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The Greatest Dancer


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2 hours ago, paul-s said:

No, not everybody wore them and they were worn (by those who did) only for a brief period. The sad fact is that the historico-pastiche scene goers, (a lot of returnees included in that bracket) try to claim Northern soul past, present and future using this re-imagined look as an identifier/motif  for a scene that spans five decades. The lazy media love to present this clownish look too, as it is easier than historical research and very easily caricatured and ridiculed.  It's the narrow Casino-centric lens being applied once again, as if that was all the scene ever was and will be. The same happens with the music and so called top 500's, World Northern Soul Dance Championships or whatever. It's linked to the industry of Northern Soul, it reifies it for commercial/economic reasons and is not representative of Northern Soul's rich and nuanced history: which includes music, venues, fashion styles, dancing styles and more. 

In Chapter 16 of this book I write about, amongst other things, the Casino-centric lens and its mis-use : https://www.equinoxpub.com/home/northern-soul/  and interestingly enough, I start with an anecdote about playing Jonathan Capree in 2005 at Middleton all-nighter...

As above, in a nutshell!

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19 hours ago, Tomangoes said:

Back on topic....ish

This is the funniest ' dancer' I've EVER seen.

Ed

 

He’s just mucking around in front of the camera after putting in a bit of serious footwork. The trousers confirm he has a sense of humour and knows a good tailor.

Now the lass in the reddish-orange top is really showing how it can be done

Edited by Frankie Crocker
typo
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6 minutes ago, Frankie Crocker said:

He’s just mucking around in front of the camera after putting in a bit of serious footwork. The trousers confirm he has a sense of humour and knows  good tailor.

Now the lass in the reddish-orange top is really showing how it can be done

Dressed like that you need a sense of humour

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3 hours ago, Hornet said:

Which 1 is he 

 

58 minutes ago, Chalky said:

Is it just me or do a lot of the good dancers look like they are dancing to a different record than the one playing?

I think the fact they seem to have so much room, makes some pose rather than dance to what's playing.

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2 hours ago, Widnes63 said:

Although I wouldn't be seen dead dressed like that I can understand why some people do, they wear it like a badge, to make others see what they are part of, like Mods, Punks, Skins, Scooter scene et al, unfortunately the clothing chosen by the soul scene are atrocious, especially the extreme over the top multi pocket, multi badge gear, and as mentioned before this uniform was only around for a short period in time. Each to their own I suppose.

As for our friend Giovani.... he's not good is he ? Although he is having the time of his life the poor chap is delusional if he thinks otherwise. Anybody know his history ? Where is he from ? How long has he  been on "the scene" ?

As mentioned before Northern has gone mainstream whether you like it or not, Zoe Ball played our friend Frank today on the radio and mentioned something about someone having a Northern Soul house party FFS !!!

I would like to throw this in ... Poor old Judd and his ilk got slaughtered on here for filming events, now they are being cherry picked from you tube

to post on here, just sayin' :wicked:.

Choose your corner:thumbsup:.

Ste.

When you are 15!

 

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8 hours ago, wiggyflat said:

They used to take it seriously and did some good tv reporting....it's all about the trousers now and not enough emphasis on the music.I am really glad i taped this now.

Those few older documentary's such as this one are invaluable to mine and many other's memories - It's a big thanks from me for those.

Len :thumbsup:

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10 hours ago, wiggyflat said:

They used to take it seriously and did some good tv reporting....it's all about the trousers now and not enough emphasis on the music.I am really glad i taped this now.

 

 

Thanks for this post, I have some great memories of Morecambe.  I was there when this was filmed. One of my old mates who I travelled the country with Cliff Dale is on stage dancing at 3.28.

 

Tomo

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16 hours ago, Widnes63 said:

 

As mentioned before Northern has gone mainstream whether you like it or not, Zoe Ball played our friend Frank today on the radio and mentioned something about someone having a Northern Soul house party FFS !!!

 

 

Yeah, and then a little bit later someone emailed Radio 2 and asked for 'Under My Thumb' and Zoe played the Rolling Stones and said "There's another Northern Soul classic" 🙄 bless her.

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22 hours ago, Widnes63 said:

Although I wouldn't be seen dead dressed like that I can understand why some people do, they wear it like a badge, to make others see what they are part of, like Mods, Punks, Skins, Scooter scene et al, unfortunately the clothing chosen by the soul scene are atrocious, especially the extreme over the top multi pocket, multi badge gear, and as mentioned before this uniform was only around for a short period in time. Each to their own I suppose.

As for our friend Giovani.... he's not good is he ? Although he is having the time of his life the poor chap is delusional if he thinks otherwise. Anybody know his history ? Where is he from ? How long has he  been on "the scene" ?

As mentioned before Northern has gone mainstream whether you like it or not, Zoe Ball played our friend Frank today on the radio and mentioned something about someone having a Northern Soul house party FFS !!!

I would like to throw this in ... Poor old Judd and his ilk got slaughtered on here for filming events, now they are being cherry picked from you tube

to post on here, just sayin' :wicked:.

Choose your corner:thumbsup:.

Ste.

