The Valentines Trophy

Let's be honest. When Lisa first suggested that we get a load of clubs to host a qualifying round of a competition I was sceptical. The concept of a group of club organisers actually cooperating was alien to what I know from experience. BUT. Once again I was proved wrong. Well a lot of the time proved wrong, as there were some who said "Yes" and then did not take part. Sad really, as it turned out to be one of the most successful things we did. And we now have clubs approaching us. Result I would say.

The concept is quite simple really. You hold a competition for your dancers, with the audience deciding who goes through. The winning couple get a full weekend pass and free entry into the final of the Valentines Trophy. As part of the deal you help promote the various rounds that are going on. In return other clubs promote yours.

Clubs that took part this time ..

Supper Dance (Dawn Gennery)

Jive Junction (Lynn Smith)

Want 2 Dance (Andy and Lin Jobin)

Northern Jive (Ken ByWater)

Jive Infusion (Janice Kenyon)

Oxford Blues (Coralie Green / Robert and Anna Jeffries)

Juke Joint

CurlyWurly

 

So 8 clubs this year and after discussion we will be increasing places available

 

If you want to know any more about getting your club involved then contact us. Me via facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dj.chrisuren 

or |Lisa Via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lisa.c.graydon

Good, Bad, Ugly part 1. Great Goalkeeping by the team.

This was going to be part one of the 'Good , Bad and Ugly' of the Champs weekend after our review meeting today. But that's been overtaken by the decision to do it all again. So first put 12th to the 14th February 2016 in your diary as a provisional date for next year. That's all I am saying about next year at the moment, because there are things to be said about this years first.

We always said that we would run the event to the best of our ability and then review to see how we did. Then more importantly what the people who came thought of our efforts. Our confidence about next year was buoyed by your reactions and the very positive feedback we have received. However not all was rosy in the garden. So a few of those to be talked about here. Now there is no way I can cover everything in one Blog post so I will break it down over a couple of posts.

Slightly off. We were not particularly happy with the sound in the main room and also the bleed into the second room. And some of you commented on this. Next year. 4 corner speakers and the  provision of greater sound proofing for the second room. I know that some didn't feel the second room worked for them, but an overwhelming number liked it and it's slightly 'off the wall' nature.

Ugly. Registration on the Saturday started off very poorly and a magnificent save by Jess, Sue and Linda from the team kept us afloat. And I mean a save of epic proportions. They stayed cool and professional. This, all importantly, allowed us to keep to time. One of our priorities.

Good. The general Vibe of the whole event seemed to work. You cannot plan for that. It's the setup, crew and the people who make it that way. If we could have bottled the general atmosphere we would be billionaires.

Unclassified. A lot of local dancers came to the event with a "suck it and see" attitude along with some who desperately wanted to take part, but had no partners. I make no apologies for pushing people into taking part and doing our best to find partners at the last minute. Some of those partnerships won medals. I bet most of them come back to compete next year with partners.

I know many of you want me to talk about the music played for comps and I will get around to that. But it's a pretty big job and I want to ensure it is right. The Blog will continue on a weekly basis to keep you updated.

Quick reminder that this Sunday is my Juke Joint event at the Engine Shed. 6 till 10. Hope to see some of you there.

Sunday Winners

Sunday Results

Well another day of competition is over and it was pretty spectacular. A quick post of Sunday results. More to come about the weekend and particularly details of the competition music.

In The Zone

1st Ed Greenwood and Beth Caygill
2nd Roach Tyler and Judy Tyler
3rd Neil Wiffen and Ann Harrison

Raw and Ready

1st Melvin Young and Lynn Davis
2nd Nick Shore and Hannah Lonsdale
3rd Jo Hart and Ann Harrison

Smooth Fusion Blues (The Juke Joint Trophy)

1st Nick Shore and Hannah Lonsdale
2ndMark Oxley and Sarah Oxley
3rd Ann Harrison and Jennifer Cowling

Swinging The Blues (CurlyWurly Trophy)

1st Robert Jeffreys and Anna Jeffreys
2nd Nick Shore and Hannah Lonsdale
3rd Joe Rosa and Zuzanna Lalanne

Jack and Jill (Spotlight Dances)

1st Melvin Young and Chloe Hunt
2nd Robert Docherty and Hannah Lonsdale
3rd Joe Rosa and Lynn Davis

It's been great weekend and congratulations to all who attended. And if you placed then extra special well done.

