2009 Embassy Championships BDFI Congress
My Question Is, Why Do Competitors Have To Leave It All So late to Enter?
- By Hazel Fletcher
Labour Day weekend is the annual date for the Embassy Championships staged in California, expertly organised by Brian and Kristi MacDonald and presented with co-partners John Kimmins and Sam Sodano. Four busy, long, fully packed days with some mornings commencing competitions at 7.30am was the programme. Thirty-seven adjudicators assessed the International style Ballroom and Latin plus American style Smooth and Rhythm for Professionals, Amateurs. Youths, Juniors, Seniors, Formation and Pro/Am events. There were two special awards presented for "Outstanding Service and Dedication to Ballroom Dancing throughout the World", the 'Marguerite Hanlon - John Ford Award' went to a very surprised and emotional Ken Sloan and the 'Bill and Bobbie Irvine MBE International Dance Award' was awarded to Tetsuo Kezuka and Chieko Yamamoto who have been partners in presenting the Embassy for many years. Unfortunately they could not be present this year. The Shimamura's of Japan with the lady resplendent in traditional Japanese attire received the award on behalf of Tetsuo and Chieko.
The organisation of this year's event proved for a while to be a terrifying ordeal for Brian and Kristi. Just two days before the deadline of the closing date (August 1st) only eight hundred entries had been received, significantly down on previous years - a financial disaster seemingly being the outcome for 2009, the competition would be deemed to be on the decline. Then at the last minute the entries flooded in to make a record over five thousand, five hundred. This became a logistical ''nightmare- for the preparation of the timetable! My question is, why do competitors have to leave it all so late? Surely they plan their yearly schedule more in advance. When will the dancers that fully intend to compete get their heads around their agenda and send an entry immediately the first advertising is promoted? I cannot believe they have all not booked their flight and travel arrangements until just one month before, so it is just plain common sense to have respect for the organiser and enter early! My flight for this event had actually been booked in 2008! Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today, the event will be 2nd - 5th September 2010, entries will be open from 1st January, and ticket applications commence April 10th 2010. Dancers - put that in your diaries now! Despite the situation causing many sleepless nights and delays in preparation for Brian and Kristi, the outcome was a sellout for the main two nights of the event and a huge success was the end result once again. During the four days there are also two Congresses, both open for all and with free admission. The first day was the IDSF Adjudicators Congress where the lectures were presented by organiser. Peter Pover on "Ethics of judging IDSF" plus a Tango lecture from John Kimmins, Viennese Waltz from Greg Smith and two Latin lectures from Barbara Nagode Ambroz and me, Hazel Fletcher. The second day was the Ballroom Dancers Federation International Congress presented by President, Greg Smith.
The BDFI Congress h
as become an annual event at the Embassy Championships, held on the second morning of the dance festival. Chairman, Greg Smith, opened the proceedings. Four International lecturers had been booked to each present a thirty minute lecture. All lamented the shortness of available time, and it was most evident that all four had a surfeit of knowledge that they wished more time to share with the enthusiastic large audience. The following is not only a report on the lectures but also a little introduction to the lecturers as to their profile and ability.
Geir Bakke commenced his dancing at a Juvenile age and first competed as a Junior with an early success in becoming the British Junior Jive Champion. He also danced in formation where his team were undefeated in Blackpool. He hails from Norway and with Trine Delhi went on to become three times World Amateur Ten Dance Champion and World Amateur Latin Champion. He had a short competitive career as a Professional with Melissa Dexter and later with his wife, Miryam Zwijsen from Holland. He has lived in the United Kingdom and the USA for his dancing and now resides in Rome, Italy where he has become a top Latin trainer. He travels extensively to adjudicate and teach. Geirʼs lecture commenced by informing us of some of his “pet hates” in dance.
Geir wishes the top Ballroom specialist adjudicators would adhere to the priority of attention to feet and legs when judging Latin as they do in the Ballroom. Geir stated that over physicality, often seen in Samba derives from lack of technical knowledge. He also thinks that Ballroom couples are much better trained in technical knowledge than Latin couples. He gave a detailed breakdown of the Promenade runs and the aspects that he often sees that he deems as incorrect. He showed that an understanding of Ballroom principles – particularly frame and line - can help the Latin dancer to promote a more acceptable picture with less distortion. I was personally delighted to hear his opinion that feet and legs are not enough a priority in Latin for many. A clear concise opening lecture for all to easily understand was the start for the short morning’s congress. Gabriele and Antonella Goffredo assisted by demonstrating the aspects that Geir would like to see.
