BDC- Be a Sport!

Below is a reply from a gentleman from the United Kingdom by the name of Edward Burns. I do not know him. I wrote to him seeking his permission to reproduce his mail on my Blog, he gave me the permission. I chose his letter, because it sums up the sentiments of most right thinking English Dancers towards Snieguole Wood's outburst and the hostile conduct of BDC towards Crystal Palace Cup organisers and IDSF.
I have gone through the Rulebook of the British Dance Council (hereinafter referred to as BDC) and really I cannot comprehend why they are so hostile towards IDSF competition being conducted in Great Britain. My conjecture is probably they feel a threat of another dance body allegedly invading their turf.
Suffice for me to state here that the BDC rules operates in Great Britain (Rule 1b.) .
To allay their fears they should consider this.
 IDSF is an international sports body representing Dancesport. They are recognised by the International Olympic Committee ( IOC) and are also a member of Sports Accord. Their effort to make Dancesport as an Olympic Sport will benefit all Dancers, Teachers and Coaches in Great Britain including the BDC and all those involved in the Dancesport industry. The amateur body EADA (now known as "Dancesport England") among other reasons saw it coming. They have to leave BDC because to get into the Olympic stream they have to follow the IDSF statutes and rules. When you are given Hobson's choice by BDC, what do you expect them to do? It is our  way or no way attitude is  unsporting and ungentlemanly.  EADA left BDC early this year. (Edwards Burns example of FIFA sums it all up).
BDC must look beyond the shores of the Island of Great Britain*, Dancesport has gone international and not the exclusive monopoly of BDC, on the contrary they must be proud of this fact. In the last Asian Games in Guangzhou in the summer of 2010, Dancesport is a medal event. In terms of size, it is just one notch below the Olympic Games. To the detractors, sure Dancesport is not in the Olympics yet, but look at its progress, it certainly is going the right direction and credit must be given to IDSF for their effort.    
Bryan Allen and his council members has now really gone ballistic, they have posted in their web site calling for an all out boycott by their members or else face disciplinary action (Rule 57). (This Rule 57 and BDC notice dated the 8th of April 2011 will be the subject of discussion in my next posting.)   
Look at it objectively, how does it help English Dancesport by this unsporting conduct of BDC? Where is this clarion call of "FREEDOM TO DANCE" in Great Britain? Bryan Allen and council members, you have sowed the seeds of discontent by your call to pick a fight with IDSF. The soothsay who advised you must have read the tea leaves wrongly. The wind of change is blowing very strong and it may just turn into a hurricane to blow BDC into oblivion. Please think again!

*Great Britain is the 9th largest Island in the world. The Islse of Man and Channel Island are not part of Great Britain. - Wikipedia.                            

Picture: Snieguole Wood

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From: Edward Burns [mailto:ed.burns00@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, 11 April 2011 8:46 PM
To: Snieguole Wood
Subject: RE: Crystal Cup on the 22nd May

Dear Snieguole

We, the British dancers thank you for your notice regarding the Crystal Cup.

As you mentioned yourself, we have the freedom of choice, but you can urge us not to attend this particular dance. How then, can you place a price on “freedom” when you threaten us with disciplinary action?

You mention that the competition is not run under British Dance Council rules, and therefore it is not recognised event in this country.

Let us show you an analogy, hopefully it could shed some light into this muddled mind of yours.

(1)  FIFA is the world governing body for football.  IDSF is the world governing body for dancesport.

(2) In the UK, the Football Association (FA) governs football regulations in England. Similarly, you claim that the British Dance Council governs rule of dance in the UK.

(3) By your statement, if FIFA hosts the World Cup in England, would the FA allow their footballers to represent England and take part in this prestigious event?  From what you are implying, even the FA is not allowed to support FIFA, and our British footballers (Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand etc) will face disciplinary action if they played in the World Cup?  Do you understand what you are saying?

Are you saying that an event organised or endorsed by a world-governing body, has to seek the permission of the local body to allow their athletes to participate? You, are implying that we British are above any World governing bodies.

It is people like you, that is the cause we last won the World Cup in 1966, thinking about our imperial superiority.  You should wake up, and see where we are now as compared to the other countries in terms of sports.

