Dance To Good Health

Want to cut down on stress? Need to lose weight? Could use a little cheer and a firm touch as you enter the last decades of your life? Try ballroom dancing. "It's a great cardiopulmonary activity," dance teacher June Rawls says with the zeal of a missionary, "and it's also a good way to socialise. The physical is very important, but so is the mental, and when you come here for an hour, you leave the world behind."

Bijoux Dance Centre is a 186 sq m mirror-lined dance hall in Miami, USA, tucked among commercial warehouses that have more to do with heavy equipment than intricate dance moves. Yet every Tuesday at 8 pm, about 20 middle-age and older Miamians gather there to waltz, fox trot and rumba. Or at least they try to. Rawls, 65 has been offering a ballroom dance class for the 55-and-older set since the beginning of the year. When she retired as a teacher, she decided her next career would be promoting her hobby and passion. As a lifetime ballroom dancer herself, she's a firm believer in the gospel of movement, particularly for her generation of baby boomers.

Speak to Rawls for any length of time and she will gladly enumerate the benefits. She'll even cite a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2003 that found dancing (as well as playing board games and musical instruments) might reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Ballroom dancing has become fashionable again in part thanks to the popularity of ABC's Dancing With The Stars. Dance studios from the Arthur Murray mainstays to a University of Miami club, report a hike in interest....... (McClatchy-Tribune Information Services)

Kung Fu Master Dances To Fame

Wushu master Chua Zjen Fong has swapped his cudgel for a pair of dancing shoes. After years of competing in the martial arts arena, he has traded in his macho kung fu skills for the flamboyance of Latin dancing; swinging and jiving his way to many titles to put Malaysia on the international dancing stage. Born in Selangor, the 25-year-old who now calls Miri in Sarawak home, used to be a national wushu master, quite at home with yielding swords and spears, before yielding to the allure of the dance hall.

Chua was among several Malaysian athletes such as former synchronised swimmer Jovial Lim and former gymnast Tengku Noor Fathima Zaharah, who have found a niche in the dance world - cleverly blending agility and sporting aptitude to dance their way to stardom. Chinese martial arts have always been a part of Chua's life. It is a discipline he has excelled in for more than 10 years during which he also represented Malaysia and Sarawak in wushu. However, for a career, Chua chose dancing. After years of training, he is now a qualified full-time Latin dance instructor. His crossover has been a journey filled with adventure and excitement as his dancing has taken him around the world like his success as a martial arts exponent had.

Chua started dancing in 2005 with the encouragement of his parents - father Chua Kian Hong and mother Chiam Poh Huay, who are themselves social dancers. He turned pro in 2008 after meeting his current partner Evon Chong, also from Selangor (Kajang) who in turn, introduced him to competitive dancesport. They have not looked back since. On 26 February 2011, Chua and Evon, the reigning MYDF national champions, left for China to train in the Angel Dance School outside of Guangzhou. The one-year training will be completing soon, and they hope to return and impart their dancing skills in Malaysia. (Borneo Post)

Apps To Make You Dance

Dancing With The Stars has helped spur interest in ballroom dancing, but for many who would like to follow in the footsteps of the stars, lessons are often too expensive, too far away and socially awkward in the extreme. But if your partner is a mobile device, none of these obstacles apply. Mobile apps could be the best thing to hit ballroom dancing since the hurdler's stretch. The better ones like LDF Hot Salsa (up to US$3 for iOS), Pocket Salsa (US$3 for iOS or US$2 for Android) and Learn Argentine Tango (up to US$13 for iOS) - offer solid, inexpensive tutorials. And thanks to the mobile format, you can see them when no one's watching or brush up on your steps immediately before you try to impress a date in public.

After a few swings around my living room, I found the Hot Salsa series especially effective. There are three levels (beginner, intermediate and advanced), with each anchored by a set of instructional videos featuring Christian Gutierrez and sometimes his partner, Liem Pham. The videos are adequate, if slightly less than professional quality. The audio is passable, the lighting is fair and the set is a living room, complete with fireplace. The video is framed from a point that was slightly too far at times for me to see Gutierrez's footwork clearly, although that problem was less bothersome when I tested the app on an iPad.

