How Did You Get Into Dancing to Norther Soul?

[Paul-s]

Firstly, i really appreciate the input of everybody who has taken part in other threads on here: enlightening and interesting.

I wanted to ask if people could share their experiences of getting into it, particularly with regard to dancing: learning, assimilating, not sure how to phrase it.

Did anyone have lessons, go to classes for example. Was it observation.....how did it feel to see the first time etc.

 

Much appreciated

Paul-s

Edited November 14, 2023 by Paul-s

[Paul-s]

9 minutes ago, Paul-s said:

Firstly, i really appreciate the input of everybody who has taken part in other threads on here: enlightening and interesting.

I wanted to ask if people could share their experiences of getting into it, particularly with regard to dancing: learning, assimilating, not sure how to phrase it.

Did anyone have lessons, go to classes for example. Was it observation, did you just jump straight onto the dance floor.....how did it feel to see the first time, first tune you heard, were you pissed, on gear, straight etc.

 

Much appreciated

Paul-s

 

Edited November 14, 2023 by Paul-s

[Solidsoul]

3 hours ago, Paul-s said:

I wanted to ask if people could share their experiences of getting into it, particularly with regard to dancing: learning, assimilating, not sure how to phrase it.

Did anyone have lessons, go to classes for example. Was it observation.....how did it feel to see the first time etc.

 

 

I observed right from my start with Northern Soul that some people can really dance with natural rhythm and flair and some people can try for years and never quite get it!

  If any person is enjoying themselves without being silly, it's good that they get onto the dancefloor and have a good time.

 

 

 

Edited November 14, 2023 by Solidsoul

[Micksmix]

I think like a lot watched the crowd at the casino and just threw myself into it, not really knowing what to do. Then practiced at home, trying to copy the moves. I think eventually you develop your own style.

I still say to this day, I can recognize people by their movements on the floor from a distance, before you can actually see them close up, if that makes sense?    

[Hooker1951]

If you’ve got it, get up and do it, don’t force it, you’ve got to feel it, if your a  natural mover it will manifest and give an aura of energy and enjoyment to  the dance floor and the event, and others dancing will feel it too, it’s a fantastic feeling when you know you’ve got it.

Mick L

[Agentsmith]

Hi Paul,

If this is off the back of the well debated dance championship thread thats fine...personally...observation, attending a function having been egged on/goaded to come along to a mobile disco in a pub, as is where this music recieved most input jn the early days, not old enough to be in there still actively attending secondary school, it was obvious we were among folk 2 or 3 years older than us who were already enlightened, were dressing in a manner, and were more than likely aware of the Wheel and Torch, as were the mobile djs....they did commercial bookings as a sideline, had day jobs anyway, but were by and large, just as fascinated with this brand of music and went to these venues to find out for theirselves, and acquire the tunes if they could.

My first proper experience was at The Longacres pub in Dilloways Lane, Willenhall.

From Friday through to monday night there were discos, and all the djs were playing this music...in a housing estate as well, and it was fairly loud...the pub would be pretty much packed...smallish dance floor, L- shaped lounge room, carpeted round the sides...i just stood and watched.....Billy Butler, Johnny Jones, Cooperettes, Travis Wammack, Archie Bell, Robert Knight, O'Jays, Shakers, Guy Darrell etc....the latter was so loud the windows reverberated...thought they were going to shatter!.

I cant honestly say if it was there or the Cats whe. I attempted to dance, but at the Cats i certainly did...in the privilaged company of Jethro, Jacko, Darby and many others....that club was really my springboard.

I think my dancing is more reserved now, the acrobatics have long gone, my body told me it was time to stop, the emphasis is on style and feel for the music....you gave to understand the lyrics, love the song, feel the arrangement and express your feelings, npt just with your feet, legs and hips, but with your arms and hands....almost like semaphor!.

[Julianb]

I think the majority of us at the time used to watch 'Booper' and tried to emulate him (with not much success personally!)

