The Presidium of the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) today unanimously approved a motion by Vice-President for Sport Nenad Jeftic to allow for the organisation of WDSF Open European Championships for the Senior I and II and U21 categories until the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With WDSF World Championships currently on hold due to travel restrictions and other limitations, Jeftic acknowledged the desire among athletes and organisers to return to elite competition and identified the Open European Championships as a satisfactory temporary solution during these unprecedented times.
The decision is aimed at providing organisers who had been granted 2020 WDSF World Championships an opportunity to downgrade their events to European Championships, thereby also bringing a measure of hope and encouragement to our DanceSport community.
For the Dutch Dance Sport Federation (NADB), October cannot come soon enough.
Like all sports federations in the Netherlands and around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic forced DanceSport to shut down its activities, but now the NADB are in a position to begin planning tournaments.
The Dutch government stopped all sport activities in mid-March, with the public advised to stay at home, not go into the office and maintain social-distancing measures when they could.
Since 1 July, dance clubs and schools were given permission to open, and such has been its success that come the first weekend of October the Dutch Championships will mark the restart of tournaments in the Netherlands.
“Individual dancers, couples and teams need a clear outlook, they need to know where they have to work for to keep motivated,” NADB President Jeffrey van Meerkerk explained.
“It is hard to keep practising and to stay fit and ready if you have no dates marked in your calendar for competitions. We therefore will organise our National Championships for Standard and Latin in the weekend of 3 to 4 October.
“Then on 23 to 25 October, our Federation will organise our yearly WDSF Holland Masters competition. All international WDSF couples are welcome to compete in Youth, U21, Adult and all Senior categories. We will also run the WDSF Open European Championship Senior 1 Latin on 23 October, the WDSF Open European Championship Senior 2 Standard and several National Closed title events.
“The event will be organised in Rotterdam in a venue which has enough space, the required air ventilation system, and seating to organise it safely, all the while respecting all social-distancing regulations.
“We believe it is important to continue to organise international DanceSport events. The NADB want to contribute to our international DanceSport community and to the WDSF.”
Dancing through lockdown
Throughout the pandemic the NADB has been in regular contact with the Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC), which has been closely monitoring the impact of COVID-19, while an NADB board member joined a working group that that collaborated on a pathway through the crisis.
For four months, dancers and instructors were unable to carry out their work, though they did receive funding from the government.
They also worked as part of a DanceSport-sector collaboration that represented over 1,500 DanceSport-sector businesses and employees to ensure that they were protected financially and could work together to find solutions to the wide range of issues that arose.
“The whole COVID-19 crisis has a tremendous impact on DanceSports,” said van Meerkerk, who is also a WDSF adjudicator. “Couples were not allowed to dance, trainers were not allowed to teach, dancing schools, clubs and studios were forced to close down.
“Dancing schools, trainers, clubs, coaches and judges all faced an abrupt and significant drop of income.
“During March to June, we had almost daily meetings with the NOC to discuss safety measures, how to deal with infections in sports clubs, and how to open the sector safely and responsibly.
“Since the central government re-opened the sports sector on 1 July, we have connected on a weekly basis, and the crisis team, led by our NOC, is still in place.”
Technological help
As is often the case in challenging times, Dutch dancers have been innovative in finding ways to practice.
Technology helped bring dancers and instructors together from across the Netherlands, as well as from abroad.
It meant that measures were in place for when dancers were allowed to return to training together, and now that there are competitions coming soon there is a buzz of excitement around Dutch DanceSport, that everyone involved with the sport has been missing terribly since March.
“For the couples it was extremely difficult to practice during the shutdown,” van Meerkerk said. “Some were creative. Many of them followed online courses and even participated in online competitions.
“Technology comes in handy during times of crisis. Learning from WDSF, our sports commission developed an online course for all our members to keep them active and focused on their personal development.
“The Federation has put so much energy into organising the tournaments and they have been very well received.