Aesthetics aside, the quality of the instruction was quite good. The 30 lessons featured in each app average roughly one minute each - just enough to cover one distinct movement. Gutierrez typically introduces a move by demonstrating and explaining it at full speed. He then offers a slower demonstration along with a more technically oriented discussion. The videos are bolstered by text explanations of each move, which I found helpful, if occasionally in dire need of proofreading. You can also add notes of your own to each lesson, which is a nice touch...... NYT

Dance National Association Officially Launched

The Dance National Association (DNA) was officially launched on 19th November 2011 at Wisma Peladang in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. A press release issued by DNA soon after the event, has this to say:

The dance industry today welcomes and celebrated the official launch of Dance National Association (DNA) this morning at Bangunan Peladang, Petaling Jaya. The event was marked by performances from varied genres of dances ranging from Standard Ballroom, Latin Dance, to Hip Hop, Line Dance and Belly dance. There were many lucky door prizes for members of DNA who attended the event. The event attracted approximately 400 people from all ages coming from all walks of life. There was also an interesting dance fashion show modelled by teenagers and children showcasing a variety of costumes for dancers and competitors.

Following the official launch, there was the inaugural DNA Ballroom Dance Championship which saw a participation of approximately 150 competitors for various Ballroom, Latin and Hip Hop competitive events. In her inaugural speech, DNA's president Ms Josephine Seow explained DNA's objective to promote dance and dancesport to the mainstream dance fraternity and also to the masses through championships, competitions, workshops, training programmes, social events and outreach programmes.

She added, "We appreciate the contribution of all dance teachers in Malaysia and it is our top priority to give top recognition to them and provide support programmes to ensure a thriving dance industry. In order to achieve these, DNA needs support in all manner and from all sectors of the corporate sectors and individuals." One of DNA's highlights is the 2012 Malaysian International Ballroom Championships to be held on 2nd March 2012 Kuala Lumpur where you can see a congregation of the world's top ranked competitors.

Floor Work Exercises

If you have taken up dancing, having never done it before, you will find yourself using muscles you are unaccustomed to. These will ache at first, however after time and exercise, you wil grow used to using them and build them up over time. Here are four exercises designed to strengthen these muscles.

1. Weight training - Dancers are incredibly strong and they need to be able to perform all the moves they do. Ballerinas for example, need strong arms and legs in order to be able to hold positions and poses for long periods of time. In order to build up your limb strength, it is an idea to do some basic weight training. Now we are not talking about massive dumb-bells here, but light weights that will gradually tone your legs, arms and back.

2. Yoga/Pilates - Your muscular core is used extensively in dance, and as such many dancers do pilates and or yoga to strengthen these muscles. By doing so, dancers are able to hold their bodies in positions longer as well as minimising risk of injury. Yoga and pilates also allow you to build up muscles you might not otherwise use.

3. Go swimming - Dancing not only works your muscles but also your cardio-vascular system. It is therefore important to make sure you regularly work your heart. Jogging or running are good options, but swimming is probably the best as it not only exercises every muscle, but is an excellent way to keep fit.

4. Stretching - Once you have worked all these muscles, the only way to improve your flexibility is to stretch these muscles. You can do this in every day life by taking longer strides, holding your stomach in and reaching out your arms as far as they go. By doing a series of stretching exercises before and after dance, you will reduce the chance of injury. (Article republished with kind permission of www.worldbellydancer.org)

Whither Dancesport In The Olympics?

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) in a press release on 2 September 2011 announced that six cities have been put forward by their respective National Olympic Committees to apply to host the XXXII Olympiad in 2020. The cities in alphabetical order are: Baku (Azerbaijan), Doha (Qatar), Istanbul (Turkey), Madrid (Spain), Rome (Italy) and Tokyo (Japan). The Host City of the 2020 Olympic Games will be chosen at the 125th IOC session to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 7 September 2013.

In early July 2011, the IOC had also agreed on a shortlist of sports that will be considered for inclusion in the sports programme of the 2020 Olympiad. The sports are: baseball, karate, roller sports, softball, sports climbing, squash, wakeboard and wushu; one of which could be added to the 2020 sports programme to be voted on by the 125th IOC session. It would be great if squash is included in the Olympic Games, as Malaysia is strong in this sport and our chances of winning medals in this event is good.

