In this Issue... - EADA

EADA NewsAt the BDC meeting on 15th July there was avote to see if EADA would be reinstated as amember. Keith Hateley attended the meeting toanswer questions. As soon as we are officiallytold the outcome of the vote we will add a noticeto our website and contact members by email.Whatever the outcome, our aim is still to supportour amateur dancers and encourage more peopleto start dancing.Charitable statusWe are pleased to announce that on 15th May2012 the English Amateur Dancesport AssociationLtd was registered as a charity (registered charitynumber 1147259). EADA will continue to supportamateur dancers of all levels, and will also seekto promote community participation in healthyrecreation by promoting amateur dancesport forthe public benefit. Should you wish to make adonation to EADA to help support amateur dancersin this country, you can now do so tax efficiently.Please contact publicity@eada.org.ukOur destined to dance initiative aims to encouragemore schoolchildren to try ballroom and LatinAmerican Dancing. Earlier this year the initiativewas awarded the Inspire Mark the badge of theLondon 2012 Inspire programme:www.london2012.com/about-us/inspire/index.html For more information about destined todance see www.destinedtodance.org.ukIf you would like to be involved please contactdestinedtodance@eada.org.ukEADA is also insupport ofChange 4 Life andencourages bothchildren and adultsto try dance as part of their60 active minutes per day.www.nhs.co.uk/change4lifeCurrent EADA Council:President- Keith HateleyVice-President & Publicity - Rachelle StretchTreasurer & Membership - Peter JonesCharts - Colin Hanson-newAnti-doping - Jack GibsonMembership assistant - Inna VasilyevaCo-opted Committee (webmaster) -Fabre LambeauCo-opted Committee - Tony ClipstoneCo-opted Committee - Richard ParkesIf you would like to be involved please contactKeith on president@eada.org.ukTracksuits andmerchandiseavailableEngland tracksuits areavailable to everyoneto purchase. They arenavy and red, withEngland on the backof the top and on theleft leg. A name canbe added to the backof the top for an extracharge. Prices start at£88 plus P&P for thecomplete tracksuit.Full details are online:www.eada.org.uk/information/merchandiseDates for 2012-2013Big Dance Week:7-15 July 2012www.bigdance2012.comInternational Dance Championships:9-11 October 2012British Freestyle Championships:13-14 October 2012British Best Finals:3 November 2012British National Dance Championships:15-17 November 2012Champions of Tomorrow:5 January 2013Move It:8-10 March 2013www.moveitdance.co.ukDancers wanted:Sky One’s Got to Dance are looking for people toaudition in July & August for their fourth series.The competition is open to any dance act of anysize, and style and of any age, however they areparticularly looking for Senior competitors.Apply online at www.sky.com/danceRead about Lloyd & Rebecca’s experiences fromthe last series on pages 6-7.The EADA AGM will be held in theRenaissance Room, Winter Gardens onSaturday 17th November at 10.00am.An agenda and further details will be puton the website nearer the time.Club NewsAvon Amateur Dancers ClubBy Jack GibsonThe club continues to flourish and this year’sprogramme of social and competition events gotoff to a flying start with the 33rd City of BristolBallroom & Latin-American Championships. Thisflagship event returned by popular demand to theiconic Winter Gardens at Weston-super-Mareand it attracted competitors and spectators fromfar and wide.The club’s Easter Dance at Portishead was aresounding success and the large turnout ofmembers and guests were treated to a superbdemonstration by Michael Foskett and KorinaTravis whose ballroom skills enthralled theaudience.Our Midsummer Party Dance on Saturday7th July included a superb buffet supper,synonymous with Avon’s traditions and of coursea dance demonstration, performed byJonas Kazlauskas and Jasmine Chan.Guests are always welcome to attend our socialevents as well as our monthly tea dances andweekly practice nights.The Winter Gardens venue has already beenbooked for the West of England Championships onSunday 25th November. This magnificent locationfeatures two ballroom facilities. The PrinceConsort Room is a uniformly shaped rectangularfloor and is the one we have used in the past.Alternatively, the Main Ballroom is slightly kidneyshaped but has a superb sprung floor.Any feedback or preferences from competitorswould be greatly appreciated: contactavon@eada.org.uk45

Lloyd &Rebecca Got to DanceBy Rebecca ScottLloyd and I recently took part in theSky 1 television show ‘Got to Dance’.We had an absolutely fantasticexperience from start to finish.Before we made it through to the live showwe had to do a couple of auditions and tons offilming in different places, not just dancing butout and about having fun. This was used forour VT introducing us on the live show. We alsospent hours choosing music and meeting withthe show’s choreography team who advisedus about what would look good on televisionincluding some dangerous lifts! It was hard workmaking our chosen choreography ‘face front’ allthe time for the cameras – this is very differentto our usual Latin routines which rotate so thateverything can be seen from all sides of the dancefloor. The show also provided our costumes for usand liaised with DSI on designs.The weekend of the live semi-final was reallyexciting but nerve-racking too. They put us upin a hotel from Friday until Monday. The wholeof Saturday was spent rehearsing our routine onthe stage for the first time and watching eachperformance back on the video to change anglesand positions to suit the cameramen.On the day of the show, a car came to pick us upfrom the hotel at 9.00am and take us to Pinewoodstudios. When we arrived, we went straight toour dressing room. The