DISNEY FESTIVSL RESULTS !!! 2011

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http://www.scrutelle.info/results/estelle/2010/disney_2010/index.htm

FABULOUS FIRST DAY EXCEEDS ALL EXPECTATIONS AT WDC AL WORLDS OPEN.

The times they are achanging and one can sense a new optimism in the dance world. There is a definite feeling that there is a better dance world, one where competitors have freedom to choose and freedom to dance. There is an alternative and there are events in which to compete. Many couples were excited at participating in their first WDC Amateur League event and becoming a part of the warm and caring World Dance Council Family. An increase in numbers of over 30% on last years record numbers is a great achievement and a tribute to the growth of the WDC AL.

It was shortly before 9.30 a.m. On Friday 10th when the main ballroom filled to capacity was darkened with just spotlight beams highlighting the enormous dance floor and a welcome address was made to all present at Disneyland 2010 for one of the major dance highlights of the year the WDC AL World Open Championships. The carnival had begun and it was to be the start of a day filled with excitement, great competitions and super dancing.

At 9.30 the strains of the waltz echoed around the ballroom and on the beautifully lit competition floor this Major Dance Games commenced with the Disney Resort Amateur Ballroom Championships. Already the audience was warm and appreciative and giving all couples maximum support. This is an ambience which cannot be organised it is something which comes from the heart and a love of dance.

At 11.00a.m. the Grand Ballroom commenced its competitions for the day once again to a full ballroom and a highly appreciative audience who would enjoy every moment of the events. During the day 15 World Champions would be crowned and 8 Disney Resort Champions would be announced.

Some organisations would not be able to produce one adjudicating panel of the quality and knowledge that the WDC provides but during the day there would be many panels and each would comprise illustrious names, people who have devoted their lives to dance and dancers and are the life blood of our dance world.

During each of the events from the Under 10 Juvenile upwards it was obvious that the WDC AL is already creating the future champions who in turn will become the worlds best dancers and serve the dance community and pass on their experience and knowledge. The standard of the Youth Under 19 and Under 21 was outstanding and the talent breathtaking.

It was midnight when the prize ceremonies concluded and a happy audience left the ballrooms knowing that tomorrow was another day and to be anticipated with pleasure and excitement and the days competitions commencing at 9.00a.m.

Posted On: 11-12-2010

EMOTION CHARGED SATURDAY (2nd Day) AT WDC WORLD OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS.

Any person privileged to be in the ballrooms today will have memories to last the rest of their lives.
It was incredible the atmosphere which built during the day with the music, the audience, the competitors, the coaches all bonding and becoming one unit to create an amazing emotional experience. Did the dancers inspire the audience or did the audience inspire the dancers is an enigma but certainly some magical and spell binding performances were witnessed with feelings spilling over. The applause from and the involvement of the capacity audience was amazing. If this ambience could be packaged and sold other organisers would be desperate to purchase.

There have been cancellations from some programmed entries as the cold winter took its toll (one personality took 13 hours to travel 30 kms or approx 19 miles). However there have also been many late entries which has compensated and proven the lengths to which dancers will go to compete where respected.

It was just before 9.00 a.m. Saturday when the ballroom was darkened with just creative lighting effects across the huge dance floor and everyone present was welcomed to the most exciting dance event in the world. The first event was the Under 14 Disneyland Resort Paris Latin Championship. Sitting in the audience and showing their appreciation of the terrific dancing was Mr Donnie Burns, MBE, the WDC President (and what a fantastic job he is doing) and Mr Sammy Stopford the Amateur League Chairman. Can you imagine being 13 years of age and knowing you were being watched and applauded by two of the greatest Latin dancers in our history and how inspired you would be? Men you can look up to and respect you know they have a deep love for dance and immense knowledge. You can aspire to reach the same heights as they achieved. This is one aspect which makes the WDC a truly unique organisation and another is that the adjudicating panels today contained people with a combined total 89 former World or British Open titles.

The audience is reminiscent of a Hall of Fame with so many great former dancers, champions and World Champions, some only recently retired from competitions but attending to show their support for the World of Freedom to Dance, Freedom to choose. There is little doubt now of the ever increasing momentum and that this is the true future of dance.

