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What The Hell Is Happening?

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https://www.dancenorthern.com/dvd.html   -    

 

 

"It's fit, it's fun and very, very soulful."  -  is the catch phrase and marketing. So is it?

 

Is it just me, or is this like a new line-dancing thing?

 

Can anyone explain what it has to do with any scene that was meant to inspire individual spirit, anarchy through individuality and LISTENING to the music yourself and developing accordingly.

 

Shockingly bad and nothing to do with Northern Soul?

 

Or should i just forget that moniker and what it meant and accept it has been hijacked by a bunch off sad, opportunistic, self-appointed, self important, self contained, self - congratulatory, controlling re-emergers?

 

World Northern Soul Dance Championships? Really? What world? Is that because the Blackpool event is so multi-cultural and representative of the World scene? Should it not be The Blackpool Dance Competition? I mean who makes this stuff up?

 

Its all so plastic and weirdly in-bred.

 

For those who say "forget politics and dance" well maybe you were not there in the first place. I got into it as an act of rebellion against the mainstream offerings of the time when i was young and kept that spirit through the 80's and 90's when a lot of Wigan goers had just packed in and a group of dedicated, soulful, anarchistic, caring people kept the scene alive.  Developing it in the spirit of discovery that had inspired it in the first place.

SO, politics gave 'birth' to the scene, it was an act of rebellion that inspired many of us to nurture it and ourselves within it.

Now the phrase "forget politics and dance" seems to cover a multitude of acts such as Dance Dvds and their accompanying guru's, World Championships, Dancing on crap TV and listening to the same 500 records over and over again..........

Politics is a necessary thing, not a dirty word as many proffer  in their simplistic arguments for doing what is basically a load of old tat. 

 

Thank the soul gods for the small clubs and true people that maintain and nurture the original political spirit of rebellion through their love of music. No DVD's to tell people how to dance, no top 500 hammered to death like nails in a coffin, no World domination through competition and a memory of the astronautical spirit of exploration and discovery that inspired many of us in the first place. 

 

So I say "Remember politics and dance"... :)

 

Just my opinion of course....

Edited by paul-s

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  • Pete S
    Pete S

    I know most of think it comes from the heart and you just eventually move along to the music but there was a time when you - yes, you - had never danced before in public and that was a big step to mak

  • Put herald
    Put herald

    I can't understand why people can't understand that the scene from the 60s and 70s has gone never to be again.the wonderful nights and days,the meeting up,the exiting apprehension of what was to be pl

  • Winnie :-)
    Winnie :-)

    I don't think it's the 'profit' that's the real problem Bob. There's a number of other questions. Authenticity: Most of us learnt to dance by watching other people and copying and lifting

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available as asda soon!......didn't motown do this back in the late 70s though..an lp with tracks mixed together for your party!..my older bruv had it ,good tracks if I remember..motown memories maybe? nothings too good,helpless,6x6,lonely girl am i etc

"Non stop party mixes" ?? WTF???

This is all going too far now

Does away with the DJ-get a cd multi-changer,switch on at 8 o clock and enjoy :wicked:

"Non stop party mixes" ?? WTF???

This is all going too far now

I know I'm going off topic, and I very likely have imagined this but didn't Colin Curtis make a return to DJ at an oldies niter in the late 80s where he beat mixed Northern records.... I can't remember where, might have been a dedicated soul club event.

I might have dreamt this, I wasn't quite compos mentis in them days :)

Edited by Byrney

Kev,

i'll make it a bit easier for you.

 

You put your right foot in,your right foot out,your right foot in and shake it all about,and do  the same with your left.

Well it's a start.

 

Aaah.! Got it now. 

I'm more shocked that John is obviously putting Kronenberg lager on his cornflakes.

 

Why am i not.?

Believe it or not I've had 2 separate calls out of the blue from ladies asking "Where can I get NS dance lessons in Perth, do you do them at the Irish Club?" (I'm talking about Perth in Western Australia, the world's most isolated capital city). Turns out they're both 50+ year olds striving to get a life after domestic dramas and have been drawn to the many Motown nights on offer which has exposed them to some NS dancing. They think it's fantastic, been scouring Youtube and want to get involved. My stock answer is come along, observe and when you feel confident enough, just cut loose in the knowledge that you'll be judged by nobody.... and it worked. Took me a couple of visits to the Casino until I got going in a dark corner of Mr M's full of vitamins.

