Im probably going to get slagged off by 100s of soulies, but im 64 yr old, so what the hell !!!! I got out of the norther scene about 15yrs ago.. politics etc???? I've just set up a new gig over the last 3 years, Bury Soul Club (couldnt have picked a worse time with Covid eh ha ha). Anyhow iv noticed the scene seems to have changed and a lot of 'attendees' appear to be newbies dancing to a lot of crossover n modern but dont seem to know the oldies. In fact the other end of the spectrum appear to be 'wheelies' and dress up like mods dancing to old RnB. My question is.....'where have all the good dancers gone. Do they all just go to all niters, or has it all gone underground?  I constantly watch youtube videos of gigs in the 70's and 80's and see so many good dancers. Yes we all say We are getting on a bit', and i dont expect backdrops n high kicks etc but there doesnt appear to be anyone left who can 'just feel it and do it'. Please, im not being condescending, im just curious and wonder if i have come back into this too late?

 

I guess its where you look.

Not going to get many top draw dancers at the local pub! 

100 club last time I went had an abundance of good dancers.

Keep on keeping on!

Ed

 

Its not a local club though. It will fit 200 in but struggling due to covid. 100 club a long way off to see any decent dancers. We have one of the founders of 100 club go to ours. Its a pity it has turned so elitist. Perhaps some ought to get out and about and show people how its done ...its about the music and keeping the faith in that?

There's a whole seperate debate being going on here regarding the protocol etc at soul nights.

Some are OK with take your drink on the dance floor and just swing along to the vibes.

Others are adamant the floor is for dancers only.

There's no middle ground.

A lot of readers think the young soulies should create their own scene, own rules etc.

That could mean dancing is not at the heart of it.

Ed

 

 

 

There are still plenty of good dancers around both young and old... just take a look at the Kings Hall, Grosvenor rooms, etc. Back in the day when I first started in the early 70`s most people would practice at home etc fitting in moves to the beat of the records, backdrops, swallow dives and splits timed into the breaks. Nowadays lots of people just turn up and have a go because they can`t be bothered to put the effort in which is fine, but to be a good dancer you have to practice long and hard and the older you get the more difficult it becomes. So when you see a good dancer whether their young or old rest assured they were not born good they have worked hard to be good.

  On 14/12/2021 at 22:23, Tomangoes said:

I guess its where you look.

Not going to get many top draw dancers at the local pub! 

100 club last time I went had an abundance of good dancers.

Keep on keeping on!

Ed

 

I have been to 100 club.

The music & atmosphere are top notch👍

The packed crowd plus the uneven rough dance floor does not make it a dancers paradise.

  On 15/12/2021 at 02:16, Whiskyagogo said:

I have been to 100 club.

The music & atmosphere are top notch👍

The packed crowd plus the uneven rough dance floor does not make it a dancers paradise.

You are correct. Terrible dance floor, but a hard-core of attendees who can and do dance, compensate.

I guess the point is, more established venues, attract regular crowds, which in turn can focus more on music policy, use better know djs, and make the dance floor full.

Folks have always travelled if its worth the effort.

Ed

i wish most venues would forget altogether about the oldies and concentrate more on tunes that were played in the last 40 years.. this was never a retro scene and its been a painful experience seeing it become that

  On 15/12/2021 at 07:42, Dave Pinch said:

i wish most venues would forget altogether about the oldies and concentrate more on tunes that were played in the last 40 years.. this was never a retro scene and its been a painful experience seeing it become that

Yeah problem is nearly every record has some sort of history to it. This invariably brings out comments about , where it was first played, by whom. how much it cost them days etc etc...this feeds the 'retro' attitude...we've all had/have those types of conversations....and whilst our memories are still functioning i reckon it will carry on.....That is of course NO help for the poor young sod who can't understand this 'fetish' that these old blokes have about talking about the 'good ole days' and why cant we just DANCE in whatever way we feel comfortable

  On 15/12/2021 at 08:08, Jez Jones said:

Yeah problem is nearly every record has some sort of history to it. This invariably brings out comments about , where it was first played, by whom. how much it cost them days etc etc...this feeds the 'retro' attitude...we've all had/have those types of conversations....and whilst our memories are still functioning i reckon it will carry on.....That is of course NO help for the poor young sod who can't understand this 'fetish' that these old blokes have about talking about the 'good ole days' and why cant we just DANCE in whatever way we feel comfortable

Virtually ever aspects of life from our football team to the sweets we ate to the way we lived our lifes , we always look back with rose tinted glasses, its human nature and will never change. 