In 2 days we have seen so very clearly calm, elegance, stylish, musical, artistic dancing with consideration for fellow competitors. The connection and body contact between the couples has been excellent as there is no desire to work only for speed and power. Faster, higher, further, stronger are not part of this dance vocabulary. To make the simplest elements beautiful is the greatest degree of difficulty not to set some tariff with tricks, etc., used to impress and fool those without in depth knowledge and experience.

It was a full programme including the Professional Rising Stars Ballroom, The Disneyland Resort Professional Latin Championship which is a WDC Super Word Ranking event, plus 8 Disneyland Resort events and 15 World Championships. All through the day the excitement mounted as we watched one superb event after another until that special moment Carnival time!! The Maracas were passed out adding to the atmosphere and then after a short period of “fun” dancing thr scene was set. Starting with the Professional Latin and continuing with the last 24 of the Amateur Ballroom.

The appearance of Riccardo & Yulia the newly crowned WDC World Latin Champions, Sergey & Melia, Maurizio& Andra gave added impetus to the evening and what a superb competition followed. At the end of the final Paso the audience were already on their feet showing their enthusiasm for the magnificent dancing and they remained standing throughout the final jive.

The Amateur Ballroom World Open Championship had many highlights with a very even standard that must have set the judges real headaches. The inspired final was eventually won by the 2010 UK Open and British Open Champions Andrea Ghigiarelli & Sara Andracchio (now Mrs Ghigiarelli) and we would like to congratulate them on their now having achieved a World Championship title. It was very clear that they enjoyed every moment whilst competing and receiving huge applause. In 2nd place was the No.1 ranked Chinese couple Yang Chao & Tan Yi Ling who also danced beautifully and received great support.

After the prize ceremony for each World Championship the national anthem of the winning country is played. It was wonderful to hear in addition to those of Russia, Ukraine, Italy, England (and the USA) the anthems of countries such as Cyprus, France, Netherlands, Switzerland and Wales. Each title holder will surely treasure that memory for many long years.

Sunday, the final day, promises to be another special action packed day in both ballrooms and filled with feelings and emotions. One cannot help but have huge pride to be part of an organisation which brings dancers from all over the world to compete together with freedom in friendship and to celebrate the beauty of dance, an organisation so sure in the loyalty of their members that they have freedom to dance where they wish. What a tragedy for dance that those lacking confidence in the loyalty of those forced into their arms feel compelled to threaten, ban, destroy. It is shameful that a dance connected organisation would wish to damage dance/dancesport in this manner
Posted On: 12-12-2010

THE DISNEY BLOG - DAY 3 - HAVE YOU EVER BEEN SOMEWHERE YOU KNOW YOU WILL NEVER FORGET?

Have you ever been somewhere you know you will never forget? It is very safe to say that the many many people from all corner of the World who have spent the last three days at the WDC AL World Open most certainly have. What an incredible experience for everyone who has taken part in any way at all. Dancers, coaches, adjudicators, the music man, the announcers, the adjudicators, the staff who worked tirelessly, and especially the audience are unanimous this was the most exciting competition they have ever attended. It is an unforgettable experience. Breakfast Sunday morning a group of South Africans were talking and their words “Last night alone made the trip so worthwhile”.

After the tremendous “high” on Saturday night many of us entered the ballrooms this morning at 9.00 a.m. wondering if the same atmosphere could ever be found again. Would “Super Sunday” be an anti climax? How wrong we Doubting Thomas's were! This event is proving to be a great big WDC family celebration where excitement builds and builds.

The morning and afternoon were mainly devoted to the Under 12/14/16/19 age groups. The new generations, the future of the WDC AL. Those who will sparkle and become the stars of the coming years. The jewels in the dance world crown. However the Over 35/45/55 age groups were not forgotten as they are a highly valued part of our dance world and in some countries they are now the majority. The Senior 1 Ballroom had as adjudicators Vicky Barr, Caterina Arzenton, Rita Short, Kenny Welsh, Andrew Sinkinson, Mirko Saccani, Steven Hannah, Steve Powell, Massimo Girgianni, Tony Dokman. Other than Blackpool where else could such a panel be found anywhere in the world for a Senior event.

The WDC is proud of its heritage, the many years over which it has been the driving force in the development of dance in a spirit of compromise and co-operation. The WDC realises that by evolution it must pass this legacy to the younger generations through the passing years. The young will discover that knowledge and understanding is vital that there must be progress and development but this must not mean the destruction of the old.

