What Makes A Great Evening?

[killingtime]

I was thinking about what makes a great evening and Ducasi recently seemed to be thinking the same.

I therefore thought, since it wouldn't really take that much effort, I'd try collecting some information for my evening to see if I can't then data mine it and find out any correlation between particular factors in how enjoyable an evening is (yes I know I'm crazy).

Anyway I was thinking about the data I should collect and the sets involved. I've come up with:

Quantitative Data:

Enjoyment: {Fantastic, Great, Good, Average, Poor, Bad}
Good Dances: {Most, Lots, Few, None}
Poor Dances: {Most, Lots, Few, None}
Playful Dances: {Most, Lots, Few, None}
Regular Dancers: {Most, Lots, Few, None}
Venue: {Good, Average, Poor}
Floor Space: {Good, Average, Poor}
Music: {Fantastic, Great, Good, Average, Poor, Bad}
Own Skill: {Good, Average, Poor}

Meta-Data

Mood At Beginning?
Type of Dance (eg Modern Jive, West Coast Swing)
Type of Event {Weekender, Party, Class}
Date

The sets are sets of values that should be allowed (as it helps with analysis). Can anyone think of anything else worth collecting?

There was a reason I put this in the Geek's Corner.

[Minnie M]

We did this a couple of years ago
What Makes A Great Dance Night?
it will interesting to see if there are differences

[Lou]

Originally Posted by killingtime

Meta-Data

Excellent use of Metadata!

(BTW, can't come up with any other suggestions, but I like your method!)

[ducasi]

Well I've now looked at this in greater detail, and from my last post on my blog...

Originally Posted by ducasi, on my blog

I’m coming to the conclusion that what makes a good night is simply the right music with the right dancers at the right time, in the right mood. With all those variables, it’s amazing I ever have a good time at all. Maybe I’m just easy pleased…

In other words, I still don't have a clue.

KT, you've got to come to Stirling next week – it'll be the last one for a while.

[killingtime]

Originally Posted by ducasi

In other words, I still don't have a clue.

I'll see what results I can find. However I'd think I'd need a sample size of around 60 before I'll get anything useful.

Originally Posted by ducasi

KT, you've got to come to Stirling next week – it'll be the last one for a while.

It would be a nice way of finishing the super-dance week but I'll have to see if I can make it there. I should be doing AT so whether I can make both I'm not sure.

[jivecat]

I've come to the conclusion that good music (i.e. music that matches my personal taste, see Messrs Forster, Kenobe and Sheepman for examples) is the single most important factor, even more so than great partners. After all, if you're dancing with someone completely brilliant but the music's cr*p, there's not much to be done. Whereas, brilliant music can lift an average partner to something special.

[killingtime]

Originally Posted by jivecat

I've come to the conclusion that good music (i.e. music that matches my personal taste, see Messrs Forster, Kenobe and Sheepman for examples) is the single most important factor, even more so than great partners. After all, if you're dancing with someone completely brilliant but the music's cr*p, there's not much to be done. Whereas, brilliant music can lift an average partner to something special.

I'm not so sure (well for me at least). I think part of the problem is, if I'm having a great time I'll work with bad music, whereas if I'm having a bad time the bad music is obvious and I end up having a worse evening. This actually presents a problem for my analysis since it can be difficult to determine if dances are going well because of the other factors or if the other factors are better because the dances are going well.

[Lou]

Actually, I do have a few more factors.

Ratio of men to women.

Ratio of decent men to women.

Number of times I 'm asked to dance.

Proportion of times that I get to dance with lovely man to lovely track, vs. times I have to dance with him to Shania or Elton, v.s number of dances with not quite so lovely man to lovely track.

Number of times squabbling with certain dance teacher.

(Good post, Minnie! I see I said practically the same thing back then ).

[LMC]

I dunno... As my musicality is slowly improving (not difficult from where it was ) I actually find it quite frustrating when a lead ploughs through breaks or pretzels their way through a blues-y track, however nice a dancer they are otherwise. A lot depends on my mood at the beginning of the evening - but that can be turned around.

One of the datasets that I think is missing is "gender balance". Even if I'm in a *very* good mood at the start of the evening, that can turn sour if I'm "frustrated" by not being able to dance to more than a couple of tracks in a row because there are too many women - especially if the music is superb.

Having pointed that one out, I think I'd better make a hasty exit...

EDIT: It's OK, Lou got there first, I'll hide behind her

[ducasi]

I guess KT and I are spoilt by rarely being affected by problems of gender balance. I don't think that the number of times I get asked affects me at all, as if it's a song I want to dance to, I won't wait to be asked...

I agree with jivecat to some extent, as music is a major factor, but I have had some really excellent dances to fairly average music – with the right dancer.

But even with the right music and the right dancers, and even (for me) the right gender balance, I've still had "just good" nights, rather that the really stormin' nights that happen from time to time.

There's a magic combination of factors which we need to find the formula for...

[LMC]

Just thought of another one: expectation. Particularly of "known" venues.

[Cruella]

Originally Posted by LMC

Just thought of another one: expectation. Particularly of "known" venues.

This is so true. Don't know how many times i've been looking forward to that special night and been disappointed. It's great though when on the odd occasion that i really couldn't be bothered to go out, but had made the commitment to go and had a surprisingly good night.

[Feelingpink]

Originally Posted by killingtime

I was thinking about what makes a great evening ....[snip]

Can anyone think of anything else worth collecting?

...

The complete set of Chippendales? (inspired by Tessalicious's thread upstairs)? Oh, a DANCE evening .. enough men, fresh play music, Manhattans and Christian Laboutin dance shoes.

[Tones]

As a beginner and on a steep learning curve I get a lot of enjoyment / frustration out of how much / little I think I have improved, both that evening specifically and since last time.

Then again I have been accused of being a self-improvement junkie, so I guess this factor depends on what your personal values are.

Improvement: {Loads, A little, Backwards}

Also making new friends is always nice...

[Tiggerbabe]

Originally Posted by ducasi

KT, you've got to come to Stirling next week

And not a Tina Arena track in sight

Would be great to see you there

[ducasi]

Originally Posted by Tiggerbabe

And not a Tina Arena track in sight

If you told him you'd play Chains by Tina Arena, he might be tempted to come. (Though I'd be tempted not to! )

[Cruella]

Originally Posted by ducasi

If you told him you'd play Chains by Tina Arena, he might be tempted to come. (Though I'd be tempted not to! )

How can you NOT like this track.

[ducasi]

Originally Posted by Cruella

How can you NOT like this track.

OK, I've given it another listen, and perhaps I was a bit hasty... The start is just a bit of a yawn, and even when it gets going it seems to be lacking something...

That said, it sounds promising for dancing to, and it might grow on me, so maybe I wouldn't try to avoid it.

Think I prefer Now I Can Dance though (except it's about 2 minutes too long!)

[TheTramp]

How can you like EITHER of those??