Dance Music QV/QE- Current Situation

[Dancer Bob]

Oops make that the John James Trio. Apparently there's been some change in musicians. Thay play foxtrots, waltzes, rumbas and chachas. Rarely a samba or tango. For tangoll- no VW at all. Their QS, once you find the beat, is on tempo, but pretty dull and listless. A merengue was requested (don't shoot the messenger, I only passed on the request). They eventually found one, not the best I've ever heard. The other group is High Society, I think (I'm ashore without program). They had '60s night last night in the Pacific Lounge, very popular with those trying to be 40 years younger and 40 kg lighter.

They have some pretty good recorded music, they leave CD's on from 1-4 in Harlequins on port days.

I may have misunderstood, but I was expecing to see something special in calibre of dancing. I'm rather underwhelmed.

QE is definitely going to have to do better with music in December. There's a lady was on QV with me in 2010, she's not happy with Cunard either.

Edited November 11, 2013 by Dancer Bob

[Slow Foxtrot]

.....They have some pretty good recorded music, they leave CD's on from 1-4 in Harlequins on port days.

I may have misunderstood, but I was expecting to see something special in calibre of dancing. I'm rather underwhelmed.

QE is definitely going to have to do better with music in December. There's a lady was on QV with me in 2010, she's not happy with Cunard either.

 

'Something special in the calibre of dancing' is very rarely seen on cruise-ship floors. On QM2 recently, out of about forty couples, only about three or four couples had really good dancing ability. Obviously, the crowded floors restrict what dancers can do but, even when there's space, good dancers are few and far between. The fact is that these are cruise-ship dance floors, designed for everybody, and one has to make the most of them. Back on terra-firma, if prepared to travel a little, one can

choose spacious dance venues and enjoy that especial pleasure that good dancing brings.

 

Foxy

[Dancer Bob]

I am pleased to report on Q330 the QRO, Harry Nijcamp band leader, did a good job on tempos. They did some "ballads" for the navigation-buoy crowd, but most of their music was danceable (just not necessarily the dance that was announced). The recorded music was also very good although I'm not sure if the sound technician had it on shuffle play or doesn't know how to mix.

The current Yacht Club DJ Chris has an excellent collection of music but gets off in San Francisco.

Both the QR and the YC were rarely more than half-full. The balls were not well attended. The ship was I believe, about 80% full.

The professional couple did some SCD-style demonstrations which many people found entertaining. I was not impressed with their "lessons"- for example, didn't explain the difference between 'and' and 'a' in samba, went from quarter turn to left in QS to forward locks without mentioning stepping outside partner, CBM or left side leading.

I would not recommend the hosts to any lady looking for dancing. Two of them seemed remarkably unenthusiatic, seemed to be dancing as little as they could get away with.

[bill_posters_is_innocent]

Ermmmmm, hate to say this, but I think you just described me and my OH.

I do know the direction of dance (just) but we are not good enough to ad-lib if we grind to a halt.

if trying to start from anywhere else than out favourite corner, our brains cease to function and our feet freeze to the spot.

On the plus side, we are always aware of others on the floor and try hard to avoid collisions, however we have both been trampled and spiked by other dancers who seem oblivious to others.

I do wish they would play a wider variety of dances ( the social foxtrot can get boring after 10 times per hour).

My favourite dances for crowded places are Rumba and Argentine Tango as they require little floorspace and are slow enough to enable my feet to keep up with my brain.

Enjoy the cruise, enjoy the dancing, and enjoy people watching. (its great fun)

[bill_posters_is_innocent]

Without checking individually on the couples who insist on dancing against the general "flow" of the dancers around the floor ( any floor) as to their nationalities, I reckon you don't have to be brain of Britain to see you are causing problems. If the woman partner is being pushed round by the man then it is his job to see where she is going really and try to keep both of them out of harm's way, and/or harming others by spiking the ankles of passing couples with backward movements of stiletto heeled shoes.He could steer easier with the "flow" if he was paying attention. A staged accident might work though!

We are in the "well over the biblical allowance of years allotted to your expected presence on earth " age group....if you get my drift.... but we can still get round the floor quite adequately and have never ( as far as I can recall anyway), caused a problem to others sharing the floor.I still believe it is the years of experience in frequenting ballrooms in our youth where we danced with many partners over an evening and became experienced in what was the right thing to do even if you didn't actually know you were following the specifics of floor craft.

The younger generations don't have that opportunity now because ballrooms died out...in our area anyway... the wonderful floors were sold, the buildings usually became bingo halls.The young folks had to find another venue to meet people , so IMO pubs became the new dance hall.

