[Update 25/01/10: The milonga at this venue is cancelled, probably permanently - it's looking for a new one]
As mentioned in my previous post, the 33 Portland Place milonga, which has so many rooms, tried a bit of an experiment last week. The white room downstairs was designated 'salon style' with the rules posted on the door - like no overtaking, keep moving (just one turn!), respect the line of dance and respect the space of the couples in front and behind, no dangerous play (high kicks etc). Not in exactly those words, but more or less the gist.
It was really nice and relaxing and I could close my eyes as much as I wanted to, and my friend really did reach the end of the night without one single shoe mark on his nice clean trousers. And anyone who didn't find the idea appealing or didn't enjoy dancing to those rules could wander off and dance with the likeminded in the ballroom upstairs.
Adrian Costa DJ'd and supervised and helped people understand what to do. And it was lovely. The floor in that room is quite good, much better than upstairs. The only problem was weak sound, and I daresay that can be fixed.
They're trying it again tonight, which is Adrian and Amanda's last night here I think, and I gather that they really want to continue with it in future. I don't know how that will go, but if it's an idea you like (I like it) perhaps you might consider going along and supporting it.
Sunday, 18 October 2009
Salon Room at 33 Portland Place
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14 comments:
yahoo! sounds great! It might be safe enough to go and dance again in London some time soon.... :-))
Sounds great! And like something you needed in London. So I guess the Londoners will have to vote with their feet...
I will think of you ;-)
Was it actively enforced or was the sign and explanation sufficient?
It was actively enforced on the first attempt, and that went well, with no-one taking offence; the only person asked to go upstairs came back later and adjusted his dancing.
The second time (last night) they didn't have enough rooms to enforce it because of an art exhibition upstairs, and the rules weren't posted as planned, but I did get the impression that a lot of people were making an effort, and one partner told me that having had it mentioned had made people feel they could say to someone "mate, did you know you're changing lanes?". It didn't entirely work yesterday - but if they had all the usual rooms they could definitely make it work.
Cool. Pity that simply putting up a sign isn't sufficient - active participation by The Management (or whoever) would be required.
Still, possibilities....
Mind you it's a depressing comment on London dancers that it couldn't be enforced the second night because there were too many bad / inconsiderate dancers who had to dance somewhere!
Ghost said: "Pity that simply putting up a sign isn't sufficient"
Pity a sign would even be necessary to stop people behaving like jerks.
We gotta keep pushing.
The sign is explanatory, that's all. People can't follow the rules of a game if they don't understand what they are.
True, but what are they doing in a Milonga (as opposed to a Practica) if they don't know what the rules are?
or put another way
a) How have we arrived at the situation where people dancing at a milonga don't know what the rules are
b) How do we fix it?
oh, yes! been to Negracha. terrified yet again :(
26/October: I don't think it necessarily matters exactly how we got to this state of widespread ignorance, but if ignorance is in fact what it is, then:
1. a bigger, clearer notice
2. telling people about this new fun thing as they walk in the door
3. flyers with the same information
would be good first steps.
There are many places in London to Dance with Exuberance and panache which is good! But a place where you know you and your partner will not be kicked or trodden on is very welcome. Who knows it may start a trend?
@Anon - I entirely agree. (In fact, I think it would be a very good thing if there were one or more places that really focused on the exuberance and panache thing and did it well, but that's another thing). But I'm delighted to report that all the things I said just above - the bigger notice, the flyers - have been done, and last Sunday I went there and did not get one single bump, not even when the floor was fullish, which it was for about an hour between ten and eleven. Not one. Not a touch. Completely non-violent dancing!
Ms H, did you see your (and my!) words are on the following site?:
http://www.milonga.be/2009/11/the-behave-yourself-dance-floor/
The word is spreading ...
@golondrina - I hadn't seen that, thanks! I'm not sure what it means, and I think it's in Belgium. But it's good if people are thinking about it.
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