A good decision by ceroc which has made me an adherent

[dave the scaffolder]

Now then sport fans many of you have asked me why I am an adherent of Ceroc?

So I will tell you why...


When I 1st started dancing I booked on my 2nd weekend at Camber with Ceroc and had a male and female ticket for the weekend.

Now a chum of mine, a male, had a ticket and couldn't go. He sold the ticket to another friend of mine who was a female.

So we turned up 2 girly's and me with 2 men tickets and 1 girly' ticket. We didn't know about gender specific tickets in those days, we were but raw and keen dancers who was excited and raring to go.

Well obviousley when we turned up twas noticed that the bearer of a male ticket, was in fact a girl. Anyway the big guns was called and 2 guys came over to sort it out. One of the guys was a chap with a shaved head and to be honest he was keen to not let the girl in, however we perceviered and said well look mate it was a genuine mistake and if she can not come in then we are all going home as we came in one car and she is basically stuck.

The other guy stepped in and phone calls were made to the original ticket owner, ie a male, he confirmed that he did not realise that it was gender specific.

Upshot of it all was that the other guy was Mike Ellard and he let us in.

His decision on that day stuck with me ever since and that's why I am an adherent of Ceroc....He didn't have to let us in but he did, with a stern warning that if it happened again we would be turned away.

Mike allowed us to have a great weekend by the sensible and fair decision he made that day.

So when people come on here and say he is a monster and such, I disagree he sorted a problem for our group with common sense and fairness which gave us a storming weekend.

Just thought I would share this with anybody that is interested.

I have had a small dealing with Mike in this instance and I found him to be fair and resonable, I can only base my decisions on actions which have affected me and in this case he was more than fair and resonable.

Now I have posted some scathing attacks on ceroc on the past when I was angry and emotional about certain incidents and the way they have been dealt with invariably resulted in me apolagising publicly on the Forum to all involved.

Anyway thats it really, thought I would run this up the flagpole and see who salutes it.

[tsh]

Awww. what a lovely tale. Nice to see you trying to lull them into a false sense of security.

[fletch]

I remeber one weekender and for some reson barmpot hadn't got his wrist band sorted and he was sharing with me, Mike ended up at our appartment chequing somthing he was going to thow him out, when he relised he was sharing with me he let his stay, I think he thought the poor bloked sufferd enough having to share with me


Mike and Linda have also supported my children 100% but so have John and Wes, last Sept my mom was taken into hospital on the Thursday before I was due to go to SP on the Friday morning, I called John blarting down the phone, he said what the hec do you want me to do, havnt you got enough room in the appart for them, yes I said, bring 'em It took me 2 weeks to sort my wardrobe with accessories they were paked in 20 mins.

John rand back an hour later to say sorry Fletch....how your mom.

[dave the scaffolder]

Awww. what a lovely tale. Nice to see you trying to lull them into a false sense of security.

tsh why do you seem to have a dislike of ceroc?

Now we know each other in the real world outside of the Forum, so be honest why do you seem to dislike Ceroc so much?

[dave the scaffolder]

Awww. what a lovely tale. Nice to see you trying to lull them into a false sense of security.

Are you outraged on behalf of all of the independents?

Are you not happy that there is more and more on offer from independents and Ceroc?

I am at a loss why a lot of people are constantly bitching about Ceroc, this is an open Forum for discussion where we can say mostly anything, if we word it right and in a resonable manner, and expect a honest reply.

What more do you require?

[dave the scaffolder]

I remeber one weekender and for some reson barmpot hadn't got his wrist band sorted and he was sharing with me, Mike ended up at our appartment chequing somthing he was going to thow him out, when he relised he was sharing with me he let his stay, I think he thought the poor bloked sufferd enough having to share with me


Mike and Linda have also supported my children 100% but so have John and Wes, last Sept my mom was taken into hospital on the Thursday before I was due to go to SP on the Friday morning, I called John blarting down the phone, he said what the hec do you want me to do, havnt you got enough room in the appart for them, yes I said, bring 'em It took me 2 weeks to sort my wardrobe with accessories they were paked in 20 mins.

John rand back an hour later to say sorry Fletch....how your mom.