producers had filled thedressing room with a good luck card from thejudges, masses of sweets, chocolate and drinks.The day was filled with having our hair and makeup done and more rehearsals. This is when wemet the other acts and found out in what order wewould be dancing.The audience were seated from 4pm, 2 hoursbefore the actual live show started. They hada warm up act who even had Davina dancingYMCA in her UGG boots with the audience. By thetime 6pm came we had been in the studio for 9hours, the atmosphere was electric which helpedLloyd and I with the adrenalin rush. Dancing onlive television was the most amazing experienceof our lives. Luckily we managed to pull off ourroutine perfectly, the first time it had gone rightthat weekend. It was the best feeling ever. Therewas an after show party and we both agree that itwas the most awesome experience and we wouldlove to do it all over again.Find out more on:sky1.sky.com/got-to-dance-home/lloyd-rebecca12 7

NEW PRODUCTS IN 2012Capeziowww.capezioeurope.comACTV Dance Fitness collection - This gym wearrange is comfortable, stylish and feminine andincludes sports bra, singlet, fitted Capri leggings,biketard and hooded jacket in rose, black and grey.Also available is a matching, practical, multicompartmentgym bag. Capezio’s dancesport rangewill be coming soon.Chrisannewww.chrisanne.comNew dancewear inspired by Karen Hardy -Garments include a two-piece top and catsuit, anasymmetric dress, a jumpsuit with silk belts ofdifferent colours to accessorize. Each item has beencreated with high quality fabrics such as luxurycrepe, and are suitable for a dance lesson or aspecial occasion.Latin dancewear by VESA for Chrisanne -Garments include tops, skirts and dresses intimeless black. Each item has been uniquelydesigned and developed and is created usingChrisanne luxury crepe fabric.New colours from Swarovski Elements - Newcolours include rose peach, luminous green,burgundy blue zircon and fern green topaz.Rhinestones are available in a range of sizes andshapes, in flatback (Hotfix and Non-Hotfix) andsew on.Crystal Cloverwww.crystal-clover.comNew praticewear - Crystal Clover have developeda new range of dresses, skirts and tops and trousersfor practice in 2012. There is also a new black polotop for ladieswhich is inbreathable fabricand is designedto create a cleanshoulderline.And a new blacktanktop for men,which is soft,luxurious andstretchy and isideal for dancepractice with apractice shirt orfor general use.DSIwww.dsi-london.comDSI.TV – a brand new media division ofDSI, www.dsi-london.tv, was launched at theBlackpool Festival, providing footage of all roundsthe competitions the following morning for thefirst time. In addition to the Blackpool DVDs, DSIlaunched its unique ‘Membership’ service whichwill allow subscribers to access instructional andperformance content at any time. Footage will beprovided by world-class performers and the serviceis suited to competitors of all levels.Men’s cufflinks -Available in threevariations of Crystal,Golden Shadow and Jet,made with SwarovskiElements.Dance to Your Maximum - The second edition ofthis “dancers’ bible” is now available in hardback.Author Maximiliaan Winkelhuis tells you all yourneed to know to prepareyourself physically,mentally and emotionallyfor competition.Pearl rhinestones -flat-back rhinestones in awhite pearl effect in SS10and SS16.The new 184-page 2012-13 catalogue is out now asthe company celebrate their 30 year anniversary.International Dance Shoeswww.internationaldanceshoes.comNew latin shoes for ladies - the plaited range,the sequin range and the crystal range whichboast numerous Preciosa crystals applied by hand.Available in a range of designs, colours and heelstyles.The “Jones” Mens Latin shoe - This new styleendorsed and inspired by Neil Jones features aneye-catching new design, whilst it’s sole and heeldesigns offer better protection, increased shockabsorption, increased durability and a closer, moreconsistent connection with the floor.Pure Classwww.pureclassbespoke.comShirley Ballas Latinrange – a fashionablenew range of Latinpracticewear for adultsand juniors, whichwas launched at theBlackpool DanceFestival. Designs featurebold red, black andleopard-print lycra andred lace to give a uniqueand distinctive look.8 9

BLACKPOOLREFURBISHMENT:The Empress’new stageAttendees of the Blackpool DanceFestival will have noticed that theWinter Gardens and Blackpoolcity centre have undergone atransformation in recent years.Blackpool Council purchased the Winter Gardensin March 2010 and since then a programmeof redevelopment has been undertaken. Thefirst phase was opened on 11th February2011 including the Church Street entrance andRotunda, Floral Hall and the new Mazzei café.The next phase included the reopening of theCoronation Street entrance and vestibule, theEmpress Grill bistro and the pavilion horseshoeexhibition space. A new boiler system hasalso been fitted. This has been made possibleby funding from Blackpool Council, EuropeanRegional Development Fund, Homes andCommunities Agency and Northwest RegionalDevelopment Agency.This year the stage in the Empress Ballroomwas refurbished to enhance the dance festival.All of the old curtains, valances and skirts wereremoved and it was then re-painted. New lightingwas fitted and new boarding for the front wasdesigned to complement the décor from aroundthe top of the Ballroom. This cost just under£10,000. No other work has been done in theEmpress Ballroom as yet, but announcementsabout the next phase of redevelopment within theWinter Gardens is expected shortly.A £220 million plan to redevelop Blackpool towncentre has been devised. £4.5 million has alreadybeen spent on the St Johns Square outsidethe Winter Gardens. Improvements include thecreation of a pedestrianised piazza along with newplanting, paving and lighting; artwork includingthe Wave sculpture and even wi-fi connectivity.