[Agentsmith]

23 minutes ago, Julianb said:

I think the majority of us at the time used to watch 'Booper' and tried to emulate him (with not much success personally!)

A well known name on the scene for sure Julian, before i saw or heard of Jethro and co, there was a guy  who went to the Torch who attended the pub i mentioned called, Jerry Stack, never met him but was informed he was a top dancer, dont know if you heard of him at all?

[Soul16]

Learned to dance in my mates lounge during the school summer holidays whilst his parents were both at work. On a seemingly daily basis, we'd move the furniture out to clear the space, play and dance to our records (mostly bootlegs and cassette recordings in those days) and then put the furniture back before his parents returned.

We'd then put it into practice at the weekends in the local halls etc.

Expressed the music and beat with our legs and interpret the breaks and lyrics with our arms. Once in the zone, you just KNEW when the claps were inevitably coming (a detail that is often missing these days, I think).

These days, on the rare occasion I do go out  I have a tendency to enthusiastically sing the lyrics whilst dancing too - probably not a pretty sight.

[Mal C]

Bought a cheap £2 record off Richard Domar in the record bar, 'Boss Lovin' on Smash I think, walked down the few steps into the main ball room at the Old Vic in Wolverhampton, grabbed a vol-au-vent off the Buffet, we threw a few of those about as well.. lol,  looked left, looked right slipped onto the dance floor, and just joined in, think it was Precisions 'If this isnt love' that was playing, great record to start off with...

[Paul-s]

4 hours ago, Micksmix said:

I think like a lot watched the crowd at the casino and just threw myself into it, not really knowing what to do. Then practiced at home, trying to copy the moves. I think eventually you develop your own style.

I still say to this day, I can recognize people by their movements on the floor from a distance, before you can actually see them close up, if that makes sense?    

Makes total sense.

[Paul-s]

2 hours ago, Agentsmith said:

Hi Paul,

If this is off the back of the well debated dance championship thread thats fine...personally...observation, attending a function having been egged on/goaded to come along to a mobile disco in a pub, as is where this music recieved most input jn the early days, not old enough to be in there still actively attending secondary school, it was obvious we were among folk 2 or 3 years older than us who were already enlightened, were dressing in a manner, and were more than likely aware of the Wheel and Torch, as were the mobile djs....they did commercial bookings as a sideline, had day jobs anyway, but were by and large, just as fascinated with this brand of music and went to these venues to find out for theirselves, and acquire the tunes if they could.

My first proper experience was at The Longacres pub in Dilloways Lane, Willenhall.

From Friday through to monday night there were discos, and all the djs were playing this music...in a housing estate as well, and it was fairly loud...the pub would be pretty much packed...smallish dance floor, L- shaped lounge room, carpeted round the sides...i just stood and watched.....Billy Butler, Johnny Jones, Cooperettes, Travis Wammack, Archie Bell, Robert Knight, O'Jays, Shakers, Guy Darrell etc....the latter was so loud the windows reverberated...thought they were going to shatter!.

I cant honestly say if it was there or the Cats whe. I attempted to dance, but at the Cats i certainly did...in the privilaged company of Jethro, Jacko, Darby and many others....that club was really my springboard.

I think my dancing is more reserved now, the acrobatics have long gone, my body told me it was time to stop, the emphasis is on style and feel for the music....you gave to understand the lyrics, love the song, feel the arrangement and express your feelings, npt just with your feet, legs and hips, but with your arms and hands....almost like semaphor!.

I am writing a book and want to compile some of the 'lived' experiences of scene participants....we get older and new narratives often erase the old and documenting them is important, to me at least.

The other threads are related: World Championships etc, as they are commercial ventures that help create the parody of dancing to Northern Soul (in my opinion). 

Thanks for the contribution.

2 hours ago, Julianb said:

I think the majority of us at the time used to watch 'Booper' and tried to emulate him (with not much success personally!)

