Travel Blog & News 2020
Dancing Holiday 2020
When we left Dawlish in November last year we were already full for this year’s holiday, with 98 dancers and 14 on the waiting list. We started planning the holiday in January, as we usually do, sorting out the themes, the fun and the programmes for the three days. So in January this year everything was well under way and then COVID stopped us in our tracks dancing stopped during lockdown and everyone was thinking that by the time we got to November we would have a vaccine and would be getting back to normal. Of course at that time little did we realise what was to come. When the first lockdown ended and we got the go ahead for our dancing to start in September we started to look at the holiday again and contacted the 98 that were booked, naturally many pulled out for health and or uncertainty reasons. The ventilation calculation for the ballroom gave us a figure of 64.7 people and with the experience of holding a COVID safe dance in September and November we were certain we could hold the holiday and keep everyone safe. The hotel was COVID secure and from the feedback we had from other people using the hotel we knew the hotel was safe. The tier system and the second lock down, which meant moving the holiday a month to December took our numbers down to 46. We cautiously continued with the preparations keeping our fingers crossed and then came the news that we would be going back into tiers and when the tiers were announced we had to cancel anyone who was in tier 3 and quickly check if we could go ahead as the hotel and we were now in tier 2. After another few days of worry while we waited for the vote to go through parliament, we then only had a short time to trawl through the regulations again and for the hotel to confirm that we could go ahead. Phew we telephoned the 15 couples on the 3rd of December and told them it was ok to start packing and we would see them on Monday 7th at Dawlish.
We knew we could keep everyone safe with the numbers we were taking and the space we had at the hotel, however, we were a little nervous in case we could not get the same atmosphere we have had for the last 5 holidays.
When we got to the hotel we found we practically had the place to ourselves. We had asked the hotel to set out the dining room with tables of two only and the ballroom was set out to a plan we had sent in again with tables of two kept 2 metres apart. We had table service for drinks in the ballroom and lounges and alcoholic drinks could only be taken with the meal. As soon as the first nights dancing got underway we knew it was going to be ok. The dancers all kept to the guidelines with no interaction between couples and two dancers who came singly danced on their own. We missed the set dances and progressive dances but we still had plenty of Old Time Dances, lots of fun and everyone joined in helping with quizzes and sketches in between the dances. Last year Hilary had some wooden dolly pegs left over from the theme night and offered a prize for this year’s holiday, for the best dressed peg. Hilary had brought a set of pegs dressed as an example. At first we thought it was just a group of pegs dancing but then we thought one looked just like Joy Lewis and wait a moment one looked just like Paul. On closer inspection we realised Hilary had produced a set of pegs dancing a set dance with Paul and Hazel, Clive and Margaret, Hilary and Nigel and The Golden Girls Joy and Wendy. (see picture gallery) They were all beautifully dressed and Hilary had got every detail in miniature just right. We were not sure how many would have brought one with the reduced number of dancers but there were 8 entries. Hilary had provided prizes for the 1st 2nd and 3rd pegs and Karen the restaurant supervisor judged the winners. Frances and Robert provided a quiz to fit in with our Christmas theme for the last night base on Good King Wenceslas and again provided a prize for the winner. We had a comedy sketch by Margaret and Clive and Frances had written a poem especially for the holiday in her own “Pam Ayres” style. No raffle but a few bottles that could be sanitised as spot prizes and for a few elimination dances. We had our usual morning session but we could not have any ballroom or fun or progressive dances but again lots of Old Time dances and a line dance. Everyone was very good at keeping two metres apart on the dance floor. We could not have the usual end to our three days of dancing as we could not sing or join hands for Auld Lang Syne……next year.
From the feedback we have received everyone enjoyed the three day break they said it was nice to feel almost normal for a few days. Enjoying the hotel, the dancing and although no socializing the company of others even at a distance. One couple said it was the highlight of the year. Because of the reduced numbers it was more intimate, the thing we noticed the most was that everyone was smiling, even when they had their masks on. It was hard work to make it safe, stressful because of the ever changing rules and guidelines and it would have been easier to just cancel for this year. We were prepared to put the work in to make it safe, because for us Old Time Dancing is not just about dancing but about friendship and being in the company of people who care about one another.
