Re: What is happening to English DanceSport??

sabato 20 ottobre 2007 0.23

Elaine,

Yes you are right to point out the medalist circuit is somewhat active and that unfortunately the young dancers do not turn to the open circuit for the reasons wee know (mainly teachers afraid of losing their business) but I am concerned very few of these kids and their parents do realise the life and cost of a young competitor on the open circuit. I was watching the day competition in Brentwood last week and the way these east-european kids are training is very very different from here. This is the hard way and I don't see many west-european kids willing to do this. I am not saying this is right or wrong...the culture is just different.

Anyway...with the extension of the EU borders...we now have more and more kids form east-europe coming to the UK so we have a new source of young talents who will want to make it because they come with very little and are, for most of them, ready to work hard.

I think this these are these new migrants coming to the UK every week from Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, Russia....who will, in the end, save British dancing...

As for your last question...well dance professionals have to organise themselves to take action. No one will do it for them and if they don't...well..they won't be needed or just the social dance scene will carry on.

Re: What is happening to English DanceSport??

sabato 20 ottobre 2007 10.31

polkadancer:

Where I live Latin is popular Standard very much less so. In big events you will have a great atmosphere for the Latin but the ballroom it is flat and must be so uninspiring for the couples. 

It is the exact opposite situation in England. Because the highest numbers of entries at your average competition are in the Senior Ballroom events the Latin is mainly left to last so competitors have normally had to hang around for hours waiting their turn then end up dancing to an empty hall against a small number of other competitors.  Hence many won't bother going to a comp if they are just going to dance latin, so low entries, no-body to compete against!

I can remember being amazed some years ago when we attended our very first comp outside of England, this was in Italy, at the amount of spectators that flooded through the doors to watch. It was held in a huge venue and the place was packed.  However, again does this boil down to money. As I recall spectators at that comp in Italy were charged the equivalent of about 50pence to watch, compare that against the average ticket cost of a comp in England of between £10 and £30 and I suspect that although there could be people who would like to spectate, the prices could put them off.

Re: What is happening to English DanceSport??

lunedì 22 ottobre 2007 13.32

TonyManero:

Once upon a time, every couple would want to compete at the Open ... even just for the experience! Our couples are content to just dance National comps and few do that as it is. The field is WIDE OPEN at the moment. The Top 6 is nothing like it used to be. Now is the time to plough your energies into competeing guys, not travelling around in shows all year

I hope everyone will forgive me but I would like to go back to the very first post and the thinking of the person who started the thread.

How totally I agree. For English Competitors the British Open should be the Holy Grail, it should be their Mecca.  Nothing should keep them away.  Absolutely everything about Blackpool encapsulates all that is good about Dance Competitions.  Not only can you see the very best BUT you can COMPETE against the very best. The knowledge gained by the wise can be immenses.

To avoid the British Open can only mean (unless prevented by real reasons like ill health etc) that there is no ambition. You can lay the blame at as many doors as you wish but that is the cold truth.

I think it is also time - and I ask those who are offended by next words to at least think about them and the constructive intention behind them - to keep an open mature mind and as el cordobes asked "leave the egos" behind.  Do not cry slander,  insult, offensive, disgraceful every time someone writes openly. 

When someone writes there is a lack of the dedication and hard work applied by competitors in England to some countries -they mean no harm.

When someone feels hurt and responds that xyz in  England works 8 hours a day and then practise 8 hours a night so they certainly have the same dedication that is absolutely correct.

Sadly in this case the dedication is not enough and it is the inbuilt talent that is lacking.  I know this can seem hard and cruel but that is not how it is intended.

This topic has gradually developed in many ways and that is good. It shows people do care. The greater the input the better the future might just be.  Although the final result depends on many people who will never write on this forum but a frank exchange of opinions and polite debate must have some benefit.

When people write about "the future" I sometimes just wonder what and especially whose "future" it is they mean.  If we take the competitors of today I think it is true that they are mainly thinking of their own future.  This is completely understandable.

Ask them what sacrifice they would make so three other English couples could dance in the final at Blackpool rather than them and you start to get the answer. 

If they give you a list then a lack of personal ambition is the first fact that emerges.

I truly believe that the entire danceworld is now so vey different to say 15 years ago.

The top English coaches have become International Coaches.  They are responsible for or involved with many of the World Champions from other cointries. They built their future and now it is for todays competitors to build theirs. 

There are so many countries competing that we never heard of in our dance competitions a few years ago. It is natural to expect that they too will develop and have ambitions.

Be practical though - Lithuania had a World Champion Hungary has a World Champion but is that an indication that the entire dance world in those countries is bursting with talent and top coaches and they will dominate in the future?

I studied the results from the International Championships.  There is a glimmer of hope for England.

In the 6 Championships covering Amateur, Rising Star Pro and Professional England had 10 couples in the semi final

In the 6 championships for juvenile, junior and youth they had 9 couples in the demi finals.

For a few other countries the figures were 

Italy 19 and 15

USA 10 and 2

Russia 7 and 23

Germany 5 and 0

Slovenia 5 and 0

China 2 and 11

Ukraine 1 and 10.

I think we can all agree that Russia and China are advancing powerhouses that we will hear a great deal of in the future Ukraine too might have an impact.  I certainly though would not write off Germany or USA. Both I believe will have a big say in the future. The big question is what will the impact of Russia and China emerging have on Italy. 

Wil lit spur their determination or will less success have an adverse effect?.  We must wait and see.

The political fighting certainly does not have a positive effect on Italian Dancing unfortunately. Be grateful it has not YET descended to that level in England..

A few brief words about the "Club" system.

It does not have all the answers.  Join a club and you will be told many times where you can compete, when you will compete and from whom you can take lessons.

Also Germany has had a wonderful Club System for any many years.  Germany too has had its lean years when the talent was not there to make it to the very top.

Yes undoubtedly the Club system can bring advantages but it is not always the solution.

You can have intense rivalry between clubs with each is working against the other. Each is more interested in "their future". rather than that of the nation.