£45 million has been devoted to the Houndshillshopping centre, which has increased shoppingfloor space threefoldThose enjoying the sunshine during this Blackpoolfestival will have noticed the refurbishment alongthe sea front, which cost £64 million. The seawall has been replaced and six new headlandscreated each extending 60m seaward with aseries of Spanish steps leading to the sea. A20,000 capacity outdoor events space is alsotaking shape at the Tower headland. The centrepiece is the “comedy carpet” installation whichimmortalizes comedy catchphrases. The southernarea of the promenade has been revitalised withrestored walkways, complemented by a modernlighting scheme and works of public art, includingthe world’s largest mirror ball.Blackpool’s 118-year old tower has also beenreopened to the public following a ten-month£5 million refurbishment. The Tower Top hasbeen replaced by the Blackpool Tower Eye and4-D experience, which opened last September.There is a four-tonne, glass-floored viewingplatform near the summit (which reaches 158m),giving visitors a view of the newly refurbishedpromenade at Tower headland.£85 million has been spent on the tramwayand new trams, and a new, all-year round towncentre lighting scheme has also been developed.Out of town, there are further developmentsincluding a new park and entrance to the resort,redevelopment around the football stadium and anew business district in the north east of the town.For more information about the regeneration ofBlackpool see www.achangingblackpool.comBOURNEMOUTHWith the Bournemouth DanceFestival being held in two venuesthis year we take a brief lookat the background to the mainvenues for dance competitions inBournemouth.Bournemouth International Centre (BIC)The BIC opened in September 1984 as amultipurpose conference, entertainment,exhibition and leisure venue, at an approximatecost of £19.5 million. The Centre originallyboasted 2 Auditoria - the Windsor and TregonwellHalls, however by 1990 the Council recognisedthe need to expand the facilities and the circular1800sq.m. Purbeck Hall was added at a furthercost of over £6 million. In 2003 a massive £22million expansion and redevelopment programmewas agreed, which enabled a fourth auditoriumto be developed. This 1250sq m hall, the SolentHall, replaced the leisure pool and the capacityof the Windsor Hall was increased. When the BICreopened in October 2005 it was the largest venueon the south coast.The PavilionThe Pavilion was opened in March 1929 byH.R.H the Duke of Gloucester. It was built on thesite of the Belle Vue boarding house, one of thetown’s first buildings. The Art Deco Pavilion cost£250,000, the equivalent of £11 million today. Thebuilding, which is now a grade II listed building,incorporated a Concert Hall (which is now thetheatre) and a tea room with sea views. Thesquare concert hall housed a Compton concertorgan and provided a performance centre for theBournemouth Municipal Orchestra, forerunnerof the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. ThePavilion was refurbished in 2007 at a cost of £12million. The extension from the 1970s, the OasisBar, was demolished. The Pavilion Theatre nowholds a seated audience of 1012 in fixed seats ona raked floor, with a further 446 in the circle.1011

A pain in the neck? Hyperextension Neck Injury inFemale Ballroom Dancersby Teri Riding McCabe, MS, ATC+44 (0)20 8664 8188I have been researching the causeof the neck injury that occurs tofemale ballroom dancers when theylose control of their necks whiledancing and competing. I called it a“hyperextension neck injury” (HNI)and defined this as “the temporaryinability to hold the neck in correctdance position”. The overall aim ofmy research is to possibly identifyone or many causes of this HNI.I want to say thank you to everyonewho has participated in my researchand give an update on my findingsso far.Last year I did an online survey with femaleballroom dancers and found that 25% of theparticipants had the HNI and that dancers of ayounger age were more likely to have HNI than theolder dancers. The dancers were also more likelyto suffer from HNI at competitions, rather than atperformances, lessons, or practices.Recently I travelled across England, visiting dancestudios, to measure male ballroom dancers to seeif their hand placement could be a cause of HNI.The male partner typically places the right handaround his female partner’s body to the inferiorangle (IA) of the scapular bone. I found that 65%of the participants placed their right hand belowand 35% placed it above the IA. On average thehand was placed either 4.1 ± 2.6 cm below or2.8 ± 1.3 cm above the IA. I also measured thecircumference of the forearm and upper arm(biceps and triceps) and found those dancers whoplaced their hands below the IA were statisticallymore likely to have a larger circumference thanthose above.So what does this mean to you? If you are ayounger female ballroom dancer, keep practisinggood technique, strengthen your neck muscles,and don’t forget to eat nutritious meals before andduring competitions. If you are a male ballroomdancer, keep practising good technique and be agood partner!To find out more information see Teri’sfacebook page: www.facebook.com/pages/Teri-Ridings-PhD-Research-on-Ballroom-Dancers/105913372790317Teri Riding McCabe is a Certified Athletic Trainerin the United States. She graduated from BrighamYoung University in Provo, Utah with BS and MSdegrees in Athletic Training. She is currently aPhD student at the University of Wolverhampton,Walsall Campus studying the HNI in femaleballroom dancers.This article first appeared in Dance Todaymagazine in May 2012:www.dance-today.co.uk12