Robert Wota – Poland – former Polish National Professional Champion with a career of eighteen years on the competition floor, eight years as a Professional. He now teaches, coaches and adjudicates all over the World. Robertʼs lecture was entitled “Feel the Waltz.” He stated the importance of the understanding of all the aspects of technique but wished his lecture to be about making it all more special. He asked Thomas and Francesca (Polish Professional National Champions) to dance a piece of Waltz in a correct way that was already very good, and then repeat the same piece again with more emotion and musical sensitivity. He gave a simple exercise in how to “feel the music” through the legs from the feet up through the body right through to the top of the head and relating to the partner to commence movement. He feels that at a low level the couples firstly have to learn a static position that has to be correct as a commencement for dance, but that as a development it is necessary to search for activating the sensation of “living” the music as a partnership before moving from the standing foot to promote individuality and a mix between what the teacher and the couple themselves “Feel.” Despite the fact that English is not his Mother language, the diction for everyone to understand was perfect.
Melissa Dexter commenced her dance training with the San Francisco Ballet, Melissa Hayden and Boston Ballet companies. She then took up Latin American dancing at the age of twenty starting at Arthur Murray and was very soon partnered up and successful with Rick Valenzuela as Professionals becoming three times United States Champions and finalists in the British in Blackpool and the International at Londonʼs Royal Albert Hall. Between partners she choreographed for stage, TV and movies. She had a short competitive career with Geir Bakke where the highlight was appearing in the final of The European Latin Championship. Melissa then finished the last years of her competitive career with her husband, Giacomo Steccaglia. They were Italian Champions in both Latin and Show dance and successful in all leading World events. She now is busy travelling between San Diego, California and Rome, Italy to teach and coach. A truly American show biz opening from the exciting and excitable blonde Latin bombshell certainly drew life from the audience, she danced onto the floor! Cha Cha originated from Mambo, Melissa informed us. In 1952 Monsieur Pierre visited the USA and Cuba and studied the Cha Cha and then changed and stylised it to what was the beginning of International style today, which has become very different to the American style. Melissa believes that both dances can be very attractive and have great appeal. Body action and the movement of the legs and feet were her theme and she made the comparisons of both American style and International style. Using Felipe and Carolina Talona (Top American style exponents) and with Giacomo and Melissa showing International style, they all danced Cha Cha basic steps - Mark time, Time steps, Cucarachas, Walks and Locks – showing the difference of the movement of the legs and feet, but how it always has to be beautiful. She quoted “Speak with the feet!” The detailed description of the leg in neutral being the same in both styles, but the transfer of weight being so different in the timing of the knee straightening was most evident. She then explained that the body action in both styles are the same, compress, rotate and then move. To really show the body isolation actions, both men removed their shirts, and danced to Tom Jones “Sex Bomb” – much to the delight of many ladies in the audience. One statement made by Melissa that I feel is so important she believes the dancer should study the Cha Cha from the feet and legs up learning the beauty of the base action first and then analyse the body movement in order for that to be the engine to move the feet and legs. Melissa expressed that she wants to see the action between the main beats, how one should elongate the action if the music is slower. To finish, a little demonstration of the couples showing the contrast and then swapping partners wound up a very informative and entertaining half hour.
Barbara Grover started dancing at the age of ten and for a short time danced in the famous Frank and Peggy Spencer formation team. She formed a lifelong partnership with Robert Grover and won the Worlds, European and United Kingdom Championships as an Amateur in 1976 / 1977. Together they appeared in all major Professional finals between 1977 and 1985 when they retired from competing. Barbara is a council member of the I.S.T.D and also a representative on the British Dance Council. She travels adjudicating, lecturing and coaching Worldwide. She resides in the United Kingdom. Barbaraʼs opening statement is “There is no fast track to success”. She introduced Paolo Bosco and Silvia Pitton who danced a short piece of Foxtrot. Barbara wanted to identify the individual roles of the man and lady. She explained that the preparation step for man should use body weight and rotation to create softness and fluidity and not just position, and then how to synchronise the standing leg and the free leg. Barbara then showed the difference of the manʼs and ladyʼs forward steps relating to shape, then how on backward movements the importance of the understanding of the time of lowering the heel of the standing leg in relation to the moving leg is most necessary. She then explained how the Reverse Wave is often uncomfortable for the ladies due to the incorrect backward movement of the man. The necessity of understanding the back extension of the foot with a high heel, in order to maintain the weight correctly to the partner, was explained clearly.
This was an excellent lecture that gave detailed technical points regarding the essential preparation from one movement to the next in order to produce fluidity in dance. The lecture culminated with a short demonstration of basic elements danced beautifully with control, softness and fluidity by Paolo and Silvia.
Jun 30, 2010
Following the AGM in Blackpool this year. The accounts for 2009-2010 are now available. Click here... for details. |
Mar 26, 2010
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2009 Embassy Congress