The Greatest Dancer

[Guest]

15 hours ago, Flamingemeralds said:

Do you seriously think that guy went on that show for the sole purpose of ridiculing the scene?  Seriously?!?!  Do you think he bought "The Dummies Guide to Ridiculing the Northern Soul Scene" before the show?  Do you think it was deliberately contrived? A deliberate attempt to discredit the northern soul scene? I don't think so.....

Or is it that you just don't like his dancing or his trousers?

If you're such a superior dancer with much better taste in trousers....why don't you go on the show and show the great British public how it's done....."properly"?  I take it you can do the splits? 

Cruel thread indeed.

Christ almighty your as out of touch as he is!

[Modernsoulsucks]

6 hours ago, Blackpoolsoul said:

Perhaps Giovanni can get his spins a little better for the next round

 

To be fair guy in video is a lot younger.

Older you get the less nimble ?

But thanks for the video.

The thin girl in the short dress was worth it alone.

[Kathryn Magson]

4 hours ago, Moxey25 said:

I the scene has been turned in to a joke sold my record collection after 40 years.  Im out 

I clicked like on Moxey's post - didn't really mean I actually like it - just that sadly I agree with him. It's all become way too commercial for me - Northern is now the new pop music & not the underground scene I used to know & love. I don't even say that I like Northern any more - 60 s soul - yes; R&B - yes;  rare soul - yes; but  Northern??? I still love the music, but not the way the scene has gone. Like Moxey says - it's a joke now - I know others who feel the same way. 

[Winsford Soul]

2 minutes ago, Kathryn Magson said:

I clicked like on Moxey's post - didn't really mean I actually like it - just that sadly I agree with him. It's all become way too commercial for me - Northern is now the new pop music & not the underground scene I used to know & love. I don't even say that I like Northern any more - 60 s soul - yes; R&B - yes;  rare soul - yes; but  Northern??? I still love the music, but not the way the scene has gone. Like Moxey says - it's a joke now - I know others who feel the same way. 

There's still  plenty of venues playing the lesser known,  under played,  rarer stuff , stay away from the top 500 venues where the people who dress up go ( for want of a better word  ) .Where there's some very good dancers to be seen by the way , young and old who choose to dress the way they do. Each to their own.  Personally I tend not to go many of the top 500 type venues for musical reasons alone, not because of what someone is wearing.  

Steve 

[Rhino]

10 minutes ago, Kathryn Magson said:

I clicked like on Moxey's post - didn't really mean I actually like it - just that sadly I agree with him. It's all become way too commercial for me - Northern is now the new pop music & not the underground scene I used to know & love. I don't even say that I like Northern any more - 60 s soul - yes; R&B - yes;  rare soul - yes; but  Northern??? I still love the music, but not the way the scene has gone. Like Moxey says - it's a joke now - I know others who feel the same way. 

What about crossover, modern. Just a point of how the scene has fragmented into so many smaller scenes. Northern, rare, crossover, modern and R&B etc and finding the right mixture of music to keep most happy very hard. Allnighter getting less and more top 500 working mens club soul nights are killing the scene in my opinion u only have to look at the event page. 

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Moxey25 said:

I the scene has been turned in to a joke sold my record collection after 40 years.  Im out 

Why are you on here then?

[Kathryn Magson]

37 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

There's still  plenty of venues playing the lesser known,  under played,  rarer stuff , stay away from the top 500 venues where the people who dress up go ( for want of a better word  ) .Where there's some very good dancers to be seen by the way , young and old who choose to dress the way they do. Each to their own.  Personally I tend not to go many of the top 500 type venues for musical reasons alone, not because of what someone is wearing.  

Steve 

Well said Steve - I still get out to plenty of soul nights, but like you I'm picky about where I go. I don't hit the floor like I used to, but still like a bit of a shuffle now & again & I love to see a full floor of people enjoying the music. It always saddens me to see it on telly - I've been to a few soul nights recently where non-soul crowd were there - some embarrassingly drunk - & I blame it on Northern being in focus so often on mainstream telly. I've no objection to new/ younger faces being on the scene, but some just don't understand it all & will never fit in will they? 