Kyle Taylor &British National Ballroom finalists,National student Ballroom & Latinchampions, 2011 North of EnglandAmateur Ballroom Champions,World amateur 10-dance finalistsand most recently the highestplaced British couple in the AmateurBallroom at the British Open and theUK Closed 10-dance Champions –we speak to EADA membersKyle and Polina:When and why did you start dancing?Kyle: I started dancing when I was 4, in myparents’ dance school. In the beginning I usedto just sit in the corner and watch all the classestaking place and I was happier playing with myaction man or something! But then one night Ijust decided to get up at the back and try to dothe steps and since then I can’t remember evernot wanting to dance, it was just a great, newchallenge for me.Polina: My mum says that I started dancingbefore I could walk. When I was 6 months old Iwas already following the beat and trying to pointthe toes. I had been doing rhythmic, aerobicsand ballet since I was 4. And then when I wentto school at 6 there were some dance classes.That’s how it all started.How long have you been dancing together?Kyle: We started dancing together in February2011, so it’s been now a year and 4 months. I was20 at the time and Polina was only 17.How did you start dancing together?Kyle: Well we split with our previous partnersat exactly the same time, November 2010, andPolina ShklyaevaI advertised as normal on the dance websites.Polina asked various dance teachers whetherthey knew of any boys who could be suitable andone such teacher was Massimo Giorgianni fromItaly, who is actually my sister Kimberly’s teacher.Massimo knew I was looking for a partner andtold Polina to contact me, and she did. So thenwe organised a tryout and decided from there todance together.Polina - what has it been like relocatingfor dancing?Polina: We live and train mainly in Liverpool,where Kyle’s originally from but I am fromMoscow (Russia). It is never easy to leave yourhome, friends, family and traditions without anynotice. Although, I suppose it wasn’t that bad forme, because I was fluent in English when I firstcame over and I had some experience living onmy own. I felt quite mature and ready to move.Do you do any other forms of dancing?Kyle: I’ve never taken part in any training orlearning of other forms of dance, but I can danceHip-Hop and Breakdance and enjoy all forms ofdancing really. I think it’s important to watch otherforms of dancing because it helps give ideas fornew lifts in shows.Polina: I started with aerobics rather thanBallroom and Latin, and my mother was mytrainer. I took part in competitions until I was about8 and then I had to focus on Ballroom and Latinmore, but I still kept doing other forms of dancing,including ballet, aerobics, contemporary, hip-hop,jazz, breakdance, popping, and modern. In Russiamost dancers are taught different dance styles,because we think it helps you to use your bodymore and gives you many ideas for your routines.15

16When did you realise that you wanted to be aprofessional dancer?Kyle: To be honest I don’t think there was evera specific time when I said to myself, “ok I wantto be a professional at this one day”. It’s justsomething that has always been in my head, thatI wanted to do to the very top level, because I’mextremely competitive and am the same withevery single sport I do.Polina: I can’t say that I had an actual goal tobecome a professional dancer, but since I firststarted dancing I wanted to show everyone howhard I could work and how much I could improve.My goal has always been to beat myself, whichwas making me better and better every time Idid it.Who inspires you? Who are yourfavourite Pros?Kyle: You can find inspiration from absolutelyanywhere or anyone, no matter which level theyare at and that is a great thing about dancing,because every single person has a differentinterpretation. We all dance similar steps andyet every single couple looks different. Butmy favourite dancer from the recent periodis definitely Mirko Gozzoli. I think Mirko is awonderful, naturally gifted dancer and you canjust feel from the heart everything he dances. Andin Latin I just love the Russian style of dancing,so anyone dancing like that is definitely a joy towatch, for me.Polina: I can’t say that I have one couple thatinspires me all the time. I always enjoy watchingthe Pro finals, but sometimes even a couple oflower level can inspire me even more, because Idon’t expect it from them as much as from the top6. I think I change my favourites quite a lot. It caneven depend on something I’m trying to improveat that particular moment.What is your favourite dance and why?Kyle: I personally love the Tango. It is a dance Iused to find very difficult but worked extremelyhard on it when I was about 17 and since thenI absolutely love it!! In Latin I would have tosay Samba, simply because of all the differentrhythms in the music.Polina: I like to work on Foxtrot, because it’s areally smooth dance and sometimes watchingprofessionals it feels like they are floating notdancing. And in the Latin I like Paso, I think it hasa lot of character and it is a really strong dance.Where is your favourite competition/venue?Kyle: For me at the present time I have 2favourite places to compete, the Winter Gardensin Blackpool which is a beautiful Ballroom andwhich is also Polina’s favourite, and also I lovethe atmosphere of the Bournemouth Pavilionwhere the UK Closed is held. They are 2 verydifferent Ballrooms but both have a very uniqueatmosphere. However my most favourite venueto dance in is the Blackpool Tower Ballroom. Itis the most beautiful ballroom in the world and Ihave grown up dancing in that place and I have somany wonderful memories of dancing, competingand being lucky enough also to win there too.Polina also likes to dance in Russia which I’m sureis natural as she feels more support there and ofcourse more at home.