Hopes for dancesport to be considered for inclusion in the Olympic Games have once again been dashed. In spite of the popularity of dancesport in nations like China, Japan, USA, Russia and the European Union; not much headway has been made. When will dancesport ever make it's way to the Olympics, if ever? The world dancing fraternity must put aside all politicking and work hard for dancesport to be made an Olympic event. Dancesport is now a medals event in the Asian Games and Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

Second ISTD 2011 Malaysia Workshop

Yvonne Taylor-Hill, member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) Council and Chairman of the Disco/Freestyle/Rock 'n' Roll Faculty will be in Malaysia in August 2011 to conduct a 'continuation' workshop for all dance teachers. This is the second ISTD workshop conducted since the beginning of 2011 and will be followed by another one in October. Details are as follows:-

Venue

GC Conference Suite @ GC Building Technologies (M) Sdn Bhd, Shah Alam, Selangor

Dates

August 5 - Ballroom and Latin professional lectures
Fees: RM 100 for ISTD members, RM 150 for non-members

August 7 - Ballroom and Latin professional lectures
Fees: RM 100 for ISTD members, RM 150 for non-members

August 8 - Country and Western professional lectures (Covers full syllabus)
Fees: RM 300 for ISTD members, RM 400 for non-members

Time 9.30 am to 6.00 pm (one hour lunch break)

Private lessons at 50 Sterling Pounds per hour at your premises are available on August 6, 9 & 10.

For registration or more information, kindly contact Nelly Tsen at 6012-2848088 or Lim Sae Min at 6012-2030107.

MDSB Malaysia National Championships 2011

Malaysian Dancesport Berhad (MDSB) is organizing the MDSB Malaysia National Championships 2011 (MDSB Challenge Trophy). Further details of the competition is as follows:-

Date: 6th August 2011 (Saturday)

Venue: Thean Hou Temple, Kuala Lumpur

Time: 12.00 noon to 11.30 pm

Events: Ballroom ~ Standard & Latin - Malaysia Amateur Close, Amateur Rising Star, Pre-Amateur, Novice I, Novice II, Senior Over 45, Junior Under 16, Juvenile Under 12, Ladies Events, Solo Open, Solo Under 12, Solo Under 8

Participation: Open to all Malaysians

Closing date for entries: 25th July 2011

A challenge trophy will be awarded to the champions of the Malaysia Amateur events (Standard and Latin sections). They are allowed to retain the challenge trophy till the next MDSB Championship. The challenge trophy will be given to the champions who have won 3 consecutive championships organized by MDSB. For more information, kindly email: malaysiandancesport@gmail.com or contact Janet Lim @ 012-3233839, Jovy Wong @ 012-3112203, Chong Kim Yee @ 012-2215727.

MDSB Beginners Ballroom Dance Competition 2011

Malaysia Dancesport Berhad (MDSB) is organizing the inaugural MDSB Beginners Ballroom Dance Competition 2011 in conjunction with its fourth MDSB Dinner & Dance. Further details of the competition is as follows:-

Venue: Royal Lake Club, Jalan Cenderamulia, Taman Tasek Perdana, 50480 Kuala Lumpur

Date: 15th May 2011

Time: 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm

Events: Ballroom ~ Standard & Latin - Rainbow 8 and below, Juvenile 8 to 12, Junior 12 to 16, Adult 16 to 49, Senior 50 and above

Partnering: Couples can be Man with Lady or Lady with Lady

Participation: Open to all Malaysians

Closing date for entries: 1st May 2011

Entry fees: RM125 per person (inclusive of dinner)

MBSB reported in a communique: "The Beginners Ballroom Dance Competition is held with the main purpose of building a large core of competitors from the foundation level. We wish to focus on this level of dancers from all age groups as we feel that with a large number of competitors at this level, we would be able to nurture more dancers of high caliber in the future."

It further added: "We are also launching the 2011 MDSB Membership Drive campaign to encourage all teachers, parents and students of dancesport and all other disciplines to sign up as MDSB members. We sincerely wish and welcome members to contribute ideas and participate actively in our activities benefiting dance teachers, students, competitors and parents alike."

