Jam Circles

Message

coreyj5 · #61 Post by **coreyj5** » Mon Nov 10, 2003 2:38 pm

Alright, I need some help here. We haven't had a spontaneous jam in probably over a year. We haven't had a jam in at least 5-6 months. We're having a really really hard time keeping newbies and I think that's partly due to the regulars not really coming out/lack of jams & excitement.

I would like to have more jams (even sporadically) but the regular tempo of things is pretty low around here. I can play one, maybe two songs in a night that are over 200 without people just sitting down or getting upset. I don't dj at a regular weekly event, just every once and a while so I don't have a huge say in changing things around here. Do you guys have any suggestions? I've been trying to raise the energy level here for a while just going out dancing, or djing, or talking to people but nothing has worked out well so far. Any input would be great.

julius · #62 Post by **julius** » Mon Nov 10, 2003 5:19 pm

Start throwing aerials on the social floor.
Do nothing but flash and trash.
Act like a big ol' retarded monkey.

In other words, pretend it's 1998, I guess.

It's really hard intentionally jump starting a scene. Usually it happens by accident, or several hardcore people get together and in the course of screwing around accidentally create a great vibe. (It can happen!)

Someone last night made the observation that it takes an "event" to get people excited these days. Weekly venues seem stale, so do exchanges -- depending on who you are, of course.

Soupbone · #63 Post by **Soupbone** » Tue Nov 11, 2003 6:18 am

djstarr wrote: Sylvia Sykes was in town for a workshop; she had mentioned Ride Red Ride as a good fast song; the version I have on Apollo Jump starts out at 340 then goes back and forth between 340 and 170; I'll have to try that out and see what the crowd tops out at. Or maybe I'll save that for when you are in town Gary

Please do! Just don't expect to see me doing lindy hop. My lindy hop sucks above 115bpm.

ha ha.

Now bal is another story for me. Hell, that's all I've been doing lately.... perhaps one reason why my lindy hop sucks so badly now.

sonofvu · #64 Post by **sonofvu** » Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:34 pm

Nate Dogg wrote:

There was a jam last night in Austin, I was not the DJ. It was done by song request. They guy who wanted to be in the jam circle made a very specific song request. When the DJ played the song, he and his friends were there ready to start their jam. Of course, it had to be a really fast to work.

I was the DJ and the request was "play something fast" so I played Chick Webb's Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie. I honestly did not think that a jam was going to break out. Usually when I play something fast people just balboa or lindy (no comments on the skill level, they are dancing) to the whole thing which makes me happy.

sonofvu · #65 Post by **sonofvu** » Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:35 pm

mousethief wrote:Was it "Zoot Suit Riot?" Don West loves that song, I tell ya. In fact, he's doing a mini-routine to "Sing, Sing, Sing" tonight.

Kalman

Oh man, that's funny! But really, everyone is piling on. Get off Don!

Lawrence · #66 Post by **Lawrence** » Tue Nov 11, 2003 6:57 pm

sonofvu wrote:
Nate Dogg wrote: There was a jam last night in Austin, I was not the DJ. It was done by song request. They guy who wanted to be in the jam circle made a very specific song request. When the DJ played the song, he and his friends were there ready to start their jam. Of course, it had to be a really fast to work.
I was the DJ and the request was "play something fast" so I played Chick Webb's Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie. I honestly did not think that a jam was going to break out. Usually when I play something fast people just balboa or lindy (no comments on the skill level, they are dancing) to the whole thing which makes me happy.

Then it wasn't the DJ but instead the people who made the request who artificially created a jam.

People will disagree, of course, but Jams do not need to be fast. That's usually (although not always) just the preference of certain dancers who prepare routines for fast dance jams because they know the speed will prevent most people (who don't have pre-programmed routines) from going out there.

Lindy Bomb · #67 Post by **Lindy Bomb** » Tue Nov 11, 2003 10:50 pm

...and then there are some people that just wanna dance fast and don't have a pre-planned routine. But by requesting a fast song a jam circle starts 'cause the energy's really high, or only a few couples can dance the whole song (but there are more than a few that are willing to get out there and do a few phrases). Not everything that's done in a jam circle is choreographed...sometimes people just get out there and tear shit up, just as every time someone asks for a fast song doesn't mean that the person's trying to incite a jam.

Now, if they request a fast song and then run around clapping when it comes on, that's a different story...