After concentrating on ballroom at the BritishOpen are you going to continue to compete inboth Ballroom & Latin or specialise?Polina: We are definitely going to continuedoing both. We had 2 big competitions to doat the British Open and the Latin was mixed inwith the Ballroom sometimes, so we decidedto concentrate on the Ballroom for Blackpool.Maybe at some point we will make a decisionto specialise but for now we enjoy still doing 10dance.Have you done any memorable shows?Kyle: I suppose this ties in with my love of theBlackpool Tower Ballroom, because I was invitedwhen I was a Juvenile to do a demonstrationin the Tower Ballroom in front of thousands ofpeople. And I actually spoke on the microphoneto everyone halfway through which was a bit of ashock for most people as I was only 11- it was alovely moment!Polina: With my previous partners I did somedemonstrations in the Kremlin of Moscow.Normally it was connected with the nationalcelebrations and important people from all overthe country were coming for the meeting with thePresident. It was an important audience!Where do you train/take lessons?Kyle: My parents have taught me since thevery first day I started dancing and Polina andI still have several lessons a week with them.Alongside this we also have a close-knit teamwho we work with whenever possible, as its veryimportant to get inspiration, ideas and trainingfrom a variety of people.Was there anything you were focussing onprior to the British Open and anything you arefocussing on now?Polina: We had just a couple of things to workon leading up to Blackpool because we wantedto keep our heads as clear as possible. About 2months prior to the event, we made a decisionto adjust our entire topline in order for us to fitbetter together, and amongst other smaller things,this was the main focus for us leading up to andduring the event.What is your usual practise schedule?Kyle: We are extremely fortunate to have myparents as dance teachers because it means wehave easy opportunities to practice in the danceschool whenever it’s free, and we are able to havelots of lessons. Another important thing for us isactually to not over-practise. We hear of couplespractising for 7 hours a day and we feel this isthe quickest way to burn yourself out. We practiseconsistently every day for between 2 and 4 hours,but if for whatever reason we feel slightly staleone day, we simply have a day off and come backto it fresh the next day. This seems to works verywell for us.What other forms of training do you do?Polina: Kyle does play football which keeps him fitanyway and I go to the gym about twice a week,where I do yoga, aerobics and swimming and I dostretching and work on weight machines.How do you manage to combine yourUniversity studies with dancing?Polina: Good question! I am studying at theRussian State University of Physical Educationto qualify as a Sports teacher and a Specialist ofPhysical Rehabilitation. Most of my friends stillcan’t understand how I’m doing it. I have alwaysbeen good in school and quite enjoyed studying.When I moved to England it became really hardto continue my studies, because I obviously can’tbe at all of the lectures, but I still have to pass 10exams every six months. I haven’t done badly sofar, I have all A marks, but I’ve done only 2 yearsand I have 3 to go. I’m hoping to be transferred todistance education. Kyle is studying geography atLiverpool; he has always done well.How often do you travel abroad to compete?Kyle: At first it was difficult to sort out Polina’svisas so we haven’t travelled as much as wewould have liked to. We were invited to Vancouverto take part in the Grand Ball where we madeThe PerfectComplementto your CommitmentRed Satin/SilverStyle No.1073Genuine SwarovskiCrystalsL O N D O NSilver SnakeskinLeopard• E N G L A N DTel: 020 8505 8888www.supadance.com18PERFORMANCE STRICTLY BEYOND EXPECTATIONS

the Latin final and won the Ballroom which wasgreat! We are hoping to compete in the USA inSeptember, the Dutch Open in November, and theWorld Championships in December.What do you think is your best achievementso far?Polina: Individually we have seen success withother partners, but together our first big resultwas being 3rd in the British Open Under 21Ballroom after only 4 days practice together! Butmore recently being placed 2nd in the BritishOpen rising stars Ballroom, and then followingthat being placed 8th in the British Open AmateurBallroom Championship was just fantastic for us.Congrats on your Blackpool result! What wereyour aims/expectations for the BlackpoolDance Festival this year before the comp?Kyle: Well really going into the competition wedidn’t know what to expect because we wereunsure of which couples would be dancing butI think making the top 24 was our main primarytarget. Then to make the semi-final was justamazing for us. When we found out we were 8th itwas just incredible, and it has really made us evenmore determined to improve even faster.How do you prepare for big competitions/world champs? Did you change your usualpreparation for the British Open this year?Polina: Well we normally don’t do anythingdifferent for a major competition compared toother competitions because we always aim tobe 100% prepared for every single competitionthat we do throughout the year. The only thingwe did extra for Blackpool was to do finals(dance all 4/5 dances about 3 times full out withno break period), but even this is only effectiveto a certain extent, because there is no waypossible to recreate the pressure, tired limbs,or adrenaline that you experience in a final atBlackpool. Kyle also watched Blackpool videosfrom previous years to feel the music and get intothe atmosphere of the competition.Why did you decide on the different look/styling for the comp?Kyle: I was blonde when I was younger, up toabout the age of 12, and then naturally my hairdarkened. However when I was 15-17, I decidedto go blonde once again, and I have to say myresults at that time were very pleasing, includingwinning the Junior British Open Ballroom. Andso now dancing with Polina I thought I would tryit once again, particularly as Polina’s hair, skintone and eyes are so dark, so the contrast wouldhopefully be effective. I think once again it workedwell for us so maybe I’ll keep it!What are your plans for the future and what isyour next goal?Polina: The UK Closed Championships was animportant competition for us. After that I’m goingback to Russia, because I need to change mypassport and it’s my brother’s wedding. When Icome back, we are going to start working reallyhard again to do well at the upcoming majorcomps and hopefully recreate or improve on