Olympic Council of Asia

WDSF Grand Slam Chengdu China 3rd July 2011

2011 WDSF Grand Slam Chengdu, China 09/07/2011

3^rd July 2011. 

Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province; it is located on the South Western part of China. It has a population of approximately 10.4 million inhabitants. The China Daily voted Chengdu as the 4^th most livable City in China. The Climate is sub tropical with temperatures averaging around 5.6 ° C (42 °F) in January and July about 25° C (77° F).   Chengdu is a historical city and home to China ‘s living treasure, the Giant Pandas. Eighty per cent of the World Giant Pandas are found in the Wolong Panda Sanctuary. In the suburbs of Chengdu is the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

Two hours South of Chengdu City is the Leshan Stone Buddha carved out from a stone hill overlooking the confluence of three treacherous rivers. The sitting Buddha measures 71 meters (233 feet) tall and the shoulder is 28 meters (92 feet) wide. It is in the UNESCO Natural and Cultural Heritage list since 1996. Glancing through the several tourist brochures, the Giant Pandas are the iconic symbol of the Szechuan Basin and Chengdu.
The World Grand Slam Standard and Latin Chengdu is held at the sprawling Shuangliu Sports Centre. The Stadium manager informed me that all-important indoor sporting events in Szechuan are held here.
Since 2009 when the then IDSF Grand Slam Finals in Shanghai where the new judging system was first introduced, there were worried faces, fearing that the New Judging System may not live up to its expectations.  This time Japan DanceSport Federation, Senior Executive Director Atsushi Yamada San was visibly more relaxed and I even had the pleasure of being introduced to Hitomi Yamada, the spouse of Atsushi at the Giant Panda Breeding Sanctuary.

Prior to the start of the Grand Slam Finals, the Sports Director Marco Sietas ran through the New Judging system with the adjudicators. He reminded that the athlete’s reputation and popularity are not to be considered at all. They are judged by their performance on the day.  That is in line with the spirit of fair play and the values espoused in Olympism. By looking at the results you can immediately tell that previous champions of the Grand Slam season this year does not guarantee you a win in the next Grand Slam competition.
The hugely popular couple that won the hearts of the crowd in the Standard event is Sergey and Olga Konovaltsev from Russia. When it came to the Quickstep, the crowd literally went wild when the couple takes flight, earning them the reputation “Air Konovaltsev”.
Emanuel Valeri and Tania Kehlet took first place winning all the events with 237.50 points, followed by Simone Segatori and Annette Sudol with 232.78 points and in 3^rd placing Sergye and Olga Konovaltsev with 229.06 points.  In the Latin American segment Aniello Langella and Khrystyna Moshenska from Italy came out champions with 234.61 points followed by Zoran Plohl and Tatsiana Lahvinovich from Croatia with 229.11. Martino Zanibelato and Michele Abiltrup from Denmark 225.33 points.

The couple that caught the hearts of the audience is the lanky Vladimir Karpov and Maria Tzaptashvilli from Russia. Valdimir vowed the audience with the moonwalk in his Jive choreography. The other couple worthy of mention is Yury Simachev and Anatasia Klokotova from Russia. This couple competed at the preliminary rounds and work their way to the finals at 6^th placing. Yury, true to his bubbly spirit did 5 flips on the dance floor before he went into the Jive routine at the farewell dance.
The traditional victory dance by the champion was done away with and the announcer invited the finalist to the floor to give their farewell dance for the evening in both the Standard and Latin American. Indeed this is the right move because all of them are indeed champions.
The General Secretary of the WDSF Mr. Shawn Tay, who was the English compere, appears satisfied that all went well. Mr. Carlos Freitag made an announcement that Shanghai, Beijing and now Chengdu will be the major DanceSport centers in China.