“We are optimistic that the COVID situation will remain stable as many couples from in and outside the country have contacted us about them. People have been asking us about the safety measures, which is good.
“They want to compete and for many it will be their first international event in six months, as it will be for WDSF adjudicators, trainers, and coaches. It is important that competitions restart as everyone is looking forward to attending.”
European Ten Dance Championship in Aarhus, Denmark, will start the title competition tournee after a long break.
Serious preparations have taken place to build up the event, to make it safe for all the athletes and officials, as well as to the audience. The event is an important landmark for showing the way to the new era for everyone involved in DanceSport.
" I think the competition is very important, because it will for sure bring hope to everyone: it means that we did´t stop fighting and we did´t stop living our DanceSport lives. Everyone is very excited to be reunited soon and the motivation is great", says VP for Sport, Nenad Jeftic in Belgrade.
Mr Jeftic will act as a competition chairperson in Aarhus. Competition preparations have included serious planning by following the operating policy written for competition organizers, who are in this case Ashli Williamson and Bjørn Bitsch.
"Ashli and Bjørn have taken on the task of arranging the European Championships in 10-dance on the 19th of September in Aarhus, in close collaboration with the Danish DanceSport Federation. This is a big job that Bjørn and Ashli have taken on, and as seen in Covid-19 time, it has created a lot of extra work. They have had to move the event twice, but everything has been done with a smile and this sentence: We can do it!", says the Danish federation president Karen Pedersen.
The competition will be run by following numerous safety measures. This means also, that the chairperson is obliged to follow the work of the staff as well as the athletes even closer than ever before.
"Certainly my role as a chairperson will be different. The Chairperson has an important task in implementing security and protection measures, which are decisions of the WDSF Presidium. The Chairperson now has a more demanding task than ever, because the organizers, the scrutineers, the adjudicators, and the athletes themselves have fallen a bit out of our routine and track, and now this return to the stage needs to be carefully monitored", says Nenad Jeftic.
"However, we can´t wait to get back to a normal dance life and continue to take care of our wonderful sport, which has suffered a lot in the past few months because of the crisis. Everyone can't wait to get on the floor and dance", he continues.
Ashli & Bjørn are looking forward to welcoming the couples to Aarhus on 19th September 2020. "We are looking so much forward to running this European Championships in Ten Dance", Ashli Williamson sighs.
"With our experience as active dancers and with the Danish DanceSport Federation, Aarhus Events and Sport Event Denmark as strong event partners, we will work together, creating a fantastic championship! We are sure of that", says Bjørn Bitsch with a very determined smile.
The WDSF Presidium has given an operating policy for organizers to act as a manual for building up a secure and safe event. Nenad Jeftic emphasizes also each individual´s responsibility, not just during the competition – by washing hands, avoiding unnecessary close contacts etc – but also in development and aiming to the future:
" I would just like to point out once again the importance of individual responsibility and to tell everyone not to give up, to keep fighting for their dreams, to keep working on themselves and their dance as well. I think that once this crisis passes, and I want to believe that it will pass soon, we should look at it as an important life lesson from which we will emerge as a better human being.
Although we are living in an unprecedented world and sports crisis, I hope that the athletes actually used this competitive break as their advantage. I believe that the couples perfected and discovered new moments of performance", Mr Jeftic concludes.
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The WDSF Communications will follow the European Ten Dance Championship on Saturday in Aarhus and keep you all updated about the event – follow the WDSF Social media channels!
Ahead of the resumption of competition this weekend, the Presidium of the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) has approved a new Operating Policy for the organisation of events during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The policy, which can be read here, is aimed at providing guidance and regulations to WDSF National Member Bodies (NMBs), organisers, officials, staff and athletes to lessen the risk of transmitting the coronavirus during WDSF competitions and title events.
Further recommendations from the WDSF Medical Commission will follow in the coming days.