 

I look forward to the cruising on Cunard simply because we get an opportunity to dance with an orchestra/ singer and a great floor area . We do enjoy watching others , especially those who always go to a corner to begin, (obviously going to dance lessons) , and those who have got lots of routines to show everyone but usually go off and sit down when they can't get space to do them, and those who are not "freestyle" who have to start their carefully learned routine all over again from the beginning if someone inadvertantly gets in their way.

 

It's a joy!

Ermmmmm, hate to say this, but I think you just described me and my OH.

I do know the direction of dance (just) but we are not good enough to ad-lib if we grind to a halt.

if trying to start from anywhere else than out favourite corner, our brains cease to function and our feet freeze to the spot.

On the plus side, we are always aware of others on the floor and try hard to avoid collisions, however we have both been trampled and spiked by other dancers who seem oblivious to others.

I do wish they would play a wider variety of dances ( the social foxtrot can get boring after 10 times per hour).

My favourite dances for crowded places are Rumba and Argentine Tango as they require little floorspace and are slow enough to enable my feet to keep up with my brain.

Enjoy the cruise, enjoy the dancing, and enjoy people watching. (its great fun)

[tangoll]

I am booked on QE HKG/Singapore 29 Mar - 05 April, travelling solo, so will be looking out for any ladies who wish a dance now and then, esp Viennese Waltz, which I have improved since my last Cunard cruise. I now can do a left fleckerl, contra check, and go into a right fleckerl, several times, before exiting using a natural or right turn.

 

Anyone know whether there is a professional dance couple on board, or which orchestra is playing now? Or the solo vocalist?

 

I'll report on the music after the cruise.

 

tangoll

[fantasy51]

I am booked on QE HKG/Singapore 29 Mar - 05 April, travelling solo, so will be looking out for any ladies who wish a dance now and then, esp Viennese Waltz, which I have improved since my last Cunard cruise. I now can do a left fleckerl, contra check, and go into a right fleckerl, several times, before exiting using a natural or right turn.

tangoll

 

Bother! I am looking at the cruise after yours. I would have been happy to dance with you Tangoll.

 

After my experience on my last two cruises, I would say that the most important thing in the Viennese Waltz is making sure you take small steps when the lady has to dance around you (4 normal or large steps and 2 small ones in each turn)! In October I waltzed with an excellent dancer and we glided around the floor. In November I tried the VW with two different partners and while both of them were so excited at the way we moved, I was frustrated because we could not get around 360 degrees in the six steps, no matter how large my steps were at the appropriate time. I think they did not take small turning steps.

 

Good luck finding a partner.

 

Diane

[tangoll]

Fantasy51/Diane, you make a very good point about small steps by the man to allow the lady to move forward down the line of dance on either the left or right turn. My steps are long enough to get around any lady, but a shorter lady has some difficulty going forward and past me unless I turn with smaller steps.

 

The other difficult aspect is on the contra check (count 1, 2, 3) and the next right fleckerl is also counted 1, 2, 3 with the man's right foot crossing in front on count 3. Then 4, 5, 6 with the right foot crossing in back on count 5.

 

The fleckerls are so difficult to execute correctly and thus rarely would one see any fleckerls done even in competition, and certainly almost never on the Queen's Room dance floor the one or two times that the orchestra plays a VW.

 

tangoll

[Dancer Bob]

I'm even taller than tangoll and have the same problems. I often find my 4,5,6 has to be actually backwards against LOD with a shorter woman. But VW is a demanding dance, sometimes the woman simply hasn't been taught/wasn't listening about proper technique. Fortunately I'm not as passionate about VW as tangoll and am happy to defer to him.

[fantasy51]

The fleckerls are so difficult to execute correctly and thus rarely would one see any fleckerls done even in competition, and certainly almost never on the Queen's Room dance floor the one or two times that the orchestra plays a VW.

 

The onboard professionals on QV last April, who taught me the VW in less than 40 minutes, briefly showed me a cheating way of doing the fleckerl, where I simply run around the man. It works! However, I know it's not correct and now that I know the proper steps I occasionally practise them at home and hope that I'll get a chance to do them on the dance floor. There was one Dance Host in October who told me the proper steps towards the end, but I didn't get enough chance to practise them. So that was one occasion when the fleckerl was done well by him and in a cheating way by me.

