What The Hell Is Happening?

[Jnixon]

Nah, she were taking t'picture.. 

 

or that 

[KevH]

 you sure its 100 club and not a gay night somewhere? no birds show up at all or were they both in the loo at the time.

 

 

No birds cos all the best dancers are men.Like the best chef's.

[Kjw]

The thing is as soon as they've learned to dance they then go and buy a box full of bootlegs and start a soul night

[Mark S]

Can I just carry on being a shit dancer please ? Its what I,m good at

Edited April 2, 2014 by Mark S

[Iancsloft]

I just wish it was available in my area. I've never been able to spin or do hand stands.

That's because you don't drink ya daft sod LOL

[Quinvy]

People want quick fixes these days it seems.

 

So you've had NS spoon fed to you, you've had your lessons and you've got your badge. Though you ain't gonna be making those faces though, you're just not! 

 

 

Pothole! argh!

[Dave Callard]

lol at the last pic. 

KTF or toot for Thomas? 

Is that Miranda Hart third from the left... Didn't know she was into northern soul     

See post 26

Edited April 2, 2014 by Dave Callard

[Steve S 60]

Fiona has only been on the scene 6 years and she didn't know how to dance "northern style" when I first met her which was about 6 years ago.  Nice girl though.  

 

6 years?  It takes a lifetime to master the art.  When you can walk across the talcum powder without leaving a trace, then your carpet will be clean.

[pogo paul]

Fiona has only been on the scene 6 years and she didn't know how to dance "northern style" when I first met her which was about 6 years ago.  Nice girl though. 

 

 

She must have "mastered the art "and is now "cashing in", looks like shes onto a nice little earner, got to be better than working for a living.

How the hell has it come to this! it's all an absolute embarrasment, a unique individual scene hijacked by a bunch of cnuts. There is no soul in Northern Soul anymore!

[Mak]

The thing is as soon as they've learned to dance they then go and buy a box full of bootlegs and start a soul night

Brilliant Kev ,  

[Twoshoes]

 

 

I would be interested to know about any folk who have taken these lessons.... Maybe its fun for some and helps a lot.....

My mates wife had a couple of lessons,he's been on the scene over 30yr but it's all new to her, she didn't tell him about the lessons and just surprised him at a night by getting up to dance.The lessons gave her the confidence so in that sense not a bad thing.I've seen one bloke showing a young lad how to do a couple of moves on the dance floor,not on in my opinion.As to the rights and wrongs of the DVD and whether Fiona can dance or not as a crap dancer myself I have to say I don't really care.I do however tire of telling people who say they can't dance Northern to just get out there,feel the music and do your own thing no one really cares,though I have to say I have on one occasion been proved wrong on that by a self appointed dance policeman.

[Simsy]

 on one occasion been proved wrong on that by a self appointed dance policeman.

 

Could you have been mistaken for a head-the-ball?   

[Zed1]

Northern Soul - Where did it all go wrong?.....

[Guest Dave Ward]

Deleted.

Edited April 2, 2014 by Dave Ward

[Guest Byrney]

It's all like a divorcee salsa night, but nowhere near as sexy

[Russ Vickers]

Keeeeeerrrrrrccchhhhiiinnnnggggg....Its the Northern Soul cash cow !!!

[Guest BAKUNIN]

Simple answer to what is wrong?........".LESS IS MORE"

But now its too late..........

[Staceys Dad]

its like pasta.....bloody awful.....

[Dr Good Soul]

We've created a monster

 

Mary Shelley.    

[Frankie Crocker]

I blame Bruce Forsyth and the BBC...

[Mellorful]

Several years ago I was shy about venturing onto the dance floor as it had been many years since I attempted to trip the lightening fantastic. My wife suggested we have a lesson or two at the Danceology studio in Huddersfield where a lady called Sharon Finch educated us and further educated me with NS soul steps. Sharon is a professional dance teacher who in her youth used to attend both Blackpool Mecca and Wigan Casino and she knows plenty about rhythmic foot movement. I regained the confidence to venture onto the floor and these days I have the confidence just let the music dictate my steps, no line dancing or counting steps. Furthermore, these days I'm slightly better than Jake the peg and don't give a bugger what people think about my dance style (or absence of style).   