The WDSF Operating Policy applies to all international WDSF DanceSport competitions granted to and organised under the responsibility of an NMB, including but not limited to competitions in Standard, Latin-American, Artistic Dance, Caribbean Dances, Folkloric Dances, Performing Art Dances, Smooth Dance, Urban Dances, Disco Dance.
We call on everyone involved in upcoming WDSF events to read the Operation Policy COVID-19 carefully and adhere to the rules.
The WDSF wishes the entire DanceSport community a successful and healthy return to competition.
Speak to almost any DanceSport couple and you will quickly discover that they are not ones to sit around waiting for things to happen. Dancers, as a rule, prefer to create their own destinies.
Take Vito Coppola and Uliana Maximkina, for example. A few months ago during the COVID-19 pandemic, they were partnerless and perfect strangers. And now? Well, they are the newest Latin couple poised to take the dance world by storm.
The story of how they came together is unquestionably unique. Introduced by a mutual friend during lockdown, the two began their relationship by texting each other: Vito in Italy and Uliana in Russia. After mutually deciding that there was enough je ne sais quoi between them to move forward, they agreed to meet.
There was only one small problem: How to get Uliana from Russia to Italy at the height of the pandemic?
As they say, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and Uliana managed to book a flight to Rome. The two met for the first time at the airport. Because Uliana immediately had to quarantine for two weeks, it meant their first steps together were performed in the kitchen. Not long after, on 25 July, they announced their new partnership on Instagram.
We reached out to the new couple recently to learn more about their unusually eventful year, plans for the future, and any advice they have for dancers struggling with the inconveniences of life under the coronavirus.
Q: Do you have a date or event in mind to make your competitive debut?
A: Unfortunately, the situation with the pandemic doesn’t give us the possibility to answer right now, but we are looking forward to our debut and we hope that it will happen very soon. We’ll be ready and in shape for sure!
Q: What do each of you bring to the partnership? What are Vito’s strengths and what are Uliana’s strengths?
Uliana: I think the main idea of our couple will be to mix the best qualities. With our knowledge and experience, we are able to bring a new look to the trends of WDSF dance.
It is probably not very modest to talk about my best qualities so I will speak about Vito. Vito is definitely a very physically strong, powerful athlete. As a partner, he has confidence, credibility and a natural sense of style that makes him special. Also, as it turned out, we are both perfectionists. That’s why in the training process we can always ask for advice, create and trust each other.
Vito: Well, as Uliana said, we come from two different realities and that’s why we are even more exited to discover our new style together. In certain aspects we are different and in others similar. But it’s all very interesting for both of us. I am quite sure that it is going to be a great challenge for us as a couple, and a great goal to achieve.
All the feedback has been very positive, and we are happy for this. For sure it will be a “fresh change,” but we won’t unveil our secrets yet!
As for Uliana, I will tell you what I call her, because from this you will understand directly what I think of her: She is a lion! She doesn’t need to be introduced. She just arrives on the dance floor and burns everything like a very hungry lion! That’s Ulia for me. Nothing more. You will see for yourself!
Q: How often are you training together right now?
A: We practice every day, and if we feel that our bodies and minds are asking us to stop, we take a day off. Usually we practice every single moment we have the possibility, wherever we are. It doesn’t matter day or night. Mentally and physically we work hard!
Q: Has training been difficult with COVID-19 restrictions? If so, how?
A: At the moment, the most difficult thing is wearing a mask even during practice and when we dance. It looks funny and is difficult to breathe, but you get used to it. In any case, it’s better this way than without practice at all.
Q: How has the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown affected you professionally as dancers as well as personally? Have you discovered anything new and surprising about yourselves during this period?
U: At the beginning of the pandemic, for me began a life that I had not lived for a long time. I returned to my hometown to my family and spent the whole lockdown with them. (I first left my hometown when I was 14.)
I used this wonderful time to deeply look inside myself and at the same time to look at my life from the outside. You start to reconsider your priorities. You try to hear your true desires. I know that many dancers were pushed by the pandemic to stop their dancing career.
