Modern Jive Classes and Events

The Great Daffodil Appeal Dance 10th March 2012

2012-02-23T11:21:00.000Z

Sue's Birthday Party

2012-02-14T11:16:00.000Z

Sue's Birthday is 14th February - and we're celebrating with a party on Saturday 18th Feb at Findon Village Hall. There's no special dress code - just come and party!

Black & White Ball - Sat 11th Feb 2011 - The Drill Hall, Horsham

2012-02-02T16:22:00.001Z

This will be a fabulous night of dancing with a very easy theme. And, of course, you could completely ignore the theme and wear what you like!

Please note, we've decided to make it like the last event we had at the Drill Hall. At that event we had drinks included in the price. This was very popular with people being able to help themselves from drinks in the kitchen. This created a party atmosphere with a LOT of chatting and laughing in the kitchen - just like a party in someone's house, just a very big house with over 150 guests!

Although there was beer and wine available, the first thing to run out around 11pm was orange juice, we'd brought over 4 gallons and thought that would be plenty! Obviously people want more vitamin C than beer so we'll bring even more juice to this next event!

Photos of Burns Night

2012-02-01T17:43:00.003Z

Stephen Edwards took some fabulous pictures at the Burns Night. We've put a few here but there's loads more up on the Rocsters Dancers facebook group if you'd care to look. You can find this group by clicking the Robert Burns Portrait to the left. While you're visiting the group you could ask to join us so we can keep you informed and up to date with our events.

Burns Night 28th Jan 2012 8pm - midnight - Horsham

2012-01-23T13:29:00.001Z

Warnham Village Hall

Hollands Way, Warnham, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 3RH

This Burns Night is a celebration of the Bard with a lot of dancing rather than a traditional Burns Supper.

We will Pipe in the Haggis at 8.30pm and "Address the Haggis" with all due pomp and reverence. And we'll toast the Lassies and have a response from the Lassies too. But the night is mostly about dancing modern jive.

Please try to wear something Scottish. Kilts are traditional, but a tartan hairband or socks will go down just as well - and you could simply come as you are and enjoy the dancing.

We will be serving up Haggis, obviously! And we'll also have smoked salmon and other Scottish nibbles during the evening. Plus the usual free tea, coffee and chocolates. Please feel free to bring your own wine & beer.

Tickets £8 in advance at our nights or on-line by clicking "Buy Tickets" above. £10 on the door.

Sat 21st Jan 2012 January SALE 25% OFF

2012-01-20T17:32:00.000Z

January

SALE

Party

Saturday 21st Jan 2012
Findon Village Hall, High St, Findon, BN14 0TA
7.30pm - 11.30pm
Tickets £6 in advance and £8 on the door. Click on "Buy Tickets" above to get your £6 advance tickets on-line.

This is a classic Findon Party. 4 hours of pure dancing to a right good mix of tracks from the 50s to the current charts. A nice selection of nibbles harvested for the SALE area at Tesco and free tea, coffee & iced water. Bring your own wine and beer.

Masquerade Party

2012-01-12T11:13:00.000Z

This night is going to be buzzing. We've sold plenty of tickets and received a lot of enquiries too.

Please note, this is NOT a Ball. There is no need to rush out and buy a gown or DJ. Just dress to party and wear a mask. And don't worry too much about the mask either - Andy has a new laser printer that prints on thick card and he will be making "Celebrity Masks" for you to wear. Let Andy know if there's a particular celebrity you'd prefer - Marilyn Monroe, George Clooney, Elvis, etc.

Timetable for the last week in Dec 2011 & first week in Jan 2012

2011-12-29T11:35:00.001Z

Tues 27th Dec - Closed

Wed 28th Dec - Little Inbetweenie - Findon Village Hall

Thurs 29th Dec - Closed

Sat 31st Dec - Luxury New Year's Eve Party, Findon Village Hall - places left for men ONLY!!!

Sun 1st Jan - Closed

Tues 3rd Jan - First Findon Class of 2012

Thu 5th Jan - First Horsham Class of 2012

Fri 6th Jan - Durrington Closed

Sun 8th Jan - First Smooth Sunday of 2012

Advance Notice

14th January first dance of 2012 at the Drill Hall, HORSHAM Masquerade Party - start looking for masks! This is not a ball, no gowns required!

Sun 15th January 2012 - Ballroom 1 Strictly Bootcamp

Wednesday 28th Dec - Findon Village Hall

2011-12-23T18:20:00.000Z

Christmas Parties Tuesday, Thursday and Friday

2011-12-17T17:44:00.011Z

Which one of Andy's Demonstrator's is this?

This week it's all about Christmas at our class nights. Please wear something red and/or glittery and come prepared to party.

Feel free to bring some wine, beer or even a hot toddy in a hip flask!
Each night will start with a fun lesson that's suitable for all levels. Then it's freestyle, social dancing for the rest of the night - we might even dance a Stroll to "Let it Snow" - but we're hoping it doesn't snow, obviously!

Tuesday 20th Dec
Findon Village Hall
2 Hours of
CHRISTMAS PARTY
Freestyle

Tues 20 Dec 2011 - 8pm - 10.30pm
There will be a 30 minute "FUN" lesson at 8pm from "Mother" Christmas - Back by popular demand. then it's freestyle from 8.30pm - 10.30pm. Mince pies and the usual tea & coffee.

Findon Village Hall, High St, Findon, Worthing, West Sussex BN14 0TA
£6 b4 9.30pm £4 concs and after 9.30pm

Thursday 22nd Dec
The Drill Hall Horsham
Two and a Half Hours of
Festive Freestyle with
2 DJs Andy McGregor
& Ray Styles
DJ from LeRoc Surrey
Before her important engagement at the North Pole
"Mother Christmas" will be appearing for the final time in 2011.
There will be a half hour fun & festive lesson from "Mother Christmas" at 8pm
Then it's two and a half hours of freestyle with a right good mix of music from Andy and Ray.

The Drill Hall, Denne Road, Horsham RH12 1JF
£7 b4 9.30pm £5 concs and after 9.30pm

Friday 23rd Dec
Last Chance to Dance b4 Christmas!!!
Durrington WMC
Cotswold Road, Worthing, BN13 2LA

Three & a Half Hours of

Freestyle Dancing
It's a request night and you really do get to choose what you like!
AND
We've been told it's the cheapest bar in Worthing too!
Just £6 before 9pm - £7 after 9pm.

Christmas and New Year's Eve Parties

2011-12-15T14:46:00.000Z

Warnham Village Hall
Hollands Way, Warnham, Horsham, RH12 3RH
Sat 10th Dec 2011 8pm - midnight
Buck’s Fizz or St Clements Fruit Fizz on arrival plus seasonal nibbles & choccies. FREE iced water, Tea & Coffee. BYO wine & beer. £8 in advance £9 on the door.

Findon Village Hall
High St, Findon, Worthing, West Sussex BN14 0TA
Sat 17th Dec 2011 - 8pm - 11.30pm
Mulled wine & non-alcoholic punch on arrival plus seasonal nibbles & choccies. FREE iced water, Tea & Coffee. BYO wine & beer. £8 in advance £9 on the door.

