Why do you go to Ceroc?

[Gus]

In my official capacity as Devil's Advocate I seem to have stirred up a little debate about the limits or otherwise about Ceroc teaching from stage. A sub-thread emerging from this is what are we trrying to achieve ..... and this requires knowledge of why people go to Ceroc in the first place.

Being of an enquiring mind, thought I'd ask the thronging masses exactly that. Remember ... your vote(s) count!

[Lou]

What about for the exercise? It's a darned site more enjoyable than the gym!

[Franck]

Originally posted by Lou
What about for the exercise? It's a darned site more enjoyable than the gym!

I have now added that option

Franck.

[Gus]

Originally posted by Franck
I have now added that option

Franck.

Given that we used to promote our club on the fitness aspect I should have remembered that.

Well six votes in and still NO-ONE fancies the teachers! Considering the embarresment of riches you have with Lorna, Mari, Lisa and Elaine ... I would have thought at least someone would have owned up....

[filthycute]

Originally posted by Gus

Well six votes in and still NO-ONE fancies the teachers! Considering the embarresment of riches you have with Lorna, Mari, Lisa and Elaine ... I would have thought at least someone would have owned up....

Well i'm not voting for fancying my teacher!!!!!

Elaine, your beautiful hun, but i just don't look at you that way

filthycute x x

[Heather]

Me neither Mel !!!!! Can't say I fancy any of them either!!!!!!
Now if we had a Brad Pitt lookalike............
Well I can dream can't I?

Heather

[william_ceroc]

Sorry Im too busy trying to dance to notice what the instructors look like
Sad isnt it

william

[Heather]

Don't believe you !!! Liar!!!!!

Heather

[CJ]

So why is there an option for fancying teacher but not oine for VM, taxi or DJ?

Well? Huh?

Mmmph.

[Franck]

Originally posted by Ceroc Jock
So why is there an option for fancying teacher but not oine for VM, taxi or DJ?

It probably just goes without saying that everyone does!

Franck.

[Curtain]

I've just had a look at the results of this particular thread and had to laugh at one of the statistics. 0% for Entertainment.

So nobody wants to be entertained eh? Well, that's a relief and probably just as well I suppose. The pressure is finally off.

I can now sit back and read my book in peace without stressing about what to play next. Sorry, I should probably clarify that last point. I don't read while working, just during the class. I promise.

More to the point, is Ceroc HQ aware of this fact? Dull teachers all round please!!

Food for thought?

[Gus]

You know that feeling when you do some research to prove your point ... and it does exactly the opposite...

Well, I started this poll in the belief that most people weren't that bothered about how good they got at the dancing bit ... especially considering some of the scathing attacks on the more competitive dancers in our fold. So ... I'm a bit surprised that the majoriy of the respondees DO want to be good dancers...

If this is the case, then how does Ceroc accomodate this? Does this advancement come from more Advanced Ceroc courses (few and far between at the moment) or by bringing up external instructors (..... and I know what Ceroc HQ would say to that :reallymad :reallymad ).

Maybe, forming 'self-help' groups may help ... persoanly I improved my dancing a lot by trying to pratice a lot more with three specific dancers and get honest feedback from my peers ... and boy was some of it honest.

OK ... so the debate turns back on itself ... if people want to advance .. do they have to form a secret society so they won't be persecuted by the 'social' dancers or should they strut their stuff openly in the search for the ultimate dance?

[Gus]

Originally posted by Curtain
So nobody wants to be entertained eh? Well, that's a relief and probably just as well I suppose. The pressure is finally off.

I can now sit back and read my book in peace without stressing about what to play next.

Yeah but thats what you do anyway oh suntanned one ....

what worries me is that only half the people like the music .... surely that is a slur against your preofesional pride!

PS Good to have you back ... things far too quiet.

[Bill]

Originally posted by Curtain
I've just had a look at the results of this particular thread and had to laugh at one of the statistics. 0% for Entertainment.

So nobody wants to be entertained eh? Well, that's a relief and probably just as well I suppose. The pressure is finally off.

Oh yeh !!!!!!!! With some of the songs you've been playing lately not much chance of a whole night of entertainment is there ????

Have to bring along my playlist for some more ( infact any ) of that bluesy stuff. And now so many have been to H's workshop there are lots of dancers now keen to try out those new funky moves.

So ........ Vem Vet, Jools Holland etx

[Curtain]

Originally posted by bill foreman

Have to bring along my playlist for some more ( infact any ) of that bluesy stuff. And now so many have been to H's workshop there are lots of dancers now keen to try out those new funky moves.

So ........ Vem Vet, Jools Holland etx

Where would I be without Bill eh? My biggest critic and all time favorite requester. I'll try and get some more blues and see how it goes. However, a little while ago a guy actually came up to me and said, "Will you stop playing Bill's stuff".

How I chuckled. I realise I can be a little on the musically bizarre side sometimes, but I mean well.