As 18.00 approached signalling the commencement of the evening session one could sense the atmosphere was building already and that a great night lay ahead. It was thought that the to main highlights would be the Amateur League Latin World Open Championship and the Disney Resort Professional Ballroom Championship but a thrilling surprise lay ahead.

To have a show by Sergey & Melia would be superb, To have a show by Riccardo & Yulia would also be superb but to have a show by both was spine tingling special. Both couples danced from their hearts with emotion packed performances to show their love for freedom to dance and they had the crowd in a state of frenzy.

Over and over during the day we witnessed the beauty of movement to music. This is what our dance world is all about. There must be beautiful movement to music to have dance and this unfortunately is totally lost to some people and organisations.


The standard in the Amateur Latin Championship was truly excellent with many tight tussles for placings. It was no surprise when at the end of the Paso in the Semi the audience rose to give a standing ovation to great young dancers giving superb performances. The final was danced to a continuous clapping and maraca shaking cacophony of noise from a highly excited and enthralled audience all standing to show their appreciation to the couples for a brilliant championship..

In a day filled with wonderful moments some highlights were
twin brothers dancing in the Under 19 Latin final and dancing so well with one becoming Champion.
The emotion of parents and coaches when a young couple were announced as World Champions and it had not been expected.
Our President being totally involved in the surroundings, the atmosphere, the sheer joy of dance and
becoming the Maraca King to show his appreciation of the dancing we were witnessing
This close bond which is now shared by all in the WDC is proving special and unique and for young dancers to discover that great name, that big adjudicator, is human, loves to have fun and is in reality a friend is what sets the WDC apart.

Towards the end of the evening, and in effect the 2010 Championships a number of sincere speeches were made and tribute paid to those who work so hard to create and then keep running this magnificent Celebration of all that is good in dance. Special thanks were made to Academie des Maitres de Danse de France who made it possible for the event to take place in France and thereby that not only French dancers but dancers from around the world would have the possibility of Freedom to Dance, Freedom to choose with a magnificent celebration of ballroom and latin competitions.

Make a note now 2nd 3rd 4th December 2011 are next years Championship. Give yourself a treat and be there!! You missed out this year so get in early for 2011.
Posted On: 13-12-2010

http://dancesportinfo.net/Forum/Geronimo/Profile.aspx
Joined on 20 May 2007
Total posts: 206

Re: Paris

Tuesday, 14 December 2010 09:00

@ All,
Well, Paris was there and those who went, came home with the most precious present any organizer can give: a beautiful memory. And that is an understatement! Apart from the fact that it was wonderful to dance or just watch, it was an experience how our dancing can be. Everyone in the hall came together as one, with one feeling, one emotion and the dancing surfaced and manifested itself in a most outstanding way.
Some one said in this topic that WDC should do better: WELL, WDC DID!
No agression in an empty sportshall, but two beautiful ballrooms, packed with audience, in the presence of all the history of dancing; great names like Richard Gleave, Vicky Barr, Markus Hilton, Rita Last, Caterina Arzenton, Augusto Schiavo, Massimo Giorgianni, Alan Fletcher, Donnie Burns, Sammy Stopford, Michael Wentink, Andrew Sinkinson and many, many more were all there and witnessed and judged the competitors. The latter performing better than ever under these circumstances.
The music, the presentation, the friendliness of the whole organisation, the quality in the panels, it was all there to help the couples and for sure it helped them to produce their very best performance ever.
Although it was a real competition, for the audience it was more. It was a showcase of all that our dancing can offer and nobody left the room until the last notes of music went. And even then some didn't want to leave but preferred to linger in there.
That is what dancing is all about. It's not about sport, art, recognition, business...... just dancing.
To deprive dancers of such an event and give nothing in return but the odd extra restriction is a criminal act. Nothing less.
A beautiful saying tells us that the proof is in eating the pudding. I can only say that the pudding was eaten in total, nothing left on the plate it was served.
Thank you WDC, thank you Sammy, Donnie and Fred for giving us all the chance to eat it!
And to Jazz: there was a great-looking blond there, I suppose it wasn't you, otherwise you would be very silent now!


Geronimo