ourrecent results.Has moving up from Youth/under 21 andcompeting in amateur been what youexpected?Kyle: I’m afraid Polina cannot answer thisquestion well because she has always dancedfar above her age category due to her height.She actually danced youth at the age of 13!! Inmy own experience I have to say that when I was16 I was already focussing completely and solelyupon the Amateur Competition rather than theYouth as I thought to myself, if I am successfulin Amateur, the Youth results would almost takecare of themselves. And by the time I was 16 Iwas absolutely itching to compete against theAmateurs because I am so competitive andcouldn’t wait for the new challenge.What’s it been like competing as part of aUniversity team this year?Kyle: The university competitions are absolutelyfantastic and it’s great to dance in a real teamenvironment, because on the open circuiteveryone is trying to beat everyone else so thereis not a lot of support. But being part of a largeteam and representing Liverpool is so much fun!What improvement would you like to see in theworld of British dancing?Polina: For us as competitors, the music isprobably one of the most important things to helpus dance. There are so many beautiful songs outthere but at certain competitions in England themusic is still being played like it used to be about10 years ago. Ashley and the Empress Orchestraare constantly bringing out new music and newideas, which is inspiring us and we would like tosee more of this in every aspect of British dancing.Is there any advice you would give today’sJunior couples?Kyle: Well my main advice to the Junior couplesof today is to firstly not get involved in the politicalside of dancing. It is really disappointing to seeand hear of Juniors and also even Juveniles whohave lessons from lots of teachers. Particularly ata young age it is definitely not advisable becausethey receive too much information and getconfused. So I would say to them that they needto just practise more and have a coach who canguide them throughout their career.What is the most difficult thing you have hadto overcome in your dance career so far?Polina: When we first got together the smallheight difference was quite hard to get used to.The guy I used to dance with was 6ft4 and Kyle’s6ft. And Kyle’s previous partner was a couple ofinches smaller than me as well, so it took sometime to adjust ourselves to the new hold and tolearn how to work the legs together. We really feelthat we overcame this and now we can try andprogress to the next level.Do you have any non-dance related hobbies/interests? What do you do in your free time?Polina: Kyle absolutely loves football and he’splaying for Liverpool University. I have some freetime while Kyle’s studying, so I always try tofind something new to do. More recently I havebecome braver and tried experimenting by makingsome Russian food, using English products, whichfelt impossible in the beginning!Kyle - How did the dancers footballmatches post comps start? Do you think theatmosphere amongst the amateur competitorsis friendlier now than in previous years?Kyle: Well in the beginning there was a hugeinternational tournament between severalnations including Russia, Italy, Denmark andEngland which took place after the InternationalChampionships. With a reduction in numbers itbecame the UK vs USA. But I thought it wouldbe a good idea to have some football matchesbetween ourselves after the national events andso I organised a match after the Closed Britishin November last year and the year before and ithas been a great success. I’m hoping to organiseanother this year too. I think a lot of the dancersare far friendlier toward each other these days andcertain events which have taken place recently inthe dance world have definitely united a lot of thedancers together, which I think is great.2021

22Band StretchingBy Ray ConwayDancers’ leg muscles take aconstant pounding in training andcompetition, yet surprisingly I seevery few dancers stretching.One of the methods of stretching I favour is bandstretching as it is fairly gentle and has an inherentneural effect. By this I mean the stretches helpimprove the movement of the nerves throughthe joints by improving their ability to slide andglide. Like muscles, nerves can also become“tight”. This can be due to the tightening ofmuscles around the nerves and/or by staying inone position too long – for example competingand then sitting in a car on a long journey homeleaving a dancer’s legs and back very stiff.Band stretching is more controlled, comfortableand in my view more effective than conventionalstretching, especially for those who are notfamiliar with stretching. Stretch bands can bebought from a number of sports outlets, but apersonnel recommendation would be a companycalled Body Logic (www.body-logic.co.uk).As with all stretching, exercises can be doneon two levels (i) a gentle stretch just taking thestretches to the point of mild resistance, whichwill be enough when the muscles are sore or (ii)taking the stretches to a more neural level, whichinvolves stretching to the maximum range ofmovement and intensity.I list my top five band stretches opposite; allof which are performed sitting or lying down,enabling you to relax and breathe into thestretches. Perform them in the recommendedorder and hold each stretch for a minute,breathing freely. It is important to relax the foottotally during the stretches and allow the calfmuscles to stretch to their full range. Performingthis routine regularly will make a big differenceto how you feel and your movement will beenhanced. Most importantly, regular stretchingprevents injury.1) Hurdler stretch – good for calves,hamstrings and the lower backWith the band around your waist place itover the upper part of the foot. Maintain goodposture, do not slump and surrender the foot toget a full calf/hamstring stretch2) Hamstring stretch – good for calvesand lower back tightnessWith the band in the same position, lie on yourback and lift the leg so it is at 90degrees to thefloor and keep it straight for a full stretch.3) Adductor – for inner-thigh flexibilityWith the band in the same position the leggoes out to the side to stretch inner thighmuscles. Keep both shoulders in contact withthe floor and do not allow the body to roll.4) Posterior chain – for calves,hamstrings, iliotibial (IT) bands,glutes and lower back tightnessThis stretches a lot of muscles particularlythe IT band that runs along the outside of thethigh. With the band in the same position andstill lying on the floor, take the leg with theband over to the other side and again maintainshoulder contact with the floor.5) Glute stretch – also good fora tight backRemain lying on the floor with the band aroundyour waist and the upper part of your foot,bend the other leg across it, allowing the legto relax and stretch towards the head. Thestretch should be felt in the buttock of thecrossed leg.Please note that these stretches may not besuitable for everyone and any exercise may resultin injury. If in doubt please consult your doctor.Ray Conway is a dancer, competing in SeniorII Latin, and a personal trainer, working in thecity of London. He is a former semi-Professionalfootballer and a qualified football coach andhas coached many martial arts. Contact him onrayjconway@hotmail.co.uk 07736 279200www.rayconway.co.ukThis article first appeared in Dance Todaymagazine: www.dance-today.co.uk23