We hope, after reading this, you would walk along in Blackpool with humility for ever coming out with such a reason.  Where you walk, you never know whats being said behind your back.

Edward Burns.
  
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Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2011 07:48:38 -0700
From: johnandsnieguole@yahoo.comSubject: Crystal Cup on the 22nd May


Dear English competitors,

You are all probably aware of the IDSF competition being held on the 22nd May, Crystal Cup.

I can not stop you to take part in any competition, as you have freedom of choice, but I can ask you and would in fact like to urge you not to attend this particular competition.

This competition is NOT run under British Dance council rules, and therefore it is not recognised event by this country. Beside that you all may occur some disciplinary actions if you participate at this event, IT is also preaching all historical and ethical rules of the Dancing in this Country.

I ask you all NOT to dance at this event!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kind regards
Snieguole Wood
Snieguole Mob:+447886225459

BDC - Picking a fight with IDSF?

Sometimes when we deal with issues, we have to be dispassionate and try not to get personal. Below is an email from a lady by the name of Snieguole Wood. In essence she is calling for a boycott of the Crystal Palace Cup competition on the 22^nd of May 2011.From my last visit to the web site of the British Dance Council (BDC) she is not a member of the Board or a committee member of the Council.

We now know that this call of  Freedom To Dance by some of the dance body and endorsed by BDC is manifestly a myth in England. In my earlier Blog posting, I have shown that BDC practices double standard.

I also suspected that eventually BDC will call for a general boycott to all English dancers in the United Kingdom. As a matter of fact, I am hoping to see if they are going to issue an all out boycott. Their solicitor would have advised them that, to cause economic injury from a boycott, is an actionable Tort. The BDC can most certainly be sued for substantial damages for the harm that they cause as a result of this call for boycott. 

This impinges on basic Freedom of Association and it goes against the grain of the unwritten English Constitution. In the event BDC has given an all out boycott, they might as well inform their insurance company of a possible legal suit coming their way. 

Now is BDC resorting to using Snieguole Wood to do their bidding to call for a boycott of the Crystal Palace Cup 2011? I personally do not think so, however I feel it is time for them to come out and state their stand clearly and unequivocally.

In the event BDC endorses her call to all ENGLISH competitors, BDC must be sued.

Snieguole Wood appears as though her call to all English Competitors are done on her own volition. However it is obvious that BDC's dirty handprint are all over her.

You are not wrong to say that Snieguole Wood’s ranting is that of a woman who has gone barmy (as the English would put it). I would surely suggest that her husband Mr. John Wood, a fine English gentleman and an able coach, who has trained many IDSF athletes under him to either send her for a thorough medical check up or perhaps put a tight leash around her. I am not being unkind for I fear that many of the IDSF athletes training under John Wood may just desert him to find another coach.

Now are you convinced and persuaded that the British Dance Council are in a sad state of affair. 

Below is an email that is circulated, and I have no reason to believe that it is not authentic!  

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Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2011 07:48:38 -0700
From: johnandsnieguole@yahoo.com
Subject: Crystal Cup on the 22nd May

Dear English Competitors,

You are all probably aware of the IDSF competition being held on the 22nd May, Crystal Cup.

I can not stop you to take part in any competition, as you have freedom of choice, but I can ask you and would in fact like to urge you not to attend this particular competition.

This competition is NOT run under British Dance council rules, and therefore it is not recognised event by this country. Beside that you all may occur some disciplinary actions if you participate at this event, IT is also preaching all historical and ethical rules of the Dancing in this Country.

I ask you all NOT to dance at this event!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kind regards