[Franck]

Originally posted by Gus
So ... I'm a bit surprised that the majoriy of the respondees DO want to be good dancers...

You seem to be ignoring the fact that maybe, just maybe, the majority already feel like they are becoming great dancers at Ceroc nights
Great dancing is in the eye of the beholder, and in my eyes, they are right!

There should not be a split between "wannabe great dancers" and "Social dancers", everyone has many reasons to go to a Ceroc night, and most of the time, all these reasons mix happily.

Franck.

[Gus]

Originally posted by Franck
You seem to be ignoring the fact that maybe, just maybe, the majority already feel like they are becoming great dancers at Ceroc nights Franck.

Franck ... as Official Devils Advocate its pains me to do this ... but think that you're right ... missed the obvious. I shouldn't equate dancing progression with the need to go outside Ceroc ... because for the majority you are quite correct that that isn't needed.

Forshame ....

[Franck]

Originally posted by Gus
Franck ... as Official Devils Advocate its pains me to do this ... but think that you're right ...

I just thought I'd save this for posterity, just in case you decided to edit it at a later stage

Seriously though, I think (in fact I know) that it is possible to become a very good dancer without stepping into any other class apart from Ceroc (including workshops / parties and other special events).
This does not mean that it is the best thing to do, and I would always advocate people experiment with what's on offer, if only to realise how good Ceroc is

A dance that is only feeding from itself is bound to grow stale and un-imaginative...

Learning to dance is a permanent "work in progress" kind of thing, you never quite get there! As soon as you learn of discover something new, you realise how much more you could add to your dancing to improve it just that little bit more
Anyone who thinks he is there (ie a perfect dancer), probably needs to take a quick reality check and find out how much more there is to learn still...

Franck.

[nessie2611]

Originally posted by Gus
Does this advancement come from more Advanced Ceroc courses (few and far between at the moment) or by bringing up external instructors (..... and I know what Ceroc HQ would say to that :reallymad :reallymad ).

I have debated this subject with many people and I am under the impression that most people are in agreement, Ceroc is a great product and we all love it, but we do get to a stage where Ceroc has opened up the doors of learning to dance and we all want to progress and possibly try some other forms of dance.
Instead of having to go and find the aforementioned forms of dance, does it not make sense to provide your loyal Ceroc members the opportunity to try other dances in the comfort of their own club occassionally. Some members have been forced out into the big wide world in search of different dance schools to try many styles of dance on offer (I admit I am one of those people):sorry sometimes these nights out clash with the Ceroc venue they usually attend and so Ceroc are losing out big style. Ceroc should be confident enough in their product to be able to open the doors to other forms of dance for the enjoyment of their members knowing that Ceroc will win out as it is one of the most flexible forms of dance and doesn't rely on a particular style of music before you can dance.

Love Nessie x

[Franck]

Originally posted by nessie2611
Instead of having to go and find the aforementioned forms of dance, does it not make sense to provide your loyal Ceroc members the opportunity to try other dances in the comfort of their own club occassionally.

Ceroc should be confident enough in their product to be able to open the doors to other forms of dance for the enjoyment of their members knowing that Ceroc will win out as it is one of the most flexible forms of dance and doesn't rely on a particular style of music before you can dance.

First of all Nessie, welcome to the Ceroc Scotland Forum!
I would like to pick up on the 2 points you make above. First of all I agree that Ceroc should provide as much as possible for its members, in the comfort of their regular club (or at their local workshop studio). Most Cerocers would rather not have to start a new class from scratch, and if we can offer more within our current framework, then we should. The comments I mad in this (and other) threads re. learning with other teachers and other dances was directed at a very small minority(5% if that?) who want to learn very specific techniques to take their dancing to the highest possible level.

However, it is not as simple as picking the current "trendy" dance and starting to teach it at our classes... Most other dances rely on (sometimes complex) footwork and heavily choreographed routines This flies in the face of everything Ceroc has trying to achieve in the last 20+ years... My belief is that for a new Style / dance to be successfully included in Ceroc it has to fit the Ceroc philosophy and "easy to learn" criteria.
As a result, we have included a lot of different styles over the last few years (Latin, Blues, hip hop, lindy, etc...) but each time it has only been successful when an experienced Ceroc teacher succeeded in capturing the essence of what the other dance was and updated it to be able to teach it using the Ceroc "easy to learn" method!

This filtering process will slow down our ability to offer new styles, but will guarantee that when we do, Cerocers will not be disappointed.
Ceroc have raised teaching / learning expectations dramatically, which might explain why so many people are disappointed when they visit other dance classes (after learning Ceroc).

This is why I take issue with your second point. Ceroc does not have a "confidence" problem, quite the opposite, we know we are the best We know we can blend (pretty much any) musical / dance style within our current classes, but it does not mean we should sacrifice our principles or the quality of our nights!

Franck.