Tips for travellersIf you are travelling overseasfor competitions, how can youminimise the stress of travellingand ensure you are ready toperform at your best when youarrive?Long haul flights:Tony Lester, GB Coach for sprint & relays advises hisathletes who are travelling long distances to arrivein plenty of time and resume their normal regime assoon as possible: The same can apply to dancers. “Ifcompetitors are travelling they should ideally arrive aweek before the competition – a few days are needed toadjust to different time zones. I advise that competitorsget on the track on the first day and have a basic runout and that they resume normal sleeping patterns andtheir normal routine as soon as possible.” Ballroomchampions Emanuel & Tania prepare by adjusting to thedifferent time zones before arriving: “We start to adaptto the time change from the day before we fly and wealways calculate from home how many hours we needto sleep in the flight and so on.”Jet lag:One of the major issues all travellers will be wary of ifflying through different time zones is jet lag. Crossingthree time zones disrupts the body’s “circadian rhythm”or “body clock”, which can have an impact on sleeppatterns, hunger, digestion, body temperature and bloodpressure. The conditions in a cabin with a reducedamount of oxygen are thought to contribute to jetlag. Symptoms can vary between individuals but aretypically worse when travelling east as the body findsit easier to adapt to a longer day as you “gain time”rather than a shorter day. Symptoms can includenausea and digestive problems, headaches, difficultyconcentrating, anxiety, lack of energy and musclesoreness; which are not conducive to a dancer puttingin their best performance.The NHS advise the following measures to help preventthe adverse effects of jet lag before during and afterthe flight:BEFORE:(i) change your sleep routine a few days before youtravel: if you are travelling east, go to bed an hourearlier than your usual time. If you are travelling west,go to bed an hour later(ii) ensure you have enough sleep before you travel and(iii) try to stay relaxed and avoid getting stressed as thiscan worsen jet lag.DURING:(i) drink plenty of fluid(ii) take short naps during the flight and to try to sleepparticularly if it is night time at your destination(iii) limit caffeine consumption and avoid caffeinateddrinks within a few hours of planned sleep(iv) eat light meals and avoid alcohol and(v) keep active by walking round the cabin occasionallyand stretching your arms and legs whilst sitting.AFTER:(i) establish a new routine as soon as possible i.e. eatmeals and sleep at the correct times for the time zone(ii) avoid napping until it is the correct time to sleep and(iii) spend time outdoors if possible as natural light willhelp you adjust to the new regime.DVT:Another effect of long-haul travel that many peopleare aware of is Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). Sittingfor 90mins reduces venous blood flow in the legsby 40%, so legs feel swollen and the dry air in anaeroplane can magnify this by causing dehydrationwhich thickens the blood. Conditions on an aeroplaneare not a suitable environment for preparing for activityas they create swelling and discomfort in the legs.Compression Advisory used medical knowledge of howto reduce these effects in order to benefit sports teams(including Manchester United, Chelsea and the EnglandFootball team) by developing compression socks withgctech technology to help aid recovery. AnnetteSudol, World amateur ballroom finalist was one of thefirst dancesport competitors to try the socks: “ I alwaysuse the compression socks throughout travel and aftercompetitions - they take away that feeling of puffyheavy legs”Dr Akbar de-Medici explains how they work: “Thesocks squeeze the lower leg, with tighter compressionnear the ankle and less at the knee so blood flows upand out of leg quicker. This helps to reduce swelling,preventing blood and excess fluid pooling in the anklesand reduces the risk of DVT. They are different to whatyou can buy on the high street as they use medicalgrade compression.” The socks aid recovery notjust after flying and can be worn at any time - evenwhile dancing. After training the socks reduce musclesoreness by actively flushing waste products from themuscles; they improve muscle stamina and venousreturn and can help speed recovery from injuriessuch as ankle sprains and Achilles injuries byremoving swelling.For more information seewww.compressionadvisory.comPlanning:Planning well in advance makes life easier - you maybe able to find cheaper flights and you may also needtime to obtain visas depending on destination and/orapply for a new passport if your current one is nearer itsexpiry date. Depending on destination you may requirevaccinations – your GP should be able to advise whatis necessary. The National Travel Health Network andCentre webpages on www.nathnac.org and the Foreign& Commonwealth Office pages on www.fco.gov.uk maybe helpful.Baggage restrictions:Take note of the baggage restrictions for differentairlines, particularly for hand baggage, which can varyin terms of dimensions and weight. Most airlines won’tpermit any “sports equipment” as extra baggage, so youwill have to carry your dresses or suits in your checkedbaggage allowance or pay for excess baggage.Insurance:In case there are ever any problems, dancers must makesure they have adequate travel insurance in place, notonly in the event of lost baggage but also for medicalreasons overseas. Often, standard travel insurance willnot be sufficient for those taking part in competitivesport - dancers should ensure that their travel insuranceprovider will cover competitions.Adapted from an article in Dance Today magazine:www.dance-today.co.ukWheelchairDancesport AssociationBy Sue CummingsHead Office: 91-93 Winner Street, Paignton,Devon, TQ3 