 

I know I've posted this video before but for those who are wondering what we are talking about, here's the Viennese Waltz. Although the whole dance involves going in circles, the fleckerl (done twice in this video, at about 0.30 and 1:03) is more of an on-the-spot circle instead of one that moves along the line of dance.

 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7121750/Viennese%20Waltz.mp4

[tangoll]

Just completed 7 night segment on QE from Hong Kong to Singapore. Overall music by Trevor Newby and orchestra, vocals by Paul Ritchie, were OK -- each piece not too long, slow waltzes a bit too slow, foxtrots the beats were too accented, played VW after we requested the 2nd night and thereafter -- but where do they select the songs played by DJ when band is on recess? Only decent piece played was Last Waltz, almost everything else unrecognizable. But too many quickstep pieces.

 

The worst were the dance hosts, starting with social hostess Janice. On other cruises, when the social hostess like Marianne, would have all the hosts with her at head of ballroom, and she would say something like, "This is Bill Foxtrot, from Surrey, UK, and his favourite dance is the slow foxtrot." This Janice just left the hosts standing off in the distance near the open entrance, and she said, "These guys all wearing similar outfits are our dance hosts, and if you wish a dance, make yourself known to them."

 

Then, at the group dance classes, there are many more solo ladies than men, but the dance hosts would stick with the same ladies they latched onto at the beginning of the class, and stay with the same ladies (usually younger, better looking ones) throughout the hour. They should be switching partners so that more ladies would get to practice with a male partner.

 

And once the band music was done, the dance hosts would all disappear, maybe to the disco or back to their cabins. Never once did I run into them at the midnight buffet or the Lido or just wandering around.

 

One was a decent dancer, 2 or 3 were OK, and one could barely walk.

 

A new batch of dance hosts came on during the overnight at Singapore, and they were much better and friendlier, met four of them at the midnight buffet their first night on board.

 

One was a tall guy who someone said was a dance instructor but I couldn't really tell. He was as tall as the partner that fantasy51 danced the VW with in the video, but I couldn't tell if it's the same male dancer.

 

But great cruise overall. Many Japanese, and especially the ladies, love to dance. Since I speak Japanese, they sought me out to talk to someone other than from their own travel group. Quite a few Hong Kong and Singapore Chinese but few mainland Chinese. I guess the predominantly English and European feel of the ship and atmosphere are still barriers to more of them signing up for a cruise, or maybe Cunard hasn't started marketing their ships on the mainland China.

[fantasy51]

 

 

One was a tall guy who someone said was a dance instructor but I couldn't really tell. He was as tall as the partner that fantasy51 danced the VW with in the video, but I couldn't tell if it's the same male dancer.

 

Yes Tangoll, Martin was due to go onboard in Singapore so it would have been him. Dance instructing is, I think, a job of love. His day job is engineering.

[Jimsgirl]

The remark that the dance hosts pick out "a stable" the first night/day is correct, they dance with the same ladies night after night, just rotating amongst themselves.

 

If there is a solo lady reading this who really wishes to dance , then she must sit at a table right at the edge of the dance floor, fairly close to the band, and yes she must "draw attention" to herself. If she sits anywhere else , and hopes for a dance she will be disappointed.

 

Of course she may be disappointed anyway, the last group of hosts I saw, were a very poor lot. Could not dance, had no manners, and generally seemed to be there for a number of reasons that had nothing to do with being "gentlemen " hosts.

[fantasy51]

I would speak very highly of the majority of Dance Hosts I have encountered. I have not liked all of them, but that's a personal thing. They have not all danced well according to international standard, but they have taught me what social dancing is all about and it takes a lot less energy than good dancing.

 

I have seen women from the back of the room and from the alcoves being asked to dance. I have seen women in their 90s asked. I have felt that the majority of Dance Hosts on my four dancing cruises have worked very hard to be fair.

 

I certainly have not felt that they pick out 'a stable' on the first night and stick with it.

 

There have been times when I have gone 45 minutes without a dance, but then I've had 2 consecutive dances, and 5 minutes later 2 more consecutive dances with the other Hosts. It's just the way it works sometimes. People looking on at that time may think that they are playing favourites; they won't have seen me sitting and sitting.

 

However, I know that there are some cruises where friends have not been as fortunate. One statistician sat upstairs and counted all the dances and said that one woman had six times as many as my friend!

[tangoll]

As related to me by various dance hosts, the dance host creed:

1. Attend all dance group classes, solo get-togethers, escort single ladies to captain's cocktail parties, 50 minutes out of 60 minutes whenever orchestra is playing in Queen's Room, afternoon tea dance or sailaway party, and be available to escort ladies when requested for land tours or for sit down meals.

