How much experience needed for a Weekender?

[Keefy]

Hi all

By way of introduction I'm very new to MJ, at the eight week beginner stage knowing most of the basic moves and just beginning to string together some freestyle.

I keep looking at the various weekenders coming up later in the year but I worry about just how lost/alone I would be with the workshops with just about everybody way ahead of me I know that many of the weekender's say "beginners welcome" but just how realistic is that? So at what stage would you lot recommend somebody is to make a weekender worthwhile?

Keith

[Jamie]

All joking aside, I went to my first weekend in June 2006 at southport..

It wasn't as enjoyable for me as the September 2006 Southport, simply because I didn't have as much confidence as I did in September in June, I did it all wrong, going out at 8AM going to bed at 1AM (how late is 1AM now?!?)...


I'd say leave it a few months before attemtping a weekender, sheerly because you wont get your moneys worth.

[David Bailey]

Hi all

Hi Keefy and welcome!

I keep looking at the various weekenders coming up later in the year but I worry about just how lost/alone I would be with the workshops with just about everybody way ahead of me

There are workshops and classes for all levels, so you shouldn't feel intimidated by that. Typically, most classes will also be marked with the appropriate level.

For example, a typical Jivetime weekender programme is here:
Page Title

A normal large-scale weekender has dozens of classes, so there'll always be plenty of choice.

I know that many of the weekender's say "beginners welcome" but just how realistic is that?

Hmmm... dunno really. I went on my first (MJ) weekender after 15 years, but that's probably a bit longer than you were thinking...

So at what stage would you lot recommend somebody is to make a weekender worthwhile?

Honestly, for early beginners, I wouldn't recommend going by yourself - personal opinion of course. If you go with some friends, you can go at any stage.

I think that Ceroc weekenders are probably a bit more "beginner-friendly" than other weekenders, but that's just my opinion.

Oh, and ignore all the innuendo flying around from the riff-raff - - weekenders can be great fun.

[straycat]

Good advice above.

A lot depends on you - if you're the shy retiring type who takes a while to build up confidence (I was), then you might prefer to wait a while. A busy dancefloor at an event can seem quite intimidating to begin with.

If you are just happy to dive in, ask everyone to dance, and you feel you're generally a confident person - you'd probably have a very good time at one of these - I know a couple of people who came along to such events having never danced before, and who loved it (one is now a professional dance teacher) - though that's taking things to extremes.

One thing's certain though - weekenders and similar events are eye-openers, and can lead to huge break-throughs in one's dancing. On that basis alone, it's worth considering.

[Freya]

Hi Keefy,

If you have the oportunity I would go for it!

How often are you dancing per week? you say your looking at ones later in the year, how far ahead are you looking coz you should keep progressing between now and then.

I would agree with DJ that it's good to go the first time with loadsa friends and maybe one or two that have been to a weekender before.

I had only been dancing been dancing 9 months when I went on my 1st weekender and I loved every minute of it!

Freya xXx

[Chef]

Hello Keefy. I haven't seen you post on the forum before so I would just like to say welcome.

I went to a Ceroc weekender at Camber last year and they had a program for complete beginners that kicked off on the Friday evening and progressed through all of the saturday and sunday. So it is worth checking out what is on the program of each of the weekenders, even contacting the organisers to check what they are planning and seeing if you think it would be suitable for you.

Most of them deal with intemediate level MJ and a lot of taster classes (some with the opportunity to progress in other lessons) for other dance styles, as well as some general technique classes.

So my answer would be to find out the general goings on in each of the various brands of weekender (this forum is a good place to look to get an idea from past events) and book for the one you think you will enjoy the most.

In general I think you would have a complete blast at all of the big weekenders. They are just an amazing dance party.Whatever your level you will find that being immersed in dancing for a whole weekend and being with other people that you can get tips and from will help your dancing more than the equivilent amount of time at regular classes. Most people get a lot out of weekenders, whatever their level - even if it is just more dancing friends. There will always be someone from your venue that will be going to a weekender.

Once you have been dancing regularly at least once a week for about 4 months then I think you will get a lot out of them. You may feel out of your depth on the first one - then again, most people do. If you book now then chances are you will be more than ready by the time it comes along.

[Keefy]

Thanks for the great advice folks. To answer a few questions... at present I'm dancing MJ a couple of times a week, I've been trying different venues and am only just beginning to settle at the ones I like. Yet to build up a circle of MJ friends as I'm soloing on this one I'd be looking May or June at the earliest, although from comments and from how things are going some of the autumn ones may be a better bet.

As most of the workshops seem to be intermediate level I guess that a good guide will be when I can cope with the intermediate classes at different venues, something that is frustratingly just out-of-reach at the moment. The confidence is slowly building as I'm now finding that I'm not a total dance d!ck-head 100% of the time

I know that the answer is definitely "not yet", but the way these things seem to book out on the single rooms I guess that I had better decide when would be the right time! Yup... I'm new to these forums

K

[Chef]

I know that the answer is definitely "not yet", but the way these things seem to book out on the single rooms I guess that I had better decide when would be the right time! Yup... I'm new to these forums

K

At the moment we don't know if you are a man or a woman. This is only important because the places for women book out very quickly (eg if you are a woman I would book now for september). Men can leave it until a few weeks before the event to book. If you are a man you can often find a lady that is so keen to go on a particular weekender that she will be book a chalet with you provided there are two bedrooms and someone can vouch that you are not bad comapny in any way.

I think you would be up for it by june from what you say. Go with a big crowd in a large chalet for your first time. Bring the idea up in conversation at your dancing venues. The easiest place to feel lonely is in a large crowd but trust me, there will be a lot of faces there that you recognise at a weekender if you are dancing at three venues a week.

