| May 2025 |
Overview |
The Teachers |
The Hotel |
Schedule |
Book Now |
Best of Last Year |
Advance Info |
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Dear dancers Rock Bottoms Jive and Blues is fast approaching - here is some advance information to help you prepare and to help you know what's happening when you get there. Once you've read this information, feel free to ask any questions you may still have - email hev@rockbottoms.com. And during the weekend please ask any of our team if there's something you think we could help with. Rock Bottoms telephone 07967 904096 LAST MINUTE AVAILABILITY - The event is officially SOLD OUT but last minute cancellations do happen. We operate a waiting list so do encourage people to join it and we'll give them a call if places become available. To check availability or to join waiting list please call Hev on 07967 904096 CAR SHARING - Please use our Facebook group www.facebook.com/groups/5096889110 to ask about car sharing. For our regular visitors to Rock Bottoms who don't need to hear everything again, we have started with details more specific to this event. Further down you'll find more general hotel information. ROCK BOTTOMS JIVE & BLUES (May 9th - 12th) 2025 Dates - starts Friday May 9th with check-in from 3pm - and runs right through to Monday May 12th with checkout by 11am. This event is all within the DERWENT HOTEL (part of the TLH Leisure Resort), Belgrave Road, Torquay TQ2 5HL. Entrance to Derwent car park is on Falkland Road and if this is full you may use any TLH car park (Victoria, Carlton, Toorak). Derwent telephone 01803 400100 A detailed program of events including all workshop timings will be put on our RockBottoms Facebook group very soon.This schedule will also be emailed to all participants. Sorry we no longer provide printed copies. TEACHERS Matt Evans & Sarah Smith - Jive Dawn & Lee - Jive / Pyjama / other tasters Rob and Penny - Blues... Flávio & Richard - Tango - beginner / intermediate Andy & Hev - Lindy Hop tasters / solo jazz stroll You are free to join in any workshop you wish, but don't overdo it as you'll need plenty of energy for the lovely long evenings. And if level indicators are given, please do take notice of them. THEME NIGHT As always our Saturday night is themed and we'd love it if all of your outfits were linked to the theme of "EUROVISION". This obviously opens up the opportunity to come as any of the past competitors good or bad. If you'd like to give a short rendition of a song do let us know in advance (short means about 30 seconds). If you're still not sure how to dress then simply go for a national costume - they let any bloody country in these days. And do stick around for Sunday evening when the teachers may have a Eurovision show of their own for you! CLOTHES EXCHANGE - this is a recent addition to our events for buying and selling unwanted dancewear (men and ladies) - labelled clearly with size, price and your phone number *** please bring hangers. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ARRIVAL DAY SUMMARY Arrival day (Friday) timings are as follows: 12 noon. Car park becomes available but no room check-in just yet - you must go straight to reception to register your car 12 noon: Hotel Bistro opens which is a very sociable place for a coffee, a beer, or for lunch. 3:00pm: hotel check in opens. You'll be given room keys and an event wristband which you should put on right away. 3:00pm: Rock Bottoms desk also opens where you can ask questions, book massage, buy merchandise and book for future events. 4:30pm: "Meet & Greet" - we serve complimentary Tea & bickies at "Ben's Barrow" until around 5:30 5:00pm: Jive music will be playing in the Starlight Lounge until around 6pm so bring your dancing shoes... 6:45pm: Evening Meal in the restaurant - last sitting is normally 8pm but on arrival day this extends to 8:30 8:30pm: Jive starts in main venue, with a short bottom warmer class at 9pm and teacher introductions at 10. The Blues room will open at 9pm Note - There are no daytime workshops on the Friday though you may use the pool and other hotel facilities even before you get into your room - just ask at reception. BOOK AHEAD FOR NEXT TIME During next weekend many of you will make a booking for future events. We like this as it means you are having a really good time. But why not beat the rush and get it all sorted now by completing the booking form on our website www.rockbottoms.com. You can book now and bring us the deposit next weekend if you like. But please don't bring your cheque book as it's a pain in the bum for us handling those archaic things LURGY POLICY We are a group of 300 dancers in close proximity to each other and we'd like everyone to have a happy and healthy time. So if you feel a major lurgy kicking in just before arrival day, then common sense says stay away. If you do have to cancel last minute we can provide an invoice to help you claim on travel insurance (a decent annual policy can be found for around £30). DIRECTIONS: Plug TQ2 5HL into your Sat Nav. TRAVEL COMPANIONS - if travelling on your own, why not put a message on the Rock Bottoms Facebook group to see if you can car share with somebody from your area. This will obviously save on fuel costs and stop the car parks being over crowded. PARKING: If the Derwent car park is full - exit the Derwent car park left and follow the TLH complex around to the left where you'll see the Carlton, Toorak and Victoria hotel car parks. On check in you must put your car registration into the machine at reception. To ease the strain on the car parks, maybe check out the train - Torquay train station is less than a 10-minute walk from the hotel. CHECK-IN You are welcome to check into your room anytime from 3pm onwards. You get your room key from the hotel reception where they should also provide you with a wrist band (please put it on before you lose it). We'll be at the Rock Bottoms desk from 3pm where you can ask any questions you may have. We have some merchandise to help you look cool, and we have water bottles and fans to help you keep cool. EVENING DANCES Music for Jive starts in the Starlight Lounge at 8:30pm each evening. "The Secret Disco" opens at 9pm with Blues through to the early hours. Do look at the printed schedule as this will give details of all extra evening entertainment. BOTOM WARMER is a short fun class on Friday at 9pm and its aim is to get people onto