[Geeselad]

The thing that hit me about the scene at 18, my first nighter, was just how cool everyone was. even guys, and especially girls, that were decades older than me. Don't see that much anymore, just saying. .

[Geeselad]

57 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

Why are you on here then?

 Maybe It's like watching car crashes, to quote

Mr Lennon: ' I just had to laugh, I saw the photograph. '

[Steve L]

7 hours ago, Bbrich said:

Please correct me if i'm wrong but my memory of the baggies trousers (mid 70's) is that they were 'high waisted' i.e. 3 or even 4 buttons....  and the single belt loop style was really on jeans and came in a bit later.?   But I guess the 'high waisted' wouldn't work with the majority having larger beer bellies......  so they are not even true to the original style. It may have course just be my mixed up memory......

Definitely not correct mate, I wore bags from 74 til 79 and never once had a pair of high waisters. Can’t remember my mates having many either

[Kathryn Magson]

On 07/01/2020 at 16:44, Flamingemeralds said:

Why are you on here then?

I'm on here because I love my soul music - just saddened to see some of the handbaggers  getting into it since it's been mainstreamed by the media & calling themselves "soulies". I was at a soul night a couple of weeks ago, when a woman next to me on the dance floor fell over - I went to pick her up, but couldn't manage on my own as she was a dead, drunken weight. Her husband/partner came to help me get her on her feet - the next few times she fell over various other people in the room picked her up. After the 8th time she was sprawled out on the floor everyone in the room was fed up & left her where she was - just danced around her. Eventually her husband tried to pick her up but couldn't get her on her upright, so he picked up her feet & towed her across the dance floor - flat on her back - to where she & her friends were sitting. Another drunken handbagger at the same event was trying to salsa with a huge Santa that was standing on the stage & almost dragged him down on top of her. This was a nice venue - it was my first visit & not very local to me, but all these drunks spoiling the night was enough to put me off making the effort to go there again. Huge shame - the DJs were good & the music was great - just spoiled by the non-soul crowd that were there. Not the first time I've seen a good night marred by people not on the soul scene - they see it on the telly & think "oooh this northern soul looks good...…..."

I really don't care what people are wearing...….how well they can dance...…....or that they like a drink...…I'm certainly not tee-total......I just want a good night out around civilized people who love the music & appreciate the whole scene as much as I do.

Edited January 31, 2020 by Kathryn Magson

[Mike]

off topic photo and reply dropped

ask all to  try and stick to the actual subject and drop the having a go at other members

thanks

 

[Soulman]

20 hours ago, Tomangoes said:

I think 'vesty' does it better....

Ed

 

I have to take issue with the signs on the stage. Surely they should be a little more specific... "No drinks, No talc and No dickheads on the dance floor". Just an observation of course for future health and safety reasons when the circus is in town.

[Frankie Crocker]

On 05/01/2020 at 12:17, Winsford Soul said:

Why watch stuff like that when you know what is going to happen, then come on here moaning about it afterwards.  Simple answer.  Dont watch . 

Hi Steve. Was just chilling on the sofa, TV on the background, The Mrs in the kitchen, just a typical Saturday eve just in from the gym then this pops up. I’m all for a bit of family entertainment on the Beeb and have even looked at the occasional dance act on a previous series. When something like this intrudes, you tend to sit up and take note, particularly if it is discussion-worthy. It is probably better to watch and suffer rather than switch off and remain ignorant as to what occurred. Having watched the dancer put in an amateurish performance, despite the acclaim of the judges, I felt it appropriate to pass comment - ultimately, it would have been better had the chap not appeared as this segment did not present the Northern Soul scene in a truly representative manner ie most Northern dancers would not dance this way or perform spins/acrobatics in an unaccomplished way. 

