Re: What is happening to English DanceSport??
sábado, 3 de novembro de 2007 8:33
Dear Chunky-Monkey
Well here geos with my second bite at the apple - even if I am not sure just where to begin with so many very interesting aspects. Maybe a third bite will be necessary.....GROANS all round!!
First can I say I agree with you absolutely - and it is something I have written on the forum before - national bodies are trying to avoid making decisions with regard to Assen. Although it is wll known that many top people and former top people are privately phoning competitors and pleading that they do not go. For the majority it is hoped silence and the "threat" on the IDSF website will deter competitors - especially in the absence of a declared position.. This is the reason for the "MAY" and "WILL" about which I started a thread. If only a few couples go then they WILL be banned if a larger number go and especially the very top couples they "MAY" not be banned in fact we know they WILL not.
What a way to run an inernational federation what a way to create disunity.
Your possible suggestion that in the coming months couples who dance will pay a price for their support shows really the ugly side of the IDSF world and the intimidation involved.
Now the Club System.
As I wrote previously Germany has followed this system for many many years. The clubs without a doubt have a great following but many of the people never go on to compete - or not at the top level. Germany has certainly had success BUT also lean years so perhaps the club system does not provide all the answers.
Continuing with the Club system not providing all the answers. Competitive numbers in Italy are declining.
Italy has a club system. .
Italy allows its "Amateurs" the total freedom to teach, coach and demonstrate. I understand that some couples even have their own dance schools. So maybe that too is not the answer - although I absolutely agree that it does assist the couples to continue competing.
However when some realise that the are not going to make it to the top they drop out of competing..
What we can see is that even though they have a Club system even though they allow Amateurs to teach the numbers in Italy are now dropping which is why I suggest it is not a reliable blueprint for success..
I was once told "Professional competitors must be crazy. Unless you are the champion you are only second best or lower and how can that be good for the reputation of anyone".
We dance lovers know that it is not that simple but sometimes the public support success so I can understand from where this thought came. Better to let your students think you would be the best "if" you competed rather than prove you are not.
Of course we must place totally at the door of IDSF the great division that they created in the dance world by allowing some couples to gain a totally unfair advantage with the freedom to teach, demonstrate hold training camps and perform any other "professional -money earning " activity they wished
After all it helped to damage the true professionals - and not just the true amateur.
This was a system that should NEVER have been introduced until or unless the IDSF could guarantee a level playing field in every member country.
This does not mean interferring in national affairs - which we know IDSF love to do - but simply ensuring that some did not have greater opportunity than others.
However the IDSF thrives on disunity and splits amongst its members. Keeps IDSF with total control and power.
As I said there can be advantages and BIG disadvantags with the Club system. Couples are told where and when they must compete, where they cannot compete. From whom they cannot take coaching and also from whom they will even if they have no desire to go to that person.
Sometimes couples are approached and offered "guidance, being taken under the wing, being mentored". and it sounds great. They are even offered the opportunity to be financed and then later repay the costs when they are earning. They then discover in a short time they are now in debt and tied to that coach. They are being told where they must "work" - teaching demonstrating etc - to repay the finance even if this destroys their own personal plans
I know some coaches who simply book in their diary the name of the Club because they do not know just who is going to be sent to them. I have know Latin coaches be sent ballroom couples and vice versa.
Dance Clubs undoubtedly do a great deal of good but are not the complete solution for the problems of the competitor.and often cause friction and disunity.
EADA.
Very interesting. Have you noticed that the EADA AGM will be held on the morning of Saturday 17th November. Now what is also taking place that morning?
Why the Junior and Juvenile events in the British National Championships so parents who have come to Blackpool are going to be in the Empress Ballroom supporting their children rather than running to a meeting at which they have no vote and no real voice..
What a way to encourage their interest and desire to play a part in the future of not just EADA but english dancing.
I have been informed by a few parents that they would love to play a more active role but are simply not able to under the EADA rules.
I am sorry that you found my words distasteful as that was never intended. I used the names simply because they were used on the forum and my only other alternative was to abcde and wxyz but then everyone would know anyway - if they know the EADA set up and if they do not then they could be "Jack" and "Jill" for all it meant. However I respect/understand your position so please can we move on.
I previously enquired as to the general area from which you came because in your area it might be possible to become involved fully in EADA affairs play an active role stand for membership or the secretarys position.
The sad thing is that for huge numbers this simply is not possible due to travel restraints, the conditions attached to holding office, attending meetings and where the meetings are held etc. etc.
I do not want to sound distasteful or dismissive but truly I think your view on the Parent representative is "rose coloured". Seriously I wuld ask far more questions.
Questions like - how do the parents get nominated, how is the vote taken, is it a secret ballot and if so who attends the count?. Do parents from the north ot east or west - who can all face different problems with travel a major issue - have an equal opportunity to those in the south?.
Are there an equal number of competitors in each area?
How is the feed back given to the parents?
I still maintain that 33% (using your figure) of the membership deserves a greater voice than One Rep.
I often hear the BDC (the wicked Dance Professionals) uses the EADA(poor innocent Amateurs) for its own purposes. Perhaps this is a great explanation as to what is going wrong with English Dancing today.
If there was any credibility to this theory would the BDC not now be forcing EADA to make a public declaraion of support for the WDC Amateur League and for all couples to have the freedom to compete when and where they decide - even IDU and IDSA championships?
Competitions.
Could I respectfully suggest that perhaps those organisers who say they could not afford to run competitions without the support of the seniors- and with which another forum member agrees also - know a little more about their actual income than you might assume. Perhaps there are variations from area to area with some strong in seniors and weak in juniors/juveniles and vice versa.
Sometimes food and drink is sold from which the organiser derives income. This can be supported by Seniors more than families who might bring their own coffee and sandwiches. Sometimes the Promoters have a stand from which they hope to take business and this could come from more Seniors than familes. There are these and other areas which all enable promoters to organise events.
As I wrote previously frequently there is only one or possibly 2 people attending with the child couple.
You wrote that the entry fee was average 10 Pounds. So Mum and Dad and 2 siblings makes an entry fee for the family of FIFTY pounds. For just one day out?
So many simply cannot afford this and especially not on a weekly basis.
200 Pounds in 4weeks would cover a few lessons and that would be more benefical.and if you convert that for the couple then it is 400 Pounds a month.
Must re-read your very interesting comments and MAY or should that be WILL be back!!
Best wishes
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