Snieguole Wood
Snieguole Mob:+447886225459
 

British Dance Council - Double Standard

I am indeed surprised by the contents of the letter below, what is more shocking to me is the letter comes from a Dance Body based in England. A country that have stood and fought many wars against tyranny and dictatorial regime. A country that gave the world West Minister Parliamentary democracy to many nations not only the Commonwealth.  A country that up holds basic commonsense and fair play.
Could it be true that the British Dance Council (BDC) that has endorsed WDC AL call For "Freedom To Dance" are now finding it hard to live by that slogan after all. Now the President of BDC, Mr Bryan Allen appears to be curbing this Freedom. 
He claims that acting on the instructions of the Board of Directors, BDC are asking Nick Kreminchenski and Olga Komarova to confirm that their "Crystal Palace Cup 2011 IDSF event will be held under BDC rules and not under any rules of any other organisation. Does that makes sense to you? An IDSF competition running under BDC Rules? I suppose a sane Englishman would say, what a load of poppycock. 
Before we get into the legality of the acts of BDC, you can safely assume that there is an underlying threat made by the Board of Directors of BDC against the organisers probably to scuttle the Crystal Palace Cup 2011, should the championship be conducted under IDSF regulations.
Two Rules were quoted; BDC Rule 82(b) and Rule 57, where the sanction is disciplinary action. This bunch of Merry Andrews comprising the Board of Directors may perhaps suspend the organisers or terminate their membership, but we know that by that same BDC Rules, BDC will put out a message to boycott the event. 

Are not the BDC being hypocritical, on the one hand they espouses "Freedom To Dance" but in the United Kingdom that Freedom to Dance no longer exists. This is a case of what is sauce for the Goose is not the same for the Gander. So I beg to ask what is so different about Competition in the United Kingdom that this Freedom to Dance concept is not applicable there?  BDC is behaving like the Orwellian "Big Brother" a veritable dictator and a pathetic school yard bully.  
BDC no longer have the moral or legal rights to criticize IDSF or any Dance body in the world for implementing their Rules. For a body that has existed since 1929, it is indeed sad to see it sinking into the gutter!     

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Quo Vadis WDC & WDC Amateur League?

I think this is good news for dancesport and finally WDC and WDC Amateur league has accepted the fact that if you run a sporting event, you have to ensure that there must be a level playing field. Now with this commitment it only shows that what IDSF did many years ago is the right way and I suppose those detractors who scoff at IDSF must now realised that they have made a mistake after all. When you become a member of WADA it is not just being a member for name sake, you must also show that you are committed to enforce and follow the WADA guidelines. 
Many of you would realise that WADA maintain the highest standard in making sure that such rules are being applied. If you are a member of the International Olympic Committee (OIC), it goes without saying that the WADA members must be invited to conduct random testing for not only the winners but any of the athletes that participated in the Olympic Family Games. It can be a pain but it lends integrity to the sports. 
Now I suppose WDC members are popping champagne bottles celebrating its membership to WADA thinking that the gate to the Olympic family Games are now open to its members. In the event that is the impression, then I think they have got it all wrong. Membership of WADA are divided into many categories. In the case of IDSF their membership to WADA is under the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federation (ARISF). For IDSF it is not a choice, it is a mandatory requirement. 
There are also other bodies that are non Olympic Sports WADA members and finally the last category are the OTHERS. By others I am referring to the International Cheer Union, International Federation of Cheerleaders and of course WDC. To be or not to be in WADA is not even an issue, but if there is a feel good factor why not.
Just Google WADA and go to its web page, it is all there. So to those who have not popped their champagne you should do and and do not be discouraged for Confucius says "A Journey of a Thousand Li begins with the First Step". To WDC, I am glad that you finally are looking at Dancesport as a Sport. Perhaps the other areas that you care to look into is the accreditation of your adjudicators                   

Tokyo Grand Slam 2011- Cancelled Earthquake & Tsunami

The Malaysia Dancesport Federation (MYDF) would sincerely like to extend their heart felt condolences to the people of Japan. We were informed by our counterpart in Japan that never in the last 100 years Japan has faced such a strong earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter Scale.

The Earthquake coupled with the following Tsunami was indeed a terrible double tragedy.  

The Tokyo Grand Slam that was to be held today 13th March 2011 (Sunday) at the Tokyo Metropolitant Gymnasium is now cancelled. Below is a report extracted from the WDF website on the status of the situation of the Grand Slam participants in Tokyo.     

 

Japan Earthquake 11/03/2011

IDSF Communications was finally able to get a hold of the organisers of the Tokyo Grand Slam that is scheduled for Sunday, 13 March. Chieko Abe - on behalf of the Japan DanceSport Federation (JDSF) - communicated with Heidi Goetz by e-mail.