Durrington WMC Club - Worthing
Cotswold Road, Worthing, BN13 2LA
Fri 23rd Dec 2011 - 8.30pm - 11.30pm
Mince Pies & choccies. FREE Tea & Coffee. Licenced bar - cheapest in Worthing!
£6 b4 9pm - £7 after 9pm

Jive Aces Yellow Shirts - Thursday 8th Dec - Drill Hall, Horsham

2011-11-30T17:38:00.001Z

Andy, Sue & Rocsters Crew Modelling the Jive Aces Yellow Rugby Shirts

We'd like to surprise the Jive Aces by having loads of people dancing in yellow shirts to match the yellow suits the Jive Aces wear on stage. So Andy has been shopping and has brought a car-load of yellow rugby shirts from a sports supplier in Sevenoaks - over £2,000 worth of shirts at retail prices - although Andy did get a good deal as he's brought so many shirts - which is great news for you as we're GIVING THEM AWAY to everyone who buys a £12 ticket on the door on Thursday 8th December - if you got a cheaper advance ticket you can have one of these shirts for just £2 when you arrive - so long as we've still got a shirt in your size!

While stocks last in each size on a first-come-first-served basis. We've only got just over a hundred shirts to give away - you need to get to the Drill Hall early to be sure to get one in your size before they're gone - doors open at 7.30pm. There's just one shirt in a very manly 46-48" chest, 10 in 42-44", 25 in 38-40", 60 in 34-36" and 6 in 30-32" - for those who think yellow is a bit bright for other times, these shirts are reversible - the other side is a rather nice shade of purple.

Horror Ball Sat 26th Nov 2011 - FREE wine & beer!

2011-11-21T13:54:00.000Z

Way back in 2008 we held the first “Horror Ball”. It was a fabulous and classic night and since then it’s become an annual event. We’ve given careful thought to this next one. But we’ve been brave and now it’s here! As we did last year we’ll be having the Castle Bar with FREE wine and beer to add to our usual free tea, coffee and iced water.

You don’t need to come in fancy dress, you could come dressed to party and stare in wonder that some of the outfits - some people really go to town, to say the least!!! If you’re short of ideas we suggest you come as a Witch, Ghost, Zombie Bride, Frankenstein’s Monster, Dracula or or his bride or as a cast member from the Adam’s Faily, the Munsters or even the the Rocky Horror Show - Andy’s favourite!
We’re encouraging you to get your tickets in advance by charging £10 before the 13th November - after that tickets will be £13 in advance or on the door.

You can buy your tickets on-line by clicking on the "Buy Tickets" tab above or at any of our nights. You will be able to reserve tables if you want to sit with your friends - let us know when you buy your tickets and we'll reserve the right size table with your name on it

Reminder - Sunday 20th Nov 2011

2011-11-19T12:00:00.001Z

Findon Closed for one night only

This is due to an Extraordinary meeting of the Village Hall committee about the development of a new village hall.
Back to normal next Sunday

Bravo Italia Dance - Warnham/Horsham Sat 19th Nov 2011

2011-11-09T14:51:00.000Z

Curry & Bangers - Firework Party @ Findon - 5th Nov 2011

2011-10-26T13:24:00.000+01:00

Sat 15th Oct Party Dance, Warnham Village Hall

2011-10-12T18:44:00.000+01:00

Dances at Warnham Village Hall are more like a party. There's a fabulous dance floor and we'll be playing a great mix of music, old, new, pop, Latin, swing, jazz, etc. We put on a selection of FREE nibbles & chocolates plus unlimited FREE tea, coffee and iced water. You can bring your own wine & beer so you can enjoy a night's dancing for £8 and have your drinks at Tesco prices.

Warnham Village Hall, Hollands Way, Warnham, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 3RH

7.45pm - 11.45pm - we'll go on 'til midnight if people are up for it, and they usually are!

Tickets £8 in advance or on the door.

Chilli Night, 8th Oct, Findon Village Hall, 8pm - 11.30pm

2011-10-04T17:32:00.000+01:00

Modern Jive 8.30pm - 11.30pm

Learn the Chilly Cha Cha Stroll 8.15pm - 8.30pm

(Andy will be teaching this at all venues this week too!)

Light Chilli Con Carne Supper with French bread or Jacket Potatoes with butter/beans.

GRUB UP! Announced by a Performance of the Chilli Stroll at 10pm

Advance tickets £8 or £9.50 on the door

Tickets available at any class night or click 'Buy Tickets' above.

Strictly Bootcamps - Ballroom & Latin Workshops

2011-09-23T16:48:00.002+01:00

Party Dance Warnham/Horsham Sat 17th Sept 2011

2011-09-14T21:04:00.001+01:00

Findon Party 10th September 2011

2011-08-30T03:54:00.001+01:00

Saturday 27th August 2011 - Summer 'Floral' Party' Horsham Drill Hall

2011-08-22T12:25:00.001+01:00

BBQ & Dance Saturday 20th August 2011

2011-08-16T12:35:00.003+01:00

£8 Ticket Findon BBQ
20th August 2011

Next Dance Saturday 13th August 2011 - Warnham Village Hall, Warnham/Horsham

2011-08-08T00:29:00.002+01:00

There's always a great party atmosphere at Warnham. The hall has a great dance floor and it stays filled all night. We provide tea, coffee and nibbles. You can bring your own wine & beer. Just £8 on the door.

Warnham Village Hall, Hollands Way, Warnham, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 3RH
7.45pm - 11.45pm

Wednesday Afternoon Summer Tea Dances - Start 3rd August 2011

2011-07-25T14:51:00.004+01:00

Wednesday Afternoon Summer Tea Dances - We are very excited to tell you that we are running afternoon Modern Jive tea dances in Worthing for 6 weeks during the Summer starting Wednesday 3rd August. We know that many dancers have to work during the day, however some people work odd hours, including us! And many people are retired, on holiday, telling their boss they're going to the dentist, etc, etc. So if you are available we would love to see you. It's a lovely hall with a new, sprung dance floor, plenty of free parking behind 'The Range' next door. East Worthing Community Centre, Pages Lane, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 2NQ Doors open at 2.30pm 'till 5pm.

You've got just two days to vote in the GREAT Debate - Biccies or Cake? We can't decide what to give you at the Wednesday tea dances. We've done our maths and there's two options;

1. Tea/coffee with cake for £6

2. Tea/coffee with assorted biccies for £5

We'd like to hear what you want. So we've put a public referendum on here. Voting is to the left of this post. Please cast your vote NOW - voting closes 11pm on Wednesday.

Summer Party Dance 30th July - Findon/Worthing

2011-07-25T14:01:00.002+01:00

BBQ Horsham/Warnham - Saturday 16th July 2011

2011-07-13T15:08:00.000+01:00

Burgers and sausages freshly barbequed and served in a bun with salad. Plenty of free parking. The venue does not have a liciense so please feel free to BYO wine and beer.

Free tea and coffee and iced water available all evening plus chocolates!

THIS EVENT WILL GO AHEAD EVEN IF IT RAINS ON SATURDAY - THERE HAS BEEN TALK ABOUT A BEACH THEME FOR THIS EVENT - THIS IS JUST A RUMOUR BUT PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COME DRESSED FOR THE BEACH - Andy has heard the rumour and he'll be dressed for the South of France!

Tickets £8 in advance or £10 on the door available on our website to buy on line

Sports Party 9th July Nr Worthing - Clapham & Patching Village Hall

2011-07-05T17:16:00.000+01:00

Press Report about the Plants dancers brought for Alzheimers Garden

2011-06-28T16:10:00.001+01:00

Our donation is reported at the bottom of the middle column

Rocsters News - Monday 13th June 2011

2011-06-13T19:48:00.002+01:00

This Saturday, 18th June, we're holding a Classic Beach BBQ at Findon Village Hall
Durrington Closed on Friday 17th June - back on the 24th June
Horsham News
Private Bookings - Private lessons, discos & event management

Dear Dancer,

After a seemingly relentless 4 days of solid dancing and many private bookings we're having a relaxing Monday in front of the computer, TV and ironing board!

