Paul-s

I have never liked this record. And, its played to death.

Its all small home made UK dance groups who make themselves sound official. Like a dodgy plumber or builder uses made up accreditation. Difference is people usually check if the builder is the real Mcoy (Van), a quick search shows nothing for this. Try tracking down UKAPTD of which the she is a fellow: Mickey Mouse comes to mind. Most of these type orgs ask for a fee and then give you a title, and then you carry on the same route with your students. Dance Teacher Kenny, the next in line, as Hoagy might say, has an interesting background. https://www.northernsouldance.co.uk/ Head of Dance is someone called Sharon: its all very Italia Conti, Bonnie Langford misinterpretation of the Northern Soul Scene and its culture

yes! spot on.... Nauseating Shi$£ Disconnected Lame Prancing Tap Dance

Notably Shi££ Disconnected Leaping Prancing Tap Dance

Mmmmm, well, for me something does die, as with most culture when it becomes purely about packaging a product and selling it: devoid of context, lacking care, connection, knowledge, community, musical roots, class roots, architecture, history, connection to the scene etc. Driven by the narcissism of wanting to be a northern soul dance star and the arrogance of telling others how to hear and dance to northern soul (just like you hear it and dance to it). Where does the arrogance of thinking they must intervene to help dance evolve on a cultural scene that has managed over 5 decades without their presence? Telling punters that NS dancing is actually difficult to learn, and that they can only access it via your limited knowledge classes, and your embarrassing rendition of what you think it is, is killing the whole point of the 'soul' in the title. The 'soul' in the term 'northern soul, is about going out, listening, watching, talking, connecting, meeting, feeling the movement of a venue and the other souls dancing, and giving time. Perhaps most importantly, not regarding it as disconnected from the music, loving the music first: patience and a hint of devotion perhaps. The onslaught of all these crassly packaged classes treats NS like a musical theatre, performing arts course excursion, or a get fit class. The music and the artists, and link to that primary source, is driven out. Its a way of preparing punters for a Darby and Joan night out or a good old knees up at Blackpool. The scene I know is different, the opposite of that. Firstly, its a NS 'scene', full of complexity, driven by a love of, and connection with, the music. The dancing is a response to that connection. The classes create a disconnection, the important initial stages are missing: terrible cod dancing, taught by soul vampires, that creates soul-less, disconnected punters looking to hop around somewhere. No discerning taste involved. I think the fact that people are dim enough, or fooled enough by false sales narratives, to pay for it, does not qualify it as 'fair enough' for me. I'm always shocked by blasé comments like "well its ok no one dies" or "why should I care", "times are changing". As I've said before, I must have a very different experience over the past 47 of being part of scene that carried on way past Wigan. A scene that went underground, overground, but never Wombling free: picking up any old rubbish.

Risky behaviour!

Benji, we are obviously so very different in our connection with the scene. I love the spot on and often hilarious critiques that 'Waldorf and Statler' do, so thanks for the compliment. I prefer them to the empty headed, narcissistic, wishful thinking of Miss Piggy: which has to be your Northern Soul Muppet character, judging by the spurious, empty headedness of this post You seem to never have been a part of anything "manamana doo doo di do do", so nothing to get over I guess.

Personally, I can't keep up with the ridiculous dance related idiocy. Interested In thoughts on this:

UPDATE: Still no response from Kev Roberts....

Captions version of - Turn Out the Lights

Rising Suns version of 'One Night Affair'

The Five Chances - Ill Miss You / Stranger I Love You Delon Washington - Getting Mighty Close / Princess of my Dreams Sinceres - Girl I You / Don't Waste My Time Bethea the Mask Man - Ghetto Love / Stand Up Early Clover- Think It Over / Freedom Quintessants - Image of a Man / Movin' On Joey Irving - Can you Handle Me Girl / What Happened To The Love We Knew Lovations - Drifting Offshore / Later Baby Sag War Fare - Don't Be So Jive / Girl! You Better Change

Yes, but its time to care. The BBC presenting a mediocre non-northern soul scene dancer as The World Champion, and calling the awful show she is in a cross between 'Phoenix Nights and Northern Soul' says it all. No doubt Mr R doesn't care as it seems to be all about product and paypal soul streams. For example, when Wigan closed, if a relatively small group of us hadn't cared enough to carry on, week in, week out, truly underground, travelling miles to support venues, there would be no scene for returnees and online soul curators to swamp and parody. I care about the roots of this culture and, for me, it was built on decades of dedication, tenacity and caring enough to maintain connections to the musicians that created it, the vinyl, the dancing, the real souls and a collective understanding that its not all about 'you' or 'I'. I often see these online Northern Soul celebrity dancers, filming themselves alone on the dance floor and thats very emblematic really...