During a time of silence, it is important to slow down. In the end you can make a huge transformation of yourself: develop as a professional and as a person. That’s what I was actually doing. The main word during this situation for me has been – “adaptation.” You can be endlessly sad about the things that are happening in the world, fall into depression, and so on. But if you get all your strength together, add a little optimism and ADAPT, you will definitely be a winner in any case.
The most interesting thing that I newly discovered about myself was: I can. There were many of them – physical and mental. And, of course, the most important thing is that I can hold a plank position for 17 minutes!
V: Let’s say that this strange situation didn’t affect me badly. I like to see the shiny side of the medal and so I can say that because of the lockdown I had the possibility to finish all my exams at the university and I will graduate before the end of this year.
I never stopped training and practicing at home, in my garden. I did a lot of homework and smart work that helped me with my new projects. I decided to start my own blog, where I can write and post whatever I want with no filter at all. It’s like my virtual world, where everybody is very welcome to come. I changed some points of view, in a good way of course. I understood how lucky and happy I am! And I learned how to cook healthy!
Sometimes we need to stop and look around us, to appreciate what we have.
Q: How have you managed to keep fit and training?
U: Jogging, training with friends on video, treadmill, exercises in the park ... all kinds of activities were used. I will be honest, I was lucky. A month after the pandemic began, I found a private hall in my hometown where I could practice. So I practiced three times more than usual.
V: I never stopped! Every day I did my exercises. I ate well and I was very focused, being relaxed at the same time. My feeling was like I didn’t have enough time to do all the things I wanted to do. How strange eh? I know, but it’s the truth.
Another very good thing that helped me a lot was meditation. That was awesome!
Q: What do you miss the most about competitive dancing?
A: Well, as the word clearly says, we miss competitions. We are dancers, but we are also competitors. In sport, competition is a big part of the game.
We miss everything, but we found our own way to make a kind of simulation between us, in order to be ready when everything restarts!
And another thing is travel. We love to travel around the world, so that’s another factor we miss, but it won’t be for long we guess.
Q: Is there anything else you would like the DanceSport community and your fans to know about your year so far?
A: We prefer not to say too much before we even start. We both are people that like to demonstrate directly with the facts. How to put it exactly? Stay tuned and que sera sera! The best of luck to us then!
Q: Do you have any message for dancers, young and old, novices and pros out there?
A: Never stop believing in yourself and do everything possible to reach your goal. It’s never too soon or too late to do it.
Waiting and thinking is a waste of time. Just do it. No regrets! Everybody needs to take a risk. Nobody said that it’s easy, but nobody said it’s impossible!
This is a lucky weekend for Standard and Latin lovers, as international competitions are on in two venues: the main event of the weekend has just started in Aarhus, Denmark, and there is also another event going on in Lithuania; WDSF Youth and U21 competitions in Siauliai.
Organizers in Aarhus have done a great job in all the possible safety measures. Warm-up has ended and couples are getting prepared for the actual thing. This will be their day - and in the late evening we will know the new European Champions. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, we keep you updated as the evening goes.
Best wishes to all participants, as well in Aarhus as in Siauliai!
WDSF Communication team members told us from Aarhus, that the competition is going nicely and the atmosphere is great!
Adjudicators are doing great work and we are ready to start the semifinal rounds.
Here are the European Ten Dance Championship semifinalists:
Errol Willliamson and Ami Williamson, Denmark Gelb Bannikov and Ada Varstala, Finland Jean-Francois Gueudry and Ilmira Yarullina, France Nicolo Barbizi and Sara Ros Jakobsdottir, Iceland Einoras Degutis and Ugne Bliujute, Lithuania Oskar Hemmelmayr and Rosetta Kats, Netherlands Anelise Christina Isaincu and Michele Albigese, Romania Semen Khrzhanovskiy and Elizaveta Lykhina, Russia Matej Stec and Elena Popova, Slovakia Akim Pekunov and Masa Kastelic, Slovenia Edgar Sztuce Vel Stuzmania and Gemma Dominguez, Spain Earle Williamson and Veronika Myshko, Ukraine
Follow the ECH Aarhus on our FB and IG! Videos coming up as soon as we are able to start uploading!
