights are getting more popular over here so that's a good thing. This means people that are more serious about music are showing up but even still, mostly females are dancing. I really like the Carolina shaggers or "Hand Dancers" as they call them in Marlyand and Virginia. Chicago steppers are fantastic too. Lots of old black folks on that scene. They effortlessly flow with the music. The mod nights that happen over here seem to have more guys dancing and it's a little bit closer to the UK in the way that they dance alone and not with a partner. I think that it's a bit uptight and stiff, but that's just my opinion. But no matter what the scene is over here, the amount of really IMPRESSIVE dancers is woefully low. The black folks have it nailed. They are just better dancers on the whole in my opinion. As for northern soul, I've got to give the credit to people on the West Coast. When I was at the LA Weekender, I saw very few American people dancing "northern soul" style. I was one of the few. But there's a guy named Justin out in LA who is an absolute ace with acrobatics and spins. He was the only one keeping up with Carl, too. He's been to the UK and he shows up in Roxy Threads pants. He knows the deal. Also have to mention--Thanks to people like Mike Umholtz REAL northern soul nights are getting put on-not some mod-ye ye-boogaloo soul mish mash- I mean a PROPER night. Now that's what I'm talking about! I'm sick and tired of northern soul being lumped in with everything else. I like those other styles but let's be consistent.

Many of the places I've been over the years have pretty lame dancers in my opinion. The deep house scene in Baltimore had some great modern soul house music being played and I picked up some excellent moves on that scene. Lots of great dancers at those nights. But on the whole, people over here on the whole don't take dancing very seriously. I wish things would be more like the disco age when people would practice in dance studios and have a little class about them. There's a lot of girls that dance like total whores and guys that seem clueless and just trying to rub up on them. It's lame as hell when total frat-boy meatheads infiltrate a cool club where house is being played. They just come and ruin it because the sports bar three doors down was too full. It sucks because a lot of the house music dancers are very serious and are there for the music instead of just trying to hook up with people. Going to good nights where deep house music is played is the closest you'll get to a scene the resembles the soul scene in the UK.

Hats off to all you UK dancers. Your moves are the best and I'm taking it all in and adding things to my bag of tricks on the floor. Northern soul dancing is the greatest and can't be touched.

KTF

Jas

[Gasher]

It came from a beach music site. I was looking for a couple shagging but you try googling that.

As you can see from the watermark superimposed on the photograph this is from the Supershag site.

you must like the strange SUPERSHAG SITES .

SHE DONT LOOK LIKE IT TO ME

[Guest Kevin J]

its even more amusing in live motion:

https://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...d=737737176&n=2

[Soul-slider]

its even more amusing in live motion:

https://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...d=737737176&n=2

Looked like a great night, does the Emerald City Soul club always get a full dance floor like that? Atmosphere looked terrific.

[Guest Kevin J]

Looked like a great night, does the Emerald City Soul club always get a full dance floor like that? Atmosphere looked terrific.

yeh, turn out has averaged between 200-250 consistantly.

[Guest WPaulVanDyk]

If i went to America and dance alone at any Northern soul night there. I hope i don't get told find a girl to dance with i will say watch and learn. I always wonder why some things get done different in America. They should come here and watch us Brits show them how to dance proper providing they have no clue