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BEATS OF LOVE

83. Dance Your Way Home: A Journey Through the Dancefloor by Emma Warren

AFTER A humbling exchange of e-mails with top drawer author Emma discussing her book in the making, I'm chuffed it's every bit as brave and moving as I hoped it would be now that it has been published. 

I read Jockey Slut religiously, so knew of Emma. That said, when we first bonded she was this really cool nameless character who endured the freezing cold court yard in Sankeys, trance ish dancing to the invariably sullen John McCready and his box of delightfully dubby techno. I assumed she must've been his girlfriend. Bugged Out hadn't properly found its feet and the underground house booming out of the main room that NYE didn't sound all that underground. That courtyard was dance fire to the faithful.

Thankfully, my dancing buddy (cheers Emma) became part of my wider Bugged Out circle and over time we even danced gleefully to one of my favourites, She Comes In Colours.  I just had to be in awe of someone who was miffed about not editing Jockey Slut's Hip-Hop reviews page whilst turning me onto Peter Tosh in a no nonsense manner. 

My most abiding memory of Emma was the Friday tea-time Jeff Mills was doing a turn at E-Bloc. I got there early, then saw an all male train spotters convention file past. I hastily decided that there was something over-analytical and cold about Mills, so decided to rifle through the racks at M1 records next door instead. I then saw Emma enthusiastically wade through the convention, approaching the counter, and was in two minds whether to stay and greet her or not. I simply smiled to myself and left. 

That fearlessness epitomises Emma. I wish I'd known how sparingly but brilliantly she prizes out history from her own personal footprint as this book effortlessly demonstrates. You learn lots without her cerebral approach, which feels refreshing. I also wish I'd known the importance of dancing; both psychologically and as a means of communicating. 

I guess no one did until this wonderful book was written.