[Frankie Crocker]

2 hours ago, Kathryn Magson said:

I'm on here because I love my soul music - just saddened to see some of the handbaggers  getting into it since it's been mainstreamed by the media & calling themselves "soulies". I was at a soul night a couple of weeks ago, when a woman next to me on the dance floor fell over - I went to pick her up, but couldn't manage on my own as she was a dead, drunken weight. Her husband/partner came to help me get her on her feet - the next few times she fell over various other people in the room picked her up. After the 8th time she was sprawled out on the floor everyone in the room was fed up & left her where she was - just danced around her. Eventually her husband tried to pick her up but couldn't get her on her upright, so he picked up her feet & towed her across the dance floor - flat on her back - to where she & her friends were sitting. Another drunken handbagger at the same event was trying to salsa with a huge Santa that was standing on the stage & almost dragged him down on top of her. This was a nice venue - DJs were good & the music was great - just spoiled by the non-soul crowd that were there. Not the first time I've seen a good night marred by people not on the soul scene - they see it on the telly & think "oooh this northern soul looks good...…..."

I really don't care what people are wearing...…...or that they like a drink...…I'm certainly not tee-total......I just want a good night out around civilized people who love the music & appreciate the whole scene as much as I do.

Good post Kathryn. Let’s keep the scene under the radar of Joe Public. The music and dancing are there to be enjoyed by the committed few and not p!?@#* over by the masses.

[Ian Parker]

kind of 'off topic' 

    whenever i hear james Carr,     i start singing  " I cant help myself"  by The Four Tops ........

[Winsford Soul]

9 minutes ago, Frankie Crocker said:

Hi Steve. Was just chilling on the sofa, TV on the background, The Mrs in the kitchen, just a typical Saturday eve just in from the gym then this pops up. I’m all for a bit of family entertainment on the Beeb and have even looked at the occasional dance act on a previous series. When something like this intrudes, you tend to sit up and take note, particularly if it is discussion-worthy. It is probably better to watch and suffer rather than switch off and remain ignorant as to what occurred. Having watched the dancer put in an amateurish performance, despite the acclaim of the judges, I felt it appropriate to pass comment - ultimately, it would have been better had the chap not appeared as this segment did not present the Northern Soul scene in a truly representative manner ie most Northern dancers would not dance this way or perform spins/acrobatics in an unaccomplished way. 

Fair comment my friend.  I really never  watch anything like that sort of programme, never particularly watch the TV  apart from the wildlife,  natural history,  type stuff. 

Steve 

[Hornet]

6 hours ago, Modernsoulsucks said:

To be fair guy in video is a lot younger.

Older you get the less nimble ?

But thanks for the video.

The thin girl in the short dress was worth it alone.

Remember watching A dancer from the balcony on my 1st casino visit dance very similar to this lad , along with stomping & clapping , A lost art , we did dance better in those days didn’t we !!

[Stevegods]

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Fair comment my friend.  I really never  watch anything like that sort of programme, never particularly watch the TV  apart from the wildlife,  natural history,  type stuff. 

Steve 

And of course no football this season

Sorry Steve and apologies for being off topic Mike , but couldn’t resist . 

 

[Winsford Soul]

1 hour ago, Stevegods said:

And of course no football this season

Sorry Steve and apologies for being off topic Mike , but couldn’t resist . 

 

. I've actually cancelled my virgin tv package mate, yes no football , not that we are playing any trust that you are well and safe mate

[Tomangoes]

Back on topic....ish

This is the funniest ' dancer' I've EVER seen.

Ed

 

[Chalky]

One judge said he looks like a clown without the shoes, says it all really.

He looked exactly what he is, a 60 odd year old doing northern badly. Timing out, trouble coming put of the tricks etc.  WTF was the skippy dance?