For more information on the Dinner & Dance and Competition, kindly log on to www.mdsb-my.blogspot.com or call Chong Kim Yee at 012-2215727, Josephine Siow at 012-2186463 or email malaysiandancesport@gmail.com.

ISTD 2011 Malaysia Workshops

The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) and the Malaysian Ballroom Dance Teachers Berhad (MBDTB) is jointly organizing two dance teacher workshops this weekend. The workshops will be conducted by Richard Hunt, Vice Chairman of the ISTD Modern Ballroom Faculty & Imperial Dance and Dance Sport Faculties Board. Among the lectures to be covered will be popular Latin American and Ballroom dance variations.

The workshops, which are open to ALL professional dance teachers will be held at the Conference Suite at GC Building Technologies (M) Sdn Bhd, 7 Jalan Perintis U1/52, Kawasan Perindustrian Temasya, Bandar Glenmarie, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor. Richard Hunt will also be available for private lessons. Additionally; ISTD Associate, Licentiate and Fellowship training can be arranged.

Latin American Teachers Workshop

Date: 19 February 2011 (Saturday)

Time: 9.00 am to 6.00 pm

Fees: ISTD Qualified Teachers - RM100, Other Professional Teachers - RM150

Ballroom Teachers Workshop

Date: 20 February 2011 (Sunday)

Time: 9.00 am to 6.00 pm

Fees: ISTD Qualified Teachers - RM100, Other Professional Teachers - RM150

For registration or further information kindly contact Lim Sae Min at 012-2030107, Chong Kim Yee at 012-2215727 or Nelly Tsen at 012-2848088.

Joy To The World

Christmas is just round the corner and soon after that we will be ringing in the New Year 2011. Many of the malls here in Malaysia have already put up Christmas decorations and the festive feeling is in the air. At the Pavilion Shopping Centre in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, several giant Christmas trees bedecked with baubles and tinsels are on display. Red, green and gold are the dominant colours as usual. The place comes alive and looks like a fairyland at night!

I quite look forward to the Christmas season for the joy it brings. Listening to Christmas carols being played in the malls and dance studios adds to the festive cheer and help lift one's spirits. Many yuletide songs evoke happy feelings and can put you in the mood for dancing. I could imagine me and my partner waltzing to Silent Nights, dancing the foxtrot to the strains of White Christmas or doing the cha cha cha to Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer at a Christmas eve party.

Speaking of Christmas eve parties; know your limits and do not go on a drinking binge. If you have one drink too many, I'll bet you'll be doing a lot of Tipples Chasses and Tipsys when dancing the quickstep! Many hotels and restaurants are having special Christmas eve dinner promotions and some of the menu that I have seen look really mouth watering. Go easy on the food and look after your waistline though. Have a "Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year 2011!"

China Dominate Dancesport At Asian Games 2010.

China brushed aside the competition to win all 10 gold medals in the dancesport event at the 16th Asian Games 2010 which was held in Guangzhou from November 12 to 27. Powerhouse China took all the 5 gold medals in the Standard and 5 gold medals in the Latin categories to emerge as the undisputed number one dancesport nation in Asia. The official medal tally is as follows:-

China - 10 golds

South Korea - 7 silvers, 3 bronzes

Japan - 3 silvers, 4 bronzes

Philippines - 2 bronzes

Kazakhstan - 1 bronze

Here are the detailed results of the individual events:-

1. China

Gold - Waltz, Quickstep, Foxtrot, Tango, Standard Five Dances, Cha Cha Cha, Jive, Samba, Paso Doble, Latin Five Dances

2. South Korea

Silver - Foxtrot, Tango, Standard Five Dances, Cha Cha Cha, Jive, Samba, Paso Doble

Bronze - Waltz, Quickstep, Latin Five Dances

3. Japan

Silver - Waltz, Quickstep, Latin Five Dances

Bronze - Foxtrot, Tango, Jive, Samba

4. Philippines

Bronze - Cha Cha Cha, Paso Doble

5. Kazakhstan

Bronze - Standard Five Dances

Malaysia did not take part in the dancesport events. The Philippines, which is one of the strongest dancesport nations in South East Asia did fairly well to garner 2 bronze medals. Thailand and Vietnam which were expected to put up a good show failed to live up to expectations. The Central Asian countries were also disappointing and only managed to win a bronze medal through Kazakhstan. It looks like China which won a record 199 gold medals in the 16th Asiad is set to dominate dancesport in Asia.