Please be advised that the Grand Slam leg here in Tokyo has been cancelled due to earthquake. The Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium considers it unsafe to run the competition on Sunday and decided to cancel it.  We, JDSF, have to accept the decision. Sorry for what has happened, and kindly understand the situation.
Chieko Abe

After countless tries, we have also been able to speak by phone with Lukas Hinder, the IDSF First Vice-President, who was at the Tokyo Hyatt Regency during the quake. Lukas reports all athletes and officials to be safe and sound, but still digesting the magnitude of what has happened over the past ten hours.
Vice-President Hinder confirms that the entire Grand Slam (GS) contingent at the Tokyo Hyatt was temporarily evacuated from the rooms and brought to open space. Hinder is also aware of a number of GS participants who are currently at different airports around Japan. Most of them wil fly back to their countries from there.
The IDSF Adjudicators' Congress, which is scheduled for tomorrow, will be held at a location still to be determined, after the Metropolitan Gymnasium needs to be surveyed for safety before it can be reopened.

"They say it was the strongest earthquake in 100 years. I saw the high-rises sway from the street and cracks in some of the walls as I was allowed back into the hotel. However, as we speak, construction workers are fixing them already."
Lukas Hinder

Our thoughts are with the people in Japan and the other parts of the world, where the tsunami could still cause more devastation.

MYDF National Champion in China

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On the 26th of February 2011, Chua Zjen Fong and Evon Chong our reigning MYDF National Championship left for Guangzhou to study and train in the Angel Dance School in a town outside Guangzhou City. They will be there for one year and we hope after their stint in Guangzhou, they  will return and impart their dancing skills in Malaysia. It is dedicated people like Chua Zjen Fong and Evon Chong that will change the Dance image in Malaysia, They will introduce new ideas and new method of teaching and generally keeping us updated. This is Chua Zjen Fong's narration. If there are any alteration it will be very minimal. Incidentally he did ask me what is the status of the Challenge Trophy, I told him nothing so far. This is so sad!

Life in a Dance School in China - date line : 3rd March 2011

we train from monday to friday, saturday half day.
every morning we wake up at around 6.45am and start stamina training by jogging a few km from 7am onwards and then continue with stretching. then we go for breakfast. classes start from 8,30am until 12.30pm then we have our lunch. its the best time ever through out the whole day because we got a 1 and a half hour lunch break. classes resume at 2 pm then continue dancing till dinner at 6pm. then group training at night starts from 7.30pm till 9.30pm.
we do latin and ballroom here. every thing has to start from basic. from posture into technique. it is really good. we have ballet and jazz classes too. basically everybody here can do 10 dances. they can really do it very well. they then choose to specialize in one field when they turn older.
we have supper after that. rules are very strict here.
the boys and the girls all stay in different hostels.
electricity is very limited. if we want to use electricity for charging hp and laptop, there are specific hours to do so.
hot water is based on prepaid basis and we have to purchase a hot water card,every time we want to use the hot water for shower we have to bring the card and insert into the machine just like using a pubic telephone.
lights will go off at 11pm. everybody have to sleep by then. its really healthy, but young malaysians typically has already got used to staying late at night on facebook and other stuff really need some time to get use to this environment. i think this is great because now we finally had the chance of sleeping early and wake up early practice.
weather is really cold here. about 10 degrees. morning and night is typically cold.
we have a school competition this coming sunday. where everyone studying in this school has to take part. it seems its like a monthly or semester activity. to get use to competitions and gain experience. even those without partners also have to dance solo. i think it is great. this competition is only open to the school's students only. really excited about it. everyone here is soooooo good. we really need a lot of work to catch up with them.
we also had a group lecture with klaus kongsdal a champion from Denmark, he visits this school for lessons very often. he is very good.
michael stylianous, and jugan is also coming to this school for lessons this month. michael stylianos, next week. i heard they are really great. every month there is at least one or two foreign coaches coming to teach.
this is all uncle john. basically weekends there's nothing much we can do, our school is very far from town. we have to take bus down town to do some major shopping. grocery shopping can be done opposite the school where there is a small convenience store.
going out is not as simple as going out just like that, we have to get 3 different teacher's approval to go out. but normally shouldn't be a problem.
everyday lunch and dinner definitely will be rice. breakfast and supper would be porridge or noodle.
healthy but really sick of the food now. but no choice. just makan only. when we get tired and hungry, every thing taste good.
that's all, we have to hit the bed and wait for head counts already.
chua