Professional dance teachers can make both good and lousy dancers better on the floor if they are smart enough to listen to the rhythm and apply what they are taught. If the teacher makes a few quid then good luck to em; they help those with two left feet feel less self conscious or embarrassed to dance.

The only exception might be Oscar Pretorious because his pegs are for running and not dancing if he gets sent down he might need to learn to dance. 

[Guest Byrney]

Your comment just reminded me of a bunch of Southern based Jazz dancers I know who call NS dancers 'The Ministry of Silly Walks'.

Looking at this tea pot, skippy walking dance that's popped it's head up after a 30 year break I'm not surprised... Personally I'd rather pogo or do the skids dance

[Twoshoes]

Could you have been mistaken for a head-the-ball?   

It would not be the first time but no he was commenting on someone else's dancing on an events thread not mine, although it did not show as such the first line of my post was a from a post by Little-Stevie  which I tried to answer

[Guest Dave Ward]

Dunno why the SS massive, is even talkin' bout 'dancing, innit ! 'Cos you is all wearing cardigans and sittin' in record bars, trying to max the money you make from your own bredren, or stealin' from ignorant home boys wit yo' pressings 'n shit. I is attending a Masters Degree in record collecting, startin' tomorrow at 9:00 am and finishing at 9:10 am, after coffee an Chin Scratchin'  (with apologies to Ali G ).

Edited April 3, 2014 by Dave Ward

[boba]

this is the first time i've heard of someone trying to profit off "northern soul". shocking.

[Pete S]

Jesus.  It's not that hard.  Stand with feet slightly apart, slide one foot towards the other, then back again, start to put a bit of rhythm into it, then start to put the foot in front of the other foot instead of just side to side, well done, now you can dance!

[Labeat]

Dancing is a personal thing, i just thank the Lord for rare vinyl

[Winnie :-)]

this is the first time i've heard of someone trying to profit off "northern soul". shocking.

I don't think it's the 'profit' that's the real problem Bob. There's a number of other questions.

Authenticity: Most of us learnt to dance by watching other people and copying and lifting moves, until we'd adapted our own style. This dancing by numbers doesn't really allow for that. As has been mentioned previously, (I've seen this girl dance on many occasions) and she doesn't appear to be dancing necessarily to what's being played. It's all well and good that you can shuffle, stomp, glide, drop and spin etc but it (sorry if this appears a little rigid) should be done to the right record and at the right time, otherwise it looks silly. The person dancing by numbers will probably have no idea, but those around said person will.

Reasoning: I understand that some people lack confidence when dancing, so in that respect a few lessons may help get someone up on the floor, no problems with that. But, it shouldn't IMO be used to make you fit in. That isn't and has never been an instantaneous right.

Awareness: Teaching someone to dance should include making them aware of the people around them, so that they don't encroach into others dance space. I've witnessed this more than once, and it's incredibly irritating to have someone walking/prancing across you because they haven't been informed of spatial awareness. 

Personal: Dancing has always been of a personal nature, hence the different styles it's never been completely uniform, because for most of us however we feel the record is how we interpret it. Importantly we enjoy the record, we're not dancing because someone has intimated it's a prerequisite. 

Profit: There have always been people who make money from the northern scene, it's not a bad thing in general, because a lot of the time it allows us to have somewhere to dance, or a record to buy (if that's your bag) and a place to see friends. But for me this goes beyond that because as previously mentioned it's allowing people to start on an established scene without the apprenticeship. I realise that might sound snobby and a bit up my own ar*e, but I make no apology for it. When I go out, when I dance, I'd like to be surrounded by like minded people there for the same reasons as me, not there because they wanted somewhere different to go on a Saturday night 

[Pete S]

Dancing is a personal thing, i just thank the Lord for rare vinyl

 

I just thank the Lord for love..