Dance Your Way To Good Health

Which are the cardio activities that blast fat the fastest? According to a recent article in shine.yahoo.com, which listed the top seven metabolic rate enhancing activities, dancing comes in at number six. Here are the top seven fat and calorie burners, from Los Angeles, USA based celebrity trainer Ramona Braganza who has helped shape the amazing bodies of stars like Jessica Alba, Halle Berry and Anne Hathaway.

1. Inline skating

Burns 425 calories in 30 minutes

2. Running

Burns 374 calories in 30 minutes

3. Jumping rope

Burns 340 minutes in 30 minutes

4. Hula hooping

Burns 300 minutes in 30 minutes

5. Tennis

Burns 274 minutes in 30 minutes

6. Dancing

Burns 221 calories in 30 minutes

7. Walking vigorously

Burns 170 calories in 30 minutes

While the article says that dancing may not be the biggest calorie-burner in the bunch, it is still an excellent and fun metabolism booster. (Just look at Kelly Osbourne who jump-started her amazing 42-pound loss with Dancing With The Stars.) The key is to keep the tempo high, choosing songs with fast rhythms like Latin or Bollywood, and don't rest between songs. To boost your burn, use your arms. Raise them in the air and move them to the beat.

Golden Palm Tree International Dance Championship 2010

Some 160 dancers from 18 countries in Europe, USA and Asia competed in Ballroom, Latin American, Salsa and Argentine Tango events in the inaugural Golden Palm Tree International Dance Championship 2010 held at Golden Palm Tree Resort & Spa in Sepang Goldcoast, Selangor on October 29. Among those who took part in this competition were British Professional Ballroom Champions and Blackpool Grand Finalists Warren & Kristi Boyce (pic) of England.

The guest-of-honour at this function was Heng Seai Kie, the Deputy Women, Family & Community Development Minister. Heng said that her ministry recognizes the potential of ballroom dancing in enhancing family relationships. She also congratulated Golden Palm Tree's efforts in promoting dance as a sport for the family and community development.

The winners of the major categories are as follows:-

Professional Standard - Warren & Kristi Boyce (England)

Professional Latin - Alessandro Carmerotto & Nancy Berti (Italy)

Amateur Standard - Mikhail and Olesya Eremeeva (Russia)

Amateur Latin - Massimo Acrolin & Luba Mustuck (Italy)

Pro-Am Latin - Michael Badong & Soleil Mahani Kamil (Philippines)

Junior Latin - Sam Hunter & Charlotte Plant (England)

ISTD Conducts Masters' Workshop

More than 60 dance teachers and students attended a masters' workshop organized by the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) on October 27 2010. Held at the conference suite of GC Technologies (M) Sdn Bhd in Shah Alam, Selangor; the workshop was conducted by Richard Hunt (Vice Chairman of the ISTD Modern Ballroom Faculty and Imperial Dance & Dance Sport Faculties Board) and Yvonne Taylor-Hill (Chairman of the Disco/Freestyle/Rock 'n' Roll Faculty and member of the ISTD council).

The topics that were discussed at this workshop covered Ballroom and Latin American dances. Poise, balance and centering were explained. The character of the various dances were mentioned and demonstrated. As for Ballroom dancing, the different types of rise and fall were elucidated. Hunt and Taylor-Hill emphasized the use of good technique and showed the simple teaching aids that can be used to improve technique. A Rumba and Tango routine were demonstrated and the participants were then put through their paces.

Hunt and Taylor-Hill said they were pleased with the good turnout and support shown by the teachers and students at this workshop. There are plans to organize more of such workshops in future. They thanked those present and the coordinators of the workshop, namely Nelly Tsen (Examination Organizer - Ballroom Faculty ISTD), Lim Sae Min (president of Malaysian Ballroom Dance Teachers Berhad) and Chong Kim Yee (principal of Swan Link Dance Studio) for their assistance in organizing the workshop.