More to come next week.

And The Winners Are..

What a day. 6 categories of the champs down and 5 more to come tomorrow. As promised I will post details of the music played for the competitions, but first it seems only correct to "BIG UP" the successful dancers. So here we have the results of today excitement.

Lucky Dip

1st Robert Jeffreys and Teresa Chapman
2nd Nick Shore and Sarah Lovett
3rd Rob Docherty and Hannah Lonsdale

Young Pups

And some not so "Young Pups

1st Robert Jeffreys and Anna Jeffreys
2nd Hannah Lonsdale and Chloe Hunt
3rd Mathew Brooke and Rebecca Green

Old Dogs New Tricks

1st Nick Shore and Ann Harrison
2nd Joe Hart and Michelle Black
3rd John Firth and Jennifer Cowling

Fresh Fundamentals

1st Paul Ray and Sarah Lovatt
2nd Stuart Jacobs and Alison Albury
3rd Joe Hart and Laura Webb

Polished and Professional

1st Robert Jeffreys and Anna Jeffreys
2nd Jo Hart and Sarah Innes
3rd Nick Shore and Hannah Lonsdale

The Valentine Trophy

1st Mark Oxley and Sarah Oxley
2nd Robery Docherty and Magdelena Bukala-Docherty
3rd Joe Rosa and Zuzanna Lalanne

I hope I have all your names correct. Well done to you all. It was an amazing day of competition. Now bring on Sunday.

The Finger is on the Starting Gun

In less than 24 hours we will open the doors to the venue for the Pre Champs freestyle. Just about everything we can think of is ready. But. Well, we have never done anything like this before so who knows what the next 3 days will bring. We have put together a great team of local dancers together to help us. The venue are right behind us. The judges are ready and waiting and heavy on discussion on a forum you cannot see here. But I know they are looking forward to the task ahead. Having looked through the entry list we have some amazing dancers from far and wide. They range from the new to the Blues and Smooth dance styles up to some very experienced dancers. All in the same room.

There are medals to be won and some very interesting.. well,l I am not calling them trophies. Wait till you get one handed to you. They are different.

So at 8pm tomorrow we open the doors for a freestyle evening of great tunes in 2 rooms. Then Saturday at 10.30 you get your numbers and at 11pm it begins. The full competition schedule is available on a previous blog. I have the music for your competitions sorted. Well I think I have!!!!! Saturday night freestyle and Sunday more competitions culminating in a Jack and Jill and the a BIG chill down on Sunday night.

Lisa and I really hope you enjoy yourselves. Come along to have fun and enjoy the weekend. The next blog will be Saturday night when I can tell you about the first days competitions and all it's winners. Nervous. No not me. I have always had this facial twitch.

The Starting Line

We are at the starting line. Prepared as it is possible to be for something we have never done before. After much thinking, action and occasional setback it is just a few days away. Below is the schedule for the 2 days of competition and it is our intention to stick as closely to this as is humanly possible. Come along and take part, but most of all enjoy yourselves. We will have made mistakes and no doubt have a few issues on the days. But we will do our best to make it a great event. However, it is you the dancers that will make it because that's what it is all about. Come along. Enjoy the music and competition, but above all dance your hearts out.

https://www.facebook.com/download/948494251836320/CopyofBluesChampsProvcomptimetable.pdf  for a PDF Link.

The all important schedule.