Several years ago I was shy about venturing onto the dance floor as it had been many years since I attempted to trip the lightening fantastic. My wife suggested we have a lesson or two at the Danceology studio in Huddersfield where a lady called Sharon Finch educated us and further educated me with NS soul steps. Sharon is a professional dance teacher who in her youth used to attend both Blackpool Mecca and Wigan Casino and she knows plenty about rhythmic foot movement. I regained the confidence to venture onto the floor and these days I have the confidence just let the music dictate my steps, no line dancing or counting steps. Furthermore, these days I'm slightly better than Jake the peg and don't give a bugger what people think about my dance style (or absence of style).   

Professional dance teachers can make both good and lousy dancers better on the floor if they are smart enough to listen to the rhythm and apply what they are taught. If the teacher makes a few quid then good luck to em; they help those with two left feet feel less self conscious or embarrassed to dance.

The only exception might be Oscar Pretorious because his pegs are for running and not dancing if he gets sent down he might need to learn to dance. 

Apparently Sharon's school is about to be closed down by Ofstep...

Shitting myself at my first all-nighter, back in '74, I noticed 4 distinct groups, Record Collectors, who knew/know/and have forgotten about more than I'll never know about Rare Soul. Dancers, who knocked my white socks off, Cool lads, who wore clothes I could only dream about, and some really tough guys who provided the fuel and the edge. It was the dancing that got me, clothes were important, as was fuel. I bought records that I loved to dance to, which is why my attic 500 count box is full of worthless 150 mph shite, How do you teach that ?

Believe it or not I've had 2 separate calls out of the blue from ladies asking "Where can I get NS dance lessons in Perth, do you do them at the Irish Club?" (I'm talking about Perth in Western Australia, the world's most isolated capital city). Turns out they're both 50+ year olds striving to get a life after domestic dramas and have been drawn to the many Motown nights on offer which has exposed them to some NS dancing. They think it's fantastic, been scouring Youtube and want to get involved. My stock answer is come along, observe and when you feel confident enough, just cut loose in the knowledge that you'll be judged by nobody.... and it worked. Took me a couple of visits to the Casino until I got going in a dark corner of Mr M's full of vitamins.

Your stock answer was the right answer. Normally, people would pick it up by observing other dancers. Dance classes are for hopeless cases who are clueless about the music and too dim to work things out by themselves.

Shitting myself at my first all-nighter, back in '74, I noticed 4 distinct groups, Record Collectors, who knew/know/and have forgotten about more than I'll never know about Rare Soul. Dancers, who knocked my white socks off, Cool lads, who wore clothes I could only dream about, and some really tough guys who provided the fuel and the edge. It was the dancing that got me, clothes were important, as was fuel. I bought records that I loved to dance to, which is why my attic 500 count box is full of worthless 150 mph shite, How do you teach that ?

Nice take on the scene Wardie but there were a lot of guys who fitted into all four categories. The latter category were less numerous but plenty fitted into two or three of your categories. Remember there were also tourists, jealous hippy boyfriends, hangers-on and bag thieving scroats but I guess they are an irrelevancy nowadays.

Apparently Sharon's school is about to be closed down by Ofstep...

 

:D :D  Brilliant Lol!!

Edited by Maark

  • Author

Here's something else forthcoming to get people going :lol:

 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00IX1S7TY/ref=pe_281341_46396671_pe_epc__1p_4_ti

 

416te%2B0%2BKAL.jpg

 

 

OH MY GOD! See this is exactly what Im on about......its all gone pear shaped! I even heard that the crap single by Pharrell is now being collected and played on the scene and going for big money. Who are these people, its like the Twilight zone!

  • Author

:D :D  Brilliant!!

 

FRANKIE CROCKER, on 03 Apr 2014 - 3:20 PM, said:snapback.png

Apparently Sharon's school is about to be closed down by Ofstep...