[Freya]

Where do you dance?

[Lynn]

Go with a big crowd in a large chalet for your first time.

That can be a good idea. I went with friends I knew on my first weekender. I've also brought people along to Southport who had never been to an MJ class and several that had been to maybe only one or two. Yes, it was in at the deep end for them, but you can go at your own pace at weekenders.

Book now - eg if you book for Southport in June (be quick, its booking up fast) - you'll be ready for it by then.

Oh, and welcome to the forum.

[Twirlie Bird]

Hi Keefy and welcome to the forum

I haven't been on a weekender yet so really can't advise. I am booked onto the Ceroc Midlands one in Hafan in June though and by then I would have been dancing for 8 months. The best advice I can give to you is get out there. Go to as many freestyles and different classes as you can. Meet people. Talk to people and build up a circle of friends. I get the impression that these weekenders are far better with familiar faces around you

Twirlie Bird
-x-

[Little Monkey]

A friend of mine who's only done ceroc for about 5-6 months has just booked her first weekender in May, and she's going with her boyfriend who's just had three ceroc classes!

I think I might agree with DJ that a Ceroc weekender might be the 'safest' bet for a relative neewbie. They do have ceroc classes for complete beginners, through to advanced. Other organisers also have classes labelled 'all levels' or 'beginners', but often these classes are taster sessions in other dance styles, like WCS, tango etc.

I have a friend who went to Southport after only dancing for..... 3 months? He had a fab time!

Hope you'll find a weekender you want to book, and have a great time!

LM x

[Keefy]

At the moment we don't know if you are a man or a woman...

I'll check and get back to you on that one I did leave a bit of a hint by signing my initial post 'Keith'

Where do you dance?

Ceroc Metro in Stevenage and Just Jiving in Cheshunt at the moment, although I'll try anything within reasonable reach of my base near Stansted.

K

[David Bailey]

I'll check and get back to you on that one I did leave a bit of a hint by signing my initial post 'Keith'

Cunning ploy, that

Ceroc Metro in Stevenage and Just Jiving in Cheshunt at the moment, although I'll try anything within reasonable reach of my base near Stansted.

Blimey, you're in the Trouble Zone. Run away!

[MartinHarper]

My experience going to a Lindy weekender (Sultans of Swing) with zero Lindy experience suggests that:

* Don't expect to dance that much in the freestyle. Particularly Friday freestyle, when you don't know how to dance yet. Sat/Sun is easier. It helps a lot if you like watching dancing.
* Make sure there are lots and lots of beginner classes in the main dance (MJ in this case). That's why you'd go as a beginner.
* Avoid taster classes - they'll confuse for no benefit.
* Avoid intermediate classes - they're too hard for beginners.

With those prereqs, you can have a very enjoyable weekender experience with zero prior knowledge. I think this applies equally to MJ. It also matches what I've heard from MJ beginners at MJ events.

I'd say leave it a few months before attemtping a weekender, sheerly because you wont get your moneys worth.

I say the opposite. Weekenders with lots of beginner classes are fantastic value for money for beginners because you get great teachers and small classes, all subsidised by other attendees.

This most recent Ceroc Storm only had a few beginner MJ classes, so I wouldn't recommend that. Ideally you want an event with about four beginner MJ classes each day. Check with the organiser. If you're rich, you could go to an event with fewer beginner MJ classes than that, and supplement it with a private lesson with one of the teachers there.

[Keefy]

Blimey, you're in the Trouble Zone. Run away!

OK, I'll bite Go on, enlighten me, although I'll probably be sorry that I asked...

[David Bailey]

OK, I'll bite Go on, enlighten me, although I'll probably be sorry that I asked...

The zone occupied by the Forumite Called Trouble, is what I meant

[tsh]

Very few of the classes I've seen at weekenders seems aimed at complete beginners - but I know a few people have turned up at Warmwell as 'never danced before' and then come back a 2nd time. You might need to work a bit harder, maybe ask some people there for a bit of coaching etc. but 1st weekender is probably always going to be a bit more challenging to cope with than the rest irrespective of your experience.

Dancing MJ, i think the taster classes are probably not to harmful, and are more likely to make fewer assumptions about prior knowledge.

Sean

[David Bailey]

Very few of the classes I've seen at weekenders seems aimed at complete beginners - but I know a few people have turned up at Warmwell as 'never danced before' and then come back a 2nd time. You might need to work a bit harder, maybe ask some people there for a bit of coaching etc. but 1st weekender is probably always going to be a bit more challenging to cope with than the rest irrespective of your experience.

Yes, there's a good argument to be made for the "throwing in at the deep end" factor - you'll probably learn a lot, if you're a beginner.

Having said that, you have to be very self-confident to go to a weekender alone if you're a beginner - they can be intimidating and even lonely places at some times.

[dave the scaffolder]

I'll check and get back to you on that one I did leave a bit of a hint by signing my initial post 'Keith'

Ceroc Metro in Stevenage and Just Jiving in Cheshunt at the moment, although I'll try anything within reasonable reach of my base near Stansted.

K

Welcome keith i dance at stevenage come up and introduce yourself to me and attend weekenders straight away.

I did my 1st weekender after 6 weeks of dancing, i told every lady i am sh*t at dancing but keen as mustard and i danced all weekend long.

You will not be alone you will soon know me, there will be lots of people from stevenage there so dont be shy and get stuck in.

xxx

jump in the deep end at enjoy yourself.

hope to see you saturday at stevenage freestyle.

All the best dts xxx