This Saturday, 18th June, we're holding a Classic Beach BBQ at Findon Village Hall. Great food, great music, good company - and great shirts as you can see from the picture above take at last year's Beach Barbie! Andy will be starting the night cooking up a right good mix of burgers, sausages and chicken wings served with a mixed salad and Sue will be on the decks providing a right good mix of music. We'll switch over around 10pm with Andy on the decks and Sue serving up the ice-cream and chocolates. Please remember this venue allows you to bring your own wine & beer - we'll supply FREE tea, coffee & iced water as well as all the food. It's just £8 in advance - buy on-line from www.Rocsters.com - or £10 on the door. Dress code, "Tropical Beach" colourful shirts, sun dresses, etc - Jackie has said, enigmatically, "I look good in a swimsuit"! Doors open and food served from 7.30pm - last track 11.30pm.

Durrington Closed for one night ONLY on Friday 17th June - back on the 24th June. On Friday we enjoyed a rockin' night at the Durrington Club. Word is spreading about this venue and the feedback is FANTASTIC! Dancers love the prices too - entry for over 4 hours on a Friday night is just £6 for the whole night with 2 lessons and £5 after 9.30pm and we're told the bar has "the cheapest pint in Worthing". If you've not been on a Friday you'll have to wait a week to try for yourself as, due to a party for a club member, the Durrington venue is closed for one night only this Friday, 17th June - we're back as usual on Friday 24th June.

Horsham News - Last Thursday night we had a party to mark our "End of Term" class at the Drill Hall in Horsham. We've now got a hard-core of very keen dancers who have learnt to dance entirely with us and have a proper dancing frame, good posture, correct footwork, no bad habits and, most importantly, style! Many of them will be visiting Worthing or Findon during the summer months. And they'd like people to join them in Horsham in September - we're putting together a programme of promotions such as dance demonstrations in Horsham Town Centre, dancing at local events, news stories for the local papers and we're looking for places in Horsham to display posters or leave a supply of leaflets, please let us know if you can help.

Private Bookings - Private lessons, discos & event management - Now that we have sold our interest in Eastbourne LeRoc we have some gaps in our diary and much more time for private bookings for lessons, discos and parties. In the last two weeks we've taught many hours of private tuition and run a wedding and a 60th birthday party on the last two Saturdays. Also, we can help you with the logistics of your event as we've "accumulated" (Sue says "hoarded"!) a huge stock of catering stuff which we can bring along: tablecloths, cutlery, chairs, tables, hundreds of glasses, portable BBQ, portable bars, portable dance floor, beer chillers, etc, etc. Here is some feedback from recent events "thank you to you and Sue for doing a fantastic job for Rita and Nic’s wedding on Saturday" and "Thank you, thank you both so very much for a fantastic night. It was just perfect!!!" If you would like to book us please get in touch as soon as possible, some people book us more than 2 years in advance! Just send us an email, call us on 07813 213 201 or speak to us at one of our nights.

See you on the dance floor.

Andy & Sue

p.s. It's nice to know the Police are working to keep our roads safe - Andy was stopped by police in an un-marked Police car shortly after leaving the Durrington Club on Friday night, "we're informing the public about the risks of drinking and driving" said the young Policeman - he seemed confused and disappointed when it turned out that Andy had just left a club with a cheap bar and had only drunk coffee all night! Absolutely no alcohol had passed his lips - which might surprise those who had seen him dance - he was just a little over-excited on sugar and caffeine, honest!

New Friday 'til Midnight in Worthing

2011-05-26T11:59:00.001+01:00

Scroll down for a map to the venue.

It's really easy to find this hidden gem of a venue as it's just one minute from the Offington Roundabout.

Just follow the A27 West from the Roundabout at the bottom of the A24

and Cotswold Road is the 2nd left turn.

Fruity In Findon 21st May 2011

2011-05-21T01:51:00.000+01:00

If you would like to find out our dance dates please click above "Dance Dates 2011"

Building up to the THE BIG ONE!

2011-05-11T21:48:00.001+01:00

As you can see in the picture, we've got the memory stimulating flowers filling our patio table and there's the linen tablecloths for the tables at the ball drying on the line in the background.

Andy has hoovered the Red Carpet and Sue is working her way through ironing the 27 90"x90" white tablecloths - Andy will take over the ironing when Sue or the iron runs out of steam!!!

The UK Champion workshop teachers have been on the phone and we're getting more and more enquiries as we get nearer to the day and night of dance at Hove Town Hall. Read the post below or click on the link above if you'd like to know more about the day of dance, this post is mostly about the flowers.

Flowers are a lovely way to stimulate memories. Andy has fantastic memories of helping his florist grandad in his shop in Lancing in the 1960s. Flowers stimulate memories for everyone, not just for Alzheimers victims.

Part of the donation we're all making to the Alzheimers Society will be used for a Sussex garden specifically designed to stimulate memory for dementure sufferers. And we thought it would be memorable to buy some colourful plants to decorate the tables at the Red Carpet Ball which would also be the raffle prizes for people to take home at the end of the night.

Win one of these flowering plants and put it in your garden to give you years of happy memories of a great night dancing - even if you don't have a garden you could always give your prize to a friend or relative as a present and have a happy memory when you visit. And you have every chance of winning a plant as there will be 27 of them available to win in the 'silent' raffle - the 'silent' bit means that we won't be interrupting the dancing to draw the raffle, just putting up a poster in the bar telling you the numbers of the winning tickets and which plant you have won.

Brighton Day of Dance 14th May 2011

2011-05-09T22:31:00.002+01:00

Seven workshops from 4 UK Champions
And 6 hours of dancing at the Red Carpet Ball in Aid of Alzheimers.

Click on the "Red Carpet Ball & Workshops" link above to find out more about this fabulous day of dancing. Advance tickets are selling very well. However, the venue is huge and there WILL be tickets on the door for both the Ball and the workshops.

You will be allocated at seat when you arrive. If you particularly want to sit with your friends you will need to book and pay for the whole table in advance - click on 'Buy Tickets' above and pay for 8-12 people at the same time. If you're booking a table, take a look at the Red Carpet page above and scroll down to the table plan to choose a table.

Please note we will be having a silent raffle (that's the kind where we don't interrupt the music to draw the numbers) to raise more funds for Alzheimers. We will be suppling some lovely prizes but please feel free to donate prizes of your own.

BBQ - 30th April 2011

2011-04-30T13:14:00.001+01:00

We have held tickets back for people who are coming and paying on the night. There's still room if you are coming and it's a lovely, sunny day for a BBQ. If you'd like to book you can text Andy on 07813213201.

A Right Good - GOOD Friday

2011-04-22T14:19:00.000+01:00

Our Next Dance - Black & White Ball, Horsham, 16th April 2011.

