BALLROOM DANCING? NOW WHERE IN THE WORLD.......?

BALLROOM DANCING? NOW WHERE IN THE WORLD.....?

by

PAULA

Some 50 years ago, if people around the world thought about Ballroom Dancing 'seriously', they usually associated it with the U.K. That was because in the U.K. it was regarded seriously. Not necessarily in the 'Professional' sense, but as one of the most popular social actIvities available. Developing from the beginning of the 20^th Century, styles blossomed out from the Vienniese Waltz and the Polka – one elegant, one tending on the boisterous side - into the beginnings of today's Waltz and today's Quickstep. And then somewhere in there the Foxtrot arrived, eventually evolving into elegance on four feet! And a little later on, Latin made its lovely, lively entrance.

The U.S. predominated musically – after all, what is dance without Music, and both they and the U.K. are proud of the superb association with modern Ballroom Standard and Ballroom Latin Dance. 'South of the Border' can fairly lay claim to the pure 'Latin' style – the Professional approach - and we thank them for it! But today Ballroom Latin is immensely popular, it is a style which is actually 'do-able' – the Professional Style often being rather beyond the aspirations of most social dancers - although ballroom Latin also remains the initial 'step' to be taken in order to achieve that more sophisticated level. Many people are entranced, and proceed to the higher levels.....if only for their own enjoyment!

In the 21st Century however we can truthfully point out that Ballroom dancing is everywhere! The five Continents not only take an interest, but take part! International Competitions are held regularly, a country will have its own Champions, and they are only too happy to compete – on their home ground and abroad, in their turn holding International Competitions - and many countries furnish many 'Winners'!

A glance at DANCE NEWS, the internationally famous weekly Dance Newspaper, constantly confirms this; competitors from across the World are welcomed in the U.S. and the U.K., and both encourage their own dancers to 'travel'. All those other countries, too, are eager to participate.

At the World Dance Council European Prof. Ballroom Championships held in Stockholm, Sweden, 19 Nations took part, 32 couples competed and Adjudicators attended from Austria, Denmark, and Sweden, as well as Belgium, France,Germany, England and Russia.

Recently the U.S. have presented us with Arunas Bizokas and Katusha Demidova, Prof. Ballroom Champions, as Winners of the International 'Open' Ballroom Championship 2011 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Winners of the Prof. Latin were Michael Malitowski and Joanna Leunis from Poland, dancing for England. Among other nationals attending were competitors from China and Lithuania. Promoters for this occasion were DANCE NEWS Specal Projects Ltd., and Sponsers were Katharine Cheng of A. and K. Cultural Foundation of Hong Kong, Bill S.F. Lau of EKS International Sales SAS of France, and the Bill S.F. Lau Foundation Ltd. of Hong Kong.

At the Swiss Open Dance Festival held at Regensdorf, among others from Europe, Judges attended from the Ukraine, and dancers included those from the Ukraine and from the Czech Republic.

In New Zealand Winners of the N.Z. 'Open' 2011 Dancesport Prof. Ballroom Championship were Darryl Davenport and Natalie Smith.

South Africa has of course produced one of the finest dancers of the decade, Brian Watson - his superb partner Carmen is from Germany. They reigned as World Latin Champions for six years, retiring undefeated. They remain welcome all over the world with their Coaching and Demonstrations.

At the top of the International Competitors List are of course Ballroom Champions Warren and Kristi Boyce, who represent the U.K. on World Competitive occasions. In fact, Warren and Kristie are already European World Champions - they are associated with the famous 'Team Leevi Dance Studio' based in Estonia – Kristi's home country. As a previous member of the Eastern Bloc, Estonia has been well established in the World of Dance for many years.

Looking back over recent reports, we see that Winners of the U.S. Embassy Dancesport Amateur Latin at Irvine, California, were Ferdinando Iannaccone and Julia Musikhina, and at the Prof. Ballroom Championship at Blackpool, Rudiger Homm and Viktorija Triscuka, both pairs dancing for Germany. Approving notes were written about Jean-Phillipe Milot and Laurence Bolduc, Canada, Dmytro Vlokh and Viktoria Kharchenko, Ukraine, and Domen Krapez and Monica Nigro, Slovenia.

( A striking point is that through the courtesy of the Promoters and of the Internet this event was shown throughout the World as a live broadcast.)

In France Rene Barsi directed L'Academie Des Maitres de Dance at which Prof. Latin Winners were Cedric and Angelique Mayer, France. Claiming third place were Mauro Mattiolo from Spain. Winners of the Open Amateur Latin were Jakub Mazuch and Michaela Gatekova from the Czech Republic. Third were Marco Pereira and Felipa Gaio, Portugal.

And new Portuguese 'National Prof. Latin Champions are Carlos Custodio and Elena Plescenco.

The Professional Ballroom Championship at Blackpool listed Evgeny Kazmirchuk and Ekaterina Kim from Russia, and Yasufumi and Miwa Tsubouchi, Japan. .

Rhett Salmon and Krstie Simmonds from Australia were particularly well received at the Embassy Dancesport Amateur Ballroom at Irvine, U.S.

Mirko Gozzoli and Edita Danuite, Italy, recently retained their WDC European Prof. Ballroom title. Runners Up were Domen Kopez and Monica Nigro from Slovenia, and sixth Gustav Lundin and Valentina Oseledko, Sweden.

The International 2011 presented Emanuel Valeri and Tania Kehlet, Denmark as Amateur Ballroom Champions.

At a notable Charity Event at the Royal Park Hotel in Tokyo a few weeks ago, Alan Yeh and partner Angel from China were special guests, and Katharine Cheng, renowned Lady of dance, danced a Four Dance Show with Roberto Villa, Italy, (who with partner Morena Calligreco has achieved the World and European Professional Showdance Championship for Italy.)

We see that Champions Andrew Cuerden and Hanna Haarala demonstrate, instruct and adjudicate in the U.K., and Jukka Haaplainen and partner Sirpa Suutari are listed as British Open, U.K. International, European Professional Latin Champions. Both couples are from Finland.

This very brief rustle through DANCE NEWS in respect of the last 3 or 4 weeks only, can perhaps present a small notion of the contempory and scattered scale of this lovely activity.

The Ballroom floor collects the countries of the world together in the pleasure of a mutual understanding – the Language of Dance - in cooperation, in commitment, and above all in a happy harmony.

Well worth while, surely!