Northern Soul Dance Teachers

[Paul-s]

There seems to be many so called 'Northern Soul' dance teachers on the rise and emerging in countries around the world: its becoming a profitable income stream it seems

I was inspired to ask this question, raise this debate, by a recent clip i came across where 'Patrons' can pay extra to get a Burlesque type Northern Soul experience. Is burlesque, risque Northern Soul dancing a part of the future of the scene? (in the attached clip she refers to 'flan', but i think she means 'fun' rather than baking)

Also, have noticed a kind of homogenous two stepping, line dance, emerging from these teaching/declamatory platforms and into venues and would be interested in peoples thoughts: other than the usual, if their having fun etc etc. 

Are people listening when they follow a leader as opposed to the old method of going to nighters (getting off your t-ts) and soaking it up (then practicing solo in the living room all week). Is individualism disappearing from Northern Soul dancing due to the new generation of 'Insta(nt) Soul' (as i have seen them referred to) creating a homogenised image of what it is, and should be, on line?

 

Edited August 2, 2023 by Paul-s

[Soul16]

Methinks it might be more about the 'flan' than the dancing in this particular instance.

[Steviehay]

now if someone turned up dressed like this it could become be very flanny 

[Davidc]

Steve hay it was not me  ,lol  david c ,llandudno

[Steviehay]

26 minutes ago, Davidc said:

Steve hay it was not me  ,lol  david c ,llandudno

i cant see you dressed in this dave 

[Shane Cosgrove]

Just wondering if  this comes within the dictat of the Northern Soul Police, to see if their 'Northern Soul Dance Teacher's' Certification is up to date and is indeed original 

[Paul-s]

6 hours ago, Shane Cosgrove said:

Just wondering if  this comes within the dictat of the Northern Soul Police, to see if their 'Northern Soul Dance Teacher's' Certification is up to date and is indeed original 

Mmmmm, not sure who they are Shane? I think it might come from an interest in the scene from those who have been on it non-stop throughout and observe new revenue streams developing via new outlets and find it an interesting conversation.

Many people, it may surprise you, have always been engaged with developments and contortions on/of the scene and find them interesting to discuss. Are you, as a soul policeman, saying that these discussion are prohibited? Have you been triggered by the conversation and need a safe space? To be clear, I am not criticising you for having a 'patron' subscription to the 'Only flans' Northern Soul page, I am merely starting a discussion.

'Original' is a strange and slippery term that, I suggest, would be hard to use in terms of NS dancing. Though, a new generation of Northern Soul dance teachers are claiming the term in relation to what they sell.

Edited August 3, 2023 by Paul-s

[Solidsoul]

These Northern Soul dance tutorials are making it all like a Line Dancing exercise! They seem to be doing a routine, it could be any kind of music!  Influencing everyone to be the same.

It is just another example of how the internet is making everybody the same. I look at news reports containing pictures of everyday young people on the streets around the world. They wear the same clothes in Nairobi as they do in Australia or the same clothes in Beijing as they do in Madrid! I feel the same is happening to music/music scenes, the internet is blending all the individual cultures into one!

The Northern Soul scene has always taken pride in it's individuality, taking a stand apart from the mainstream. But these tutorials and the general commercialisation erodes that individuality!

Edited August 3, 2023 by Solidsoul

[Shane Cosgrove]

10 hours ago, Paul-s said:

Mmmmm, not sure who they are Shane? I think it might come from an interest in the scene from those who have been on it non-stop throughout and observe new revenue streams developing via new outlets and find it an interesting conversation.

Many people, it may surprise you, have always been engaged with developments and contortions on/of the scene and find them interesting to discuss. Are you, as a soul policeman, saying that these discussion are prohibited? Have you been triggered by the conversation and need a safe space? To be clear, I am not criticising you for having a 'patron' subscription to the 'Only flans' Northern Soul page, I am merely starting a discussion.

'Original' is a strange and slippery term that, I suggest, would be hard to use in terms of NS dancing. Though, a new generation of Northern Soul dance teachers are claiming the term in relation to what they sell.

It's actually a comment made in jest Paul and I agree with many points you make in your original text above. As I think readers may be able to imply, rather than me explicitly state, I find the whole Northern Soul dance class thing a bit cringy. The references to the fictitious 'Soul Police' and 'original' are again used in humour, maybe I should have used a smiley at the end of the sentence . 