[Mal C]

I know most of think it comes from the heart and you just eventually move along to the music but there was a time when you - yes, you - had never danced before in public and that was a big step to make, I remember I practiced for months in front of a mirror before I first danced, fortunately I turned out to be pretty good at it and I got confident very quickly.  Nerdy kids at our school even danced to things like "Get Out" and "Under My Thumb", it really got them out of their shells.  Then you've got some who really want to do it but are just petrified, and no amount of people saying 'just do what you feel' will give them the confidence.

So in that sense, I don't have any complaints about people being taught how to dance.  yes, it all looks a bit awkward but so what, nobody's been hurt and maybe a few people will have gained the confidence to dance in public after these lessons when they wouldn't have before.

 

 

p.s.

If I can find my dancing lesson post I'll post it up because it's quite funny.  The time I tought someone to dance..see below

 

In 1995 when I lived in St Leonards On Sea, I got this phone call from this guy in London who said he'd been given my name by a mutual friend and that I might be able to show him a few basic Northern Soul dance moves, so obviously I said you've got to be f*cking joking to which he said "I'll Pay You", so as I was unemployed I reluctantly agreed to take his money and I'd show him the basic Northern Soul dances. 

So he drives down from London one night midweek and despite my embarrassment, I spent half an hour teaching him how to shuffle from side to side and by the end of the session he'd just about got it.  All this was interspersed with my downstairs neighbour Nancy keep ringing me and saying "You Dancing?" to which I have to reply "You Asking"....

anyway we finished the 'lesson' and I said you mentioned payment, and he says oh yes of course, thanks ever so much, I've really enjoyed it, I'll just go and get the money, so I watched him from the landing go down the stairs, out of the door, into his car and off down the street at about 60 miles an hour, leaving me hot, sweaty, embarrassed and ripped off - if he's on here, you owe me £20 you b*stard.

 

I'm still chuckling at this, funniest thing Ive heard all week...

[Labeat]

Bloody Hell Winnie, what you had for breakfast ?

[Mal C]

Here's a couple of good ones, Jessica and John showing us the sheer Exuberance of Dance, and the uncanned shock of finding out you cant use talc....

 

Mal

Edited April 3, 2014 by Mal C

[Winnie :-)]

Bloody Hell Winnie, what you had for breakfast ?

Let me just check my 'Northern soul directory' for the right answer

[Dave Rimmer]

Here's a couple of good ones, Jessica and John showing us the sheer Exuberance of Dance, and the uncanned shock of finding out you cant use talc....

 

Mal

 

Yes but they are a couple of idiots    

 

The fact that I'm engaged to one, and the other is my best mate has no bearing on the matter though.

[Guest penny]

On one hand, I suppose jive and tango etc came out of folk culture originally and no one would complain about people learning those dances but on the other, there's something a bit shit about this prevailing trend of easy, quick-fix dipping into culture without really caring about it or getting involved in it.

if you cant learn to dance gradually by going to dos year after year then why do it at all? It's like putting on some ice boots and a down coat, taking a photo of yourself with a flag and thinking that you've experienced climbing Everest.

it's the same with re-issues and pressings - an easy way of mildly interested people to pretend to be really interested people. A whole industry dedicated to letting lazy and poor people be DJs. Great.

It's like legal graffiti, teaching awkward white people to rap, short people to play basketball...the point of a lot of things in life, particularly art and sport, is that people have a natural inclination to certain things and you can't contrive it.

Basically, if you're not already doing it, for reasons way to complicated to quantify, it's unlikely that making a decision to do it cos it's cool will lead you to anything but adding to the dead weight.

[KevH]

Bloody Hell Winnie, what you had for breakfast ?

 

Think he's swallowed a Pie Chart.

[KevH]

Jesus.  It's not that hard.  Stand with feet slightly apart, slide one foot towards the other, then back again, start to put a bit of rhythm into it, then start to put the foot in front of the other foot instead of just side to side, well done, now you can dance!

 

You've lost me Pete. Dont think i can follow the instructions.

[Mark S]

The Northern soul scene has always been a freindly place I have never cared how anyone dances and I ,m sure nobody cares how I dance . The notion that people lack the confidence to get up I dont get and in itself is a sad indictment of the scene if people feel like they have to fit in .

