 Because
of the popularity of ballroom dancing for the past 6 years of so, too many
dance places have sprouted out of nowhere in the key cities of the
country. Unfortunately, owners and managers of these outlets have not
adjusted to the requirements of the ballroom dancers. I even wonder if
they know what these are.
That is why the social
dancer is accosted with an incredulously wide variety of dance floors,
music quality and repertoire, cuisine, and even restroom amenities.
Following is a random listing of varieties and types of qualities I've
personally come across. I make no recommendations, though I'd state my
preferences. We provide the choices. You make the decision.
Dance
Instructors (D.I.s)
Dance instructors, more popularly
known as D.I.s, are considered the main attraction of the ballroom outlet.
Most outlets have at least 15 D.I.s, of whom 70-90% are quite physically
attractive. Some 50-90% of them are dance proficient (I'm being
subjective here). Many are mere dance partners and chaperones. More
comprehensive information about dance instructors
and how to deal with them are in another major section on this site.
Specialty
Dances
Unlike in the United States and in
Europe, there are no exclusive Salsa, Swing or Tango clubs here in the
Philippines. The only two which approximate a specialty dance hall are Bistro
RJ and Bogota. RJ in Makati City
features Rock 'n Roll everyday of the week, so one can Boogie and Swing
all night long. The live bands can be requested to dance some Rumba and
Tango tunes though. Bogota along Pedro Gil in Manila
boasts of live Latin music and dancing.
Ballroom
clubs cater to all ballroom dancers, who can dance any dance anyway.
Expect practically all the dances to be played by the DJ an equal number
of times, including disco but seldom the Waltz and Paso Doble (which are
basically considered dances for the older set).
Floor
Type & Area
I have yet to experience ballroom
dancing on my idea of the best dancing floor -- a non-lacquered (read as
"naturally polished") sprung wood floor which has been naturally polished by
thousands of dancing feet over the years. Many clubs have wood parquet
floors, usually lacquered to look good. Club owners though have to
check daily for lose slats which could sprain unwary dancers. Some hotels,
in the absence of a real ballroom, install portable wooden floors with
aluminum connectors, which could trip a lady's heel. Other dance clubs,
and this seems to be the trend, have marble or faux marble floors. But I
find these too hard and slippery especially with suede and leather soles.
The hard floor could also be a strain on the dancer's ankles. Club owners
interested in preparing a really good dancing floor can check out the Dance
Floor FAQ.
Because dance floors are seldom cleaned and
maintained properly, and because they are not really suitable for dancing,
club owners help to smoothen the floor with either borax or talcum powder.
Club owners should not confuse this with corn starch which can glue
dancers' shoes to the floor.
The size of
dance floors vary from 18 sqm meters (in a daytime cafe) to 400 sqm.
at a sports complex. The average
floor size for most dance places is 50-120 sqm.
So far the best dance floors we've experienced
are those of Savannah Moon in Libis, and Flambeau along
Katipunan Avenue, both in Quezon City.
Music
I personally prefer places with mobile music
because live bands tend to interpret the dance pieces in varying tempos.
Those few live bands whose members actually dance are a lot better
though.
On the other hand, most music DJs are
trained for disco dancing, unable to differentiate the various music and
tempos of the ballroom dances. And because they are seldom dancers
themselves, they fail to realize the necessity of playing no more than 3
Swing pieces before they segue to a slow dance (gotta let the social
dancers catch their breath). The DJ at one of these places lights up
when my partner and I are around because he can freely consult the music
repertoire with us.
Lighting
At least half of the outlets I've
visited don't seem to have hired at least a lights consultant, only an
electrician. Thus often the lights are too bright, too dim, stare straight
into dancers' eyes, constantly moving as in disco places. Several
however have obviously studied the effect of their lighting to the needs
of dancers, and the mood and ambiance of the place.
Air-Conditioning
Most outlets have ample air-
conditioning, though some halls which cater to members-only still have to
install one.
Cuisine
This really isn't a big deal since
dancers don't eat much, well, at least not this dance addict. Thus most
ballroom outlets have a mixture of cuisine, many limited to light meals
and sandwiches. A few
specialize in Filipino, Japanese, and Chinese food but also offer American
or Continental style sandwiches. Tasty and stylishly-served vegetarian
dishes seem to be a favorite among ballroom dancers, since we'd rather not
gain back the calories and fat we lost from dancing.
Hospitality
& Personal Touch
The personal touch of a dance hall's
management does influence the continuing patronage of social dancers. Only
5% of the halls have hired a ballroom manager who doesn't distinguish
friends from strangers. I personally know a ballroom manager and her
husband who can actually convince her clientele to patronize all the
outlets she handles, in spite of the less-than-desired qualities of a
number of these places, simply because of friendship.
Restrooms
When I freshen up, I'd rather do it
in a clean spacious restroom with clean tap water, tissue, powder and a
few perks. A handful of outlets have attendants who can give a quick but
soothing neck and back massage. Unfortunately, 50% of outlets have cramped
rest rooms with only 1 or two cubicles. I'd rather not visit the restrooms
of 10% of the outlets.
Prices
Minimum charges in ballroom outlets
are generally stable and within a narrow range of P250 to 350 per head. Of
course a few 5-star hotels can charge as much as P700 (with dinner). The
difference lies in how much of the basic cost is applicable to
consumables, and on the actual cost of food and drinks. 90% charge
horrendous F&B prices to imply or assume a class A category, and more
to cover the cost of DI food and transportation allowances, lights and
sounds fees.
Entrance
& Exit Doors
With the Ozone* horror still fresh in
our minds, local social dancers tend to choose dance places with more than
2 entrance and exit doors. At least 90% of places I've visited have only
one entrance and exit, available and visible to guests. A prayer every now
and then allays the fears of being trapped in a burning dance hall. It
does pay to know if the window panels can be opened or broken by a chair
when necessary.
___________________
*In
1994, the Ozone Disco in Quezon City burned down due to faulty wiring,
trapping 160 young disco goers. Most of the bodies were found inside
crammed together in front of a door which only opened inwards.
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