Time for a WCS monthly freestyle?

[Paul F]

After missing out on the West Coast Swing T-jive the other week I started thinking how great it would be to have a monthly freestyle to look forward to.

Possibly Kent House or maybe a different venue - larger perhaps?
Possibly more t-dances or perhaps even a Friday/Saturday WCS freestyle?

I think we should all email Cat + co every 10 minutes until she agrees to put on some more

I guess the main questions are:
Where would these freestyles be held?
Is there the base of dancers to fill it each month?
T-dance or big freestyle?

I would really love to see BOTH a t-dance and a freestyle a month but Im hoping for a bit too much there. I just get a bit dissapointed now when I go to normal MJ freestyle nights with the uninteresting music.

How about maybe even a Jango monthly freestyle on top of the t-dance? Again, maybe on a friday or saturday for those that have to travel.
Ok, im really hoping here but Im desperate for more nights

Would anyone be interested - sign here

[Minnie M]

Originally Posted by Paul F

After missing out on the West Coast Swing T-jive the other week I started thinking how great it would be to have a monthly freestyle to look forward to.

Possibly Kent House or maybe a different venue - larger perhaps?
Possibly more t-dances or perhaps even a Friday/Saturday WCS freestyle?

I think we should all email Cat + co every 10 minutes until she agrees to put on some more

I guess the main questions are:
Where would these freestyles be held?
Is there the base of dancers to fill it each month?
T-dance or big freestyle?

I would really love to see BOTH a t-dance and a freestyle a month but Im hoping for a bit too much there. I just get a bit dissapointed now when I go to normal MJ freestyle nights with the uninteresting music.

How about maybe even a Jango monthly freestyle on top of the t-dance? Again, maybe on a friday or saturday for those that have to travel.
Ok, im really hoping here but Im desperate for more nights

Would anyone be interested - sign here

You don't really need a dedicated evening for freestyle, PLEASE .... we have so many choices for weekend dances and our DJs are getting so much better, it would only need a way of getting people together, that shouldn't be too hard, what with the WCS Yahoo group. classes and word of mouth

[El Salsero Gringo]

Originally Posted by Paul F

After missing out on the West Coast Swing T-jive the other week I started thinking how great it would be to have a monthly freestyle to look forward to.

Possibly Kent House or maybe a different venue - larger perhaps?
Possibly more t-dances or perhaps even a Friday/Saturday WCS freestyle?

I think we should all email Cat + co every 10 minutes until she agrees to put on some more

I guess the main questions are:
Where would these freestyles be held?
Is there the base of dancers to fill it each month?
T-dance or big freestyle?

I would really love to see BOTH a t-dance and a freestyle a month but Im hoping for a bit too much there. I just get a bit dissapointed now when I go to normal MJ freestyle nights with the uninteresting music.

How about maybe even a Jango monthly freestyle on top of the t-dance? Again, maybe on a friday or saturday for those that have to travel.
Ok, im really hoping here but Im desperate for more nights

Would anyone be interested - sign here

Good idea. Start one!

[Paul F]

Originally Posted by El Salsero Gringo

Good idea. Start one!

I was kind of hoping that someone else would I know, I know - very lazy
The only way they would though is to hear that there is demand for one.

Minnie, I have to wholeheartedly disagree with you Im afraid.

I couldnt name one MJ freestyle that I have been to in the last 6 months were I found the music challenging, interesting or open to interpretation. To say our DJs are getting better is absolutely right but they are bound to one common factor - they have to play MJ music for the majority.

Take Ashtons last night. Busy venue and well run.
The Djs there I have loads of respect for as they are some of the finest DJs on the MJ circuit. However they are still bound to play the 'usual' stuff with the occasional different track.

At 12:45 last night we were treated to a spookily familiar Tom Jones track
I can only imagine what would happen if they started playing tracks like Lemar-Dont give up. there would be a mass exodus.

You only need to read the feedback form Jango and the WCS nights in general to see that some people do want nights like this. The purpose of this thread is to gauge how many people would want a regular Friday or Saturday night a month.
At present we only have 1 Sunday a month which is often difficult for a lot of people to get to.

All I want is for people to have the opportunity to experience nights like this. If there ARE nights out there like this I would very very much like to hear about them Unfortunately I dont think there are

[Minnie M]

What I would like to see (and I am working on it) are more competant WCS teachers, therefore we can spread the teaching accross the country.

When we have more teachers, we will have more classes and workshops, thus increasing the number of new REGULAR dancers - when this happens, I would think that the DJs will naturally play more WCS type music.

I love WCS and have been doing it for quite a while, but feel I have not progressed since first learning it as I have had very little practice. It would be so nice (and I think better) if we could intergrate it with our MJ evening. True we need the music to do that but surely that would be the easier method for the time being

Educate our DJs Greg is brilliant and possible our 'southern master' of WCS choons, but we have quite a few others who are really good too darn sarf.