For more pics go to :http://www.flickr.com/photos/slave_princess/collections/72157627034826087/
 

Chengdu Grand Slam  Standard
1.        Emanuel Valeri  - Tania Kehlet	DEN
2.        Simone Segatori –Annette Sudol	GER
3.        Sergey Konovaltsev – Olga Konovaltsev	RUS
4.        Zharkov Dimitri  - Olga Kulikova	RUS
5.        Moshenin Evgeny – Genny Favero	ITA
6.        Alexy Glukhov –Anastasia Glazunova	RUS
Chengdu Grand Slam Latin
1.        Aniello Langella – Khrystyna Moshenska	ITA
2.        Zoran Plohl – Tasiana Lahvinovich	CRO
3.        Martino Zanibelato – Michele Abiltrup	DEN
4.        V;adimir Karpov – Maria Tzaptashvilli	RUS
5.        Andre Kiselev – Anastasia Selivanova	RUS
6.        Yury Simachev Anastasia Klokotova	RUS

Report and photos by John Fam

Member WDSF Communication Commission, Asia and Oceania

Olympic miss!

The Way Is The Goal! 12/07/2011


INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE

The President of the World DanceSport Federation reflects on future strategy after DanceSport failed to make the shortlist of candidate sports for the programme of the 2020 Olympics.

Dear Friends of DanceSport!
The decisions taken last week by the leaders and custodians of the Olympic Movement left some in cheers … and others in tears. I am writing these lines after having read an interview with Dr Thomas Bach, the IOC Vice-President from Germany and one of the driving forces behind Munich’s bid for the 2018 Winter Games. These games were awarded to PyeongChang, South Korea, in a clear vote by the 123rd IOC Session in Durban, South Africa, on 6 July.

"We came into this competition to win, like athletes enter into a competition to win, and therefore it is a disappointing result," Bach commented the landslide outcome of the vote. "But in sport and as an athlete you learn that defeat is not the end of everything," the former fencing champion then continued in the interview. I, for one, am thoroughly convinced that Munich will submit another bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

DanceSport lost out in Durban too. On 5 July, the IOC Executive Board did not select it on the shortlist of eight candidate sports for the XXXIII Games of the Olympiad in 2020. Obviously, WDSF is disappointed that the out in its current campaign for inclusion in the sports programme came as early as round one. Yes, we would have liked to get the chance to continue until 2013. To make our case even stronger, to prove that DanceSport is perfectly able to add value to the Olympics! This is what the eight candidate sports now need to do until the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina, will decide which new sport, if any, gets admitted to the programme.

WDSF congratulates the International Federations that govern these sports for making the shortlist already. Well done! And WDSF wishes all of them the best of luck for what remains to be done between now and 2013. May the best sport win!

At the same time, WDSF should seize the opportunity and run right along as well. Not for the stakes in 2020 or 2024 – but for its own future. Call it training if you wish, or a workout to keep in shape, but run we should! Complacency does not get us anywhere. Nor does isolation!

DanceSport has come a long way since 2005, when the review process of the Olympic sports programme started to take shape in earnest. WDSF firmly believes that the periodic reviews conducted by the IOC Sports Department are the best way of keeping the Olympics up-to-date, are far superior to the status quo of sports governing bodies lobbying those who take the decisions. These reviews encourage IFs to keep on their toes and continually improve their sports based on analysis and feedback from the experts. Their input allows us and another 20+ sports to make further adjustments, to fine-tune our product as well as the proposal.

“The way is the goal!” must be our guiding principle when it comes to our Olympic ambitions. It has worked well for us so far. What was achieved by IDSF/WDSF over the past five years is the testimony. Would we have been inspired enough to bring about the significant changes we did without an ambitious and elusive goal?

Yes, DanceSport must continue on its Olympic quest, taking it as seriously as ever, because through it come further improvements that will benefit our sport as well as the athletes.

Let us take it all in a sporting spirit! Seven of shortlisted sports feature in The World Games 2013 Cali, COL. DanceSport accepts the challenge to repeat its performance of 2009 Kaohsiung, TPE, where it generated by far more revenues from the gate than any of the seven. Or convince once more in the Asian Games. We shall try! The way is the goal, and the next cycle for the review of the Olympic Programme starts now – for WDSF!

Carlos Freitag

WDSF President

Lookin Good!