 

Was that the same Judd who ridiculed A casino icon , mmmm

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6 hours ago, Soul-slider said:

Yeah, and then a little bit later someone emailed Radio 2 and asked for 'Under My Thumb' and Zoe played the Rolling Stones and said "There's another Northern Soul classic" 🙄 bless her.

Not quite the case, she played R Stones UMT and someone emailed/text whatever and said it was a NS classic. 

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4 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

In reply to Paul S post. As he rightly says,  you can't teach someone Northern soul dancing.  You either get northern soul or any soul music for that matter and dance to it however the way the music takes you and in a way that you want to express that. You can be taught basic dance steps but afterwards it's all yours. I'm lucky I got it , ( whatever it was I got )  the same as the people who are on here get it, you can't describe it. Hope that makes sense. 

Steve 

Not sure I agree.  Having seen vids online of the NS film, dance classes.  shows any dance instructor can teach others, obviously those who can dance make it look easier.

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20 minutes ago, Hornet said:

Was that the same Judd who ridiculed A casino icon , mmmm

Pass … you would have to educate me on that.

I don't have an affinity with Judd, I remember a thread about people being filmed at events and his name was mentioned, I noticed that most of the clips on this thread were his. Just an observation.:thumbsup:

Ste.

 

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7 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

That's what I'm  saying you can be taught dance steps but if you don't get the soul thing , your just a dancer with no soul ,you may as well learn tap dancing or ballet 

Not sure bad dancer's can have the soul but look worse than someone who can dance but don't have the soul.  Having said that it doesn't really matter, folks will go where they are happiest.  Personally gave up going out a while back.

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1 hour ago, Monny1916 said:

I had a friend Geoff from St. Helens whose wife was a really good dancer,,, she just made it look so effortless,, Stephen 

Now there’s a title for the next BBC Saturday night prime time slot - ‘The Effortless Dancer’... But maybe not as we dance for pleasure and not the cameras, we dance to the music and not the judges, we dance in grungy subterranean caverns and not under the spotlights, we dance for ourselves and not a critical audience.

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Guest Shufflin
33 minutes ago, Widnes63 said:

I remember a thread about people being filmed at events and his name was mentioned

I don't think Judd was ever the issue at all (on here), the topic (from memory) was about filming people without permission, and sending them up a bit, he certainly captured some great moments in particular the Rugby niter ones are great

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1 minute ago, Zed1 said:

'tis something I've noticed in the last 10 years,  very few people now actually dance to the music, ie they just do the same thing at the same speed no matter what the type or tempo of the Track. They look like they they must be listening to their ipods as they're clearly not dancing to the track being played. 

Yep. Dancing on autopilot. The more proficient interprete the music and adapt their footwork. Shuffle to 70’s and stomp to 70’s... or is it the other way around? Some lads and lasses in the video clips mix the two styles up to good effect. And a big nod of thanks to Judd and others fir providi g the clips.

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7 minutes ago, Zed1 said:

'tis something I've noticed in the last 10 years,  very few people now actually dance to the music, ie they just do the same thing at the same speed no matter what the type or tempo of the Track. They look like they they must be listening to their ipods as they're clearly not dancing to the record being played. 

I've often thought about taking my own ipod (or Walkman) So if you see me dancing outa time - You know why! :wink:

Len :thumbsup:

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Guest Shufflin
6 minutes ago, Len said:

I've often thought about taking my own ipod (or Walkman) So if you see me dancing outa time - You know why! :wink:

Len :thumbsup:

apologies in advance to all, maybe Silent Disco NS style could be a thing (each dancer chooses their own channel of tunes) 😉

 

Edited by Shufflin
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5 minutes ago, Shufflin said:

apologies in advance to all, maybe Silent Disco NS style could be a thing (each dancer chooses their own channel of tunes)

 

I worked with someone back in the early 80's who was not into club music in anyway, but used to come out with a bunch of us from work and listened to his own walkman, whilst on the dance floor, a man ahead of his time!

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I guess it's crazy to compare how I can dance now compared to 40 years ago, like many others, the willingness is there, but the engine is starved of oomph.

Nevertheless, I've said it before, and I'll say it again....for the first minute of 'I'm gone, ton of dynamite etc, I can still keep up with the best of the best. I just need oxygen soon after:)

Ed

 

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13 hours ago, Soulman58 said:

Not sure I agree.  Having seen vids online of the NS film, dance classes.  shows any dance instructor can teach others, obviously those who can dance make it look easier.

You can tell a mile away those who have been "Taught" how to dance, they look soul-less, they have no natural feel for the music. 

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16 hours ago, Len said:

I've often thought about taking my own ipod (or Walkman) So if you see me dancing outa time - You know why! :wink:

Len :thumbsup:

Len. We both attended a recent nighter when one of the Djs wearing cans  was dancing around behind the decks, looking like he was dancing to a different record than what he was playing , he had already cue,d the next record.  I did comment to a few people who laughed.  

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5 hours ago, Steve Lane said:

You can tell a mile away those who have been "Taught" how to dance, they look soul-less, they have no natural feel for the music. 

 

You can in a 'live' situation I think.

Harder on video and films, in these cases, the music is dubbed over afterwards and rarely are the dancers in synch with the music and it is often a different track, (or due to the edit a number of tracks) they were dancing too. 

 

Edited by paul-s
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