| Article | : | GOC Mannheim 2002 (3)
On the spot report by Werner J. Braun
Bill Irvine MBE and Donnie Burns MBE lead new Dance Academy in Mannheim
Michel Mauge, Managing Director of the Mannheim Congress Ltd. Rosengarten and organiser of the German Open Championships, proudly announced the foundation of this Academy at the occasion of the official reception of the City Administration of Mannheim, which was held by First Mayor of the City Dr. Norbert Egger. In his welcoming speech Michel Mauge expressed is appreciation to the GOC Steering Committee, which in his meeting at the GOC made the decision to found the first Dance Academy in Germany. It was the idea of the innovative organiser of the GOC, Michel Mauge. It should give new impulses to DanceSport on an international level. The most important decision is the fact, that both Dance Icons, Bill Irvine MBE and Donnie Burns MBE, accepted to lead this new Academy which will have its seat in Mannheim. More details will be published in one of the next issues of Dance News. Michel Mauge pointed out with proudnes, that the GOC is the biggest sports event in Germany which yearly brings more than 4000 active sportsmen and women for a five days lasting sports competition. And he included the good relations of the organisers with all the Associations if Amateurs or Professionals. He again asked the Members of the City Council to assist him in building two new halls till the city jubilee in 2007, because from China he expects a yearly increase of participating dancers. He is about to arrange a co-operation contract with the Chinese responsibles. In this respect it is interesting to hear, that the Chinese State financed the whole costs of the Dancers trip to Mannheim. They all belong to the Beijing Academy of Dance.
First Mayor Dr. Norbert Egger, representing Lord Mayor Gerhard Widder, - why must he always be on holidays, when Germany's biggest sports event with more than 4000 sportsmen takes place in his town? - addressed the organisers, leaders of international delegations and selected VIPs in the Rosengarten. He proudly underlined the importance of the event for the City of Mannheim. It is not only an increasing of a positive image but also an economic win for the whole region. Competitors from 40 nations of al five continents will participate in 25 competitions. 510 competing couples in the Latin-American discipline are unique in the World. He as well was proud to announce that because of the importance of the event, the City Administration will stick to its promise and sponsor the organisers this year again with a sum of 25000.-Euro. He thanked the organisers, including the DanceSport Club Blau-Gold Casino Mannheim as Member of the organising team, the visitors and above all the competitors coming to Mannheim from all parts of the World. And he did not forget to mention the sponsors. Without them the event could hardly be such successful.
And the he welcomed the representative of Moldova, Consul General Dumitru Socolan, who had come from Frankfurt to attend the Formation Team of his country and give reference to Mannheim, the twin city of Kishinev. The leader of the World champion Formation "Kodrianka" and President of the Moldova DanceSport Association, Petru Gosun, accepted an amount on 2 500,- EURO, which was traditionally given to them out of the city's sports budget for the sportsmen of Mannheim's twin city. Consul General Socolan spoke in fluent German language, giving a positive picture of the relation of the twin cities. He invited as many people of Mannheim as possible, to pay a visit to Moldova and get their impression themselves.
Werner J. Braun |