Looking Good! 21/06/2011

It was not the athletes' attire that was the focus of lengthy discussions during the 2011 General Meeting. The second part of the motion presented by the Presidium - addressing a uniform dress code for Adjudicators in major competitions - was subject to debate.
The Presidium had made its proposal to promote a strict policy that at all IDSF Championships, Cups and Grand Slams, IDSF Adjudicators serve as a team and as representatives of IDSF.
And it had also reasoned that IDSF should promote this policy in order to direct all attention to the athletes in the competition rather than to the adjudicators.
The amended text of Rule 12 - which was approved by the required majority of the 2011 IDSF General Meeting - now reads as follows.
 Competition Dress 
1. In all competitions granted under these Rules, competitors shall dress or costume according to the IDSF Dress Regulations, which form a part of these Rules.  For greater certainty and without limiting the generality of this Rule, in all age divisions the buttocks of the female partners must be covered at all times during competition and “tangas” may not be worn at any time. The chairman, or the IDSF Sports Director, has the right to disqualify any couple at the competition when either partner is not dressed or costumed according to this Rule, and in addition to its other powers under the IDSF Statutes the Presidium is authorized to suspend from competitions for a limited period of time any competitor who breaks this Rule.
2. In all IDSF Championships, Cups and Grand Slams granted under these Rules, adjudicators serve as a team and shall dress or costume as follows: 
(a) men:  black or midnight-blue business suit,  dress shirt, IDSF necktie, dress shoes;  and
(b) women:  black or midnight-blue business suit with either skirt or trousers, dress blouse, IDSF scarf, dress shoes.
Over the coming days, we will continue to report on the outcome of the 2011 IDSF (and WDSF) General Meeting. All amendments that were made to the Competition Rules will be presented with a short text. Come back soon!

Luxembourg AGM IDSF changed to World DanceSport Federation

World DanceSport Federation 19/06/2011

Live from Luxembourg!

19 June 2011, 16:30 GMT

Under the agenda item 21.18, the IDSF General Meeting here in Mamer, LUX, has just carried a motion presented by the Presidium to change to name of the organisation to World DanceSport Federation (WDSF).
Consistent with the aims of the VISION 2012 development programme, the governing body will henceforth carry "World" in its name to emphasise the global character of DanceSport even further. The visual identity of WDSF will bear strong resemblance to the one of IDSF. Graphic files and a complete style guide will be available form the Corporate Identity section of this website in the near future.
One new and two old Associate Members have been (re)admitted to WDSF under new Associate Membership Agreements. The bonds between the

• World Rock 'n' Roll Confederation
• United Country and Western Dance Council
• World Baton Twirling Federation

and WDSF have thus been strengthened further. Already in tomorrow's meeting of the WDSF Presidium, one representative of each Associate Member will be present.

The above is extracted from the IDSF web site. This is good news to all other Dance Body. I apologise for not updating this Blog. On the 1st of July I will be Chengdu China to cover the IDSF Grand Slam there. I will try my best to update you as to what is happening and especially the Dance scene in Chengdu. 

Chengdu is a historical city and according to the China Daily , their local papers, it is the 4th livable city in China. The Giant Pandas that you so ofter see featured in National Geographic is in not too far from Chengdu City       

Crystal Palace Cup 2011

I don’t know what makes a good competition. 

To us, it is that special moment somewhere in the middle of the event, when the house is full and the dancers are on the floor, when the lights and the music make a special mix, when everything comes together and has a life of its own.

That’s what Crystal Palace Cup feels like every year.  From the start, the idea for this event came from the conviction that no matter if you win, or just dance a couple of rounds, the feeling should be special.  This year was no exception. 

Opposite Houses of Parliament, on the bank of the river Thames the new Park Plaza venue welcomed eager competitors and discerning adjudicators from 11am.   With the arrival of the PDAs for the first time in England, immediate calculations were delivered by the scrutineering team.

From the first round the couples felt great.  The venue, the floor, great music, lighting made dancers give their best.   Audience always knows when couples are stressed, or going through the motions, or when they are having the time of their lives.

The day started with Latin events, including Under 21 convincingly won by Nikolay Mikadze & Yana Novikova from Russia.  Their Under 21 Standard counterparts were Dominykas Grankas & Kotryna Petrociute (Lithuania).