  On 15/12/2021 at 08:17, Leicester Boy said:

Virtually ever aspects of life from our football team to the sweets we ate to the way we lived our lifes , we always look back with rose tinted glasses, its human nature and will never change. 

a bit like the dancers of yesteryear then ....

  On 15/12/2021 at 07:42, Dave Pinch said:

i wish most venues would forget altogether about the oldies and concentrate more on tunes that were played in the last 40 years.. this was never a retro scene and its been a painful experience seeing it become that

Sorry but I don`t agree.

Back in 72 a lot of the Torch crowd were copying what had gone before at the wheel etc. At Wigan they copied what had gone before at the Torch, Cats etc. Yes they did play lots of new discoveries too but then that split into two factions one for the Saturday night regulars and once a month the Friday night oldies all nighters ( my scene).  Today is no different there are at least two distinct types, those that favour the new or later sounds from the eighties onwards, and those that perhaps don`t venture out every week but when they do they seek out the oldies and classics venues..... BUT that`s not the topic here its dancers so, even if you hear a good new or modern sound in general the good dancers won`t be on the dancefloor to it because its new!

There`s room for everyone on the Northern soul scene new, old , modern , classics whatever but to just say go out and do what you like probably isn`t going to prolong it and, when the drinks get spilled or the nightclub fight starts then it will just become another night on the town so...good luck with that one.

Oh and Merry Christmas to all the oldies and classics fans young and old and I suppose the modern room supporters too 😀

Hmmmm, that veered off a bit really??? Ours is an 'Oldies' night, I don't want to hear or play RnB or Modern, but that is my approach. My memory isn't the best so I play what I can remember and not what is new. In fact someone posted a record to me on facebook claiming it was new and current ....JJ Barnes, Show me the way????? This goes to show the knowledge of some of the people who are now in the scene. As for top dj's, we had Dave Evison on this month still no top dancers.

  On 15/12/2021 at 11:18, Kitty96 said:

Hmmmm, that veered off a bit really??? Ours is an 'Oldies' night, I don't want to hear or play RnB or Modern, but that is my approach. My memory isn't the best so I play what I can remember and not what is new. In fact someone posted a record to me on facebook claiming it was new and current ....JJ Barnes, Show me the way????? This goes to show the knowledge of some of the people who are now in the scene. As for top dj's, we had Dave Evison on this month still no top dancers.

Are you saying the dancers didn't attend...or did they attend but didn't dance ?

 

Allnighters back in the day would be on till 8 in the morning.  They did not sell alcohol only soft drinks etc.  Yet the dance floor would be busy with great dancers all night and full till 8am. There was a reason for that!!!

People are older or have gone and can not live like that anymore!  I think we have just to make the best of it as it is!

Edited December 15, 20213 yr by D9 Ktf

Listening to all the comments really means that there is passion and longitude to this scene,whether your watching people dance or joining in or just taking in the vibes and scene, what a culture everything about it .in my experience of nighters and dayers And soul doos I tend to like the smaller dare I say crammed doos like the sink club in Liverpool compact and some excellent dancers. 

It's nice to see dancing with a lot of soul in them ,than just people spinning but not quite making the spin if you know what I mean ,and with not much soul.the last commen someone made to me about my dancing was he stopped me in mid dance and said we all love the expressions on your face to the tune your dancing too.very ironic really 

I'm not well placed to judge, as I haven't been to an event for eon's. 

However, time catches up with everyone and therefore I wouldn't expect much from the majority of attendees anyway.  To be honest clips you see online indicate lots of people trying hard and enjoying themselves, but not a great visual treat for others.

Not tarring all with this brush, but I'm sure it is the majority at most events.

 

  On 15/12/2021 at 12:53, Soulman58 said:

I'm not well placed to judge, as I haven't been to an event for eon's. 

However, time catches up with everyone and therefore I wouldn't expect much from the majority of attendees anyway.  To be honest clips you see online indicate lots of people trying hard and enjoying themselves, but not a great visual treat for others.