Plenty of youngsters who could have done NS justice but I guess they don’t want the real thing?

I don’t know him, don’t know what his history is, don’t ever recall seeing him.  

Edited January 8, 2020 by Chalky

[Chalky]

6 hours ago, Tomangoes said:

Back on topic....ish

This is the funniest ' dancer' I've EVER seen.

Ed

 

Once upon a time the would have been laughed out of the building, the characters would have ripped them to bits, now they are welcomed with open arms.

Its not a scene anymore, its a meeting place for dysfunctional OAPs. 

Edited January 8, 2020 by Chalky

[Blackpoolsoul]

Can someone post some videos of what they would call "brilliant" dancing as all that seems to be happening here is "having a go" at "not good" dancing

Please 

[Veedub]

9 minutes ago, Blackpoolsoul said:

Can someone post some videos of what they would call "brilliant" dancing as all that seems to be happening here is "having a go" at "not good" dancing

Please 

Its not about being a brilliant dancer, i'm certainly not. It's about not making a complete idiot of yourself .

[Blackpoolsoul]

5 minutes ago, Veedub said:

Its not about being a brilliant dancer, i'm certainly not. It's about not making a complete idiot of yourself .

I know but I haven't seen any videos of the "positive"

[Kathryn Magson]

Does it REALLY matter how anyone dances? I like to see a good dancer - at a venue & male or female - but what I like most is seeing a floor full of people - good dancers or not - enjoying the music. The issue here for me is that NS is being portrayed way too often on the mass media & that brings in too much unwanted attention. I cringe every time the term Northern Soul crops up on the telly! I've been at events both as a visitor & also involved on the promotional side & seen problems caused by "outsiders" - they're drunk - drinks/handbags etc on the dance floor - moaning that they don't know any of the music - "Haven't you got Bernadette...…...?" I put the blame for all this fair & square on NS cropping up on prime-time telly - The Greatest Dancer is the most recent one. Oh for the days when no-one had heard of it apart from the few of us who were really into it all!

Edited January 8, 2020 by Kathryn Magson

[David Meikle]

For Blackpoolsoul

https://youtu.be/j6rDT4qnBHU
 

Edited January 8, 2020 by David Meikle

[David Meikle]

2 hours ago, Blackpoolsoul said:

Can someone post some videos of what they would call "brilliant" dancing as all that seems to be happening here is "having a go" at "not good" dancing

Please 

Lady in white dress
 

 

Edited January 8, 2020 by David Meikle

[David Meikle]

Carl Piper from one minute in if necessary

 

[Tony Smith]

On 05/01/2020 at 09:21, Ian Parker said:

i lasted 4 seconds. 

You beat me

 

[Scootboy]

2 hours ago, Blackpoolsoul said:

Can someone post some videos of what they would call "brilliant" dancing as all that seems to be happening here is "having a go" at "not good" dancing

Please 

This is what I call brilliant dancing

 

Edited January 8, 2020 by Scootboy

[Blackpoolsoul]

30 minutes ago, David Meikle said:

Carl Piper from one minute in if necessary

 

Carl was superb and I seem to remember Des Porter from Newark could mash it up like him, no clips of him sadly

This guy is good though

 

Edited January 8, 2020 by Blackpoolsoul

[Stevie]

Just old school cool ..

 

Edited January 8, 2020 by Stevie

[Winsford Soul]

1 hour ago, Blackpoolsoul said:

Carl was superb and I seem to remember Des Porter from Newark could mash it up like him, no clips of him sadly

This guy is good though

 

As good a  freestyle dancer as I've seen, up there with Craig Westwood, Al Kinsella ,Gethro, not forgetting the young soulies.  Eithan,  Aaron Williams, young Courtney from Stoke and a few others .

Steve 

Edited January 8, 2020 by Winsford Soul

[Veedub]

Yeh , as above. James Whitehead... the best.. here's him again.