Can't talk about the midlands etc.

In Scotland you have Dance Demon who definitely knows his stuff, Tiggerbabe and Franck + I am sure other great DJs - I am sure if the floor requested this type of music they would accommodate

Extra Bit:

Originally Posted by Paul F

I couldnt name one MJ freestyle that I have been to in the last 6 months were I found the music challenging, interesting or open to interpretation

The trouble is Paul, the WCS crowd are very much the minority, a good DJ will play mainly what the floor appears to want

I simpathise (sp?) entirely - I love the Jango + T-Jive music and am also fed up with all the pop, thumpy stuff (until the above happens - which I hope it does, we have to seek out these special events and make do with the others)

[Lynn]

Originally Posted by Minnie M

What I would like to see (and I am working on it) are more competant WCS teachers, therefore we can spread the teaching across the country.

Or countries...

(*Sigh* why are the 3 dances* I want to learn and dance the ones that aren't really on the dance scene in Belfast )

*MJ, WCS and Arg Tango btw

[Minnie M]

Originally Posted by Lynn

Or countries...

(*Sigh* why are the 3 dances* I want to learn and dance the ones that aren't really on the dance scene in Belfast )

*MJ, WCS and Arg Tango btw

Sorry Lynn - definitely 'countries'

[El Salsero Gringo]

Originally Posted by Minnie M

When we have more teachers, we will have more classes and workshops, thus increasing the number of new REGULAR dancers - when this happens, I would think that the DJs will naturally play more WCS type music.

I love WCS and have been doing it for quite a while, but feel I have not progressed since first learning it as I have had very little practice. It would be so nice (and I think better) if we could intergrate it with our MJ evening. True we need the music to do that but surely that would be the easier method for the time being

I think Paul's right; seeing that most MJ freestyles (around here, London, at any rate, I think it's all except BFFF) are run by Ceroc franchises, I don't think it's likely they're ever going to be willing or able to integrate WCS because they don't teach it.

Paul: I don't think life is as simple as waiting to hear a demand for something on the Ceroc Scotland Forum and so being assured that a hundred or more dancers will turn up. You've been to Cat's class, which is about as widely circulated an event as any in WCS, so you have a rough idea for how many and who the WCS enthusiasts are, and who amongst them are on the Forum.

Just be brave, and set one up!

[Minnie M]

Originally Posted by El Salsero Gringo

I think Paul's right; seeing that most MJ freestyles (around here, London, at any rate, I think it's all except BFFF) are run by Ceroc franchises, I don't think it's likely they're ever going to be willing or able to integrate WCS because they don't teach it.

Hmm..... Who runs WEEKLY West Coast Swing Classes in Farnham and Surbiton and who brought Sarah & Kyle from the US to us last weekend

(sorry just re-read your post - you did say 'think' have re-edited by post)

[David Bailey]

Originally Posted by Paul F

Take Ashtons last night. Busy venue and well run.
The Djs there I have loads of respect for as they are some of the finest DJs on the MJ circuit. However they are still bound to play the 'usual' stuff with the occasional different track.
....
You only need to read the feedback form Jango and the WCS nights in general to see that some people do want nights like this.

The simple and hard-headed answer, from a "is it viable" perspective, is to compare the numbers going to Jango and to other venues like Ashtons or Hammermith.

I understand Jango is small-but-perfectly-formed (30 people on average?), whereas Ashtons and Hammersmith typically have several hundred. So the demand is low for this sort of thing, in terms of numbers - albeit high in whinge-level...

Therefore, the choice of venues and facilities you can look at will all be on a limited budget.

And unfortunately, the people you want to attract are all inconveniently scattered around, even in London, so the amount of centrally-located good facilities available on a tight budget are... well, almost none.

Also, don't confuse "demand on the Forum" with "demand in the real world"

I'm not trying to put you off, but you've got to be realistic enough to realise that this is risky, business-wise, and is more a labour of love than anything else - again, like Jango; I can't imagine the organisers are making vast sums from that.

[Minnie M]

Originally Posted by DavidJames

The simple and hard-headed answer, from a "is it viable" perspective, is to compare the numbers going to Jango and to other venues like Ashtons or Hammermith.

I understand Jango is small-but-perfectly-formed (30 people on average?), whereas Ashtons and Hammersmith typically have several hundred. So the demand is low for this sort of thing, in terms of numbers - albeit high in whinge-level...

Therefore, the choice of venues and facilities you can look at will all be on a limited budget.

And unfortunately, the people you want to attract are all inconveniently scattered around, even in London, so the amount of centrally-located good facilities available on a tight budget are... well, almost none.