Saturday

10.30 doors open

11.00 Lucky Dip Partnering

11 15 Lucky Dip 1a

11.20 Lucky Dip 1b

11.25 Freestyle

11.50 Young Pups Song 1

11.55 Old Dogs Song 1

12.00 Freestyle

12.30 Fresh Fundamentals Song 1

12.35 Polished & Pro Song 1

12.40 Freestyle

13.10 Lucky Dip 2a

13.15 Lucky Dip 2b

13.20 Freestyle

13.50 Young Pups Song 2

13.55 Old Dogs Song 2

14.00 Freestyle

14.30 Valentines Trophy Song 1 & 2

14.40 Freestyle

15.10 Lucky Dip Semi

15.15 Fresh Fundamentals  Song 2

15.20 Polished & Pro Song 2

15.25 Freestyle

15.50 Young Pups Song 3

15.55 Old Dogs Song 3

16.00 Freestyle

16.30 Lucky Dip Final 2 songs

16.40 Freestyle

17.00 Fresh Fundamentals Song 3

17.05 Polished & Pro Song 3

17.10 Valentines Song 3

17.15 Freestyle

17.45 Presentation

18.00 Music until the evening

20.00 The Big Saturday Freestyle

Sunday

10.30 open

11.30 In The Zone Song 1

11.35 Smooth Fusion Song 1

11.40 Freestyle

12.10 Raw & Ready Song 1

12.15 Swingin' the Blues Song 1

12.20 Freestyle

12.50 In The Zone Song 2

12.55 Smooth Fusion Song 2

13.00 Freestyle

13.30 Raw & Ready Song 2

13.35 Swingin' the Blues Song 2

13.40 Freestyle

14.10 In The Zone Song 33

14.15 Smooth Fusion Song 3

14.20 Freestyle

14.50 Raw & Ready Song 3

14.55 Swingin' The Blues Song 3

15.00 Freestyle

15.45 Presentations

16.00 Freestyle

16.30 Jack & Jill

16.45 Final presentations etc

20.00 The Sunday Chill Down

 

And then I will go home and have a VERY STIFF DRINK.

 

 

Who's To Judge

So who will be judging your dancing?

Who are these people who are going to judge your efforts and hopefully help you win a trophy and one of these medals. They were, I can assure you, carefully chosen after a great deal of debate to cover a large range of dance. And they are coming from near, far and wide. Some you will know and some you wont.

They all have several things in common. Vast experience and a great love of dancing just as a start. But most of all they have agreed to come along and make this a great event.

Andy McGregor

Andy is not a stranger to competition Judging.. Many of you will know him as the host of the English Modern Jive Championships.He has 10 years of the circuit under his belt and he will be our lead judge for this event. Check out http://rocsters.blogspot.co.uk/ for some details of Andy's activities.

Aaron Fluff Saunders

Teaching in and around the London area. Fluff has an International reputation for his passion for the Blues. Check out the website at http://www.bluesshift.co.uk/ for some more about Aaron's activities. To quote from his website "Blues dancing is about exploring the music and expressing what you hear."

Velody

Teaching in and around the Manchester area and regularly touring internationally with her band.Velody eats, sleeps and sings the Blues. She also fronts the popular Basement Blues monthly dance event. Check out her website. http://velody.co.uk/

Nath 'Stokebloke' and Essie Jo

The Midlands most popular Blues and Tango events organisers and teachers. Both are seasoned Judges for Blues competitions and bring a wealth of experience and talent. Check out their website http://www.stokies.org/

Frank 'Blueshoes' and Faye

Frank and Faye teach regularly around the Manchester area and focus mainly on Modern Expressive blues. They are often invited to teach at weekenders throughout the UK, and are champions in the Blues competitions world in their own right. Frank and Faye have a Facebook group to let you know what they are up to. https://www.facebook.com/groups/737031976352904/

Asif Malik

Starting off in the world of Modern Jive in 1996, Asif has been dancing and teaching Blues &Swing (Lindy Hop) since 2001. He had the honout of taking part in the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics.

So there we are. 8 people to judge 11 catagories over 2 days of competition.

Can't wait.