2011-04-08T22:15:00.000+01:00

Rocsters News 31 March - Detailed Version

2011-03-31T14:04:00.000+01:00

Dear Dancer

ROCSTERS NEWS 31 March 2011 Long version

Special Squeeze prices for April - see below

Black and White (with a hint of Red) Ball SATURDAY 16TH APRIL
DRILL HALL CLOSED FOR DANCING ON THURS 14TH APRIL
Next Warnham Party Dance - Good Friday 22nd April
Findon BBQ Saturday 30th April
Red Carpet Alzheimers Ball - and "Brighton LeRocks - Le-Weekender" dancing & workshops SATURDAY 14TH MAY
Early Bird Ticket - Buy your Friday/Saturday/Sunday Le-Weekend package ticket before SATURDAY 9th April and get it for just £45 rather than £52. Visit the www.Rocsters.com to buy your ticket on-line.
Don't forget we are open EVERY Sunday at Findon Village Hall for our Sunday freestyle

Horsham Thursdays at the Drill Hall
Special Squeeze prices for April
3 classes for £10 is back buy VIP passes on line or at any class before Thursday 7 April
Thursdays 7th, 21st, and 28th (no class on 14th April)
Free tea and coffee cold water, and biscuits available all evening
Large new sprung floor, and free parking behind the hall for Drill Hall users

*****

Black and White (with a hint of Red) Ball , Drill Hall, Denne Road, HORSHAM
Saturday 16th April 8pm - midnight
Large ballroom with a new sprung dance floor, plenty of room to dance also free parking behind the venue for all hall users
This will be our first Saturday dance at this venue.
Tickets £8 in advance AVAILABLE TO BUY AT ANY CLASS OR ON LINE or £10 on the door
Please bring your own wine or beer as the venue does not have a licience.
Free tea, coffee and chocolates

*****

Next Warnham Party Dance
Good Friday 22nd April
Bring your own Wine or Beer
Free tea, coffee, and nibbles Party atmosphere, there is even chatting in the kitchen (and we will be celebrating someones birthday!)
Tickets £8 on the door

PLEASE NOTE THE DRILL HALL WILL BE CLOSED FOR DANCING ON THURSDAY 14TH APRIL DUE TO A PREVIOUS BOOKING
back to normal on Thursday 21st April

*****

Findon
Annual First BBQ of the year Saturday 30th April - Findon Village Hall
We cook up tasty burgers, sausages and tangy chicken wings and as the venue doesn't have a licensed bar please BYO Wine/Beer
(if it rains we will cook the food in the kitchen at the hall)
Squeeze Beating Tickets
Buy B4 2nd April £3
Buy B4 9th April £4
Buy B4 16th April £5
Buy B4 23rd April £7
On the door price £8
Buy tickets on our website or at any class night

*****

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Red Carpet Alzheimers Ball - and "Brighton LeRocks - Le-Weekender" dancing & workshops SATURDAY 14TH MAY 2011
The Great Hall, Hove Town Hall,
Norton Road, Hove BN3 4AH

Early Bird Ticket - Buy your Friday/Saturday/Sunday Le-Weekend package ticket before SATURDAY 9th April and get it for just £45 rather than £52. Visit the www.Rocsters.com to buy your ticket on-line.

Ball Tickets £15 in advance or on the door
To reserve a table of 10 - 12 please pay for the whole table in advance. and we will make sure you are seated together. Others will be allocated a table as they arrive.

Workshops during the day 10.30 am - 6pm from 5 of the best teachers from around the country

Nigel and Nina - Double UK Jive & Showcase Champions
Roger Chin - Triple UK Modern Jive Champion and Australian Masters Jive Champion
Lisa Saw - UK Open Champion
Kane Jenner (Adrenalin Jive) - Aerials Specialist Teacher

7 Workshops to choose from - £8 each (or do them all for £35)
These workshops are suitable for you if you've been dancing for more than 3 months but will introduce new and interesting moves and techniques even if you've been dancing for many years.

1. Simply Jiving
2. Dips & Drops
3. Mini Aerials
4. Balance Moves
5. Spinning
6. Romancin' the Blues
7. Advanced Jive - everyone on the workshops will be an 'advanced' jiver by this time!

Saturday "Brighton LeRocks" package - all the Saturday workshops plus the Ball - just £45

Whole "Brighton LeRock - Le-Weekender" package ticket: starting with Friday Night at the King Alfred, (with Dance Infinity) + all 7 Saturday workshops + The Red Carpet Ball for just £50 - add Sunday at Findon Village Hall for just another £2 making it £52 in advance.

Early Bird Ticket - Buy your Friday/Saturday/Sunday Le-Weekend package ticket before 9th April and get it for just £45 rather than £52. Visit the www.Rocsters.com to buy your ticket on-line.

For more information pick up one of our flyers at any class night, full details are also on our website

See you on the dance floor

Andy and Sue

Jive Aces "Bring Me Sunshine Video"

2011-03-19T13:53:00.002Z

We loved this and it did bring us sunshine!

Red Carpet Ball 14th May - In Aid of Alzheimers

2011-03-12T11:20:00.000Z

Please make a note of this event in your diary. This will be a fabulous event with people making a weekend of it by going to the KA on the Friday, the workshops and the Red Carpet Ball on the Saturday and the Freestyle at Findon Nr. Worthing on the Sunday Night - tongue in cheek we've called it

Brighton LeRocks!

We've got seven workshops during the day with top teachers Nigel Anderson, Nina Daines, Roger Chin, Lisa Saw and Kane Jenner. And there's the Ball in then evening which lasts 6 hours. There's a music "SWITCH" at midnight when the hall will become the "FUNKY LOUNGE" playing a more eclectic mix of tunes. To see the complete leaflet please click the link above. To book you just need to email Andy on Andy@Rocsters.com You can also book a full table of 10-12 for you and your friends.

The ball is in aid of Alzheimer's Society - to find out more visit http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/.

Casino Royale Party - Warnham, Horsham Sat 5th March 2011

2011-02-18T12:53:00.000Z

This will be a great night of dancing with the added attraction of a Casino. Feel free to bring your non-dancing friends and family to join in with the fun!

Eastbourne LeRoc Launch Party - Sat 26th Feb 2011

2011-02-18T11:58:00.000Z

February Sale - Better Than Half Price at Horsham

2011-02-01T00:53:00.004Z

We made this offer in January and it was a great success. So we're repeating it in February. Three classes at Horsham would normally cost £21. This offer gives you those 3 nights for LESS THAN HALF PRICE. Just £10. You can buy on-line by credit card, Switch or Paypal by clicking the button below. Alternatively you can pay for your pass at any of our nights.

This offer is now closed

Warnham/Horsham Dance Date Changed

2011-01-27T12:30:00.002Z

We have moved our next Warnham Party from Sat 19th Feb to Saturday 5th March. This was to avoid clashing with a similar event a few miles down the road. We're sorry to anyone who is inconvenienced, we do our best to avoid clashes but didn't know about this dance as it isn't publicised on the organisers website or on any of the dance listings!

We've made this change of date because we think local dancers should enjoy dancing with their friends without having to worry which dance they will find their friends!

The dance on the 5th March is going to be themed "Casino Royale" and we'll be turning the other room into a casino with Blackjack and Roulette. Don't worry, no money will change hands, just coloured casino chips. It's just a bit of fun and you can pretend you are a millionaire gambling with thousands like it makes no difference to you.

There are two versions of Casino Royale, the 2006 "Official" Bond movie with sex, violence, fast cars and glamour and the tongue in cheek spoof version from 1966 with Peter Sellers of Pink Panther fame! This means you can come dressed for the night with two options, 1960s glamour/kitch or up to date glamour from the recent movie - guys, it's the same for both eras, white shirt, bow-tie, black trousers/DJ. Or you could just come as you are and dance the night away!

Burns Night Has Moved to St Leonards

2011-01-25T12:46:00.003Z

Due to a double booking we've had to move our Burns Night to Hotshots - The Venue in St Leonards

We're sure it will still be a fabulous night of dancing with a wee bit of Scotland thrown in to make it different.

News from Eastbourne

2011-01-23T18:14:00.000Z

Rocsters Modern Jive and Mike Mariner of Hotshots Dance LeRoc have jointly bought Sarah's Modern Jive and formed EASTBOURNE LE ROC - Look out for exciting changes in the next few months.

Jive Aces, The Drill Hall, Horsham - Thurs 13th Jan 2011

2011-01-04T13:21:00.000Z

We've just had a call from our friend Peter of the FABULOUS Jive Aces. They've got a gap in their schedule and want to come to us!

