MPDC

we have just completed the first ranking and I have heard suggestions from various people that the quality of our Malaysian dancers are not up to mark when compared to the Thailand, Singapore or the Filipino dancers. Those remarks were made in good faith and I tend to agree to a large extend because when we went to the Asian Indoor Games in Macau to compete none of our athletes managed to make it into the finals. In Dancesport I get critiques of all sort but we have to take such suggestions with an open mind.

I was told that our Grade A Athletes have very poor foot work, poor musicality and in short poor basics. This is a reflection of the of Standard Dancesport teachers in Malaysia. As an indication she told me that her daughter trained in Singapore have better foot work than the Malaysian dancers. Wow! something to learn from her.

Remarks like that are an eye opener to Malaysian standard teachers and instead of defending the issue of the Malaysian standard, I say we should open up and examine ourselves as to why we are not Champions in the SEA Games and the Asian Indoor Games. As a non dancer normally I will dismiss such criticism as just another caustic comment. This lady and dance instructor have talented daughters in the field of dance sport and classical ballet dance. These comments are not idle comments. To me talk is easy, criticising the quality of our dancers and their instructors are easy.

With that I think we should accept what was said with an open mind and as a challenge, I would like to see in the next ranking to use the American expression is to put your money where your mouth is. Get your couples out and compete in Malaysia. Surely if you hold the view that our Grade A lacks musicality and poor foot work, I am sure the couple that you can train in Singapore can take on the likes of Anthony and Anita, Wilson and Michelle and Casey & Fabiola. These couples are products of Malaysian teachers and I know that for a fact.

As Sports Director of MPDC, I am neutral about such matters and call on her to produce a Champion. I think a period of 12 months is reasonable for her couple to break into the dancing scene in Malaysia. I do not expect them to lift the OCM challenge trophy, but what I expect is to occupy the top 3 places and be part of Team Dancesport Malaysia 2010 at the Asian Games in Guangzhou.

It takes courage and guts to make such comments and I have said earlier and I am saying it again. To promote Dancesport we must have Champions at the Olympic Family Games like SEA and Asian Games. This is exciting for I expect to see a higher standard of dancing in Malaysia. Maybe with this challenge it will jolt our Standard teachers out of their complacency.

The rose is offered as a challenge to her to do it for the country or to put in casually, show me what you can do with your couples.