Blaze III – the aftermath

[Filthy Monkey]

What a fun weekend. I'm thoroughly exhausted now! It was great to finally meet so many people from the forum, although you'll have to forgive me if I forget the face that goes with the name!

Thanks to all for the excellent dances and thanks to the lovely LC for keeping us in cakes

[Little Em]

What a fab weekend.

My highlights:

Dancing with Mario could that guy be any nicer? Fab teacher.

My dances with Rob D - thanks for all the help with WCS over the Weekend, I really appreciated it! I will take lessons one of these days

My dance with Dale, I have no words to describe our dance

Brian from Dundee (I think?)- wow. Awesome dances.

ALL dances were fab this weekend.

Sharing with Lorna, what a hoot! Seeing Mairi again, never get to see that lady enough!!

Vicky and Yvonne for our chats over the weekend and the cabaret practice, what a laugh we had.

The whole weekend was very well run, and thanks to Gadget for making sure we all had water in the different rooms, it didn't go un-noticed.

Fab weather!!! woo hoo


The not so good.

Only having one dance with Jamie!!!!

Urm.... Cant think of anything else.



Brilliant weekend - I always have a good time at Blaze, thank you Frank/Sheena.

Em xx

Who has any photos????

[purpleheather]

WOW!!! What a weekend.

I'll post something more reasoned and coherent later.

For now - a big thanks to Franck, Sheena and all the team for arranging a great weekend and to all the fantastic teachers. Special mention at this stage goes to Amir who managed to make me understand (at long last) how to lead in Argentinian tango [I've been trying to get a hang of that one since the end of Jan and the combination of Amir's classes on connection and AT finally made it "click"].

And a big thank you to all the lovely people who were prepared to risk their lives/toes and dance with me. The list is too long to give, but thank you all for all the dances.

My feet are still convalescing in the aftermath of so much dancing.

[robd]

Good
* Some of my very favourite followers in attendance - no names, you know who you are
* Got to dance with almost everybody that I wanted to and the couple I missed I hope to catch at Southport.
* Managed to make 5 of Mario's classes. Hats off to him for translating what he intended to target at WCS dancers into a form suited to MJ timing. When you see other teachers that you rate highly taking notes during his classes then you know you are seeing a teacher of the highest calibre
* 4am finish to the dancing was much better than the October 2am
* Champagne
* Trampy sorting us out with a lift from the station and collecting our chalet keys - thanks Steve
* Gadget ensuring the water collers were kept topped up - I seriously needed it on Sunday
* Great fun performance cabaret with Franck hamming it up and very watchable freestyle performances by Mario & Sam plus Clinton & Emma

Not so good
* Quite hot inside the venue at times but then it was pretty hot outside too
* The bar running out of beer just as we arrived on Friday
* Needing to work Fri and Mon so not getting a full weekend out of it
* Legs seeming to give up for the last hour or so on Sat night


Blaze remains very different to the other weekenders I have been on. The smaller scale means that classes are much less crowded and work much better than Southport or the other Ceroc weekenders I have been on. Everyone is very friendly and if the quantity of dancers is lower then the quality is every bit as high and it's much easier to get to dance with the people you want to dance with. Special thanks to Franck and Sheena and all the crew who worked so hard to make the weekend happen.

[stairman]

Another wonderful weekend just like the last one


Thank you Frank & Sheena & all the crew for organising the weekend and to all the teachers for wonderful workshops.

It was nice to be able to buy the DVD as we turned up on Sunday morning (instead of having to chase it last time). Still to watch it!

The Steal class on Sunday night was an interesting concept and great fun. Thanks to Marc and Rachel.

Thanks to all for the great dances.


Not so good - the number of fixed couples at some of the workshops (guilty of doing this in two classes) made the frequency the follows had to move on even more unpleasant. Don't know what could be done about it though.

[dep]

Left my DVD lying on the Edinburgh table as I rushed off to get home and some sleep before working this morning.

Hope someone picked it up.

Must do something with this old brain of mine before it gets me into trouble.

Ladies,
Thanks for all those wonderful dances. Brilliant weekender.

Gentlemen,
Thanks for tolerating me in that 1st move workshop. Sorry for the embarrassment I caused to a few.

[Cruella]

Highlights.
Really friendly crowd of dancers.
Mario and Sam
The site was much nicer than the usual weekender venues.
Lovely Weather.
Meeting even more new people and seeing some friends I don't get to see often enough.
Mario's exceptional teaching.
Lots of WCS practice.
The music, especially in the Blues room was superb.

Lowlights
The heat in the venue at times.
The Lamb burger I had in the restaurant.
Having to spend so long in Glasgow airport before coming home.

Memorable bits.
Gadget having a smashing time with the lampshade.
James showing me a new drop.
The affect the Proclaimers can have on the Scots!
Franck's sniffing syndrome.
Those dances with Mario.
Sparkles' giving me a moment of realisation, when she commented that it was the first time in ages, she had seen me grinning so much at a dance event.

Big congratulations to Franck and Sheena for a fabulous weekender.

[robd]

Originally Posted by stairman

It was nice to be able to buy the DVD as we turned up on Sunday morning (instead of having to chase it last time).

Well done Mas. I was critical of the Champs DVD last year so it's only right to give praise where it's due. Some funny outtakes on there too - Paul F & Lorna in particular might want to watch Mario talks at 200mph but gives a good recap of what was covered. Only disappointment is that the team cabaret isn't on there - neither the performance nor a walkthrough of the routine. Maybe Mas couldn't situate the camera far enough back to get a wide enough angle to feature everyone?

[ducasi]

Originally Posted by robd

Only disappointment is that the team cabaret isn't on there - neither the performance nor a walkthrough of the routine. Maybe Mas couldn't situate the camera far enough back to get a wide enough angle to feature everyone?

