The dance weekender – why you should go on one

Since starting back dancing again, I’ve not been on a dance weekender.  With a child it’s unlikely to ever happen given weekends are the only time I get to spend with him with work and school.  So I stalk social media for all the talk about weekenders instead.

If you’ve not yet popped your weekender cherry, then I recommend you think about doing so.  I’ve been on lots of Ceroc Escape weekenders (the ‘joys’ of Pontins chalets), a Jive Addiction one at Skegness (yes they’re quite often at old fashioned seaside locations), and the first WCS Midland Swing Open.

Why go on a dance weekender / congress?

1. To learn from different teachers

You learn a lot from new teachers, especially if you always go to the same venue normally.  There are different styles of teaching, tips, styling and moves.  Learning different methods of teaching can be valuable.

2. Learn different dance styles

At any weekender there are always classes teaching alternative dance styles. At wcs you may get line dancing or different types of swing. Modern jive weekenders, you may have blues or wcs depending on the weekender focus. I’ve also tried out ballroom, 2 step, argentine tango, fusion blues, disco and more on the ones I’ve been to. Learning new styles will always help improve your dancing and bring more flavours and style to the way you dance.

3. Meet and dance with new people

I still see people at freestyles who I’ve met on weekenders years ago. They’re a great way of finding out about other venues.  And dancing with new people helps you learn new styles and moves, and improves your lead or follow and the way you adapt to new dance partners.

4, Socialising with existing friends

While one of the venues sees most people head to the pub afterwards, often you don’t get to socialise while you’re dancing. But weekenders mean you get to know local dancers better. The shared experience of holiday camp chalets is not to be scoffed at.  If you have a crowd of you heading to a weekender, it’s a prime time for getting together and building friendships. Car sharing makes a long journey more enjoyable too, as well as saving money (if you breakdown on the M5 in traffic jams you’ve got someone to wait with, and if you breakdown on the Clifton Suspension Bridge you’ll have people to push you off it!.  Yes these did happen to a car I had a lift in).

5. New musical experiences

If you usually only dance to main room music where much of the beat or sound is the same, weekenders will add breadth of music.  They’re a chance to grow your dancing musically, and are a chance to experiment and discover what else is out there.  Shazam will be your friend for finding out tracks you don’t know.

6. Immerse yourself in dance

Being in the dance bubble with others who love dance is the best feeling. It’s a chance to dance without feeling rushed or needing to leave to get home at a reasonable hour.

Have you been on a dance weekender or are you looking to go on one?

You can read about what really happens at a dance weekender.  

Let me know in the comments what you love about them, or if you’ve got any questions about them for me to include.