A story about the humanity of JA, both sides of this debate has been shown, both sides have been good and bad, like us all they are only human and to err is human.

[fletch]

A story about the humanity of JA, both sides of this debate has been shown, both sides have been good and bad, like us all they are only human and to err is human.

been human that is my crime

In the dark of night your all that I see and you sure look like a star to me, just keep shining.

[martingold]

I am at a loss why a lot of people are constantly bitching about Ceroc, this is an open Forum for discussion where we can say mostly anything, if we word it right and in a resonable manner, and expect a honest reply.

What more do you require?

As I have said a few times now dave this is what i call the microsoft syndrome everyone likes to hate the big guy so they gang up on him bitch and moan but never really know why they are doing it

[Andy McGregor]

I'm known for my dislike of many things done by Ceroc. I've posted them elsewhere. This thread is for posting what I like about Ceroc.

Ceroc teach Modern Jive - I like everyone who teaches Modern Jive.
Ceroc attract thousands of people to Modern Jive.
Just about every franchise holder I've met is fab.
Ceroc deliver a consistent product.
Ceroc are the benchmark against which other MJ teachers and organisers need to be compared.
Ceroc employ attractive people as teachers.

In terms of stories about how nice Ceroc have been I've less to offer, simply because there have never been any Ceroc classes in my immediate area. However, my first encounter with Ceroc was Ceroc Horsham. I'd been going to my local LeRoc class for a while and was dragged along to Ceroc Horsham. It was a revelation to see Modern Jive taught in a fun way. Steve Nash is a jolly teacher who jokes and laughs the whole way throug his lesson. This lifted the mood of the night to a different level from the classes I'd attended. I think I'd have given up MJ if I'd just continued to attend LeRoc in Brighton as it was all a bit cliquey with a definite in-crowd that I wan't "in" with. Ceroc in Horsham was much more friendly and probably became my most regular venue for 1998/9.

I'm sure there's more. I'm not attempting to damn with faint praise, I've got to get on with some work.

Work?

Yes

[straycat]

As I have said a few times now dave this is what i call the microsoft syndrome everyone likes to hate the big guy so they gang up on him bitch and moan but never really know why they are doing it

Not so for all of us - I know exactly why I bitch and moan about Microsoft....
Don't tempt me

As for Ceroc - I pretty well agree with Andy M's list (although I'm not completely sure about the 'attractive people' part.)

[Dreadful Scathe]

Not so for all of us - I know exactly why I bitch and moan about Microsoft....

As do most people, it being a bit of a geeky hobby

As for Ceroc - I pretty well agree with Andy M's list (although I'm not completely sure about the 'attractive people' part.)

ah, but when being introduced to a group of people for the first time, one rates their attractiveness in relation to oneself

[tsh]

tsh why do you seem to have a dislike of ceroc?

Now we know each other in the real world outside of the Forum, so be honest why do you seem to dislike Ceroc so much?

I think I've said before... None of my local venues offer anything for me any more, and I feel that ceroc wasted a good 12 months of my dancing before I found other places to dance which did offer more. Ceroc may have introduced me to dance, but if it wasn't for people like Amir and Sara, I'd almost certainly not be dancing now. Unless ceroc improve everything they offer by a significant margin, they are just diluting the events that I am interested in. It's all about choice.

[David Bailey]

I think I've said before... None of my local venues offer anything for me any more, and I feel that ceroc wasted a good 12 months of my dancing before I found other places to dance which did offer more.

Tsh, this is the "good things to say about Ceroc" thread - there are plenty of other threads to attack Ceroc in, OK? Most of them, in fact...

So, in the spirit of this thread:
- Ceroc got me into partner dancing; there's a good chance that I wouldn't be dancing now without it.
- Ceroc got lots of my friends into the scene also
- Ceroc has developed, trained and inspired many of the great MJ teachers and dancers out there
- Ceroc Enterprises have been, under Mike's stewardship, enterprising, innovative, and willing to take chances, more so than any other MJ organisation I know of.

[Twirly]

I think I've said before... None of my local venues offer anything for me any more, and I feel that ceroc wasted a good 12 months of my dancing before I found other places to dance which did offer more. Ceroc may have introduced me to dance, but if it wasn't for people like Amir and Sara, I'd almost certainly not be dancing now. Unless ceroc improve everything they offer by a significant margin, they are just diluting the events that I am interested in. It's all about choice.