Not tarring all with this brush, but I'm sure it is the majority at most events.

 

Their are plenty of very good dancers and many others who are dancing to the level that age and knees allow and fair play to each and every one of them. The music is to enjoy in your own way be it listening, dancing or merely trying your best. 🙂

  On 14/12/2021 at 23:10, Tomangoes said:

There's a whole seperate debate being going on here regarding the protocol etc at soul nights.

Some are OK with take your drink on the dance floor and just swing along to the vibes.

Others are adamant the floor is for dancers only.

There's no middle ground.

A lot of readers think the young soulies should create their own scene, own rules etc.

That could mean dancing is not at the heart of it.

Ed

 

 

Ive seen photos of the Deptford Soul club nights and it's full of 18 year old kids in t shirts danc9ng with cans of beer. Which, in my opinion, is better than dressing up like a Casino kid and trying to mix with 70 year olds down the local labour club. The next generation are far more into the records rather than the dancing or the 'look'.

 

Edited December 15, 20213 yr by ShaunT
typo

There's still a lot of good dancers around . It depends where you go. But my way of thinking is how many good footballers do you see that are 55+yrs old.

Age is the thing unfortunately. Drugs or no drugs knees still ware out.

  On 15/12/2021 at 15:47, ShaunT said:

Ive seen photos of the Deptford Soul club nights and it's full of 18 year old kids in t shirts danc9ng with cans of beer. Which, in my opinion, is better than dressing up like a Casino kid and trying to mix with 70 year olds down the local labour club. The next generation are far more into the records rather than the dancing or the 'look'.

 

If "the look" is dancing with a can of beer or with a can of anything. Sorry but  I personally would rather go elsewhere.

The can on the dance floor comments would probably be better suited to a oasis concert or similar venues  but not no never on a soul doo ,but I never LOOK BACK IN ANGER.

looks like we are now just rehashing the recent 'drinks on dancefloor' topic..

ask can we get back to the original thrust of this topic 

 

dancers....

  On 14/12/2021 at 22:09, Kitty96 said:

Im probably going to get slagged off by 100s of soulies, but im 64 yr old, so what the hell !!!! I got out of the norther scene about 15yrs ago.. politics etc???? I've just set up a new gig over the last 3 years, Bury Soul Club (couldnt have picked a worse time with Covid eh ha ha). Anyhow iv noticed the scene seems to have changed and a lot of 'attendees' appear to be newbies dancing to a lot of crossover n modern but dont seem to know the oldies. In fact the other end of the spectrum appear to be 'wheelies' and dress up like mods dancing to old RnB. My question is.....'where have all the good dancers gone. Do they all just go to all niters, or has it all gone underground?  I constantly watch youtube videos of gigs in the 70's and 80's and see so many good dancers. Yes we all say We are getting on a bit', and i dont expect backdrops n high kicks etc but there doesnt appear to be anyone left who can 'just feel it and do it'. Please, im not being condescending, im just curious and wonder if i have come back into this too late?

 

 

thanks

 

 

 

Firstly, i've not been to an all-nighter for a very, very long time. Secondly the NS nights i do attend are North of England...so my experience may be skewed. What i have noticed though is that Women at least match the number of Men on the dance floor. Quite a reversal of tradition and (for me) an intersting social change perhaps.

Edited December 16, 20213 yr by Kenb
emphasis change-thanks Leicester Boy

  On 16/12/2021 at 09:16, Kenb said:

Firstly, i've not been to an all-nighter for a very, very long time. Secondly the NS nights i do attend are North of England...so my experience may be skewed. What i have noticed though is that Women out-number Men on the dance floor. Quite a reversal of tradition and (for me) an intersting social change perhaps.

Would say a lot of places i go the girls are normally first up but gets more 50/50 as the night wears on.

I generally like my venues with a few rooms of different soul music and like the different styles of soulful dancing in the other rooms like bridlington spa.if you see a good dancer they tend to have there little corner of the room so I tend to not venture near them but like watching the moves and maybe add a little in my routine ,I like it when the feet to the head all become involved in the moves because a lot of dancers think that it's just the feet but when feet and body and hands all become involved it's excellent to watch ,only seen probably about a handful of dancers doing this