 

PMSL......top!

Edited by paul-s

Getting up to date, My partner is a divvie, 10 years younger than me. She wanted to go to Salsa dancing lessons and of course I have to go as well. Imagine the mayhem !

Nice take on the scene Wardie but there were a lot of guys who fitted into all four categories. The latter category were less numerous but plenty fitted into two or three of your categories. Remember there were also tourists, jealous hippy boyfriends, hangers-on and bag thieving scroats but I guess they are an irrelevancy nowadays.

I know, Frankie, but I didn't really want to be in one of those categories, must admit I fancied my chances as a deejay, even got a couple of 'dayer gigs, crashed and burned !!!!

OH MY GOD! See this is exactly what Im on about......its all gone pear shaped! I even heard that the crap single by Pharrell is now being collected and played on the scene and going for big money. Who are these people, its like the Twilight zone!

Twilight Zone or Parallel Universe NS scene, not even worth getting angry about it, the scene is what it is, it has become a parody of itself.

Anything attractive that the scene may have represented is now gone...exclusivity has been replaced by inclusion....rarity by commonplace....any style by naffness and narcissism....rebellion by conformity.......the knowledge (that is the awareness of Northern Soul)  has been dissipated in the media to such an extent now that  it no longer has any secrets... 

"Secrets are the very root of cool" (Spook Country by William Gibson)

What makes me smile about this thread is that the original poster has attached himself to what potentially could be the biggest commercial venture/cock up the scene has ever witnessed :thumbsup:

 

We,ve allready had the One show out of it :shhh: time will tell eh :P

:wicked:

 

The gates of hell are open and the northern soul circus is gearing up for high season....

Edited by little-stevie

does that squiggle have any significance Simsy?

 

Nah just an edited post as I'd noticed the pun with the vid clip of Paul coaching the yunguns for the film. :thumbsup:

This is where it started for many of us i guess.. At home in the living on the carpet.... The original way....

 

On second thoughts, this could have the dance teachers mobile and doing home visits :lol:  :lol: .... Or maybe they already do????

 

 

 

Imber Village Soul Club has everything the serious Connoisseur would require, badges, and some other badges. How very dare you fcuk the home of Northern Soul !

Clip from this years WORLD championship Northern Soul Competition in Blackpool and quite frankly the lad in brown trousers was robbed!

Actually Paul I think he'd just sha* himself btw didn't you do some dance classes for an upcoming media hyped film? Us old farts warned of this before Soul Boy & no one listened, it's great for media coverage just like the mid 70's but as Private Frazer would say, "we're doomed, we're all doomed". And thank you for a very good set at SoulFunktion, excellent. :hatsoff2:

Spot. :shades:

Edited by spot

Thanks to this thread, and the DVD of course, I am finally able to get to grips with Step 14 :-D

Imber Village Soul Club has everything the serious Connoisseur would require, badges, and some other badges. How very dare you fcuk the home of Northern Soul !

I was right first time... A ghost town on Salisbury Plain :yes:

I know, Frankie, but I didn't really want to be in one of those categories, must admit I fancied my chances as a deejay, even got a couple of 'dayer gigs, crashed and burned !!!!

The P-Funk shirt clip places you high up in the Dancer class but somewhere in the middle of the Fashion set...

The P-Funk shirt clip places you high up in the Dancer class but somewhere in the middle of the Fashion set...

Fashion ! It was 1977 for Frankies sake!!! Remember, I have to live (and probably die) knowing that my T shirt is more famous than me !!!..

A friend of mine finds this distasteful, maybe because she knows someone who was told she didn't dance right!  Also because when this person decided to do NS classes, got an invite if she would like to learn to dance like Fiona - she wasn't impressed! My friend is a dancer and believes that it comes from the heart and face by way of feeling it and transfer to the feet - its not a 1 2 3 4 step its a feeling it step and she is a qualified dance/fitness instructor and likes the way we are all unique in the way we dance and if we all danced the same how boring it would be.  She said even though Fiona might be a good dancer she feels she lacks the 'feeling/soul' and doesn't find expression on her face and that it seems to be all about being noticed, and knows many people who are much much better and have their own style.

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