2. When dancing, must dance with all ladies who wish a dance before returning to same lady danced with previously.

3. Get free laundry each day, 5 items.

4. Pay to booking agent about US$30 per day for cruise assigned to be dance host.

5. If assignment is 30 days or more, then air fare provided to connect with ship.

6. Share room with another dance host.

7. Meals in the Lido/King's Court buffet unless invited to eat in dining room.

8. Must have basic dance skills as demonstrated in video sent to booking agent.

9. Be appropriately dressed for whatever occasion or ball theme.

 

Maybe Dancer Bob can expand on these duties or correct them. It's a tough job being a dance host, and be subject to orders and whim of the Social Hostess.

[fantasy51]

It's definitely the whim of the social hostess and the staff above her. On my cruise last April, they were actually supposed to dance every dance. They were not officially given time off. By October and November, things had relaxed a bit.

 

In April they also had to attend the singles get-togethers. By October they only attended the first one.

 

In their contracts it states that they can eat in the main dining room at breakfast and lunch. However, the maitre d' can kick up a fuss and not let them in. That was a point of contention last April.

 

I admire the Dance Hosts. They have to work long hours for which they are not paid. In fact, they pay to work those hours. If you compared their effort to that of the professional dancers on board, you might see that it's not an easy role.

[Dancer Bob]

tangoll is pretty much right, but there are quite a few implications and assumptions that Cunard and the agencies are very coy about. I could go on for several pages, but briefly:

I believe the contract now says hosts are required dance in the Queens Room for the entire night, 19.30 to midnight, except two 15-minute breaks. Four hours of dancing, at their age, not to mention Trevor Newby's endless quicksteps. That's very demanding, even worse if you're fighting off-tempo music.

I tend more towards jimsgirl's opinion but it's complicated by the poor music. Those endless quicksteps- many women aren't even physically capable.

Shared room, with somebody who may be a drunk, sleep apnea, whatever. I know of one host quarantined for 48 hours because of illness from stress sharing with an obnoxious drunk. The culprit knew all the tricks, refused to dance with half the women- but the agency expressed complete surprise, claiming good prior evaluations.

Minimum 30 days for airfare- if they're not retired, I don't know many guys with a small business or professional practice who can take that much time off. I have no idea what reference checks or screening the agencies actually do.

Video demonstration- I have come to believe no one looks at dancing, just appearance, and yes, there's a considerable whiff of racism there. I'm not completely sure they even check to make sure it's the same guy on the ship.

Appropriately dressed- as defined by Cunard, not common sense for demanding physical activity. Hosts have to spend upwards of $500 for costumes (yet nothing is said about dance shoes!). Around here, no serious dancer wears a jacket. Ballroom competition costumes are cut so you must have your arms raised, ordinary jackets bind and look like clown suits.

As a single traveler, I always go to singles meetings. Why would a host not want to? That makes me suspicious.

Hosts get 50% off their bar bill. Since serious dancers don't drink, I don't think much of that as a benefit.

The agency touts free tours as a benefit. Starting at maybe 0800, then dancing to midnight- that's really demanding, corners are going to get cut somewhere.

The biggest problem I see- dancers of fantasy51, Strictly ballroom and Nom de Plume's calibre are rare these days. There are too many really, really BAD dancers (any single guy will know what I'm talking about) now. No host I know thinks his dancing improved an a ship. If they're going to keep saying hosts are “passengers” who have “volunteered”- Cunard thinks it's just fine to treat someone who's put in the time and effort to achieve a degree of competence this way? The social hostess will probably admit they're having a hard time finding competent hosts.

Edited May 1, 2014 by Dancer Bob

[tangoll]

Dancer Bob, interesting perspectives you present there on the difficulties of being a dance host on Cunard ships. I imagine that since Cunard attracts more single lady dancers than other lines that have gentlemen hosts (Regent, Crystal, P+O), it must be more demanding on Cunard than other lines.

 

But, now and then, we do hear stories of dance hosts hooking up with ladies they met on the dance floor on a Cunard ship, with a proverbial happy ending.

[Dancer Bob]

Only been on Crystal once- the CD refused to consider dance music during the band breaks because "the hosts have to take a break" (it was a TA, I was told there were many more women than usual). For a cruise line that pats itself on the back about customer service, thought that was an intriguing way of handling staff scheduling. Especially since a few years ago, I almost walked away from Cunard before they put dance music on during breaks.

