| Article | : | As a way of an introduction to this new debating forum, I would like to discuss Dancesport in general and what it means to me.
When I started dancing at the age of 17, I had pre-conceptions that it was something that only old people did. How wrong I was. When I joined the school I went to, most there were around my age.
However, I rarely told anyone I did Ballroom Dancing. I was embarrassed. The term Ballroom Dancing to me was a source of ridicule.
However, shortly after starting to learn to dance, I was smitten by the bug. I was studying for my A levels in school at the time, but all I was really interested in was dancing. So despite my embarrassment, I continued.
The term Ballroom Dancing though is still a bugbear for me. Despite what others might think, the phrase still does conjure up nonsenical stereotypes, which I'm afraid will continue unless those that object to the term Dancesport get their heads out of sand and confront it.
But what of the term Dancesport? I don't really know who started using this phrase - was it the Germans?. Nevertheless it is a very useful term. It has certainly solved the hangups I have with 'Ballroom Dancing'. I use it all the time. I rarely say the latter nowadays. And in fact, because I don't, my pupils (children at least) are being educated out of using this old fashioned term. Even my eldest son (who doesn't dance) uses it when he has to.
To me Dancesport (or possibly Dance Sport?), should be the only phrase that should be used to cover both social dancing and competitive dancing. In advertising my social dancing and beginners classes, I call it social dancesport. I feel it is ridiculous to somehow call social dancing - Ballroom Dancing, whilst referring to competitive dancing as Dancesport. You wouldn't call social Badminton - Ping Pong and competitive Badminton - Badminton, would you? So why differentiate the two in dancing.
Some have argued that older people don't like to think of themselves as being involved in sport. What utter nonsense. Older people (even old people) do take part in sporting leisure activities. They may not immediately recognise that Ballroom Dancing is a sport, but it doesn't negate the fact that it is.
No doubt I will get the usual tirade from those who object to me calling our activity as a sport, but until someone can provide one shred of evidence to support the notion that Dancesport or Ballroom Dancing isn't a sport as well as being highly artistic, then I shall continue to re-educate my current and future pupils.
However this sport / art dispute has been amply debated elsewhere, so I don't want to cover old ground. In any event, the debate was won by us sportsmen and women the day the IDSF was granted full recognition by the IOC and NOCs and other bodies (government included).
Now you know where I'm coming from. I would like to offer my thoughts and ideas on how we can improve Dancesport for the future.
My main focus is obviously Britain, but I don't want it to be just about Britain. We all have suggestions to make. We can all learn from each other. For instance, my major interest is in promoting, developing and marketing our sport to the non-dancing world. How do other countries handle this - if at all. It is certainly not being handled at all in Britain, to the dismay not just of me but to other more prominent members of the profession, most notably Bryan Allen.
In fact it is for this reason why I wanted to start this column. You never know, some of the ideas suggested (even if only one) may be taken up.
So come one, please offer your ideas, criticisms and objective comments to what I hope will be a lively debate.
Best wishes
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