The Jive Aces are the UK's top Jive & Swing band. Renowned for their hot, swinging music and high-energy stage show playing songs made famous by such greats as Bobby Darin, Louis Prima and Sammy Davis Jnr as well as featuring a selection of superb originals. The Jive Aces brought the house down at thousands of festivals, theatres, and dance halls throughout the UK, Europe, the USA and beyond, also making hundreds of TV and radio appearances world-wide. This in-demand six piece have worked with Van Morrison, John Travolta and Isaac Hayes and many others as well as performing for HRH Prince Philip. Arguably the finest swing/jive band on the scene today. These six guys are top musicians and brilliant performers. Regularly played by me on BBC Southern Counties, this music will get your feet tapping. Lee Stevens - BBC Southern Counties. The lesson at 8pm will be suitable for complete beginners and will get you in the mood for the Jive Aces when they come on around 9pm. The Jive Aces will perform a single set and finish some time after 10pm. Then it’s jiving all the way until 11.00pm. Tickets £9 in advance - Concessions £6. On the door £10 - Concessions £8

For those people who haven't seen the Jive Aces, they put on a fantastic live show where it's as much fun to watch as it is to jive! We know the Jive Aces have many fans in the area and that this will be a popular night! Our last visit from the Jive Aces was in January 2010 - You can see pictures on this blog - go to Jan 2010 in the archive in the left hand colum.

Special Offer, Save £3 - Tickets for the Jive Aces will be £10 on the door and £9 in advance, just £2 more than our usual Thursday night price for a top, live band. However, you can get your tickets for the usual Thursday entry price of just £7 with your entry to any of our Horsham or Findon class nights - one £7 ticket per person attending each class.

Eastbourne Inbetweenie OPEN

2010-12-27T11:49:00.001Z

Yes, we are open tonight, at Eastbourne Town Hall, Monday 27th December 2010.

There's no snow and we'd had a lot of calls asking if we're open so it should be a great night!

See you later.

Andy

Findon New Year's Eve

2010-12-22T12:09:00.000Z

New Year's Eve at Findon is now SOLD OUT

Please send us an email if you would like to go on the waiting list for cancellations.

N.B. Our New Year's Eve party at Eastbourne Town Hall is in a much larger venue and there are still places for this event.

We ARE OPEN for Christmas Parties - Saturday 18th December

2010-12-18T17:13:00.000Z

Both Eastbourne and Findon/Worthing

OPEN

Snow doesn't stop Santa and it doesn't stop us!

Hopefully we'll see you there.

Andy, Sue, Clive, Tom & Ken

p.s. Ken isn't sure he'll make it as it's a bit icy in his road and getting worse as it gets dark - but everyone will be where they should be to make sure we celebrate Christmas with a nice dance.

Raise Funds for Chestnut Tree House Children's Hospice

2010-12-05T12:24:00.000Z

Dancing in the Street & Supper Dance in Findon

Friday 10th December 2010

Please note, if dancing in the street is not for you, you could still support the charity by attending the dance.

We’ve been asked to support the Findon Valley Resident’s Association Charity event to help raise funds for Chestnut Tree House. This is a late night shopping event where they close Kings Parade, the service road to the shops in Findon Valley. Many of the shops stay open and there’s stalls in the service road. We’ve been asked to provide some entertainment and to promote our classes by dancing in the street. We’ve also bought them a raffle prize.

The event runs from 5pm-7.30pm. We’re going to be dancing from 5pm until 6.00pm, possibly a little bit later if it’s not too cold - please feel free to join us at any time, even 15 mins would be fabulous! We’ve a nice dance surface which will protect our shoes - please dress for the cold! Afterwards we’ll make our way to Findon Village Hall to warm up with a supper of Soup, Chilli Con Carne, Jacket Potatoes and Chunks of French Bread - pudding will be ice-cream. We’ll be serving from 6pm onwards.

After supper we’ll start dancing at the Village Hall at 7.30pm and finish at 11.00pm(ish). All profits will be donated to Chestnut Tree House. We’ll provide tea, coffee & water. BYO wine & beer. If you don’t fancy busking or eating you could show your support for the hospice by joining us after 7.30pm.

Just £6

Optional busking in Kings Parade, Findon Valley 5pm - 6.00pm
Light Supper 6pm-7.30pm

Dancing 7.30pm-11pm
Findon Village Hall
High St, Findon BN14 0TA

We're open on Sunday 5th December

2010-12-04T19:21:00.000Z

Thank goodness the snow has melted and we can put away the sledge.

We're planning to open on Sunday night and run our classes as normal next week.

Snow, Snow, SNOW!

2010-12-02T11:36:00.000Z

Unfortunately we have no option but to close both our Thursday classes for one night only on Thursday 2nd Dec. The snow is about a foot deep in the road outside our house and the powers that be are advising us to stay at home.

A thaw is forecast for the weekend and we're hoping to open on Sunday at Findon Village Hall.

Last night we were out on the sledge. Here's the pictures our daughter took, the white streaks are falling snow ...

We're going to spending some of our time at home reviewing our music and listening to new tracks. We'd welcome your suggestions for favourite tracks you'd like to hear in freestyle.

Here's how it looks when we step outside!

Horror Ball

2010-12-01T16:33:00.000Z

On Saturday 13th November 2010 we hosted our Horror Ball. People really went to town with their horrible outfits and some people were actually quite scary!

Fabulous Party at Findon Village Hall

2010-11-08T14:12:00.000Z

On Saturday 6th November we had a classic Findon Party. People trickled in from firework displays around the area until the venue was full. Thankfully we didn't need to turn anyone away but it was a busy night with most people staying right up until the end of the night.

Andy went shopping in the cash and carry and came back with a selection of BBQ ribs and chicken wings to add to the fresh melon and choccies selected by Sue. The ribs were particularly popular and we'll do more of them next time.

Our next dance at Findon is our Christmas Party on Saturday 18th December. This will be especially popular and we'll be selling advance tickets for people who want to be sure of their place.

Andy Never Stops!

2010-10-18T16:11:00.000+01:00

Andy has been incredibly busy over the last few weeks opening new venues and running Sarah Johnson's venues. However, he's also been up to things at a National level in jive.

Two Page Technical Dance Article in Jive Magazine
Some time ago Andy was contacted by Jive Magazine to write a series of articles for this National Magazine. You can find the first piece in the current edition. He'd been so busy running classes he'd forgotten all about it until he saw someone reading the magazine last Wednesday at the Horsham class! The reader had brought the magazine at his local Horsham newsagent. However, if you have trouble finding a copy you can subscribe by visiting www.jivemagazine.co.uk/

Andy made National Moves Organiser for LeRoc Federation
Andy is one of the ten qualified teachers on the National Committee of the LeRoc Federation. Among his duties Andy has been the officer charged with writing up and describing the moves used in the teaching examination. He's now been given the additional duty of organising moves training workshops for for existing teachers. This is a fabulous opportunity for teachers from around the UK to share and improve their teaching as well as a brilliant way to work towards improving the standards of Modern Jive teaching in the UK by sharing best practice.

Andy is Adjudicator for Britrock the UK Jive Contest
On Saturday 23rd October there is the UK Jive Championships called Britrock held at Hove Town Hall. Andy wrote the rules for judging this competition and his job is to co-ordinate the judging, calculate the positions and ensure that the rules are complied with. Any questions about the rules or the judging will be directed to Andy.

Andy's October Thought/Rant!

2010-10-14T13:54:00.000+01:00

Frame in Closed Hold/Travelling Moves

In the closed hold there really should be very little change to the shape of the frame above the waist for both partners. I've been dancing a lot more recently in many different places and I've noticed that some of my partners have been twisting their frame to do a Colombian even though that move has not been led at all!

