Hi all!

I've recently been looking for nightclubs where jive is danced, and there seems to be a bit of a jiving scene in London, UK. They advertise their jive as French or modern jive. These terms appear to be equivalent. I have learnt international style jive. Is this what they call French jive, or is French jive something else?
I gather it's probably got to do with the way you chassis in the basic (e.g. in what I think is called "rock jive", you don't chassis, but just take a step to the side).

Thanks, Philipp

Hi Pat and Erik!

Dancing with a girl without moving your feet is quite possible - my ballroom dance coach demonstrated this in one of my very first lessons, to explain the importance of a good lead.
I'm afraid I haven't been to London clubs. I found one club by research on the net, but I lost the bookmark when I bought a new computer. Anyway, the club seemed to be pausing or about to start up again after closure or something. They had a photo of happy dancing people, but it was rather crowded, so I understand the necessity to dance a less "active" style of dance to jive music. Because on the image I could only see upper bodies, I could not tell whether anyone was dancing "proper" jive. I would be surprised if they had a jive night more often than twice a month. You should try and check out the websites of all the salsa clubs you can find to see if they have jive nights, or maybe contact them to ask if they would organise one. There have been jive clubs in London, so I cannot see how the interest could have waned.
Where in Europe are you, Erik? I assume as you say you're European, you're not Erik Summers, who maintains a website about ballroom and Latin American dances. I'm on holidays in Germany right now.
We must be careful to note that jive and swing dances and even Rock'n'Roll are all of the same family, and have regionally diverged through the fading century. However, I share your difficulty in accepting such simplified dances as more than an introduction to dance for the less able (from my own experience, a good proportion of Modern Jive/LeRoc/Ceroc etc. dancers are of retired age).
As I have kept well away from these dances (being a competitive ballroom jiver), I cannot comment on the different numbers of beats. All I have gleaned is that in one of these dances (the instructor called it Rock Jive), there is a basic step like that of ballroom jive without the chassés: Left (slow), right (slow), back (quick), replace (quick).
I think that a ballroom jiver may have a problem in a modern jive club, since the music they dance to seems to vary greatly in tempo.
That's my thoughts for the day. Sorry to be so little help to you, Pat, but you should be able to find some information surfing around.

Jive is life!

Philipp,
I have found more about "LeRoc" ("the hot new partner dance from France" ?) at http://leroc.net/moves/index.htm, where several moves are described.

I am european, therefore international (jive) style dancer and I dance also "disco-swing" (which I believe is the european "hustle").

What is confusing to me is that the several moves have different numbers of "beats" (3, 4, 5 or 6) and that on count 1 the man steps back on his right foot (whereas in jive and disco-swing this is on the left foot).

I have the impression that there is no basic movement (to fall back on) and - as nothing is mentioned - that the rhythm is one step per beat (as in disco-swing).

My interpretation is that "french jive" is more like a variation of european disco-swing and has little to do with jive. Because of the lack of basic count and the reverse rock step, I would not be inclined to take LeRoc-lessons.

I wonder if a LeRoc dancer will answer this topic (more positively).

What I heard about "freeze" is that the men hardly move their feet; they just move their weight from one leg to the other, keeping their feet in place and - I wonder how - swing the girls around them.

Hard to be open to these new tendencies...

Erik

Philip,
Just seen your post. I am a French national, now living in the UK. You are right, in French jive the emphasis is on upper-body movement, and the hold is different.
It is also correct that the moves are very similar therefore it doesn't matter too much if both partners are dancing a different style.
Have you got names of clubs in London where jive is danced?

Well, now...
As a result of the general lack of interest in this question, I have answered it for myself. For the benefit of anyone else with that same question:
Modern Jive is a generic name for a collection of dances that are derived from various jive dances (ballroom jive, different swing styles, jitterbug). They are also called French Jive, but I'm not quite sure as to how this name was derived, or sometimes Rock Jive.
They are simple versions of jive, without much specified footwork, and many of the names for different styles have copyrights on them. More emphasis is placed on upper body and arm movements, which is the instrument of the lead.
The most well-known version is Ceroc. The most recent similar trend is probably Freasy, developed in Germany.

So, in conclusion, Modern or French Jive are very different from ballroom jive, but some jive figures can be danced in both, and indeed sometimes it is possible for one dancer to dance one version and his/her partner the other without problems. But I'm personally having second thoughts as to whether I want to go to a club where Modern Jive is danced.

Erm, does anybody have a clue about this?
Please? Tell me if I'm asking stupid and obvious questions, but please, please talk to me

Pat, if you're still around, there is a mixed dance night including French Jive or Modern Jive (they seem unable to decide which) at Jongleurs in Oxford, UK, which I understand is reasonably close to London (90 minutes by coach, I was told), but only an option if you're desperate. I was unable to verify whether there would be French people there, though, and whereas the first time, it costs £5, subsequently you pay only £1, which seems suspicious to say the least, I think.

Happy jiving!