When I was on the Oriana, the dance teacher (a real, IDTA-qualified teacher) did host duty, and sometimes the cruise staff, but there were no actual hosts.

[Slow Foxtrot]

.......

When I was on the Oriana, the dance teacher (a real, IDTA-qualified teacher) did host duty, and sometimes the cruise staff, but there were no actual hosts.

 

That's been the case on Oriana for very many years and it works very well indeed? As you say, the dance teachers are invariably well qualified and preside over many sessions of ballroom and Latin dancing. They select the CD music during the band-intervals and often mix and dance with the passengers. All the music, either from dance CDs or from the band, is invariably good to dance to.

Unlike Cunard, it's very rare that passengers on Oriana have problems with the tempo.

[BobBranst]

Unlike Cunard, it's very rare that passengers on Oriana have problems with the tempo.

Here we go again. :rolleyes:

 

IMO, the great majority of passengers on Cunard do not have problems with the tempos or the bands.

[theTom&Carol]

Question.....

All this talk about 'tempo'. What exactly are we talking about? Define what's lacking in Cunard's dance music "tempo".

Maybe it's like the old Dick Clark "American Bandstand" TV program where the teens were asked about the new song of the week. Oftentimes, the opinion would be 'don't like it; can't dance to it'.

So, when it comes to the Queens Ballroom, your favorite dance partner, tuxes & gowns, live orchestra, and a partially (or usually mostly) filled largest ballroom at sea, does "tempo" really matter? Cunard is no glitzy TV Dancing-with-the-stars exhibition venue. Maybe your 'tempo' issue mean that the orchestra or band obviously speeds up or slows down. Maybe you don't like the beat because you cannot adapt your favorite much-practiced dance steps; so try other dance steps (often that's more fun). Or, maybe you simply don't like to shuffle around the crowded floor with all the other duffers to some obscure beat, bemoaning the fact that you can't flash-your-dance-stuff. On the other hand, maybe you're from Namibia and Cunard doesn't seem to be able to do the correct native drum undertone accents. Dunno?

Never have tried asking the orchestra (band) for requests. Slip a buck in the jar and ask for your Hernando's tango. Cunard venues seem to play a variety of danceable music. We just seem to adapt and totally enjoy an evening of dancing aboard ship.

So, someone please define these Cunard music "tempo" short-comings with some examples. Then, we will be able to listen carefully, and say "Yes, by-golly, the orchestra's gone awry. HAL next time; Cunard's had it!

My bottom line.... I'd rather be dancing aboard any Cunard ship any night of the week than putzing around this CC dance blogging site second-guessing however the 'tempo' has changed.

Please comment. Fascinating subject.

Thank you.

[sarafinadh]

Question.....

All this talk about 'tempo'. What exactly are we talking about? Define what's lacking in Cunard's dance music "tempo".

 

My bottom line.... I'd rather be dancing aboard any Cunard ship any night of the week than putzing around this CC dance blogging site second-guessing however the 'tempo' has changed.

Please comment. Fascinating subject.

Thank you.

For Ballroom afficinados all dance music comes with a set tempo, and therre is a range of accecpted tempos depending on the music and dance step that goes with it. You will, after this long interesting thread on the topic, be unsurprised that there are Charts pertaining to the issue at hand.

 

Ballroom

 

Name IDSF tempo (MPM)[5] WDC tempo (MPM)[6] IDSF dancing time (seconds)[5] WDC dancing time (seconds)[6] Waltz 28–30 30 90–120 90–120 Tango 31–33 33 90–120 90–120 Viennese Waltz 58–60 58–60 90–120 90–120 Slow Foxtrot 28–30 30 90–120 90–120 Quickstep 50–52 50 90–120 90–120 Latin

 

Name IDSF tempo (MPM)[5] WDC tempo (MPM)[6] IDSF dancing time (seconds)[5] WDC dancing time (seconds)[6] Cha-cha-cha 30–32 30 90–120 90–120 Samba 50–52 50 90–120 90–120 Rumba 25–27 27 90–120 90–120 Paso Doble 60–62 62 90–120 90–120 Jive 42–44 44 90–120 90–120Personally I am a swing dancer, but I can dance happily to most anything. On a good night I have worn out my partner sufficiently that when a really difficult to dance to song comes along we can sit it out and have a drink and a breather. Last night we were at a club and when Hotel California came on we retired. That song is IMPOSSIBLE to dance to.

 

I have to say, one of the selling points on taking the QM2 to get across the Atlantic for our vacation was Himself's point that we could dance the whole way if we wished.