As usual this bad habit has been caused by bad teaching from unqualified teachers. The Columbian or Grapevine is completely leadable and easy to follow. The frame is maintained throughout the move. The lead comes from the direction of travel and moving the attitude of the frame so the lady is travelling backwards. This means the lady doesn't have to twist at all to step behind with her left foot - it was Ginger Rogers who said "the lady has to do everything a man does, but backwards and in high heels". However, the man does need to twist to step behind and may actually choose to step in front as it's a bit more comfortable.

The other thing I keep seeing from men in the closed hold is a "fiddlers elbow". When leading the lady in the closed hold the lead is a body lead - this means you move your body by moving your feet and the lead comes from the chest and the frame. You do not lead the lady by moving your hand - this horrible "fiddlers elbow" provides a lead that the lady can only feel in her right hand and changes the gap between the chests of the leader and follower. Again, this is bad teaching and I keep seeing teachers doing this in freestyle so it's no wonder their students are copying what they do. My recommendation is to find teachers who have been properly trained - rant over!

.. for this month!!!

Andy Has Lost Half a Stone!

2010-10-06T14:41:00.000+01:00

There's been huge changes in our dance organisation over the last few weeks and it's kept Andy busy every day since it all started - he's been so active he's even lost weight!

We know readers of this blog really just want to know where to dance so here's the headlines. If you want to know the back-story it's all on the 'October News Update' which you can view by clicking on one of the above links.

Tuesdays at the King Alfred are growing - this is hardly surprising as it's be best jive venue in Brighton with the only qualified modern jive teachers in Brighton. Sarah is teaching on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday each month and Andy is teaching on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday - we will be having guest teachers when there's a 5th Tuesday in the month.

Tuesdays at Findon remain popular with Andy teaching on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday and fabulous guest teachers other weeks.

Wednesdays in Eastbourne Town Hall are really buzzing

Thursdays at Horsham - Really popular openining night at this premier venue!

Thursdays at GSK/Worthing Closed until November when we re-open as the "Jive Bar"

Sundays at Findon become the "Jive Cocktail"

Broadbridge Heath Party August Bank Holiday

2010-09-02T13:35:00.000+01:00

It was absolutely heaving with dancers in the mood to party on Saturday night. We had a fabulous time and so did everyone else. We hadn't planned to do anything at this venue - but plans change and we will be back!

2010-08-18T09:59:00.000+01:00

August Thought - Posture

This is an instant, whole body, make-over which could change your life - no exaggeration!

Are you feeling tired, achy and stiff? Are you sitting up straight? Or are you slouching through the day, at work, in the car or even in the queue to pay for fuel at the petrol station? Does it all make you feel older than your years?

Slouching or slumping doesn't just affect your dancing, it prevents you from taking deep, oxygenating breaths and can reduce your lung capacity as much as someone who smokes 20 a day for 25 years! And when you're slouching you're compressing your other organs too - how can they work at 100%? No wonder you're feeling old and tired - look at Andy, he stands up straight and he never seems to stop!
Also, slouching makes your tummy stick out and you look heavier than you are. Having good posture will make you look slimmer, feel fitter, younger and ready to party!

When you're standing or walking around you should roll your shoulders back and down and lift your abdominal/tummy muscles - don't stick your chin or chest out, just keep your ears over your shoulders and your shoulders over your hips. Think of your arms as the plumb-line for good posture: if you relax your arms so they hang from your shoulders are your hands at your sides with your palms facing each other or in front of your thighs with your palms facing backwards? If your posture is correct your arms will hang at your sides with your palms facing each other. When standing still try to remember to move your weight from one foot to the other.

Think of carrying two carrier bags of heavy shopping, are your bags at your sides or are they in front of your knees? Pull or roll your shoulders back by moving then back from the waist, try to imagine the building blocks of your spine piled one on top of the other. Do not lean too far forward or too far back, just balance those blocks. You could try holding your hands behind your back as this pulls your shoulders into line. The other thing to try is taking a deep breath and find the posture that allows you to fill your lungs.

When you're sitting in the car or at your desk try to maintain this upright posture from the hips and avoid slouching. Slouching creeps up on you so take deep breaths from time to time to remind you to sit up straight.

When dancing try to maintain this upright posture. Keep your body over your weighted foot and take small steps moving your body smoothly as your weight changes from one foot to the other.

Bad Dance Habits - As soon as your posture goes into a slouch you adjust other parts of your body to compensate and stay balanced. When repeating dance moves over and over again this leads to posture related bad habits - remember, it's ten times as hard to correct a bad habit compared to developing a good habit. One thing to consider is the posture of your teacher. Many of us learn by watching and by imitation, if our teacher is slouching it's very easy to copy that slouch and become infected with the bad habits that come from slouching. A qualified teacher is unlikely to have posture related bad habits, so is a teacher who has other dance qualifications or has been successful at competitions - if you are in any doubt you should be prepared to ask any dance teacher about his or her qualifications to teach or dance qualifications or competition success - do not be fooled by smoke, mirrors and a friendly smile!

Unqualified teachers are not regulated by any governing body or society. They are probably not insured to teach dance. They usually have no knowledge or training about injury prevention. In copying those unqualified teachers you are more likely to suffer long-term physical damage. Remember, in The UK any unqualified person can set up a dance class without any formal teaching training, qualifications or insurance-there is no law to prevent them. Some have DJ insurance but unqualified teachers are unlikely to be insured for their teaching activities. It is therefore essential that YOU ask dance teachers to provide proof of their formal teaching qualifications and teaching insurance before taking part in their classes.

Andy Races in Cowes Week 2010

2010-08-08T12:02:00.000+01:00

After a week on the Solent racing in Sonars Andy is back on the dance floor looking tanned - although he did have a very red nose!

Andy was racing in a boat called "Mischief". In the Sonars their boat came 4th: a cretitable performance when you consider that the first placed Sonar came second overall from 896 boats.

Andy is the one nearest to the pointy end.

Turkish Delight Night

2010-08-08T07:55:00.000+01:00

This night was a fabulous success. Maureen won the prize for "Most Sexy", Shane the prize for "Most Creative and David the prize for "Most Amusing".

The star of the night was, of course, Lynn who danced a fabulous belly dance for us all. As you can see from the picture, she looked stunning!

Putting on the Ritz

2010-07-20T13:41:00.000+01:00

Wow, what a fabulous night! Mark Baron, professional photographer, was circulating all night and has taken hundreds of pictures which we'll publish here when he's sorted out the good ones. In the meantime, here's a sample of what people have said so far.

"Hi Andy - just wanted to say a big thank you to you, Sue and Sarah for a fabulous weekend's dancing and enjoyment.

.. a lot of the London venues could learn a lot about hospitality from you guys. As usual, it's the little things that make the difference; like the fact that you all walk round the room and say hello to people. You'd be surprised at the difference it makes!!" Karol B.

"Dear Andy - We just wanted to say that we had a fantastic time last night and we really appreciate how much effort you all put into the evening. We are all feeling our ages this morning with stiff knees and creaking joints but that just goes to show how much we danced!" Julie B

"Hi Sarah and Andy - Just a quick line to say what a great night last night was, lovely decorations I liked the table numbers with the little notes on dance etiquette.
Great music (Knock on wood remix with drummy bits pretty pretty please)
A great night with a good feel and atmosphere" Clive H.

"Hi Sarah -We just wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed last night. We had a fantastic time. We really appreciate how much trouble you take to make the evening special. We know you are running a business but the little extra touches like the flowers on the table and the balloons and the way you mix with everyone really makes a difference. It makes us feel like we are not just another few pounds coming in." \Julie & John B.