Booper was brilliant dancer indeed! Hated to be filmed, unlike many of todays northern soul dancers ...

[Kenb]

Hi Paul, @Paul-s,

the thought of anyone having lessons ( back in the day) would have been laughable. If known, you’d have to hide from your mates never to be seen again.

equally £22 a week for “skilled “ turners, fitters, etc , let alone apprentices ( as I was) would rule it out anyway.

finally, teaching-wise, no one would even know what Northern Soul was, let alone Northern Soul dancing.

[Dobber]

For me the local youth club watching the older lads dance,and wondering where they all disappear around 8pm? Turns out they were all going off to the casino,by the time I was a fully fledged fan the casino was gone! So for me it was the mid 80’s niters onwards,I thought I was an ok dancer until I saw myself on video! An ironing board with feet springs to mind

[Stephen Houghton]

Watching dancers at Wigan and feeling down because I was to shy and hadn't a clue where to begin.now after all them years just wait for that tune that just does it and get on the floor just feeling it great .when it comes together nothing better until the next tune comes along .

[Happy Feet]

When I was a youth about 11 yrs old , we as a family Mum ,Dad & 3 siblings , use to own a caravan on a holiday park just out of Blackpool, Windy Harbour Holiday Park , which had a club house and a Saturday night disco , anyway my Dad would never dance with my Mum until he was 3 sheets to the wind , so my Mum who was a very  keen dancer used to drag me to the dance floor , at first it was awkward but once she showed me a few steps  I just found it natural & of course totally sober. 

At the age of about 12 started going to local youth clubs back home and had no idea what Northern Soul was , just a lot of sounds that sounded like Motown when the local mobile DJ turned up about every couple of weeks,  I use to get up and dance and watch the older guys and slowly found my way around the floor , a lot of shuffling side to side whenever tunes like Willie Tee ,Walking Up A One Way Street  was played , and a lot of dance floor was required, still in-between holidays with my family and I actually used to look forward to my Mum dragging me up to the dance floor , so I could show off my new dancing skills , until my old  man found his dancing shoes usually at the bottom of a  pint glass and not long before the smooch .

By the time I was 14 we moved and I soon made mates and and now our local youth club had a bonafide Northern Soul DJ , who had been to the Wheel ,The Impressions , The Dells , Freddie Chevez you name it he had it and I suppose that was the beginning of my Northern Soul Dancing yrs in 71. So by the time I  went to my first Alnighter in 72 The Vavas aged 15 with my cousin who told me not to worry I'll get you in , he'd been before , I just kinda blended in .

So in a way I guess I've got my mum to thank for first dragging me to the floor , no beer necessary , and my cousin for showing me how to do it all night with a little chemical assistance .

 

[Eddie Hubbard]

I was already into Soul music in general aged 16 ,1973 .Myself and a friend went on holiday to Skegness Butlins and in the on site disco there was a few people there from Manchester .The DJ played Arthur Conley “ Funky Street “ and suddenly these guys started backdropping and dancing in fantastic style.Later we went back to the chalet and started practising the moves we’d seen ,backdropping on the end of the bed to begin with.We decided that when we returned home and went to Banbury Winter Gardens ,which was a huge venue ,with a dance floor bigger than Wigan ,we’d ask the DJ to play “ Funky Street “ and do our newly acquired dance .What happened next was unexpected,a circle of onlookers formed and watched .Afterwards we got a mixture of “well done “ from mainly girls ,and “ I’m gonna kick your head in “ by the girls boyfriends .Undeterred we carried on each week ,even taking our import records down for the DJ to play each week .As we started travelling further afield ,we and more friends honed our style after watching others at The Mecca ,Wigan Casino ,Treetops Club Coventry etc .I still get locals mentioning and remembering our dancing in the early 70’s ,and how they hated us ,ha ha .