Perhaps we were lucky getting into the scene when we did (me personally North Wales attended many venues after the Casino closed - never went, my period actively on the scene 1982 - 91 Stafford, Morecambe, Parr Hall Glenrothes, Bradford, Keele etc - and do try and attend when back in the UK) as there was always the Youth Club, School discos, etc where we could go and practice and learn to develop our own individual dance styles...and of course our front rooms/bedrooms.  For newer people coming onto the scene today maybe there is a need for such Dance Classes as where else to practice, and maybe these dance classes are not an attempt at commercialisation of the scene - but personally, I can't help but be a bit cynical of them.                                                                                                                                                                                     I hope that puts my original comment into a clearer context. Cheers

[Frankie Crocker]

Northern Soul Dance can’t be taught - you’ve got to watch then pick it up. The so-called ’dance teachers’ should go to a few soul do’s to see how it’s done - then they can go away and practise as they are generally pretty rubbish...

[Paul-s]

9 hours ago, Shane Cosgrove said:

It's actually a comment made in jest Paul and I agree with many points you make in your original text above. As I think readers may be able to imply, rather than me explicitly state, I find the whole Northern Soul dance class thing a bit cringy. The references to the fictitious 'Soul Police' and 'original' are again used in humour, maybe I should have used a smiley at the end of the sentence . 

Perhaps we were lucky getting into the scene when we did (me personally North Wales attended many venues after the Casino closed - never went, my period actively on the scene 1982 - 91 Stafford, Morecambe, Parr Hall Glenrothes, Bradford, Keele etc - and do try and attend when back in the UK) as there was always the Youth Club, School discos, etc where we could go and practice and learn to develop our own individual dance styles...and of course our front rooms/bedrooms.  For newer people coming onto the scene today maybe there is a need for such Dance Classes as where else to practice, and maybe these dance classes are not an attempt at commercialisation of the scene - but personally, I can't help but be a bit cynical of them.                                                                                                                                                                                     I hope that puts my original comment into a clearer context. Cheers

[Chalky]

Its Northern Soul dancing by numbers, 1,2,3,4 kick,1,2,3,4 spin etc.  It was the individualism and competition if you like that made the scene so cool and energetic and the dancing the envy of many.  The majority of the time the kicks and spins are not in keeping with the beat, just spinning kicking and dropping for the sake of it.

They do not get it and never will.

[Frankie Crocker]

1 hour ago, Chalky said:

Its Northern Soul dancing by numbers, 1,2,3,4 kick,1,2,3,4 spin etc.  It was the individualism and competition if you like that made the scene so cool and energetic and the dancing the envy of many.  The majority of the time the kicks and spins are not in keeping with the beat, just spinning kicking and dropping for the sake of it.

They do not get it and never will.

It’s those Wigan clips Chalky. A few camera-hungry kids turned up on the night that most of us skipped deliberately. The continual focus of the media on spinning and backdropping does no justice to the scene as we’d like to remember it.

[Mal C]

7 hours ago, Frankie Crocker said:

Northern Soul Dance can’t be taught - you’ve got to watch then pick it up. The so-called ’dance teachers’ should go to a few soul do’s to see how it’s done - then they can go away and practise as they are generally pretty rubbish...

totally agree. I used to frequent the Outrigger allot in B'ham, there was a girl up there who danced to all the mod stuff and the more energetic northern, always with a pint in her hand, and that pint was always level, she never spilled a drop!  in fact it was the balance to the rest of her moves, if that makes sense.... We were in love with this girl, because she was very cute, and we loved her dancing, it was just dam cool...

You can’t teach that, you either have it, or you dont!

[Geeselad]

I see parallels with Skate and BMX freestyle, that started around the same time, incidentally. Lots of coaching and training for these activities around now but I don't here the old school bemoaning the pursuit of excellence in kids through instruction.

I'd say it's more to do with the likely quality of instruction, in this case, sounds like an OAP's aerobics class tbh, rather than somewhere you could actually learn how to pull off gymnastic floor moves, in your 50's.

One beauty of 'the scene' is surely that's it's both inclusive and exclusive at the same time, once you start to break it down into technique you begin to lose expression and interpretation. Some of my favourite dancers have distinctive styles that would never win any competition but in terms of expression say so much.