Warnham BBQ

2010-07-11T07:45:00.000+01:00

Thank you to everyone who came to the BBQ party at Warnham on Saturday on such a hot night. Not only did we enjoy the company of a fabulous group of dancers, people brought their non-dancing friends and family to enjoy the food, drink, and company on this lovely summer evening. We even had a visit from a delightful dog who could smell the left-over sausages while we were clearing away!

The next freestyle night at Warnham is FRIDAY 13TH AUGUST please make a note in your diary!

Findon BBQ 19th June 2010

2010-06-20T07:55:00.000+01:00

This was a busy night for Andy & Sue as they were running a BBQ in Findon and Andy was standing in for Sarah Johnson in Stone Cross running her "Turkish Delight" party. The BBQ in Findon was a sell-out success - was this due to the guest appearance of our celebrity chef, the Deputy Mayor of Littlhampton, Nick Wiltshire? While the dancers of Findon were enjoying the company of such a deity, Andy was enjoying his dances with fabulous ladies dressed as sexy belly dancers - Andy didn't know where to look! We've had a request to run a similar night in Findon and we've already had belly dancers volunteer to perform a cabaret - we've booked an extra dance date at Findon on Saturday 7th August to make this happen.

Warnham June Party

2010-06-06T07:55:00.000+01:00

People braved the warm weather to come out dancing on Saturday night and we all enjoyed another classic night at Warnham. Dudley turned one of the tables in to a party table with nibbles and flowers: he couldn't think of an excuse for a party - who needs an excuse?! As a bit of fun Andy taught the Rock 'n' Roll Stroll to get everyone warmed up. This really tickled some people and they were doing the stroll on and off throughout the night - at one point Andy caught Richard outside on the patio practicing on his own!

The May Brighton Ball

2010-05-23T09:00:00.000+01:00

This was a fabulous event with a really up-for-it crowd of dancers as you can see from the pictures. The ladies, as usual, did us proud with their outfits and so did most of the guys (the message for the others is "it's a Ball, please don't let down the ladies and please wear something with a collar and not made of denim!).

The evening started with a frenzy of shopping at the clothes and shoe stalls in the bar area: Sarah and Andy were waiting to start the lesson at 8.15 but people were far too busy shopping! The lesson had to be fairly quick as people didn't make their way from the bar to the main hall until about 8.30pm. We still made sure the dancing kicked off before ten to nine. We really wanted to get everyone dancing freestyle well before 9pm and if you didn't get the "Lucky Guy" move please ask Andy to show you the next time you meet.

And wasn't the ballet cabaret sweet? Those white feather tu-tus were absolutely lovely, as were the ballerinas themselves.

We had many compliments about the music we played and we do love to hear compliments - who doesn't?! Andy was particularly delighted by one lady who said at the end of the night "we loved the music tonight and know you had to be up there choosing tracks, but we missed dancing with you down here on the floor".

And there was universal praise for the fresh fruit that was delivered to the tables later in the evening "what a great idea", "just what we needed" "hit the spot", etc.

As usual we had visitors from far and wide. Here is a message we received from Lindsay "My friend Eric and I just wanted to say that we really enjoyed the Ball on Saturday night. We usually dance around our local Surrey venues, so it was really nice to branch out a bit further".

We're always adding to the Brighton Ball. People love the choccies, fruit, tea & coffee and the cabarets. And they seem to enjoy the opportunity to shop for dance shoes and clothes. You will also have noticed that we've upgraded the tables with famous dancer themed numbers and linen tablecloths. Please let us know if there's anything you'd like to see to improve your night out - we're always open to suggestions.

Fruity Findon Party

2010-05-16T07:59:00.000+01:00

Sue produced a fabulous fresh fruit salad as the healthy reaction to last month's BBQ. Of course, there was also ice-cream to go with the salad so it was a little bit naughty but nice!

As usual for Findon the venue was full of fab dancers getting on and dancing the night away. This time we even had dancers from central London who were at the seaside for the weekend. They commented about how friendly everyone was.

And we had a lot of feedback about the music. People loved what we played and particularly enjoyed the nice, slow waltz we played after the lights came up. Many people joined in with this dance. Let us know if you'd like to learn the waltz and we'll put on a special class so you can join in the "last waltz".

Warnham Party 1st May 2010

2010-05-02T07:59:00.000+01:00

We celebrated Graham's birthday on Saturday in Warnham - he's the fair haired guy in red facing the camera in the above photo. Graham is one of our Warnham regulars and is very popular with the ladies - even more popular when there is an excuse for Birthday kisses! As we had a couple of non-dancers at the party Andy was asked to start the night with a lesson which got everyone up and dancing right through to the end of the night.

Refurbished floor - The floor at Warnham Village Hall had been refurbished and we're pleased that it turned out to be just right for dancing. There's always a slight worry when a floor is resurfaced. Will it be right for dancing? Sometimes it's too slippery and other times it's too slow or even sticky! Luckily it's just right. And it's got a nice, light wood look to it as well. Why not come along to the next Warnham party on Saturday 5th June and have a spin?

Sell Out BBQ in Findon

2010-04-25T07:59:00.000+01:00

The sun shone on Saturday 24th April 2010 and and the nation went BBQ mad! We were lucky to get enough rolls at Tesco because the shelves were emptying fast - we actually bought the last of the Burger buns! We got through 100 sausages, over 60 burgers, a sack of spicy chicken wings and well over 100 rolls, a stack of cheese slices and a lake of ketchup and mustard.

Thankfully we didn't have to turn anybody away this time but it was getting close to the point where we were going to have to put up the "House Full" sign. As we'd opened at 7.30pm the dancing started before 8pm and kept going until the last note. Andy was cooking for most of the night and Sue spent the evening producing a fabulous set of party hits to keep things lively. Sue had many compliments about her music choices and we'll try to pursuade her to get back behind the decks soon.

Although it's tempting to have another BBQ in May, we've decided to keep it healthy and provide a mixture of fresh fruits along with savouries and chocolate. Don't worry, our Findon party on the 19th of June will be a BBQ.

First Saturday Dance at GSK

2010-04-18T18:36:00.000+01:00

We're delighted that our Saturday first Saturday dance at GSK was a success. We were more than a little concerned there was so much going on this weekend that we might not have enough people to create a party atmosphere. Not only was there a crowd of regulars going to the weekender at Hayling Island, there was a wedding party for a couple who actually met at our classes. We needn't have worried as there was a lovely crowd of dancers including four who'd come all the way from St Albans! Here's what they said "Just wanted to thank you both for a lovely evening, such wonderful dances and making us so welcome. It was so much fun and what a wonderful venue!!!" They left us around 1am arrived home safely about 2.30am! They also said they loved the music and wished that it was as good in their area. Catrin even sent us an email saying "Thanks for the fun we had on Saturday. We spent the journey home discussing dancing, men, tango, jive, chocolate and hot feet. Best music I've heard for so long". It's a good thing the venue has double doors so we could get our heads through!

It seems that this venue is now getting the reputation it deserves and we'll book some more dances over the summer months. Hopefully we'll have a warm summer and we will be able to use the huge patio and dance under the stars!

The picture shows a view of the dancers and some of the bar area where you can relax and chat.

Making the Most of Weekenders

2010-04-12T17:47:00.000+01:00

There's quite a few local dancers going to the Jive Spree weekender at Hayling Island. We've been to and taught and DJ'd at most UK weekenders so we thought we'd write some notes on how to get the best out of the weekend.

