Jive Nites Blog

It shouldn't happen to a dance teacher...

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 01:00:00 GMT

In the words of that ancient song... 'Oh what a night!'

After two weeks of not being able to use the hall at Sandy due to some maintenance work, I was looking forward to getting back there. So with new, ultra-lightweight kit in the car - off I went...

Walking into the venue it was clear that a lot of work had been done. The floor shone like a milkpond and the smell of recently applied varnish hung heavy in the air - and then headed straight up my nostrils and divided itself into a two-pronged assault. Half aimed high, heading straight for my head to ensure a constant light-headedness, whilst the other half sunk low and sat heavy in my tummy leaving me on the verge of nausea throughout the evening. Not the best combination when it comes to spinning...

No matter, throwing open the windows and door it was time to set up the new kit. The same new kit that the shop assistant had assured me was ready to unwrap and play... I'd chosen the spotty, gangly, bespectacled, lank-haired teenage shop assistant on purpose. Everyone knows you choose the hairdresser with the bird's nest hair if you're looking for a good haircut and the geekiest teenager if you're looking for help with technical gadgetry. Bad move. After taking delivery of my new kit, I was disappointed to find that one essential component was missing. Another trip to the shop later, and I had everything in the car I needed, and so to Sandy. All was going well, right up until the moment that I realised a vital pair of leads were not in the box where they should be... None of my spare cables had the right connectors and with minutes to go, we had no music.

So, minutes to spare, no music, a seriously dodgy smell in the room, a glistening, newly varnished floor that resisted any attempts to be spun upon - and then I discover that I have forgotten my dance shoes...! You'd think that I'd have at least one pair of the 17 pairs of dance shoes I own with me - but no! Not even a couple of left foot, wrong-sized odd ones.

And that's how I ended up teaching a class that involved fast double spins on a spin-sucking floor, in my socks, without music, whilst feeling ominously nauseous, to a lovely bunch of people who worked hard to laugh 'with' me rather than 'at' me... Until we spotted the lady who had forgotten to remove the price tag label from her new cardigan...

All was eventually resolved... A couple of car trips later and we had music, after being danced upon for a while the floor recovered its 'spinability', the label was safely removed from the cardigan - and I danced, albeit badly, in my socks!

Looking forward to next week!

Tis the night before...

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 18:24:00 GMT

...Our HUGE Advance & Dance weekend, so it is no surprise that my backside keeps meeting my frontside as I run around in circles doing the millions of jobs I've left til the 'Last Minute'!

Obviously all of the important things are now done.

Dress? Check!
Shoes? Check!
Dance shoes? Check!
Emergency chocolate in dance bag? Check!

So pretty much there then!

With 4 workshops, our biggest freestyle event of the year and a Sunday freestyle to fit in during the course of one weekend - there are probably a few other things I could do with sorting out, but a girl has to get her priorities right... Right?

Best go and do something else important now... Choosing the correct shade of nail polish is a job that should never be left to chance! ;0)

Purple Party Aftermath...

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 20:47:00 GMT

The third Saturday of each month is freestyle night at Jive Nites - and this month was a Purple Party Nite, with a difference!

Purple Party Nites are fab! Everyone wears something purple and comes along to have a good time. Great dancers from all over the country gather together in Buckden and party...

This Purple Party was a little different though... A random conversation between Stanley and I sparked a 'Battle of the Sexes' challenge. Much as Stanley rattled on about the merits of the great male vocalists of all time, I was equally convinced that there were enough strong, current female vocalists that could give those guys more than a run for their money... And so with battle lines clearly drawn, we each set out to do our respective sexes justice...!

Stanley started the evening strong and tough with Jace Everett going on about wanting to do Bad Things... No matter, I had the perfect reply with Mary Chapin Carpenter telling him to 'Shut Up and Kiss Me'. Trying to worm his way back into the good books The BodyRockers gave it large with 'I like the way you move' but Pink had the measure of them with 'U + Ur Hand...'

I must admit I got a little nervous when Stevie Wonder was brought in but Rihanna soon took care of that. JJ Grey & Mofro Vs Tracey Chapman, Eminem lowered the tone with Shake that but Barbara Carr soon put the boy in his place. When Glen Frey got rocky, Pat Benatar met him head on. The Temptations held their own against Dusty Springfield and Popa Chubby enjoyed being coupled with Christina Aguilera for sure! And so the evening went on. Fantastic male vocalists being met by amazing female vocalists creating a playlist that ensured the dancers were the winners by far...

And who won the Battle of the Sexes? Well, she who has the microphone (and the sense to send the man on an important mission at just the right moment) wins! All's fair in love, war and dancing... ;0)

Welcome to my world...!

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:23:00 GMT

Well this could be interesting...

Somehow, someone somewhere has been foolish enough to give me space to talk about my favourite subjects... Dance, Dancers, Dancing, Dance Shoes, Dance Etiquette, Dance faux pas, Dance Triumphs & Disasters, oh just about anything dance-related - are you detecting a theme here?

I don't really have a 'Master Plan' where this blog is concerned, but over the course of time I hope to share with you the ups, downs and in-betweens of Sara White - Dancer!

I hope you'll join me on the journey - who knows where we could end up...!