Pictures Shows Chua and Evon with their respective room mates

Dato' Wee Jeck Seng DanceSport Challenge Trophy

As the National Sports Association for Dancesport MYDF are bound by the rules of the Asian Dancesport Federation (ADSF) and its international body International Dancesport Federation (IDSF). Now if you have been following the IDSF web site lately, you would have noticed that IDSF is now part of a bigger body call the World DanceSport Federation. Their web site now is http://www.worlddancesport.org/. This evolution as IDSF sees it is inevitable, because DanceSport does not only revolves around the Latin American or the Standard Dances that IDSF has been promoting. IDSF have many application for many other bodies promoting their dance form to join IDSF such as Rock n Roll, Break, New Vogue , Swing, Salsa and many more. IDSF accept the fact that Dance style are not static and being dynamic IDSF decided that perhaps a greater body be formed to accept and incorporate other dance forms in a more systematic and orderly manner. Go to the site, it is interesting. IDSF will remain unchanged and will be part of this greater body of World Dancesport Federation (WDF).
Now coming back to the Dato Wee Jeck Seng, the then Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Challenge Trophy. MYDF forerunner MPDC had approached the then Deputy Minister to contribute and lend his name to the Malaysian ranking Challenge Trophy. The kind Minister donated two Challenge trophy to MPDC and financially supported the ranking partially from the Ministry and also from his own pocket. MYDF are grateful to Dato Wee Jeck Seng for his kind contribution.
The Challenge Trophy as the name suggest are meant for Malaysian Grade A athletes who participated in the National Ranking to acknowledge that they are the Champion for that competition. Like in previous year the overall winner gets to keep the trophy after they win the most out of five (5) National Ranking.
The previous overall winner that kept the Challenge trophy were Michael Yong & Janet Gooi (Latin American), Anthony Chua and Anita Tan (Standard). They won all three (3) National Championship in a row and deservedly kept the challenge trophy. At that time it was called the OCM Challenge Trophy.
Year 2010 was the start of the next season of the National ranking. The first National  Championship was held on the  18th of April 2010. Alfred & Cecilia won the first MPDC National Ranking and they were handed the Challenge trophy for Latin American. Anthony Chua and Anita Tan had no problems whatsoever to return the Standard Challenge Trophy to MYDF before the 2nd National ranking. The understanding has always been that the Challenge trophy are to be returned to the organisers before the 2nd National Ranking.
The 2nd National Ranking was held on the 16th day of January 2011 in Muar,  Johore. I was reliably informed that the President Mr. George Tan has personally tried to contact both of them by phone and e-mail, months before the ranking to return the Challenge Trophy, but to no avail.
The 2nd National Ranking proceeded and Chua Zjen Fong and Evon Chong emerged the National Champion. It is highly regrettable that they were unable to lift the actual Challenge trophy, but to acknowledge that they are the Champion, the organisers have to borrow the Standard Challenge trophy for them to lift for the record.
Even after the event, the President of MYDF tried to contact Alfred Choo and Cecilia Yong to return the Challenge trophy so that it could be passed to the new MYDF National Champions, Chua Zjen Fong & Evon Chong.
Personally I can understand the pride of winning, I can understand that to lift the coveted Dato Wee Jeck Seng Challenge Trophy is an acknowledgment of their hard work and achievement. To lift the Challenge Trophy in the MPDC/MYDF Championship even once speaks volumes on your ability. It is commonly  acknowledge that you are judged by a fair panel of International IDSF adjudicators from local and overseas. Most of all, the Challenge Trophy cannot be obtained by means of manipulation and bribe.
However as the name suggest this is a challenge trophy, the winners are only given the license to keep  and return it to MPDC before the next National ranking. They have failed to do so.
To cling on to the challenge trophy is really pointless, in bad taste and reflect poorly on them. In the event if they have a problem or a question to ask, they can always contact the President George Tan, which they never did.
Whatever this ugly incident serve as a record of what poor sportsmanship is all about. Sigh!