Pre-planning - don't expect luxury at a holiday camp weekender. They're usually quite basic in terms of accommodation. Take a hairdrier, an iron and your own towels. If it's self-catering you should stock up on essentials before you go. Most holiday camps will have a shop, but the range is limited and the prices are often higher than your local supermarket. It's worth speaking with your chalet mates and sharing out the shopping "you bring the tea, coffee, milk, I'll bring the beer & wine" that kind of thing. Make sure you buy energy drinks - you'll need lots of energy! Find out if there's a themed fancy dress - there usually is! You might not feel like joining in before you go but you will get swept along by the whole "hi-de-hi" spirit and wish you'd packed that Sugar Plum Fairy outfit! While we're talking about clothes, take plenty of changes including underwear plus waterproofs, an umbrella or rain hat and comfy shoes or boots for the outdoor walk to the venues.

On arrival you will need to find your chalet or room. You will also have been given a timetable for the weekend. It's worth taking time to look at this after you've unpacked rather than finding you've missed that drops workshop at 11am on Saturday. On the first night it's time to explore, find out where everything is and meet up with friends. Then it's dancing till the wee small hours, probably longer. This brings us to the second most important advice "plan your sleep". Make sure you grab some naps between workshops or in the late afternoons as you will find that night time is for dancing, dancing, dancing.

The most important advice is to make sure you keep eating and drinking. Have a decent meal at some time each day. It's nice to eat with your chalet mates and it's worth remembering that the evening's dancing doesn't get going 'til well after 10pm at most dance weekenders. So you can have dinner and it will have gone down nicely before you need to be on the dance floor. The alternative is to have a big breakfast. Some people even have their breakfast when they finish dancing it's such a late finish!

The dancing - that's why we're there and there will be lots of dancing. Make sure your feet don't suffer by taking plenty of plasters and invest in some gel pads or soft insoles. Also, a change of shoes during the night can help as they probably rub in different places. Take a change of tops with you each night at the very least. Also deodorant might need topping up. Make sure you keep in touch with your friends over the weekend. But also get to know people from other areas. It's good to get to know new dancers and it's surprising how often you see the same people at other weekenders.

If you're expecting to work on Monday you will need to pace yourself on Sunday night. The best thing to do is to book the day off as you probably won't get any work done. You'll either be an ineffectual Zombie at work or you'll be totally hyper and unable to talk about anything but the fabulous weekender you've been on.

Finally, you will find that your dancing will be tranformed by a weekender. Some of this is due to the brilliant teaching and workshops. But mostly it's because you've found another way to make your dancing even more fun!

And, finally, finally, please send us your pictures and a report of the weekender so we can put it on here.

Harbour Club Class Gains New Fans!

2010-04-08T07:30:00.000+01:00

This was our second visit to the Harbour Club and it seems 'the word is out!' As well as the friendly group of club members who came for the beginners lesson there were many experienced jivers joining us for our fortnightly visit to the club. People had travelled from as far afield as Horsham to the North, Chichester to the West and Saltdean to the East - plus a nice crowd who'd travelled from the beach, a few hundred yards to the South. One lady said to Andy "you've found a nice venue here". And we totally agree. We're back at the Harbour Club on Wednesday 21st April. If you've not already been you should come and have a look.

Our First Tea Dance For Years Has a Visit from Long-Distance Jivers

2010-04-05T03:00:00.000+01:00

Easter Sunday saw our first Tea Dance at Findon for many years. As you can see in the picture the sun was streaming through the window for a relaxing afternoon of dance.

We were delighted to see Dawn and Laurence who had driven all the way from Kent. They're both fabulous dancers and came because they love the chilled set we'd promised for the tea dance. As well as being great dancers they're very good at the other part of jive - they're very sociable and managed to get a dance with just about everyone there.

Andy loves that chilled Sunday afternoon music too and relished the chance to give those tracks an airing. You never know, we might put on another tea dance during the summer. Please let us know if you're interested.

Warnham Dances Becoming Even More Popular

2010-04-04T07:45:00.000+01:00

On Saturday 3rd April we had our 3rd Saturday dance this year at Warnham Village Hall. And the feeback is that it was "the best yet". The evening started with a quick lesson that was over by 8.45pm - then it was dancing until 11.45pm. At the end of the lesson Andy announced that there was an "Easter Egg Hunt" but that it was really easy as the eggs had been put in bowls on the tables. Even then Sue had to tell the late-comers that the Coloured foil wrapped eggs on their table were actually chocolate - they didn't need telling twice!

Our next visit to Warnham is on Saturday 1st May and we're expecting this dance to be even more popular.

FAB New Floor at GSK

2010-04-02T07:30:00.000+01:00

The new floor at GSK is a complete success. On 1st April 2010 the new floor was ready and we went over in the afternoon to check that everything was OK and work out where we would put the chairs and tables. The contractors had just left a slight covering of sawdust for us to sweep off the new section - so we knew we were going to be the first people to use this floor.

The new floor has opened up the back of the hall and this is like a breath of fresh air for the whole room. In the photo the "old" floor is in the foreground and the new floor is the same size on the raised section at the back. Although the dance floor is the same size, the area of this raised section is slightly larger and now that it's opened up we really do have more than twice as much space. Before we got the new floor the slightly less well lit raised section at the back had made the whole area seem a bit dark and somehow unattractive - one or two people said it seemed "a bit dingy". Some people also said the old floor was nice for dancing but a bit small. But that's all in the past now! It's almost like it's a different place altogether. We have used a few different disco lights to get this effect too. One lady has now booked the club for her birthday and noticed the difference the lighting has made - she's going to be borrowing the lights from us to get the same effect at her party.

So how was the floor? To be honest, it started off a bit fast, you might even say slippery! Andy loved the floor and said he could "spin and spin"! But one lady actually fell over and hurt her wrist, as she said when she called Andy the next day "I was showing off to the handsome young men who'd come in from the bar" - as they say, pride comes before a fall! Let's hope the "handsome young men" were impressed! As the night wore on the floor seemed to slow down a bit, still fast, but not quite as fast - and there was always the old floor if the new one didn't suit your shoes. In our experience new floors are either a bit fast or a bit slow but wear in with use to become better with wear. It's easier to cope with a fast floor as you simply adjust your dancing with smaller steps and different shoes. Slow floors are painful on the knees for everyone so we're pleased we got a fast floor rather than a slow one. We're confident that both floors will become the same after the new floor has been used a bit more - it's also used weekly by line dancers and 40s swing dancers so the new floor will be worn in very quickly.

If you can't make it on a Thursday night we've got a Saturday dance booked at the club on the 17th April 2010. It should be a fab night with the new lighting, two floors and good value drinks at the bar - you can even buy cut price Horlics and other GSK products at the bar!

Opening Night at the Harbour Club a Great Success!

2010-03-25T06:30:00.000Z

This class came to life in just a few days. We had no plans to open another night until we got a call from a regular dancer who'd seen a live band on Saturday night at the Club. There was a small crowd of Modern Jivers and Dil Clack, the Manageress, was so impressed with their dancing she asked where they'd learnt to dance and if the teacher could be pursuaded to run regular classes at the club?

We met Dil the following day and within less than 2 weeks we were standing on the stage at the Harbour Club teaching a full dance floor of keen dancers. And it didn't end there. We also had a nice crowd of experienced dancers join us for the freestyle too.

The Harbour Club is well-appointed and luxurious. The bar is probably the largest in Shoreham and the drinks prices are very comptitive.

We'll be running nights at the club every second Wednesday to alternate, rather quaintly, with fortnightly Bingo. For class dates please take a look at the schedule on this Blog.

Jive Aces Play Us Out in Style

2010-01-29T07:30:00.001Z

After more than 10 years of Modern Jive on a Thursday night at the Shoreham Centre we enjoyed a fabulous closing party with the Jive Aces and over 170 jivers making it a brilliant send off!!

Can you see yourself in any of the pictures?