[Paul-s]

On 14/11/2023 at 16:47, Kenb said:

Hi Paul, @Paul-s,

the thought of anyone having lessons ( back in the day) would have been laughable. If known, you’d have to hide from your mates never to be seen again.

equally £22 a week for “skilled “ turners, fitters, etc , let alone apprentices ( as I was) would rule it out anyway.

finally, teaching-wise, no one would even know what Northern Soul was, let alone Northern Soul dancing.

Yes. Exactly. 

[Paul-s]

Thanks for all the contributions, they paint a vivid picture of how it happened for many at the time.

Please keep them coming...

[Seano]

7 hours ago, Eddie Hubbard said:

I was already into Soul music in general aged 16 ,1973 .Myself and a friend went on holiday to Skegness Butlins and in the on site disco there was a few people there from Manchester .The DJ played Arthur Conley “ Funky Street “ and suddenly these guys started backdropping and dancing in fantastic style.Later we went back to the chalet and started practising the moves we’d seen ,backdropping on the end of the bed to begin with.We decided that when we returned home and went to Banbury Winter Gardens ,which was a huge venue ,with a dance floor bigger than Wigan ,we’d ask the DJ to play “ Funky Street “ and do our newly acquired dance .What happened next was unexpected,a circle of onlookers formed and watched .Afterwards we got a mixture of “well done “ from mainly girls ,and “ I’m gonna kick your head in “ by the girls boyfriends .Undeterred we carried on each week ,even taking our import records down for the DJ to play each week .As we started travelling further afield ,we and more friends honed our style after watching others at The Mecca ,Wigan Casino ,Treetops Club Coventry etc .I still get locals mentioning and remembering our dancing in the early 70’s ,and how they hated us ,ha ha .

I actually learnt (in around 1974) via Eddie, Ian, and their other friends who went to the Winter Gardens in Banbury. But the story, probably for all of us in one way or another, goes a little way back. My mum and dad had been into jazz in their day, and I remember Dave Brubeck's 'Take 5' being on repeat enough to drum it into my head. But my mum was also keen on Motown, and would always be very positive about anything that came on the radio, or might even pop up on the telly I think.

So I was primed to be more attuned to this music, and my older sister's love of rock music sort of helped me to identify more with this too, just to make a different mark maybe.

Then of course, at about 14, you'd start going to youth clubs, and hearing Ska, Motown, Pop etc. I gravitated towards the lads dancing to music I already liked, but at that stage I was still happy to bang out some moves to anything with a rhythm that appealed, or simply a popular tune. Back then, beyond the youth clubs, even a small market town like Banbury not only had a big venue like the Winter Gardens, but smaller dance halls just round the corner like Wincotts.

It was at the Winter Gardens that I first actually came across Northern Soul. Seeing lads like Eddie and Ian dancing with such energy and focus just blew me away. The other thing that was hugely attractive to me, wanting to dance, and feeling that I needed to find a girl I could persuade to dance with me, was that you just ignore all that and get up and dance! On your own! I loved the music (though I didn't have a clue what the records were at that point), I liked to dance, and I could just get out there when I felt like it!

I quickly learnt that the Northern Soul boys at the Winter Gardens had trigger records that they would all head into the dance floor for and after a week or two (the dance nights were every Saturday) I'd venture in there as well. It seemed to me that they were all male at that time, but that's probably completely wrong.

There was the challenge of negotiating areas of the dance floor clogged up with groups of girls and women dancing around their handbags, the random spills of beer and the like. But we'd all more or less gravitate towards the same area of dancefloor and just get on with it. The DJ (Bob Boot) was very open to guys like Eddie bringing new finds along and he'd play them in short bursts before flipping back to Motown, pop, funk and so on.