Zumba Fitness - Dance For Charity

A "Zumba Fitness - Dance For Charity" event will be held on November 7 at HGH Convention Centre, Sentul, Kuala Lumpur to help raise funds for charity. Proceeds from the sale of tickets will be channeled to Kiwanis Club of Bangsar, Kiwanis Club of Bukit Bandaraya and Hospis Malaysia. Zumba instructor and license holder, Jason Ooi says he expects more than 3000 participants to attend this two-hour dance fitness programme which will kick off at 11.00 am. Tickets are sold at RM18 each. For more information, call 013-3672001, 016-6839666 or 016-9042008 or visit www.zumbaforcharity.blogspot.com.

Zumba is a fitness programme that has become a worldwide craze. The fitness programme combines Latin rhythm with cardiovascular exercises to create an aerobics routine that is fun and easy to follow. Participants often comment that it is so much fun that they don't think of it as a workout. There are presently more than 20,000 Zumba trained instructors in over 35 countries, and millions of Zumba DVDs have been sold worldwide. Zumba enthusiasts all over the world are discovering the joy of dancing and the benefits to their health all at the same time.

Colombian fitness trainer Beto Perez stumbled upon the concept of Latin-inspired fitness in his native country of Colombia in the mid-1990s. He introduced a fitness programme which he called Zumba and which soon became very popular in his class. The word Zumba is Spanish slang for "to move fast and have fun". The fun workout comprises of approximately 70% Latin dances (eg cha cha cha, samba, mambo) and 30% of other dances from around the world (eg flamenco, calypso, hip hop). Zumba utilizes the principles of fitness interval training and resistance training to maximize caloric output, fat burning and total body burning.

ISTD 2010 Malaysia Tour - Workshops

The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) in conjunction with Malaysian Ballroom Dance Teachers Berhad is organizing a series of workshops which will be held at the conference suite of GC Building Technologies (M) Sdn Bhd, 7 Jalan Perintis U1/52, Kawasan Perindustrian Temasya, Bandar Glenmarie, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor. The workshops will be conducted by Richard Hunt (Vice Chairman of the ISTD Modern Ballroom Faculty and Imperial Dance & Dance Sport Faculties Board) and Yvonne Taylor-Hill (Chairman of the Disco/Freeestyle/Rock 'n' Roll Faculty and member of the ISTD council).

Master Class (Open to students and dance teachers)

Date: October 27 2010, Wednesday

Time: 6.30 pm to 10.15 pm

Fees: ISTD qualified teachers - RM20, other participants - RM50

Training Professionals Exam (Open only to ISTD qualified teachers)

Date: October 28 2010, Thursday

Time: 8.30 am to 9.30 pm

Fees: RM80

Teachers Workshop (Open to all professional dance teachers)

Date: October 29 2010, Friday

Time: 9.30 am to 6.00 pm

Fees: ISTD qualified teachers - RM60, other professional teachers - RM120

Topics: Simple variations in Latin and Ballroom, Advanced compulsory Latin figures in Gold Star exams, Faults seen in medal tests, 6 weeks Rock 'n' Roll, Medal tests choreography, What the examiners and adjudicators look for, Teachers' questions & answers

For further information or to register, kindly email mydanceteachers@gmail.com or contact Lim Sae Min at 012-2030107, Chong Kim Yee at 012-2215727 or Nelly Tsen at 012-2848088.

How Often Do You Dance?

How many dance classes do you attend in a week and how often do you practise your dance routine? I remembered when I took up Ballroom and Latin American dancing many many years ago I would attend classes three times a week and go out to practise at least twice a week. My classmates and I would train at the Kuala Lumpur Dancers Association (KLDA), YMCA, Royal Selangor Club and Royal Lake Club amongst others. We were so crazy about dancing then that we would often adjourn to the Royal Selangor Club for another round of dancing just after our lessons were over. It was as though we lived to dance!

