Olympian Team to Vietnam Asian Indoor Games

Okay there was a slight mistake, apparently the Team going for the Asian Indoor Games in Vietnam is selected by the Olympic Council of Malaysia. They even have a "stylo milo" namer for this Team. Yeah! The Olympian Team or something like that.

Well whatever, at least Malaysia is represented in the 3rd Asian Indoor Games in Vietnam and for the love of Dancesport we wish all of them a Happy and fruitful outing.

I forgot to tell you that MPDC applied to join OCM but our application was rejected, so that is the end of the story and end of the road. You may want to know the reason why it was rejected? It is beacuse MDSB are still members of OCM, and the constitution say there can be only one member representing a sport. Oh ! but IDSF recognises MPDC but that is not important la in Asian Indoor Games.

Although MDSB membership has been revoked by IDSF, I think they are doing something about it. Seriously we wish them well and I hope all will turn out well. Then you may ask what will happen to MPDC? Aiyaa ! simple la see what IDSF say , if they say we move out of IDSF, we move out la. If they say we are suspended, we remain suspended la. If they say hang on, we hang on la.

Now those who want to dance in the Asian Games 2010 , go to OCM and ask them when are they holding the OCM Trials.

However if you are going to participate in IDSF competition come to us, we still have a function to play but must be member first and pay membership fee. Must also sign good boy or girl letter. Not easy for Freedom to Dance dancers where they subscribe to "macam macam dan apa macam pun bolih dance policy."

As for the 3rd Asian Indoor Games in Vietnam, only OCM have the power to let you go. Unfortunately MPDC have nothing to do with this Games or are associated with it. Sigh!

All the same we wish the Olympian Team good luck.

The picture is a flower with 5 red rings. Good luck ring la!

Dancers and adjudicators

This topic that I intend to write about is not going to make me win a popularity contest. As a matter of fact some of the people will scorn at me and some may feel that I am breaking their rice bowl. I would like to discuss with you about dance teachers and dance athletes. First and foremost does a dance athlete who say represent the country automatically qualifies as a dance teacher? Are the Dance teachers qualified to teach students to dance the correct way? What then makes a qualified dance teacher? Now take note I am talking about Dance Athletes being dance instructors. Now we know for a fact that there are many teachers who does not have a certificate in dance arre excellent teachers and have produced good results. Such teachers willl have problems appling to be IDSF adjudicators.

Here I need to stray a bit to good Ole' England. English are good at lots of things and one of the most outstanding legacy the British left behind is the British style Civil Service. There are also bloody good at arranging things put them in order. Look even in Ballroom dancing, they managed to systematically lay out the medal test and have names for every moves in a Waltz or a Quick step. Most of you may have heard about the Imperial School of Teachers of Dancing that was founded in 1904 .

The Waltz steps that you dance today like the Basic Weave or Reverse Corte is More than a 100years old. Do you know that steps like the Open Telemark and Closed Telemark is named after a place in Norway. For that matter the term Corta Jaca in Samba have its origin to farmers working in the field using their heel to plant seeds. Try it and you know what I mean.

So what is my point. Okay here is my point , I heard an international adjudicator making a remark that some of the Dancers does not seem to know what are syllabus steps. What is even worst is a dancer who makes some fancy moves in a Beginners Competition dancing outside Syllabus steps are not even warned or disqualified. With this happening he strongly suspect that this state of affairs was allowed to perpetuate when the so call adjudicators themselves do not know what they are judging.

Sad is it not ! Now whose fault is it? You figure it out and don't you think something have to be done?

Guangzhou Asian Games

With the Asian Indoor Games in Vietnam in 2009, and the acceptance of Dancesport into the Asian Games in 2010, there may be a likelihood that Dancesport will eventually be dropped from the Asian Indoor Games series. It is the wish of all Dancesport enthusiast and supporters that Dancesport be in as many Olympic Family Games as possible and finally one day we hope it will make it into the Olympics.

At the Annual General Meeting in Macau 2009, that was the aim of IDSF , to make Dancesport part of the Olympic Games. Compare to Golf or Rugby, Dancesport is relatively new, in the sense that it was only recognised as a sport in 1999. The term Dancesport (one word) is a newly coined term to described what was formerly called Ballroom. Not that the term Ballroom dancing has been dropped, in the social context it is still referred to as Ballroom dancing.

Okay a little trivia about the Asian Indoor Games. The Olympic Council of Malaysia will be sending four (4) couples to represent Malaysia in the 3rd Asian Indoor Games in Hanoi, Vietnam. Two couples for Latin American event and two couples for Standard permitted. The latest we were informed that Michael & Janet our 1st Latin ranked couple cannot go for the Games because Janet who is currently in England cannot make it back home for the Games. It would be good if OCM can consider sending the 3nd ranked couple Chua Czen Fong and Evon to replace them. All the same we wish them all the best and may they have a good time in Vietnam. The Asian Indoor Games is not an easy competition. We would be very proud of our athletes if they can make it into the semi finals.