the floor, mixing with new people, and dancing. PYJAMA CLASS A tradition of Rock Bottoms is the Sunday morning pyjama class. This is a bit off the wall, and is basically about having a good laugh. It does result in a fun routine being learnt as we all dance around in our pyjamas. We'd encourage as many of you as possible to take part, CABARETS ... We have the teacher cabaret on Saturday night at 10pm, and on Sunday night around 9pm we have extra performances - this weekend we'll have the pyjama class and maybe a teacher Eurovision show? MASSAGE Jane is our only masseur this weekend but she will be available from mid-afternoon Friday. Friday massages can be booked in advance of the weekend by contacting Hev. Saturday & Sunday massages can be booked at the event from 3pm on Friday (please pay when you make booking). All massages £40 per hour. Please can you bring your own towels to the massage room (can be from your hotel room). If you would like the masseurs to mask up just let them know when you arrive for your massage. OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER Alex Hardie will be taking shots throughout the weekend. A good selection of his photos will go up on our website www.rockbottoms.com immediately after the event. To see the complete collection you'll need to go to Alex's website http://www.alexhardiephotography.co.uk/ VIDEO RECORDING RULES Note: we no longer produce a Rock Bottoms DVD. This means there is more opportunity for our dancers to shoot their own footage. You may not film during workshops, but at the end of a workshop if you ask nicely the teachers may do a short demo of the workshop material - have your phones at the ready. You may also film the cabarets for your own personal use only. Rock Bottoms will upload the cabarets to YouTube (if teachers allow). SHOP Rock Bottoms have their own 'shop' with T-shirts, hoodies, fans, shoe bags etc HOTEL INFORMATION Your rooms will be available from 3pm Friday and checkout is 10:30am Monday. Derwent Hotel reception : 01803 400100... Derwent Hotel reception : 01803 400200 DIRECTIONS - for help in getting to the Derwent Hotel, please check out the hotel pages of our website. Or plug TQ2 5HL into your Sat Nav. TRAVEL COMPANIONS - if travelling on your own, why not put a message on the Rock Bottoms Facebook group www.facebook.com/groups/5096889110 to see if you can car share with somebody from your area. This will obviously save on fuel costs and stop the car parks being over crowded. PARKING: During our Rock Bottoms weekends the Derwent Hotel car park usually fills up. You are allowed to park In any of the car parks in the TLH complex (Carlton, Victoria, Toorak. Whichever car park you are in, you will need to register your car at reception on arrival. CHECK-IN You are welcome to check into your room anytime from 3pm onwards. You get your room key from the hotel reception where they should also provide you with a wrist band (please put it on before you lose it). You must enter your car reg in the machine at the hotel reception desk. Please note - no printed schedules will be given out - we recommend taking a screenshot shot on your phone from our website / Facebook group. There are no daytime workshops on the Friday though you may use the pool and other hotel facilities even before you get into your room - just ask at reception. DINNER on Friday starts serving at 6:45, though you can still get served if you arrive any time up to 8:30. If arriving after 8:30, please phone hotel reception to arrange a cold platter to be held for you. ***Note that last serving on other days is 8pm! SPECIAL DIETS Special Diets: if you're veggie, vegan , gluten free or something else and you haven't told us before let us know now. Chef is always waiting by the restaurant door on FRIDAY EVENING ONLY to chat with anyone who has unusual requirements , asking at the table won't work, he's got a lotta meals to make - bless. MEALS: Your package includes breakfast and evening meals for the 3 nights of your stay. All meals are served in the hotel dining room, where you may choose to sit with friends or meet some new people. To easily meet new people during dinner, try our "Meet & Eat" tables – one or two large group tables identified by a balloon or two (door staff can guide you to these tables). If you are a group wanting to sit together at dinner then we suggest you put your own reserved sign on the table of your choice. LUNCH: The on site Bistro is a great place for lunch (between about 12 and 3). Very sociable layout and good food. If you are planning to go out for lunch, it's about a five minute walk to the sea front or a twenty minute walk into town. HOTEL FACILITIES: The hotel has a lovely indoor swimming pool, so make sure you bring your cozzie. The hotel also has their very own Aztec Spa too… all manner of treatments happening there. The hotel also has a wonderful hairdressing Salon which Hev visits EVERY time, the staff are brilliant and it's a complete bargain, they are especially good at 'Up' doo's. If you have any further enquiries about hotel facilities, or if you'd like to make an advance booking, then call them on 01803 400100. SECURITY: our workshop venues and evening venues are private to Rock Bottoms, so security is not a big issue. If you all wear your wristbands (issued on arrival) we'll have no problem in identifying anyone who shouldn't be there. DRINKS: You may bring your own soft drinks into the workshops during the day, but please use the hotel bars for drinks in the evenings. Water fountains will be provided at all venues for use day and night.... Wine waiters will circulate during dinner to take your orders - we've tried their house white and red, just for research you understand, and they are both excellent DON'T FORGET TO BRING FANCY DRESS for Saturday night - "EUROVISION" PYJAMAS for Sunday breakfast and Pyjama class EYE MASK and EAR PLUGS as there may be some noise from the street at night or from your roomie. SWIMMING COZZIES, so you can make use of the fantastic hotel pools Towels for use at the swimming pool or for massage (hotel provides towels for your room only). Diaries to check out which future Rock Bottoms you can come along to. Don't forget to keep an eye on our ROCK BOTTOMS Facebook group for last minute updates For more information and to make bookings, please visit our website Hugs to all from the Rock Bottoms team Replies please to hev@rockbottoms.com |