Evening performance saw a full house, with tables sold out and tiered seating full of cheering fans. The Germans Tasillo & Sabine Lax deservingly dominated Senior 1 Standard category.

IDSF International Open titles truly lived up to the name, both in Standard & Latin, with participants from 28 countries taking part.

Outstanding performances from Nikita Brovko & Anastasia Melnikova (Russia) brought them a well-deserved first position.  While Standard was won by Benedetto Ferrugia & Claudia Kohler, who danced an absolute blinder of a competition, leaving the audience in no doubt why the World Championship title belongs to them and no-one else.

As far as Nick & Olga are concerned, it has always been our motto to go forward, to create, to stay positive, to love what you do, make no excuses and take no prisoners.

What a night that was!

...............................

The above  is a narration by Olga. In the group picture of the Latin Segment ( L-R) Marco Sietas (IDSF Sports Director); Nick, Kremenchenski,  Carlos Frietag (IDSF President) and Olga. 

You can get the full results from the IDSF web site, but the most unfortunate part of this whole sordid affair is that there are no English Dancers in the line up. Partially it is the unlawful boycott called by BDC. But I suspect the main reason is the fear of being mark down at Blackpool, that is the following weekend. 

Now who have lost out? Certainly not Nick & Olga, but Dancesport in England. 

   

Do you have Pound Stirling 67.50?

Let me tell you why IDSF is such a pain when it comes to running an Intenational dancesport competition. They are worst than your nagging grandmother, they want a Chief Adjudicator, they want to have their qualified adjudicators, they want to ensure that the Dance floor is of the acceptable size and much much more. The biggest thorn IDSF have and it is poking the WDC backside are the adjudicators. To the IDSF people the core of any IDSF dancesport competition is a level playing field for the competitors and the spectators too. I am not saying that all IDSF adjudicators are angels. Recently in Italy an adjudicator was caught altering the score sheet. Such black sheeps exist in every organisation, in IDSF case such people are an embarrassment and this chap was kick out of IDSF. Such incidences are an exception rather than the norm. 
Let me tell you why IDSF cannot accept WDC adjudicators to judge in IDSF competitions.
Now at this juncture let me qualify myself by saying that there are some very qualified WDC adjudicators whose integrity and honesty cannot be challenged. However it is the manner of going about to be registered as a WDC adjudicator that is being put to disrepute and questioned.
Do you have the desire to be a WDC International adjudicator? Seriously all you need is Pound Sterling 67.50 (inclusive of VAT). Do you need any professional dance qualification at all? No! you do not need any qualifications of any sort at all, but you certainly need to have Pound Stirling 67.50 and payment can be by Pay Pal , Visa or Master Card. 
Rather than keep you in suspense can you please go to the WDC marketing arm web site the Ballroom Dancers' Federation International (BDFI) click members and go to WDC International adjudicators. Fill in your name and the next page will ask you for your payment details. 
Hey! I am not saying that this is wrong, there are suckers born every second in this world and this is a commercial organisation, like the BDC. Your name will be listed in the WDC list of International adjudicators, whether you will be call to adjudicate any competition, no one knows and no one cares and no one bothers.
In the event WDC and WDC Amateur League can accept such qualifications who are we to say no? After all Ballroom dancing is an art form to them, some even goes on to say that the artistic part is the heart and soul of Ballroom dancing. I am not going to argue with you if you take that stand. For all I care, you can even pull straws to determine who comes out 1st to the 6th position.
I deeply regret to inform all of you out there that IDSF does not have such instant mechanism to be accepted as an IDSF International Adjudicator. On the contrary if you have no recognised Professional Dance Qualifications by IDSF, do not even try to apply unless you are a glutton for punishment.
Some even has suggested that the lack of respect and the belligerent attitude of IDSF is the cause of this war between IDSF and WDC. 
Belligerent to insist on qualified judges, yes, but really if WDC International Adjudicators can buy their way in, why should IDSF even want to talk about respect or have anything to do with WDC? Is respect really an issue here?