Also, don't confuse "demand on the Forum" with "demand in the real world"

I'm not trying to put you off, but you've got to be realistic enough to realise that this is risky, business-wise, and is more a labour of love than anything else - again, like Jango; I can't imagine the organisers are making vast sums from that.

Thanks David, that is exactly what I was trying to say - the demand is just not large enough at present. Maybe quarterly extravaganza would be an idea that would give time to group all experienced and the newly trained WCS dancers - could make it a Seasonal Ball

[El Salsero Gringo]

Originally Posted by Minnie M

Hmm..... Who runs WEEKLY West Coast Swing Classes in Farnham and Surbiton and who brought Sarah & Kyle from the US to us last weekend

(sorry just re-read your post - you did say 'think' have re-edited by post)

I don't actually know Minnie, I'm sorry, I'm not as well connected as you (my turn to blush). I presume you mean it's a Ceroc franchise - which is great.

Thinking about who runs the big London Ceroc freestyles - the Ceroc London franchise from head office, Ceroc Metro, Greenwich, and so on - I find it difficult to see them taking up WCS as part of the litany. Probably that's just a failure of imagination on my part. Mike and Linda have semi-integrated some Ballroom into their freestyles at Ashtons and Guinness (7:30 - 8:30 pm is Ballroom and Latin tracks) because they were running a Ballroom class earllier this year so there is a precedent.

[Minnie M]

Originally Posted by El Salsero Gringo

I don't actually know Minnie, I'm sorry, I'm not as well connected as you (my turn to blush). I presume you mean it's a Ceroc franchise - which is great.

Thinking about who runs the big London Ceroc freestyles - the Ceroc London franchise from head office, Ceroc Metro, Greenwich, and so on - I find it difficult to see them taking up WCS as part of the litany. Probably that's just a failure of imagination on my part. Mike and Linda have semi-integrated some Ballroom into their freestyles at Ashtons and Guinness (7:30 - 8:30 pm is Ballroom and Latin tracks) because they were running a Ballroom class earllier this year so there is a precedent.

Ceroc Surrey (Annalisa Martin), are the inovators, with the help of Ceroc Plus (Simon White) where you can have hip hop and lindy classes, so the good news is that Mike is open to giving franchisees the opportunity to be flexible.

BTW Linda & Mike were at Rebel Yell (run by Ceroc Surrey) at the weekend (I assume because of the announcement of Storm) however, they saw the "completely non modern jive" cabaret and I am sure they were impressed..... so ..... who knows what will come next

[El Salsero Gringo]

Originally Posted by Minnie M

Ceroc Surrey (Annalisa Martin), are the inovators, with the help of Ceroc Plus (Simon White) where you can have hip hop and lindy classes, so the good news is that Mike is open to giving franchisees the opportunity to be flexible.

BTW Linda & Mike were at Rebel Yell (run by Ceroc Surrey) at the weekend (I assume because of the announcement of Storm) however, they saw the "completely non modern jive" cabaret and I am sure they were impressed..... so ..... who knows what will come next

So perhaps we should be emailing Mike and Linda to put on WCS classes at Ashtons.

On the other hand, I can hear the moaning starting already, from some quarters, can't you? "Ceroc does WCS? Oh no! They'll dumb it down and make it accessible; they can't possibly mean to teach it properly.")

[Paul F]

Originally Posted by DavidJames

The simple and hard-headed answer, from a "is it viable" perspective,
.........
Also, don't confuse "demand on the Forum" with "demand in the real world"

I completely understand what you and Minnie are saying. I would never propose that a positive feedback on the forum would make for good numbers in a venue. The people on here are a small minority.

I cant help but think the demand for this IS here but on a small scale. People travel for Jango (approx 60-70 people Im guessing at the last one and similar numbers at the WCS t-jive). This was on a Sunday afternoon.
It all comes down to cost of venues at the end of the day but I wasnt thinking of a 200-300 capacity venue. Perhaps something slightly larger than Kent House. 100 capacity. Maybe even a fitness studio.
Yes it will be expensive but I would be confident of attracting 80+ once a month. Even if its just by word of mouth!

Is it still a bad idea ?

One of the reasons I have stopped a number of styles I have gone into in the past is purely because there just wasnt the opportunity to practice.
It may not be heaving with people but I would certainly want to go to a venue where I know I am going to have to think !

[Paul F]

Originally Posted by El Salsero Gringo

So perhaps we should be emailing Mike and Linda to put on WCS classes at Ashtons.

On the other hand, I can hear the moaning starting already, from some quarters, can't you? "Ceroc does WCS? Oh no! They'll dumb it down and make it accessible; they can't possibly mean to teach it properly.")

Wow WCS at Ashtons. I would pay for that