 

I confess that while following this discussion with interest and sympathy I have had a bit of worry because we are not ballroom dancers. Himself occasionally, in his enthusiasm, looses the direction of the flow and moves a bit erratically. I have been known to occasionally lend a backseat lead in the form of some shoulder pressure when I can sense, Titanic like, that he is steering too rapidly into troubled waters and a collision is imminent. Once in a while we loose the step and have to pause in that sheepish state of waiting for us to both get our bearings and balance before setting off again. I dream of the day that we can actually remember and execute all the various interesting patterns we have learned in dance classes over the years.

 

In the meantime we are just social dancers who love to dress and enjoy the music. I have consoled myself whilst reading this that there must be others such as ourselves and that we will not appear completely incompetent out on the floor. Your post has put some heart in that hope ; -)

[Dancer Bob]

Foxy- what do you think- the first time I read theTom&Carol post I thought it must be an attempt at satire. But now I'm wondering if they're serious. In which case I'm offended by their accusation I can't do an waltz at 40 bpm. Of course I, like any competent dancer, CAN. Would you agree the point of this thread is telling each other whether we will HAVE TO, so we can make informed decisions?

Nor would I say any comments about them being American are in order- I just got back from a trip with an American dance group that brings on their own DJ's (plural) to make sure they have music they want.

I've already decided for several reasons besides the bad music and worse management attitude not to go back on QM2, so if they're serious, then I will be happy to agree about paying Cunard prices just to shuffle around.

What are your thoughts?

P.S. Just noticed sarafinadh's post. The USA Dance and NDCA tempos are similar to the ISTD tempos she mentions. I'm not sure if mentioning floorcraft, to accommodate other dancers, is a bit off-topic at this point.

Edited May 4, 2014 by Dancer Bob

[tangoll]

Question.....

All this talk about 'tempo'. What exactly are we talking about? Define what's lacking in Cunard's dance music "tempo".

Maybe it's like the old Dick Clark "American Bandstand" TV program where the teens were asked about the new song of the week. Oftentimes, the opinion would be 'don't like it; can't dance to it'.

So, when it comes to the Queens Ballroom, your favorite dance partner, tuxes & gowns, live orchestra, and a partially (or usually mostly) filled largest ballroom at sea, does "tempo" really matter? Cunard is no glitzy TV Dancing-with-the-stars exhibition venue. Maybe your 'tempo' issue mean that the orchestra or band obviously speeds up or slows down. Maybe you don't like the beat because you cannot adapt your favorite much-practiced dance steps; so try other dance steps (often that's more fun). Or, maybe you simply don't like to shuffle around the crowded floor with all the other duffers to some obscure beat, bemoaning the fact that you can't flash-your-dance-stuff. On the other hand, maybe you're from Namibia and Cunard doesn't seem to be able to do the correct native drum undertone accents. Dunno?

Never have tried asking the orchestra (band) for requests. Slip a buck in the jar and ask for your Hernando's tango. Cunard venues seem to play a variety of danceable music. We just seem to adapt and totally enjoy an evening of dancing aboard ship.

So, someone please define these Cunard music "tempo" short-comings with some examples. Then, we will be able to listen carefully, and say "Yes, by-golly, the orchestra's gone awry. HAL next time; Cunard's had it!

My bottom line.... I'd rather be dancing aboard any Cunard ship any night of the week than putzing around this CC dance blogging site second-guessing however the 'tempo' has changed.

Please comment. Fascinating subject.

Thank you.

 

I'll comment on this subject of music onboard Cunard ships. In the Daily Programme issued on board Queen Elizabeth on my segment mentioned above, one of the items is "9:30 pm BALLROOM & LATIN DANCE MUSIC … Dance to the Queens Room Orchestra…Queens Room, Deck 2". Therefore, the expectation is that the music to be played will be standard tempo music suitable for ballroom and latin dances as defined in the various dance association definitions mentioned by sara above. If the music were not for ballroom and latin dances, then the event description should be something else, like maybe "American Bandstand TV Music".

 

As for requests, I usually have to request that the orchestra play a Viennese Waltz piece, and once having done so, the orchestra will play a VW once or twice each evening thereafter; and no, the orchestra does not have jar on the piano for "gratuities" upon making requests. They are not trawling for tips.

 

Overall the Trevor Newby orchestra does try to maintain a consistent tempo throughout a piece. My comments on the pieces selected for playing are that the slow waltzes are too slow, the VW waltzes are also a bit slow, and too many quickstep pieces.