I’m sorry, but how did Ceroc waste your time? Did they force you to go to classes? It’s up to the individual to decide where they want to dance. If the product doesn’t suit you, go and find one that does. It just took you a bit of time to do this, but that is not Ceroc’s fault. Take responsibility for your own actions.

Ceroc, as in the weekly classes they run so well (goodness, even Andy McG seems to be saying that! ), is great for dancers who are just beginning and up to a certain level. That is their main product, and has been for years so far as I can see, being a relative newcomer in the grand scheme of things. Why should they change that main product just because it doesn’t suit you anymore?

However, they are now clearly trying to diversify, yet you still aren’t happy. They have listened to dancers who want more of a challenge, and Utopia has been developed to help fulfil that need. Now it would appear that they are trying to have a different type of weekender. I do think that it’s a shame that things have developed the way they have (I don’t know, and am unlikely to ever know the full story regarding their taking over the Southport site, so am not going to debate that), and it might have been better if they’d just developed one of their existing weekenders to cater for more advanced dancers. But they can clearly see the need and are trying to respond to it.

[Billi Wiz]

So, in the spirit of this thread:
- Ceroc got me into partner dancing; there's a good chance that I wouldn't be dancing now without it.
- Ceroc got lots of my friends into the scene also
- Ceroc has developed, trained and inspired many of the great MJ teachers and dancers out there

Got to agree with all of this

....and have to add that in respect to CEROC Scotland we've never anything other than welcomed and looked after really, really well!!

-
-
(PS - We've had kindness and good deeds from JA too)

[Lynn]

Ceroc, as in the weekly classes they run so well (goodness, even Andy McG seems to be saying that! ), is great for dancers who are just beginning and up to a certain level. That is their main product, and has been for years so far as I can see, being a relative newcomer in the grand scheme of things.

Ceroc run good class nights, I can only comment on Ceroc NI having only been to one other Ceroc class night (and even then only twice). But classes have been fun, teaching enthusiastic and customers happy. I have brought a lot of friends along to local classes over the past few years and they have really enjoyed themselves.

Of course everyone can contribute 'X is a nice person cos they helped me when I had a problem' stories, about different MJ organisations. We will feel a level of customer loyalty to people when that has happened, that is natural and understandable.

[robd]

Adherent, what an odd choice of word DTS.

I remember Mike-E spending some time helping me out with something at one of the Ceroc weekenders I attended. Yes, it's basic customer service but it was a nice touch and characteristic of the attention to detail that he seems to have for his events. It's not, by itself, sufficient to make me want to book another but it echoes Dave's experiences.

[JiveLad]

Tsh, this is the "good things to say about Ceroc" thread - there are plenty of other threads to attack Ceroc in, OK? Most of them, in fact...

So, in the spirit of this thread:
- Ceroc got me into partner dancing; there's a good chance that I wouldn't be dancing now without it.
- Ceroc got lots of my friends into the scene also
- Ceroc has developed, trained and inspired many of the great MJ teachers and dancers out there
- Ceroc Enterprises have been, under Mike's stewardship, enterprising, innovative, and willing to take chances, more so than any other MJ organisation I know of.

All that plus:

Ceroc at Berko let me in without paying once when I forgot to bring any cash (and I paid it the following week).
Ceroc crew at St. Albans are just the best!! I really appreciate what they do - eg. Barry giving me advice and helping thru' my 1st year....
Ceroc respond to my requests (at my local franchise) and listen to what I have to say

[JiveLad]

Adherent, what an odd choice of word DTS.

Why?

Adherent can be a noun - it means follower - or supporter.

And sub-textually, it could imply that DTD would 'stick' with Ceroc in the future - so it is quite a nuanced choice of word imho.

What is odd about that? I'm just curious.

-----------

[Lou]

Of course everyone can contribute 'X is a nice person cos they helped me when I had a problem' stories, about different MJ organisations.

I remember Mike-E spending some time helping me out with something at one of the Ceroc weekenders I attended.

In the spirit of this thread, I'm obliged to point out that Mike Ellard kindly found me a roll of toilet paper once.