3BWTel: 0300 111 30 www.wdsauk.co.ukThe Association is rapidly growing and have startedrenting office space as the Head Office. This is currentlybeing refurbished and will have fully accessible roomsand toilet facilities. WDSA-UK will also be appointed aCharity Officer/Office Manager and there will be a grandopening event at the premises on 1st October.WDSA-UK continues to offer workshops and lessonsin wheelchair dance and wheelchair dance, InstructorTraining Courses, demonstrations, disability awarenesstraining and conferences on the benefits of dance to thewell-being of people with or without any disability, eitherphysical, sensory or learning disability.WDSA-UK’s third National Championships will take placeon 29th September, 2012 at the Watford Colosseum.The competition will have Class 1 and Class 2 athletescompeting at Debutante and Amateur levels in Standardand Latin for Combi and Duo Dance, and will also havea Group Dance section for mixed abilities and mixeddancers. The competition will start with a competitors’parade and will, hopefully, be opened by the Mayorof Watford.The competition will be followed in the evening by a GalaDinner Dance and Presentation Night at the Colosseum.Tickets to either event can be ordered and bought onlinefrom the Colosseum Booking Office.We hope to host the first officially sanctionedInternational Wheelchair Dance Sport Championshipnext year and already have interest from 10 countries.The event will also be at the Watford Colosseum andthey would like this venue to become THE Blackpoolequivalent for wheelchair dance world. We would liketo thank Mr. Philip Wylie, EADA, and the BDC for theircontinued support.2425

SSDAC - UpdateSince our last article our club hasgrown its competing membershipsignificantly and we have a further40+ children from SSD Ltd whoare now developing their skills inreadiness for the open competitioncircuit and hopefully will also jointhe SSDAC when the time is right.As a club that aims to remain innovative andproactive, we have seen excellent results amongstour students recording wins on the Sunday Circuitand achieving many finals including Britain’s Bestand Stars of the Future. SSDAC Junior couples(all under 14) are now working hard on their opensyllabus routines and the children are steadilyclimbing the ranking charts whilst having fun.Our aim is to provide a real ‘on the doorstep’opportunity for these children to compete in asafe, comfortable and familiar environment andthus gain their confidence and desire towardscompeting on a more regular basis nationallywhilst introducing more young dancers intoour sport.The club has been involved in fundraisingactivities in support of worthy causes and raisednearly £600.00 for the Help For Heroes charityfollowing its successful Halloween Dance Festivalshow whilst raising several thousand poundsin support of its members. Our year end 2012Christmas show and Ball will no doubt be a hugesuccess again!This year’s Summer Camp will provide memberswith access to additional coaching staff acrossthree days of intensive training including RichardRose, Richard Still & Morgan Hemphill and NeilDewar & Lorraine Kuznick who we are veryexcited to welcome and our children equallyexcited to learn from. We maintain a firm beliefthat our child members should work hard todevelop their own abilities but also to supportone another as a collective group and in supportof this, the club sponsors fun events everyyear including our recent day out bowling inBasingstoke and our forthcoming trip to ThorpePark taking place on the 22 July 2012.Following the huge success of our first everinter-schools competition in February 2012 named‘The Winter Dance Championship’, where over100 children participated representing 23 schoolsin the Hampshire and Surrey areas, we recentlyheld our second event ‘The Summer DanceChampionship’ in June. This again attractedmany children from our school lessons as well asmembers from the SSDAC. Also invited for the firsttime, were Couples from external dance schools.In all 26 finals were contested with a packedprogram including the schools Latin Championshipevent which attracted 48 participants alone, not tomention 180 beautiful trophies and 180 fabulousmedals! The event was judged professionally byVera Randall Noyce, Monica Needham, ChristaUdell, Jaime Dieguez and Sarka Brock with JanElsbury as the Scrutineer.We now run the ‘schools league charts’ in ourarea which provide points for finalists thatcombined, tally to make an overall points standingfor school teams. At each quarterly event there aretrophies that the school get to keep and trophiesand medals awarded for finalists, with the end ofyear highest points scoring school team winningthe prestigious ‘Gold Cup’. Our plans are to repeatthis event every quarter with the ‘The AutumnDance Championship’ occurring on the 13thOctober 2012. In this event and all others movingforwards, we are inviting dancers from otherdance schools to compete against our SSDACNational Team members in the Juvenile andJunior categories. This represents approximately50 dancers alone, so you are guaranteed to havea good competition!The venue is Ravenscote Junior School in Frimley,Surrey which provides an excellent dance floor,free parking and facilities including refreshments,seating and table arrangements for up to 300spectators. This is currently a non registeredThe world of dance at your fingertipsDanceToday is monthly, compactsized and packed with news, reviews,interviews and features every monthAsk for a FREE introductory copy today!- just contact us, with your postaldetails and quote EA12(e) free@dancing-times.co.uk(t) 020 7250 3006 (f) 020 7253 6679Dance Today45-47 Clerkenwell GreenLondon EC1R 0EBwww.dance-today.co.ukevent and as such is a social dance competitionwhere we can invite participants to attend. Thismay however change in the future with a view tobecoming a formal ranking event.If you are interested in taking part, please contacteither Neil or Sarka Brock for a full program anddetails: Tel 01256 816701 or 07971 095461,E-mail strictlyschooldancing@hotmail.co.uk26

Crystal Clover - London 20 Ewell Road, Cheam, Surrey SM3 8BU United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)208 7700800 Fax: +44 (0)208 7700900 email: info@crystal-clover.com www.crystal-clover.comCrystal Clover - Tokyo WAKABA-OHARA BLDG 1F 1-1-1 WAKABA, SHINJUKU, TOKYO 160-0011 JAPAN Tel: +81 3 6273 0280 Fax: +81 3 6273 0288 email: tokyo@crystal-clover.com www.crystal-clover.co.jpEdda Hsu Oldenburger Strasse 112 D-27753 Delmenhorst, Germany Tel: +49 42 21 98 75 90 Fax: +49 42 21 98 75 92 email: info@edda-hsu.de www.edda-hsu.de