Crazy! Crazy Days and Nights

By skinner_jennifer

Wed, 29 Nov 2023
  • 1499 reads
12 comments
 

Dear diary...it was Friday

3rd December 1976, when

I entered a twenty four hour

marathon dance in aid of a

charity named START...

though I can't recall what

the initials stood for.

 

We started at midnight on

the Friday, which was held

at Reeves Nightclub in

Brislington, Bristol and

finished at midnight on

the Saturday.

 

This poem is expressing

my feelings and emotions

of the twenty four hours,

which thankfully I did

manage to complete.

 

We went body and soul

locked into the beat,

midnight approached;

rhythm building up heat,

 

sea of dancers blanketing

scene; we wouldn't give in

till twenty four hours had

been,

 

combining gyration to each

musical score, adapting to

each record as feet moved

around floor,

 

must be night fever that

kept us on track; with

energy and effort we didn't

look back.

 

Easy craving to win when

competent and fresh, but

as hours pass, fractures

appear...which means some

won't last,

 

we were like slaves in a

wasteland of our own

making, pushing through

pain...we weren't faking.

 

Night and day we danced

on, but never in defeat,

resolved to money raised;

even with painful feet.

 

Finishing line we were

heading towards; pushing

to the end, securing our

rewards.

 

Royalty Free image.

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Poem
Dear Diary
Love
Journal
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

My goodness dancing for 24 hours is an amazing feat Jenny - did you make it? What was your prize?

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi insert,

yes I did make it to the end, I can't recall if we got a certificate to say we'd completed the 24 hours, it was so long ago. But for me the prize was actually raising all the money I'd been sponsered. Just wish I could remember who START were. I've been going through old diaries, but it doesn't actually say.

I used to love dancing and would take every opportunity to get on the dance floor. I remember when Saturday Night Fever came out, I ended up taking classes to learn the routines, that was so much fun, and the music was incredible. I still love watching it even now.

Many thanks for stopping by to read. Your comment was much appreciated.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Hi Jenny, you must have been very active, fit,and full of energy in those days. It was intwresting to read that it was in aid of a charity. I was curious to know what the acronym START stood for and found this that might fit: The START negotiations were successors to the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks of the 1970s. But I don't know whether there was a charity to raise funds for this. Anyway, good poem.

Luigi xx

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Luigi,

I have to admit that back then when I was 22 I was always active and had a lot of energy, though I'm not sure how fit I was, but I was very determined when I got an idea in my head.

I'm not sure START stood for Strategic Arms Limitation Talks...at least not in connection with the charity we were raising money for, the name doesn't sound familiar.

I'm so glad the poem worked for you, because I'm never quite sure about my rhyming, but had a lot of fun putting it together, which is why I'm grateful for your feedback and glad you liked.

Many thanks,

Jenny. xx smiley

 

Submitted by Turlough on

There was a Sydney Pollack film about this sort of event. It was called They Shoot Horses, Don't They? I'll have to try to watch it again and think of you.

I searched on Google for START Charity and was taken to a website that shows you how to start a charity and a cat stood on my keyboard so now it looks like he's pressed all the right (or wrong) buttons and I have started a charity. So if you could send me 50p I'd be grateful.

What sort of music were you dancing to? Mid seventies' pop music or something a bit slower and more endurable over twenty-four hours?

I enjoyed your poem and I admire you for taking part in this noble event.

Turlough

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Turlough,

I remember that film They Shoot Horses Don't They. What those people put their bodies through must have been unbarable. I couldn't have managed anymore than 24 hours, that was hard enough.

You put a smile on my face, smiley telling me about your cat sitting on the keyboard and pressing the keys...I don't know, the things cats do to get your attention. wink

I'm not sure what the music was we danced too, but I assume it was Disco, Funk and Pop, nothing really stands out to me, being so long ago..I have to say that I just loved to dance, though I did have a go at tap, but didn't really take to that, too many rules and it was too difficult to master. I'm more of a free spirit when it comes to expressing myself.

As I recall the dancing was very taxing and the last nine hours was the worst...or so my diary told me, that would have been Saturday afternoon going through to midnight. It was a challenge, and I'm glad I completed it. I'm glad you enjoyed reading this poem, it was fun to write, and it's always nice to know it was appreciated.

Many thanks.

Jenny. smiley

 

 

Submitted by marandina on

That's another evocative diary entry. I can't imagine committing to something involving such endurance but well done to you for doing just that. Nicely done, Jenny.

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Paul,

I was only 22 , had a lot of energy and a love of expressing myself in dance, I would often close my eyes when dancing, which helped to get into the music, then my body would take over and I'd just go for it. You're right though, it did take endurance doing a 24nhour marathon dance, but I was so determined no matter what.

That's very kind of you to say the diary entry poem was evocative, I like that very much, and I'm glad you thought it was nicely done.

Your thoughts are always greatly appreciated Paul.

Many thanks.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi

 

Such a nice memory of a day when you probably had more energy than you do now I never did a marathon sosrt of thing. I guess I like my sleep too much

Jean Day

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Jean,

glad you liked this memory in a poem. I suppose the energy came when wanting to do something so bad, I could be very determined and would put my all into it. But I did love dancing so very much.

Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts Jean.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

Most people would need amphetamines or some strong stimulant to to stay awake so long. Not good. The idea of dance lessons that's excellent, most people on a dance floor don't have a clue.

Just random partners making out publicly at the sound of music. I myself have done a lot of this, that was long ago. On the other hand for young people it could be good for some safe and mild innocent experience of intimacy. And not one day to just Crash.

I myself would not encourage it. Anyway not for me to decide. Of course what you describe here it's not like that all, but “loose” dancing like boogie or jive and rave and reel dancing and whatnot with no physical contact. That in turn just looks ridiculous.

Tom Brown

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Tom, lovely to hear from you. I never much went in for dancing with a partner...spent many a happy time dancing with a pillar on the other hand, she says laughing at the memory.. laugh To he honest I loved to close my eyes and just be free to move to the music doing what I enjoyed. I used to be pals with a guy who ran his own disco in the middle 1970s, doing gigs at weddings, birthdays and any celebration his was asked to do. I went along to get people up on the dance floor, and he gave me a couple of pounds to get the crowd up dancing, that was so much fun, and I met some interesting people. 

I do remember rave back in the early 1990s. We would rave at this nightclub called Level Three, the floor would get so packed out, and there would be bodies jumping and sweating around all over the place, it got very hot, but I loved it.

I also recall the Punk times of the late 1970s, when we would pogo down at the Dug Out in Bristol England, now that was quite rough, especially when the guys would bump into each other, I would try to keep as far away from them as possible. I just loved Blondie at the time, they played a lot of their music.

Thank you for turning back time for me with your comment Tom, It was fun looking back and recalling those memories.

Your comments always appreciated.

Jenny. smiley