With no YouTube, nothing at all before the Footsee performance appearing on mainstream TV, and no such thing as the Internet, you learnt the style of dance visually by being there, watching people who'd been travelling around a bit, and beginning to copy the moves and style. Similarly, with no Spotify, virtually nothing like cassette tapes, and not a lot of money, you learnt the music, the sounds, by being there, hearing at least some tracks that night, and by buying whatever 45s you could in discount racks, junk shops and soul packs, and then trashing them on your budget self-contained record player while you burned them into your sub-conscious and rehearsed your moves as best you could.

And then, with friends you'd made in Banbury's Winter Gardens, you went to Wigan. Things change, life gets in the way, but those early days count, they mould you. It doesn't have to be the Winter Gardens, it doesn't have to be Wigan. To be honest, it doesn't even have to be Northern soul. It's just what you get into, what moves you, and what you can't shake off.

[Eddie Hubbard]

That’s excellent Sean ,many thanks 

[Paul-s]

I'm really enjoying these stories.

Anymore takers?

[Petesi]

Sneaked in the Torch in late 72 heard something and watched guys dancing to it and just stood there agog thinking WTF is this all about? Then turned up at the local youth club a week later (Pendragon in  Alsager) and saw a couple of the guys from the Torch playing and dancing to the same song . I was Totally hooked,  back drops , swallow dives the lot, it was just amazing to a clueless 15 year old. Went out to Hanley a few days later (Blood Lloyd) music store asked em about the song, the guy said oh yeah we have that somewhere in the back its in our soul imports area and voila. Then bus back home with my prize to annoy my parents by playing it non stop while practicing endless back drops etc in their bedroom in front of an open wardrobe door with a large mirror, whilst my mum was banging on the ceiling below with a mop handle  shouting cut that out!  what the hell are you doing up there?? Perfect start and introduction to 50+ plus years love affair with Northern Soul. Oh and the record? My first purchase? Major Lance "You don`t want me no more".

Edited November 18, 2023 by Petesi

[Paul-s]

2 hours ago, Petesi said:

Sneaked in the Torch in late 72 heard something and watched guys dancing to it and just stood there agog thinking WTF is this all about? Then turned up at the local youth club a week later (Pendragon in  Alsager) and saw a couple of the guys from the Torch playing and dancing to the same song . I was Totally hooked,  back drops , swallow dives the lot, it was just amazing to a clueless 15 year old. Went out to Hanley a few days later (Blood Lloyd) music store asked em about the song, the guy said oh yeah we have that somewhere in the back its in our soul imports area and voila. Then bus back home with my prize to annoy my parents by playing it non stop while practicing endless back drops etc in their bedroom in front of an open wardrobe door with a large mirror, whilst my mum was banging on the ceiling below with a mop handle  shouting cut that out!  what the hell are you doing up there?? Perfect start and introduction to 50+ plus years love affair with Northern Soul. Oh and the record? My first purchase? Major Lance "You don`t want me no more".

Great! Thanks

[Tony Foster]

First recollection for me would be as teenager watching the dancers at the local youth club.  Then reading the article in a daily newspaper (can't remember exactly which one, it was a long time ago) however the reporter stated he'd been to Wigan Casino and the dance moves and foot work compared to Fred Astaire.  Shortly after I watched This England Wigan Casino. I was hooked, at 16 I went to the Casino to see the dancers myself and listen to this heartfelt soul music.  Absolutely amazing, I soon took to the floor inspired by the some of the best dancers I have ever seen.  The music spoke to me stirring up emotion and moves that would last a lifetime.  The dance competitions were something to behold, incredible dancers from all over the country.  

[Mark B]

From aged 12 ish dancing to mainly soul or reggae records (at times it was almost like a line dance with everyone with similar feet and leg moves) at  local school disco dj was friends big brother and mate they were both mods. from then it was by watching and sort of copying at soul nights started when 15 being taken by big brother to blue rooms in sale and Blackpool Mecca one of our friends commented to me that while my bottom half was good while dancing I was too stiff with my upper torso. So really it was own style but borne through watching and emulating other dancers till I had my own way of dancing to different styles of tunes full on stompers to funky type and mid tempo tunes.