Click here for pictures
When we left Dawlish in November last year we were already full for this year’s holiday, with 98 dancers and 14 on the waiting list. We started planning the holiday in January, as we usually do, sorting out the themes, the fun and the programmes for the three days. So in January this year everything was well under way and then COVID stopped us in our tracks dancing stopped during lockdown and everyone was thinking that by the time we got to November we would have a vaccine and would be getting back to normal. Of course at that time little did we realise what was to come. When the first lockdown ended and we got the go ahead for our dancing to start in September we started to look at the holiday again and contacted the 98 that were booked, naturally many pulled out for health and or uncertainty reasons. The ventilation calculation for the ballroom gave us a figure of 64.7 people and with the experience of holding a COVID safe dance in September and November we were certain we could hold the holiday and keep everyone safe. The hotel was COVID secure and from the feedback we had from other people using the hotel we knew the hotel was safe. The tier system and the second lock down, which meant moving the holiday a month to December took our numbers down to 46. We cautiously continued with the preparations keeping our fingers crossed and then came the news that we would be going back into tiers and when the tiers were announced we had to cancel anyone who was in tier 3 and quickly check if we could go ahead as the hotel and we were now in tier 2. After another few days of worry while we waited for the vote to go through parliament, we then only had a short time to trawl through the regulations again and for the hotel to confirm that we could go ahead. Phew we telephoned the 15 couples on the 3rd of December and told them it was ok to start packing and we would see them on Monday 7th at Dawlish.
We knew we could keep everyone safe with the numbers we were taking and the space we had at the hotel, however, we were a little nervous in case we could not get the same atmosphere we have had for the last 5 holidays.
When we got to the hotel we found we practically had the place to ourselves. We had asked the hotel to set out the dining room with tables of two only and the ballroom was set out to a plan we had sent in again with tables of two kept 2 metres apart. We had table service for drinks in the ballroom and lounges and alcoholic drinks could only be taken with the meal. As soon as the first nights dancing got underway we knew it was going to be ok. The dancers all kept to the guidelines with no interaction between couples and two dancers who came singly danced on their own. We missed the set dances and progressive dances but we still had plenty of Old Time Dances, lots of fun and everyone joined in helping with quizzes and sketches in between the dances. Last year Hilary had some wooden dolly pegs left over from the theme night and offered a prize for this year’s holiday, for the best dressed peg. Hilary had brought a set of pegs dressed as an example. At first we thought it was just a group of pegs dancing but then we thought one looked just like Joy Lewis and wait a moment one looked just like Paul. On closer inspection we realised Hilary had produced a set of pegs dancing a set dance with Paul and Hazel, Clive and Margaret, Hilary and Nigel and The Golden Girls Joy and Wendy. (see picture gallery) They were all beautifully dressed and Hilary had got every detail in miniature just right. We were not sure how many would have brought one with the reduced number of dancers but there were 8 entries. Hilary had provided prizes for the 1st 2nd and 3rd pegs and Karen the restaurant supervisor judged the winners. Frances and Robert provided a quiz to fit in with our Christmas theme for the last night base on Good King Wenceslas and again provided a prize for the winner. We had a comedy sketch by Margaret and Clive and Frances had written a poem especially for the holiday in her own “Pam Ayres” style. No raffle but a few bottles that could be sanitised as spot prizes and for a few elimination dances. We had our usual morning session but we could not have any ballroom or fun or progressive dances but again lots of Old Time dances and a line dance. Everyone was very good at keeping two metres apart on the dance floor. We could not have the usual end to our three days of dancing as we could not sing or join hands for Auld Lang Syne……next year.