Not sure I understand? For it to be a World title, you would need to have a representation of dancers from other countries, invites sent out, qualified judges, a federation, rotating locations etc: not just the absence of other competitions.

What do you mean by recognised? By who?

It was input from many people who went and who Elaine interviewed> It was also my sentiment too when interviewed. Just saw this clip that demonstrates why in a modern context! The level of narcissism and misguided self-belief is beyond words. Thats what happens when you host a ridiculously title competition. Still no response from Kev on why yet. WhatsApp Video 2023-12-01 at 15.32.30.mp4

Update> No reply from Kev R regarding the questions about the 'World' in the title of the dance competition. So, the speculation and deduction must continue I guess.

Great! Thanks

I'm really enjoying these stories. Anymore takers?

I agree, I'm not biting my friend. In fact, its very interesting to write about and expose. They can have as many tantrums and try to erase history as much as they like. It is quite an entitled approach. No time for an apprenticeship, no time for time, or to be part of a scene. You must use a title that announces your entitlement, stand on a stage at your own club to dance so others can see "this is how its done". You have to continually announce yourself as 'soulful'...whilst totally missing the point and the soul. Older DJ's with a profile are invited as a means of validating, but then memes are shared ridiculing older members of the scene (elders and founders). The joy is, that it won't survive, its an attitude that thinks it can hijack 5 decades of working class dance culture, gentrify it, cleanse it of its history, repackage it as 'cool'. We have 'lived' lives, not curated them online, we were 'present' in those nighters, in that travelling, in those pharmaceuticals, lost in those record boxes, on the dance floor, 'in' the music, made 'real' friends, supported many clubs, met 'real' souls, lost many friends too. The arrogance to assume they can gloss over the past, hijack it...mock it, beggars belief. After just reading Steve Whittles brilliant book (a top man I used to get lifts off at times), it makes me even more determined to expose and challenge the fake northern soul scene that smiles in your face 24/7 declaring it cares.

Its shockingly sh*te.....nothing to do with northern soul: just like the BBC proms Bloody dire, awful, pathetic, soul-less drivel....

Exactly. When you know you know and when you see you see. But have you seen what clubs like Bristol are saying about people over 30 on the scene? It's really quite disgusting and totally disrespectful. "They smile in your face and all the time they wanna.....etc (O'Jays). I include some posts that were forwarded to me by the people at Rareclipsnorthernsoul (the spoof/parody page). They were also sent one telling them to "hang themselves" after lampooning #northernsoulgirl Turns out Lilskets is the club producers fake account (and other long-time scene goers, male and female, have also been trolled by this account apparently). The link being that anyone who critiques, lampoons or questions the club is trolled. The conversation about over 30 years old being pushed out the scene as good thing is between a fake account (Kevin Newey) and #northernsoulgirl To me this is unacceptable, and we should care, and that's why I am writing and investigating this new phenomenon of keyboard soul and the 'production' values involved. Make up your own mind.

If you don't care you don't care. Not all do. Of course i realise that you may be saying its crap and so who cares. I do care and the attitude of not caring was never a part of the scene for me at least. I care(d) a great deal about my roots in a working class subculture that saved my life in many ways. Hip hop cares and respects, House cares and respects, Capoeira cares and respects and Northern Soul has just as rich and important historical roots. So for me to not care about the soul of it all is impossible. I am built that way, without hesitation, I guess. I do care about the co-optation of the scene. Totally agree...its unacceptable.

I totally agree...Sheridens was a real 'Hole in the Wall' gang place that offered exactly that (other venues of course did too, but S's was a more recent one.