Mr Awesomer · #68 Post by **Mr Awesomer** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 12:14 am

Lindy Bomb wrote:...and then there are some people that just wanna dance fast and don't have a pre-planned routine. But by requesting a fast song a jam circle starts 'cause the energy's really high, or only a few couples can dance the whole song (but there are more than a few that are willing to get out there and do a few phrases). Not everything that's done in a jam circle is choreographed...sometimes people just get out there and tear shit up, just as every time someone asks for a fast song doesn't mean that the person's trying to incite a jam.

Word.

For further example, I love me some fast numbers and getting crazy in jams... but I'm also completely choreography impaired.

gatorgal · #69 Post by **gatorgal** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 7:59 am

Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing either a scripted or spontaneous jam circle here in South Florida. Maybe it would inject some energy into the dances.

Tina

mousethief · #70 Post by **mousethief** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 8:16 am

Lawrence wrote:
sonofvu wrote:
Nate Dogg wrote: There was a jam last night in Austin, I was not the DJ. It was done by song request. They guy who wanted to be in the jam circle made a very specific song request. When the DJ played the song, he and his friends were there ready to start their jam. Of course, it had to be a really fast to work.
I was the DJ and the request was "play something fast" so I played Chick Webb's Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie. I honestly did not think that a jam was going to break out. Usually when I play something fast people just balboa or lindy (no comments on the skill level, they are dancing) to the whole thing which makes me happy.
Then it wasn't the DJ but instead the people who made the request who artificially created a jam.

People will disagree, of course, but Jams do not need to be fast. That's usually (although not always) just the preference of certain dancers who prepare routines for fast dance jams because they know the speed will prevent most people (who don't have pre-programmed routines) from going out there.

No, that's because some people actually prefer the flavor of the dance as it was originally (sometimes) done. They shouldn't be locked into an exclusive/segregated category because they like dancing to the mood & music that gave *you* Lindy Hop.

Kalman

sonofvu · #71 Post by **sonofvu** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 11:47 am

Lindy Bomb wrote: Now, if they request a fast song and then run around clapping when it comes on, that's a different story...

I honestly do not know what the dancer's intention was. Whether it was to just dance to a fast song and a jam broke out or if the dancer incited a jam. I put the song on and was then distracted and the next thing I knew there was a jam circle. I want to think that it was spontaneous because the circle got started in a corner and not in the middle of the floor, ala birthday dance. Either way, I was all too happy to fill the request.

main_stem · #72 Post by **main_stem** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 11:52 am

Lawrence wrote: ... just the preference of certain dancers who prepare routines for fast dance jams because they know the speed will prevent most people (who don't have pre-programmed routines) from going out there.

Funny when Emily and I went out in the jam in Austin, we didn't have a set routine. In fact we had only danced onece before that. So everything was off the cusp including the fyling sandles. I even danced with a couple of other follows that I had never danced with in the jam because they just wanted to get out there.

More over when ever I get into a jam I don't have a set partner or a routine. If the music is swinging I want to be a part of it. Even if I look like ass and can't throw in some fancy arieal.

Once again LAWrence you are overgernaralizing.

-Kevin

mousethief · #73 Post by **mousethief** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 1:30 pm

Hell, my partner fell down and then JC and I attacked each other.

Hard to get around that one, even if the song was maybe 180...

Kalman

mousethief · #74 Post by **mousethief** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 1:36 pm

main_stem wrote:
Lawrence wrote: ... just the preference of certain dancers who prepare routines for fast dance jams because they know the speed will prevent most people (who don't have pre-programmed routines) from going out there.
Funny when Emily and I went out in the jam in Austin, we didn't have a set routine. In fact we had only danced onece before that. So everything was off the cusp including the fyling sandles. I even danced with a couple of other follows that I had never danced with in the jam because they just wanted to get out there.

More over when ever I get into a jam I don't have a set partner or a routine. If the music is swinging I want to be a part of it. Even if I look like ass and can't throw in some fancy arieal.

Once again LAWrence you are overgernaralizing.

-Kevin

Which I think underscores one of the key issues of jam circles & lindy in general - the DJ has to be as excited as the dancers for a jam circle to erupt. If the energy in the room is high, it's because of the DJ or band and that interplay with the crowd.

As a DJ, I am too often concerned with packing the floor (which I think is my job) & challenging the dancers, but at the expense of making the whole experience less... I don't know.

Less fun?

Maybe some DJs, by their own predjudices and attitudes, have been squashing jams before they could ever form.

If the DJ is excited and a real part of the evening, then the dancers will most likely return that energy.

Kalman

mousethief · #75 Post by **mousethief** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 1:46 pm

So... more song choices?

Kalman