I was disappointed that Mario's musicality class was missing from the DVD – or have I overlooked it?

[robd]

Originally Posted by ducasi

I was disappointed that Mario's musicality class was missing from the DVD – or have I overlooked it?

No you haven't. I asked at the desk if the DVD contained Mario's classes and they said that it had all of them except musicality as that is a theory class but actually I reckon he could have done a summary of that class suitable for the video format. But, yes, that class is not on there.

[dave the scaffolder]

Ok sport fans just a quick post will do a longer one later.

Got to Blaze and back on 1 tank of fuel, I got 824 miles out of 80 litres of diesel and still had 67 miles left in the tank when I filled up again.

Chuffed to bits am I.

DTS XXX XXX

[Yliander]

Originally Posted by ducasi

I was disappointed that Mario's musicality class was missing from the DVD – or have I overlooked it?

Originally Posted by robd

No you haven't. I asked at the desk if the DVD contained Mario's classes and they said that it had all of them except musicality as that is a theory class but actually I reckon he could have done a summary of that class suitable for the video format. But, yes, that class is not on there.

really wish that there had been some sort of note advising that the class wasn't going to be/wasn't on the DVD as I would have made some notes while stuff was fresh in my mind - I buy DVD's weekenders to enable me to refresh my memory and to save me making notes...

Agree with Rob - would have thought that a summary suitable for the video could have been done

[Dreadful Scathe]

Originally Posted by dave the scaffolder

Got to Blaze and back on 1 tank of fuel, I got 824 miles out of 80 litres of diesel and still had 67 miles left in the tank when I filled up again.

well yes, but did you have a good time ?

[robd]

Originally Posted by Yliander

really wish that there had been some sort of note advising that the class wasn't going to be/wasn't on the DVD as I would have made some notes while stuff was fresh in my mind - I buy DVD's weekenders to enable me to refresh my memory and to save me making notes...

Agree with Rob - would have thought that a summary suitable for the video could have been done

Here's your one line summary of that class as far as I remember it

Accent the one in the music using one of: a finger point, adjusting height up or down, foot tap or striking a pose

[Yliander]

Originally Posted by robd

Here's your one line summary of that class as far as I remember it

Accent the one in the music using one of: a finger point, adjusting height up or down, foot tap or striking a pose

ahhh yes it's coming back to me!!! yes no maybe

[robd]

Originally Posted by Yliander

ahhh yes it's coming back to me!!! yes no maybe

and don't forget to add a little juice 'cos that's just the coolest thing

[Paul F]

Originally Posted by robd

Some funny outtakes on there too - Paul F & Lorna in particular might want to watch

Nooooooooooooo How embarassing

I will have to have serious words with Mas next time I see him!!!

As for the weekend - fabulous. There is definately something about this weekend and I have put it down to the atmosphere that the smaller, friendly numbers creates. The whole weekend felt relaxed.

Both rooms seemed to work well and both had a perfect number of people in them (although I never saw past 2:45am )

The only thing that dissapointed me a little is that I didnt get many dances at all with the people I was looking forward to catching up with :-( This was largely down to, firstly, teaching so much and, secondly, dancing with everyone else in the main room on Saturday. Wow I was exhausted after that. Great to meet so many people though.

Didn't get to really see any workshops but I had so much fun teaching mine. I just need to watch what terms I come out with to explain things.

Some brilliant dances, fantastic cake (Thanks LM et al), lovely people and beautiful weather. Great weekend.

Now just need to get Franck to move Ayr 400 miles further South on that weekend

[Trouble]

This weekend for me was like a breath of fresh air. It was a new venue, new place and much smaller than im used too. Everybody from the staff on site to the various people i met over the weekend were friendly, helpful and absolutely adorable.

There were many things that stood out for me this weekend but one of them was the standard of the dancers. I literally did not have a bad dance all weekend. I didn't even have a below standard one, everybody, including the female leads was amazing.

The only downside i can mention is the heat in both rooms. This was very uncomfortable but it didn't ruin anything, it just made for more close up and sweaty dances.

Met some forumites who's names we knew but had never seen and they are all, every single one of them the friendliest bunch i have ever met.

Highlights for me that i can remember as there are so many are;

* RubyRed and Blueshoes who were great company this weekend and who we shared the caravan, we had a fantastic time and laughs a plenty. Im sure DTS and Ruby will update you on the little episodes.
* Gadget and PMJD- wot wonderful dancers you are.
* Rob D and MickyR who suffered WCS with me for a couple of tracks but made me feel like i knew what i was doing - Mikey, we are still wanting to see the pirates outfit
* dancing with Franck - not enough of it but the couple we had was just amazing - well it was for me
* Meeting all the forumites from Scotland who without doubt were just wonderful people to socialise with.
*Cruella, doing six women on the dance floor at the same time.
*Steal class that Marc Forster did on sunday night was an absolute hoot
*Ducasi for making up for missed dances
* for all the wonderful comments made to me about my weight loss which encourages me to keep going
*The Whale and his lovely wife who are simply great people and of course great dancers.
* lemoncakes cakes... DELICIOUS
*Mezzosoprano who alongside all the other girls, so many too mention, were adorable and made us feel very welcome.

I could go on, trust me. I have some great photos but have left my camera leads in caravan which im waiting for have forwarded to me, once i have them i will put them for you to see.

Finally DTS who drove all the way there and back, then all the way to mine to help me with my cases (mind you, he did have a hidden agenda of dropping all his washing off at mine) and again, kept me laughing even when my feet were sore, my eyes were falling out of my head and blue shoes made us all a curry that quite frankly left us all with more problems than british gas.