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Ceroc dancing: the place to find a date?

What is Ceroc?
Ceroc is short for 'C'est le Roc' and is the name given to the tight, chic style of jive for which the French are renowned. It came to England via James Cronin (grandson of famous author AJ Cronin) who picked up the French-style rock and roll dance in Normandy before introducing it to the British social scene in the 80s.

Since then Ceroc has developed its own unique style which is easy to learn and great fun. You don't need to bring a partner or learn the moves before you go as each night caters for all levels of ability, so you can just turn up to any venue, and know you will have a great time.

Ceroc is the fastest growing dance phenomenon in the country. This fusion of lindyhop, jitterbug, jive and salsa is easy to learn, sociable and fun, and can be danced to any music with a regular beat; Ceroc DJs play music ranging from 40s swing through to current chart hits.

The number of people learning to partner dance with Ceroc has been growing steadily for 20 years, and today there are 120 Ceroc nights in the UK and classes in Australia, New Zealand, Dubai and throughout Europe.

What happens at a Ceroc night?
Ceroc is a franchise, so all Ceroc nights follow the same format. The night starts with a beginners class where you learn fun moves that are surprisingly simple yet make you feel like a pro! In addition to the teachers, most venues also have 'Taxi Dancers' on hand to will help you go through the moves and provide useful hints that will help you dance with confidence.

Next up is the intermediate class. This is an ideal time for beginners to sit back and watch whilst having a drink at the bar. It is recommended that dancers complete around six beginners classes comfortably before attempting to move up to the intermediate level.

After the intermediate class the fun really starts and the Ceroc DJ takes control for the 'Freestyle Session'. This is a period of pure uninterrupted Ceroc music creating a party atmosphere in which everyone can practise their new moves!

This is the chance to improve your Ceroc style and soak up the atmosphere. One of the Ceroc commandments is that most people never say no to a dance, hence it's a great way to meet people, even if it is just for friends.

What the girls say?
At a recent Ceroc night at the Clapham Grand in London for the release of the DVD Shall We Dance, we asked some newcomers to Ceroc what they really thought. It seems it was a great success!

'I thought it was really fun. I had a really good time and it's certainly an easy way to meet people. Everyone was extremely friendly.'
Melissa Brown

'I was so glad I went, I was a bit nervous at first but everyone looked like they were having such a great time I just had to join in! I'm looking into classes near where I live as I really want to learn more!'
Rachel Norton

'Exhilarating, I was smiling all night - great music, lots of lovely men and a good boogie.'
Keely Tauman

'I was worried about going alone but everyone was really friendly and I was able to dance with lots of people. I would never usually try this kind of thing but really enjoyed it and will definitely come back!'
Lucy Hale

For more information on Ceroc dancing, and to find a venue near you visit www.ceroc.com

Get in the mood with the latest DVD release Shall We Dance? Out to own on DVD and video from 20 June, starring Jennifer Lopez, Susan Sarandon and Richard Gere.