Paul-s

Anna Scher was brilliant, empathetic and compassionate facilitator and dramatist and, as you say, encouraged listening and true connected communication: that human inter-connection has now been replaced with the internet-connection in many ways. Thanks, a great summary of todays google earth living for the younger generation. The desperate need for the 'like' and often living a 'double life' existence via an invented online persona. A very unhealthy way of validating oneself and much is written about the dangers of this. Its pure fantasy..... Some can be trusted to carry on the legacy (whatever that may be) and others clearly can not. The problem is that the ones who are are busy getting into it, for real, real souls, are doing just that. Whilst others, the narcissistic ones (who want to sell it down the swanee for fame and 'likes') use all of their time to promote the facade, and more and more that facade, that parody, is being accepted by media and those outside the scene, as the real thing.

Thanks Tomo, But, I have to disagree with you on the "I’m sure Jack or any of the other previous winners wouldn’t consider themselves to be the best dancer in the world". The last so called World Champion has totally used it to advertise and sell workshops and services. In my research, many I talk to have said that she is not even on the scene, at venues, but developed via YouTube and via Musical Theatre School. You can check out the Instagram page dedicated to promoting this. So, at the point someone takes themselves so seriously and film makers and classes stem from it (because they have no clue or do no research), for me, it becomes more than a bit of a giggle. It also says something about (dis)respect, narcissism and a total lack of awareness. This is, I think, one of the problems with online over sharing and filming for 15 seconds of fame. temp_GICWmAB-R-syXxUNANDnQZmshVQ0bpR1AAAF.MP4 I read this recently and it is a great summary of the online problem of instant gratification and also what is being lost within the scene as a result...

Very well summarised...

Just want to say thanks for everyone who has joined the conversation. To me its an important one because other cultures such as Breaking, Hip-Hop, House (loft), Tango etc, strive very hard to preserve the roots of the dance in the face of corporate gentrification of the cultures/style/movements. The work in maintaining the historical roots of the dance in these other styles are predominantly championed by young participants who respect the origin(ators) and recognise the need to know the source of the movement(s). It's always seemed to me that many people: producers, social media entities, seem to think that dancing to northern soul has no roots or social/economic/political/emotional connection to 'a past'. Which, in my experience, and opinion, is totally wrong. The attitude of erasing its past connection with drugs for instance, is a common feature of this re-branding. Now, particularly via online media, a person can declare themselves 'World Northern Soul Dance Champion' with no sense of irony or humour and make lazy producers believe that they are, and pay them to pass on this terrible parody of dancing to northern soul. So, thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences (on this thread and the other one about 'how you started dancing to northern soul') it's much appreciated. Paul-S

Here is a copy of my questions to Kev. I will share the response if/when one arrives. Hi Kev, I hope you're very well. You may have seen the thread concerning this event on here. I am writing a book about dancing to northern soul. I am obviously aware of the local dance comps that took place back in the 70's. Wigan Casino Dance Competition; St Ives Dance Competition; Loughborough Dance Competition etc. The thread raises the following questions and I wanted to ask you (the organiser) if you could respond to them please, to give more insight into the 'World' part of the title. You can see the questions below: What makes it a World championship? What countries from around the World are represented? Why is it not called Blackpool dance competition (local as in the past)? Is it run by a representative World federation. As with other World dance competitions? Which other countries is it held in? Can other event(s) hold a World Northern Soul Dance Championship: so we will have many World champions? How do the judges choose a winner? How are the judges chosen? Does the title mean the winner is the best northern soul dancer in the World? Thanks in advance Best Paul

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

Yes. Exactly.

Thanks yes.

Trying to find Kev's contact on here?

I have to agree..

I was hoping Kev might hop on here but yes i am intending to do that of course. Richard in his show refers to it as The Blackpool Northern Soul Weekender Dance Competition. So he's quite accurate. I will send Kev a PM.

So was the standard World Class? I was very bored watching it, people cheering at dull dancing, to dull records, and nothing new introduced to the style. Acrobatics in strange places, spins in strange places, breaks missed, and all very limp to watch: my feelings about it. Quite frankly, I find it all very Derby and Joan and cringy. It was a very slow fizz... I heard the better dancers were at Rugby, getting into it.

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

Makes total sense.

Yes yes. I used to love Bombers, but needed phenobarbital, Tuinal etc to bring me back down before school. This obviously just meant I missed school eventually. Bombers had some sort of time release thing going on that could be quite interesting at times.

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

It's a bizarre event and the idea that Jack is the World Champion Northern Soul Dancer is totally ridiculous. Most of the entrants looked geriatric to say the least. The tracks they dance to are hammered to death and boring to say the least. Will they still enter at 70/80? Lets be honest, the title is a publicity stunt dreamed up by Kev R and we could do the scene a giant favour by referring to it for what it is: The Blackpool Weekender Northern Soul Competition.

Which seller?

Good summary...

Interesting; the parody becomes the norm. I think you may be right. The thing is that the parody, dancing, style, music, is taken mostly from Palmers terrible film. It's historical recreation, minus connection to the music, due to a focus on connecting to the iPhone to share their brilliance and demonstrate their soulfulness. Nothing new is evolved or developed. The music itself is at a standstill, on repeat. Additionally, perhaps the shift from nighters, the minimal use of gear, or any at all (amongst the clean new Gen) the focus on booze, and other factors play a part?

No way? Seriously?

This is what interests me, because recently some have been advertising themselves as 'The World Northern Soul Dance Champion' and procuring paid work from it. Passing on dreadful, out of context 'performances' of northern soul dancing that is nothing to do with northern soul dancing. The result is that this laughable parody of northern soul dancing (often taught by people who don't even attend venues) is being accepted by producers of theatre, music videos, festivals etc as the genuine thing: and so the parody goes on and on, growing more ridiculous with time. Another interesting point that I am noticing is that the individuals who are promoting this parody are mostly middle class, and, in interviews, statements, publicity and conversations, this important historical context is always ignored or perhaps not even known to them. The question arises whether this history (that has survived over five decades) will be erased in time as the dance and the scene is gentrified by lazy, uninformed, producers and becomes a kind of (cash cow) historical re-enactment: devoid of history, roots, knowledge, embodied experience and informed oral tradition (hip hop dance, for instance, really values the knowledge of elders and makes a concerted effort to ensure its history is preserved and passed on correctly). Personally, I think it takes a lot of ego and delusional narcissism to believe you are The World Champion Northern Soul Dancer: based on a Blackpool Dance Competition that is mostly inhabited by geriatrics. "In the country of the blind the one eyed man is king" comes to mind. I was heartened recently to see Richard (on his own page) refer to it as 'The Blackpool Weekender Northern Soul Dance Competition', which is the honest and accurate description.

OK, cheers

I remember him. A clone of Keb really, which was happening a lot at that time...He would be regarded as too international for Blackpool I fear.