From the feedback we have received everyone enjoyed the three day break they said it was nice to feel almost normal for a few days. Enjoying the hotel, the dancing and although no socializing the company of others even at a distance. One couple said it was the highlight of the year. Because of the reduced numbers it was more intimate, the thing we noticed the most was that everyone was smiling, even when they had their masks on. It was hard work to make it safe, stressful because of the ever changing rules and guidelines and it would have been easier to just cancel for this year. We were prepared to put the work in to make it safe, because for us Old Time Dancing is not just about dancing but about friendship and being in the company of people who care about one another.
Click here for pictures
August
We have missed travelling to Old Time Dances and The Old Time Society events around the country due to the pandemic. We could only tick off the dates on the calendar of dances over the last 5 months with no dancing. Our hall opened in August but we felt that was too early for us to return but with a lot of research, planning and preparation we are holding our first dance in September. We have read and re read the regulations taken lots of advice and ignored some misleading information. It will not be social dancing as we know it or would like it to be but by restricting the numbers and adhering to the guidelines it is a controlled way back to dancing. As Bath Old Time dancers we only run social dances and as Old Time sequence dancers we are lucky that our style of dancing is controlled and we can keep socially distant. We have limited the dancers in line with the ventilation calculation and because we have a large dance floor at Saltford Hall we are easily able to keep the seating and dancers within the guidelines. It has not been easy and we have had to make some difficult decisions like only allowing couples to dance form the same household or support bubble and having advance bookings only. Letters have been sent to all the dancers who attend our monthly dances with our risk assessment and a list of requirements to comply with the regulations and our public liability insurance. We have put the programme on our web page, having checked we could remember all the dances. We have prepared a cleaning check list and health declaration forms for dancers to complete, stocked up on hand sanitizer, disinfectant sprays, antibacterial wipes etc. and we are just keeping our fingers crossed that the dance can go ahead as planned.
We have missed travelling to Old Time Dances and The Old Time Society events around the country due to the pandemic. We could only tick off the dates on the calendar of dances over the last 5 months with no dancing. Our hall opened in August but we felt that was too early for us to return but with a lot of research, planning and preparation we are holding our first dance in September. We have read and re read the regulations taken lots of advice and ignored some misleading information. It will not be social dancing as we know it or would like it to be but by restricting the numbers and adhering to the guidelines it is a controlled way back to dancing. As Bath Old Time dancers we only run social dances and as Old Time sequence dancers we are lucky that our style of dancing is controlled and we can keep socially distant. We have limited the dancers in line with the ventilation calculation and because we have a large dance floor at Saltford Hall we are easily able to keep the seating and dancers within the guidelines. It has not been easy and we have had to make some difficult decisions like only allowing couples to dance form the same household or support bubble and having advance bookings only. Letters have been sent to all the dancers who attend our monthly dances with our risk assessment and a list of requirements to comply with the regulations and our public liability insurance. We have put the programme on our web page, having checked we could remember all the dances. We have prepared a cleaning check list and health declaration forms for dancers to complete, stocked up on hand sanitizer, disinfectant sprays, antibacterial wipes etc. and we are just keeping our fingers crossed that the dance can go ahead as planned.
Eypes Mouth Hotel House Party 2020
At the beginning of February we gathered with the Eypes group to enjoy another jamboree on the Dorset coast. The usual fun, games madness and dancing starting with a birthday party on Monday the 3rd and finishing with a themed night “Down on the Farm” on Wednesday. In between we enjoyed a craft morning, a little bit of walking, singing, cabaret acts, jokes and poems. Along with wonderful food, plenty of wine loads of laughter and little sleep.
Click here for pictures
At the beginning of February we gathered with the Eypes group to enjoy another jamboree on the Dorset coast. The usual fun, games madness and dancing starting with a birthday party on Monday the 3rd and finishing with a themed night “Down on the Farm” on Wednesday. In between we enjoyed a craft morning, a little bit of walking, singing, cabaret acts, jokes and poems. Along with wonderful food, plenty of wine loads of laughter and little sleep.
Click here for pictures