The dancesport section of the Royal Selangor Club was very active back then and they used to organize many dinner and dance events at affordable prices. These events were very popular and members were allowed to bring several of their friends to these functions. The food, wine, ambiance and music was good. You would often see students from the different dance schools there. There would also be impromptu dance competitions involving representatives from the different schools and token prizes would be given to the winners. These events were kind of fun but unfortunately, are not that well received anymore.

The Royal Lake Club has embarked on a project this year to revive interest in dancing. In March, a dinner and dance cum Rumba workshop by Amy Lee of Amy Dancesport Centre was held. A couple of months ago, another dinner and dance featuring top ballroom and Latin American dancers from China was organized. The KLDA is also doing its part to promote interest in dancing. As an incentive, members who perform commendably well in competitions will be considered for scholarships and monetary rewards. A potluck and dance performance which is open to members of the public is held on the last Sunday of every month.

Dancesport To Debut In 2010 Asian Games Guangzhou

The 16th Asian Games 2010 will be held in Guangzhou, China from November 12 to 27. Some 10,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions in this part of the world (stretching from East to West Asia) will be competing in 476 events in 42 sports during the Games. Of the 42 sports, 28 are Olympic sports while the other 14 are sports which are popular in Asia. The 14 non-Olympic sports include dragon boat racing, kabaddi, sepak takraw and dancesport. This is the second time that China is hosting the Asian games, the first being the 11th Asiad in Beijing in 1990.

Dancesport is being introduced for the first time in this Games and hopefully will feature in future Games as well. Individual medals will be awarded for the 5 ballroom (Waltz, Quickstep, Foxtrot, Tango & Viennese Waltz) and 5 Latin American (Cha Cha Cha, Rumba, Jive, Samba & Paso Doble) dances. China is expected to win the lion's share of the 30 medals at stake. Other strong medal contenders are Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The last three countries are Asian dancesport rising stars and are expected to spring some surprises.

Malaysia will most likely be taking part in the dancesport events at the 16th Asian Games 2010 in Guangzhou. I understand the selection of dancers is in process and hope that the best will be chosen to represent Malaysia. The Games is only four months away and the dancesport events will be closely watched and followed by the dance fraternity in Asia as the best dancesport athletes from Asia will be competing at this Games. It would be great if Malaysia can win at least one bronze medal in the dancesport events. That's not asking too much, is it?

Related Posts

> Dancesport Results Of The 2009 Asian Indoor Games Vietnam

> Kazakhstan - A Rising Star In Dancesport

Dancesport In A Tight Spot?

The International DanceSport Federation, IDSF refers to dancesport as - "Dancesport is a team sport. It is generally defined as partner dancing between a man and a woman combining as a couple (or group of couples combining as a team) and using the required technique or floor craft and artistic interpretation to produce a highly disciplined dance performance. Dancesport developed out of the narrow confines of competition ballroom dancing but today includes any dance style which has achieved an internationally recognized competitive structure and has adopted a sports based culture. The currently recognized sections or disciplines in international style dancesport are: 1) Standard, 2) Latin American, 3) Ten Dance and 4) Rock 'n' Roll".

Recently while browsing through the website dancesport.info.net, I happened to read an interesting forum topic titled "What Is Happening To English Dancesport?" The discussion at this forum which started in June 2007 is on-going. Basically this forum discusses the 'declining' popularity of dancesport in England vis-a-vis the other popular dances like Salsa, Hip Hop, Argentine Tango and Swing. The contributors to this forum aired their disappointments over this issue and gave their views on how this problem can be resolved. All this while I had thought that dancesport is still going strong in England. The forum debate certainly was an eye opener for me. Which kept me pondering. What about the dancesport scene here in Malaysia?

Ballroom and Latin American dances were popular in Malaysia during the 1960s and 1970s when the first few dance schools were opened. When Salsa was introduced here in the late 1970s it caught on quickly. The dance became a hit and many Salsa dance schools and clubs were soon in business. Other popular dances like Hip Hop, Belly and Line Dance also made their way here and their novelty plus the fact that they could be danced without a partner helped to supplant the popularity of Ballroom and Latin American. As was and is now, ladies often complain about the dearth of male partners. Presently, Ballroom is danced mainly by the more matured crowd while Latin American still manages to attract a sizeable following among the youngsters.