 These so called dance teachers are exploiting peoples insecurity supported by the inacurate media portrayals of athletic baggy wearing dancers and the myth that there was /is a heirachy on the floor .

 They are no part of a Northern soul scene that I want to be connected to .

[Modernsoulsucks]

That's so cute !  The little people have got their own set of rules.

 

I quite agree too. It should be ORGANIC in that it's a gradual process and not forced. It should be entered into because they feel it and not just because it's in VOGUE and finally as part of a whole and not at ODDS with those around them.

 

I think the acronym OVO would be a useful shorthand for this approach.

 

ROD

[KevH]

And,if you can't dance on bedroom carpet first you should never be allowed onto a maple sprung floor (with talc).

[Labeat]

You've lost me Pete. Dont think i can follow the instructions.

 

Yeah well, he does like to complicate things does our Pete

[boba]

I don't think it's the 'profit' that's the real problem Bob. There's a number of other questions.

Authenticity: Most of us learnt to dance by watching other people and copying and lifting moves, until we'd adapted our own style. This dancing by numbers doesn't really allow for that. As has been mentioned previously, (I've seen this girl dance on many occasions) and she doesn't appear to be dancing necessarily to what's being played. It's all well and good that you can shuffle, stomp, glide, drop and spin etc but it (sorry if this appears a little rigid) should be done to the right record and at the right time, otherwise it looks silly. The person dancing by numbers will probably have no idea, but those around said person will.

Reasoning: I understand that some people lack confidence when dancing, so in that respect a few lessons may help get someone up on the floor, no problems with that. But, it shouldn't IMO be used to make you fit in. That isn't and has never been an instantaneous right.

Awareness: Teaching someone to dance should include making them aware of the people around them, so that they don't encroach into others dance space. I've witnessed this more than once, and it's incredibly irritating to have someone walking/prancing across you because they haven't been informed of spatial awareness. 

Personal: Dancing has always been of a personal nature, hence the different styles it's never been completely uniform, because for most of us however we feel the record is how we interpret it. Importantly we enjoy the record, we're not dancing because someone has intimated it's a prerequisite. 

Profit: There have always been people who make money from the northern scene, it's not a bad thing in general, because a lot of the time it allows us to have somewhere to dance, or a record to buy (if that's your bag) and a place to see friends. But for me this goes beyond that because as previously mentioned it's allowing people to start on an established scene without the apprenticeship. I realise that might sound snobby and a bit up my own ar*e, but I make no apology for it. When I go out, when I dance, I'd like to be surrounded by like minded people there for the same reasons as me, not there because they wanted somewhere different to go on a Saturday night 

 

Thanks for a well written, articulate response

[Guest BENSON BOY]

You've lost me Pete. Dont think i can follow the instructions.

Kev,

i'll make it a bit easier for you.

 

You put your right foot in,your right foot out,your right foot in and shake it all about,and do  the same with your left.

Well it's a start.

[Jordirip]

Here's a couple of good ones, Jessica and John showing us the sheer Exuberance of Dance, and the uncanned shock of finding out you cant use talc....

 

Mal

 

I'm more shocked that John is obviously putting Kronenberg lager on his cornflakes.

[Guest Byrney]

Kev,

i'll make it a bit easier for you.

 

You put your right foot in,your right foot out,your right foot in and shake it all about,and do  the same with your left.

Well it's a start.

Ah... That's the only lesson I need, and this helpful video too

[Guest BENSON BOY]

Ah... That's the only lesson I need, and this helpful video too

A call to the Samartans is in progress

[Steve L]

Ah... That's the only lesson I need, and this helpful video too

           

[Mark S]

Ah... That's the only lesson I need, and this helpful video too

 

Looks like a tea dance at the home for the terminally bewildered

 

Nice one

[Guest]

Here's a couple of good ones, Jessica and John showing us the sheer Exuberance of Dance, and the uncanned shock of finding out you cant use talc....

 

Mal

 

Look, I've mastered step 14 after all!

[Daved]

Here's something else forthcoming to get people going

 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00IX1S7TY/ref=pe_281341_46396671_pe_epc__1p_4_ti