Okay what I would like to tell you a bit is the Guangzhou Asian Games in 2010. There will be a total of 10 gold medals in contention. The Games will be in November 2010. What I want to highlight to you is the arrangement of events in the Asian Games. It is a departure from the Asian Indoor Games in Bangkok 2005 and Macau 2007.

The 10 medal are as follows :-

For Latin , the 5 dance event, Cha Cha Cha, Samba, Paso Doble and Jive. For Standard the 5 dance event, followed by Waltz, Quickstep, Tango and Fox Trot. Notice if you will they have excluded Rumba and Viennese Waltz as a single medal event . However in the 5 dance event you still have Viennese Waltz and Rumba.

We will be discussing about preparation for Guangzhou 2010 and we need to have a plan if we are seriously going to Guangzhou. Malaysia will have to send the best Team and this call for sacrifice from the athletes. Our goal is very modest , just bring back a medal from the Asian Games. This will be a boost to dancesport for Malaysia.

We need to be noticed by the National Sports Council. In 2011 the next SEA Games will be in Bandung, Indonesia. In Indonesia, Team Dancesport Malaysia must bring back some gold medals. There is no if or buts and failure is not an option.

P.S. We understand that the technical committee of Dancesport is under the International Federation governing the sport , that is IDSF/ADSF. We are informed by ADSF that Malaysia have no representative in their organisation. The Olympic Council of Malaysia is sending a Team under their banner, we do hope OCM will pay for all their expenses or at least subsidise for the athletes.

In Hybernation

Dear All,

This Blog is not dead or has gone dormant. It has gone into quiet hibernation. Come early Spring, it will Spring back to life.

The picture you see was taken in the morning when it was still very misty. You should see the Dancers they produce there.

Can anyone guess where is this place?

MPDC now in IDSF

The IDSF has informed MPDC that they have been selected by the Presidium of IDSF to represent Malaysian in Dancesport. The letter was dated the 22nd of April 2009 and we only informed recently. I was requested to remove the letter by our President, too sensitive it seems. Anyway in its place here is a picture of a very handsome couple Cecilia and Billy. The picture expresses passion and expression in a rumba.

The notice shock me and to MPDC. I need not repeat the story of the change in regime. I was subsequently told by the President that the Presidium of IDSF asked him if he would accept the IDSF membership, he accepted because there are no other candidate that are eligible.

I am shocked because we are MPDC the professionals now that we are in IDSF we need to apply to change our name to reflect this situation. It is more work for MPDC and with power , come greater responsibility. I was told that despite my shallow knowledge of the IDSF rules, I was not sacked and they have asked me to be the Sports Director of this new outfit.

Let this be my first duty by breaking the news to you. The next duty if you will permit me to gently and kindly remind you that under the IDSF rules passed on the 15th of June AGM in Moscow, all those who dance in an IDSF run competition will have to be a member of the National Association. Now this National Association is MPDC.

If at all you are registered previously as an MDSB member, I am sorry to have to inform you that your membership is no longer valid. You need to be an MPDC member and now you can just go to our web page at http://www.mpdc.org.my/main/ on the left hand corner go to documents and all the information on membership are there. We are still in our infantile stage and if there are hiccups here and there please bear with us a bit.

Memberships to MPDC are open to all not only to DanceSport athletes but to Dance schools also. They can join as Associate members too.

Finally I want to just remind you that MPDC exist for you, not the other way around. We want to serve our members better with the whole aim of promoting dancesport. We are a council and we act according to the Rules of IDSF, I am sorry we cannot bend the IDSF rules for anyone.

All our competitions if it carries that IDSF logo are IDSF run competitions. Our local competitions are all IDSF run competitions using all IDSF international adjudicators and the scrutineering program licensed by IDSF. MPDC is not a free for all club and if you subscribe to the ideals of Freedom to Dance , you are free to do what you want , don't join MPDC and you are not bound by any rules.

We are a sport body and as Sportsmen and Sportswomen, we expect a standard of integrity and discipline from all of you. As Sports Director I was not spared of criticism for not doing my job properly as you can see in my earlier blog, MPDC will act without fear or favour and the rules will be applied evenly to all.

To all Grade A who were nearly disqualified, you are ordered to buy me a plate of Char Kway Teow for taking the scolding on your behalf from the Chairman of adjudicators.

Lets work together!

Dancesport Under Seiged (Really Final Part)

This is George Tan he is the president of the Malaysian Professional Dancesport Council (MPDC). He is also the only qualified Chairman of adjudicator in Malaysia. Let me tell you something about him, don't mess with him as far as Dancesport is concerned. At the Lake Club ranking competition, of the 12 semi finalist I think almost 70 per cent of the Dancesport Athletes should be disqualified.

Now you chaps think that I am joking or smirking over my statement. I think all you Grade A athletes who breached the rules have the Sports Director to thank. You do not know what is happening behind the scene and you know how difficult it is to plead to George Tan when the IDSF law is on his side.

Most of you know about the dress regulations stuff like making sure the 2 bra cups are not more than 5 cm and the under garment cannot be skin colour. How many of you know that if you want to change your costumes in a competition you need to inform and seek the permission of the Chairman of adjudicator? How many of you had sought his permission, according to George Tan, none of you MPDC/IDSF members Grade A did that. No respect for him as Chairman of Adjudicators for the event.