 

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Chalky said:

Once upon a time the would have been laughed out of the building, the characters would have ripped them to bits, now they are welcomed with open arms.

Its not a scene anymore, its a meeting place for dysfunctional OAPs. 

The world has finally caught up with me then!  So hearing aides ready lets hear it for the dysfunctional OAPs .

Edited January 8, 2020 by Firecrest

[Winsford Soul]

15 minutes ago, Veedub said:

Yeh , as above. James Whitehead... the best.. here's him again.

 

Thanks mate.  Couldn't remember James name.

[Martyn Pitt]

18 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Thanks mate.  Couldn't remember James name.

He was at the last Willington Steve, best dancer in the room by a mile 

[Source Team]

just so aware

we will be closing this topic in approx 24 hours as do feel that the original topic has run its course

source site team

[Winsford Soul]

2 hours ago, Martyn Pitt said:

He was at the last Willington Steve, best dancer in the room by a mile 

Definitely my friend. 

[Blackpoolsoul]

1 hour ago, Source Team said:

just so aware

we will be closing this topic in approx 24 hours as do feel that the original topic has run its course

source site team

I know it sort of went off-topic a little but the guy (Giovanni) is going to be back on the programme again, so surely we need to wait to see if he get's through the next round, unless another thread will be opened at the time ?

[Blackpoolsoul]

Last one for now from my old stomping ground Steve "giving it some" to a proper record too

 

[Hornet]

4 hours ago, Veedub said:

Yeh , as above. James Whitehead... the best.. here's him again.

 

Which 1 is he 

[Paul-s]

On 05/01/2020 at 14:08, Flamingemeralds said:

All the lads I knew on the scene did, back in the seventies. Soul bags!  They looked as daft then as they do now, but they were in style at the time. Fashion style comes and goes.   Yes, it's an outdated "look" for today but the guy was trying to be authentic surely?  You only have to look at the photos of the queues outside the Casino.  Flappy trousers were hip and had a loyal following of genuine soulboys, who I still know and who are still on the scene.  Anyway, I've said my bit.  Just my opinion. I thought he was ok and put on a far better performance than most male NS dancers do these days.

No, not everybody wore them and they were worn (by those who did) only for a brief period. The sad fact is that the historico-pastiche scene goers, (a lot of returnees included in that bracket) try to claim Northern soul past, present and future using this re-imagined look as an identifier/motif  for a scene that spans five decades. The lazy media love to present this clownish look too, as it is easier than historical research and very easily caricatured and ridiculed.  It's the narrow Casino-centric lens being applied once again, as if that was all the scene ever was and will be. The same happens with the music and so called top 500's, World Northern Soul Dance Championships or whatever. It's linked to the industry of Northern Soul, it reifies it for commercial/economic reasons and is not representative of Northern Soul's rich and nuanced history: which includes music, venues, fashion styles, dancing styles and more. 

In Chapter 16 of this book I write about, amongst other things, the Casino-centric lens and its mis-use : https://www.equinoxpub.com/home/northern-soul/  and interestingly enough, I start with an anecdote about playing Jonathan Capree in 2005 at Middleton all-nighter...

Edited January 8, 2020 by paul-s
added to

[Kenb]

You can be over 60 and still a (moderately) good dancer. If you were (moderately)good when in your teens, it’s likely (unless health/mobility prevents) you still are. I am.

Once I can’t dance is the day I stop attending.and I’m sure someone would have a quiet word with me before then.

don’t make it an age thing.

 

[Monny1916]

The young lady in White is the lovely SHARON from Nuneaton,,, Lovely dancer lovely person,, also her man TICH was a great mover himself...  Stephen 

[Rhino]

Maybe we need Lazer and lights, defo worked for this bunch. . 

[Chalky]

Is it just me or do a lot of the good dancers look like they are dancing to a different record than the one playing?

[Guest Shufflin]

lots of energy in this room

 

Edited January 8, 2020 by Shufflin