George Tan lectured me that the IDSF regulation was passed many years ago at the 2006 IDSF AGM. At the last IDSF Chairperson Congress in Stuttgart this flouting of the dress regulation has reached such a critical point that Heinz Spaeker the IDSF Sports Director made it clear on the following.

There will no longer be a first warning to change of costume that are in breach of the rules. The chairperson of the competition are NOT obliged to give any warnings. The Chairperson can disqualify a couple immediately in case of a breach of the IDSF Dress Regulations.

If you wish to change your costume, it is now obligatory that couples seek the permission of the Chairperson and that the Chairpersons accepts that the new costumes conform with the dress regulations. It is no fun being lectured by a man who sport an army style hair cut like George Tan, look at his face, you don't mess with a person like him. I had to plead with him and he told me that this is an IDSF run competition , he is not answerable to anyone except his conscience. His conscience is clear. Finally after much pleading he decided to tell me off, that as Sports Director I should know or ought to have known the rules. George Tan referred me to Dancesport Today 3/2007 at page 3.

He warned that he will let me go this time and will take my plea as a requests by all you dancers for permission to change of costumes. Phew! what a relief. Now why is he so strict? George explained that Dancesport is now admitted in the Olympic Family Games but not in the Olympic Games yet. If you athletes keep flouting the rules who suffers, the whole Dancesport community in IDSF suffers.

Now you see why you dancers have to buy me dinner and thank me. Now it is my turn to warn all of you, Dancesport is a Sport. So don't play play okay? You are in MPDC and we follow only IDSF rules, you want to go for the Games respect the rules of IDSF. There is no compromise on this.

Dancesport Under Seiged (Final Part)

MALAYSIAN DANCESPORT BERHAD
(276051-h)
Mr. Peter Ong,
Organizer 15th April, 2009
Dear Sir,
Re: Competition to be held at Royal Lake Club on 25th April, 2009

We refer to the above, we have been informed that you are the organizer of the above event and have further been informed that MDSB’s logo and name have been used in conjunction with this event.

Please note that MDSB has not allowed you to use the Association logo or name.

Kindly confirm that you will forthwith remove all material which uses the Association logo and name and that you undertake not to use the same further. In the event the information we have received is incorrect please let us know.

In the event we do not have your reply within 48 hours, we shall take all necessary action including and not limited to obtaining an injunction from the court against the event.

Thank you for your co-operation.

Yours sincerely
George PC Lim
President.

Okay some of you have written to me telling me that you wanted to have sight of the letter from MDSB to The Dancespace. The above picture file is the letter and just in case you cannot read the contents I have taken the liberty to copy and paste the contents in red.

Now being put in a situation what can The Dancespace do, but to remove in accordance to the instructions in the letter. It was during that time The 2nd National ranking was in a twilight zone and The Dancespace had no choice but to seek guidance from MPDC. Since this is a Malaysian ranking and by virtue of the fact that MPDC is registered as a Sports Body, MPDC can conduct a National ranking and accordingly endorsed and sanction the event.

This is not the way to treat another sport body and to say the least the conduct of MDSB is very unsporting and highly political. I somehow do not know if that is the correct words to use. The Dancespace Peter Ong is a member of MDSB, as a member he sought their endorsement and sanction to run the competition at the National level. Mr. Peter Ong also did mentioned that if MDSB cannot grant ranking at National level, at least just endorse and sanction the competition. Instead of replying to him, they told him in no uncertain terms to remove anything that is linked to MDSB within 48 hours or else threat of legal action and injunction.

We in MPDC are extremely grateful to Singapore Dancesport Federation ( SGDF) for lending us the SGDF Pro Dance program for scrutineering. We had no choice for MDSB are the owners of their own IDSF Pro Dance program and we do not want The Dancespace to be sued.

Why is MDSB so hostile to its members? Why is MDSB so hostile to MPDC? When they dispute the joint ranking why did MDSB not reply to MPDC President George Tan letter seeking for an explanation? Why?

I do not want to speculate why, but all I care to say is this, MDSB is a member of Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM). They are a member by virtue of their recognition by IDSF as the sole representative of Dancesport in Malaysia. That is a powerful position if you want to go for the Olympic Family Games like the SEA or Asian Games and others.

You see when you have power and you cannot use your power responsibly it can corrupt the soul and mind. There is a saying by a great jurist " Power Corrupts and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely". So the scepter to rule Dancesport in Malaysia has suddenly turn into a feather duster. This is when IDSF who are watching the scenario that is being played out in Malaysia and they decide to act. All said you the readers decide whether they deserve what they got.

The story do not end there, there is another body besides MDSB that are working to sabotage the 2nd Malaysian Ranking. This story have the trapping of drama and all elements of a suspense story. That will be another story for another day.

P.S. The letter above dated the 15th April 2009 was sent by email to Mr. Peter Ong, that was the reason why it was not signed, the picture of the letter was enhanced but the contents are verified to be the contents in the letter.