European Ten Dance Championship in Aarhus, Denmark, was clearly a success in many ways. It was without a doubt a glorious day for the gold medalists, Semen Khrzhanovskiy – Elizaveta Lykhina (RUS), who led the competition from the beginning, winning all the ten dances. Last year the Russians were second, and during the last years they have been reigning World Champions in Ten Dance, both in Under 21- and Youth categories. So, obviously Semen and Elizaveta have found a good flow in their development. Congratulations to both!
Silver medalists, Earle Williamson – Veronika Myshko (UKR), brightened their last year´s bronze, and they were challenged by Earle´s siblings, Errol Williamson - Amy Williamson (DEN), placing third in final ranking.
There was a nice set of newcomers on the final list as well. Lithuanians, Einoras Degutis – Ugle Bliujute, ranked 4th, didn´t take part to ECH in 2019, but they danced to the quarterfinal in 2018. Joyful surprise was also the Finnish couple Gleb Bannikov – Ada Varstala (5th), dancing their first adult title event together, and taking Finland to ECH Ten Dance final for the first time since Vainomaa – Savikurki in 2016. Slovakian couple Matej Stec – Elena Popova (6th) are also well known from Show Dance Standard, where they have reached silver and bronze medals in European and World Championships.
We are sure, that from the organiser´s point of view, the positions on the podium were also a great reward, as Ashli Williamson and his husband Bjorn Bitsch were working really hard to make the event happen.
“Organizers made their best to provide all necessary safety measures so all officials and dancers could feel safe to enjoy this Title Event as we usually do. I have to recognize the strong determination of the organizing committee, after postponing the event two times and even changing location. Despite all difficulties, the event took place and this was a success”, said VP for Sport, Nenad Jeftic, who also acted as the competition chair in Aarhus.
The hall was beautifully decorated with chandeliers and table seats. But, in everything, safety came first.
Nenad Jeftic shared his feelings after the competition: “ It was a really emotional moment for everybody. Couples were starving to complete, adjudicators eager to perform their duties, staff and public made the evening vibe. After six very long months behind us without competitions, this Championship gave us hope.
WDSF Communication team member, Dr Helmut Roland, was following the event on-site with his camera. We are able to see more pictures and videos in galleries, social media, and on YouTube.
After a long hiatus due to the outbreak of COVID-19, DanceSport is finally back in Russia.
The All Russian Federation of DanceSport and Acrobatic Rock’n’Roll (FDSARR) is pleased to announce that it has successfully held its national championships in accordance with all requirements and regulations aimed at ensuring the health and safety of all participants.
The 2020 Russian National DanceSport Championships in Latin, Formation Latin and Formation Standard, as well as the Russian National Cup in Standard, took place from 4-6 September in Moscow.
Armen Tsaturyan and Svetlana Gudyno won their seventh Latin championship in a row. Vera Tyumen were the Formation Standard winners, with Duet Perm crowned Formation Latin champions. Alexey Glukhov and Anastasia Glazunova added another title this year, having become the national champions in Standard, Showdance Standard and also the winners of the Russian National Cup Standard.
After hosting a successful series of DanceSport championships, the city of Kazan (Republic of Tatarstan) welcomed the FDSARR-organised 2020 Russian National Breaking Championships from 19-20 September.
Championships were held in all disciplines (b-boys, b-girls, crews 3vs3) and age groups (adult, youth, junior). More than 600 b-boys and b-girls attended the event, the youngest aged 7-10 years old.
Ivan Ososkov aka Alkolil and Nadezhda Gotlib aka Nadia were crowned the 2020 Russian National Breaking Champion b-boy and b-girl, respectively. Illusion of Action took first place in the crews 3vs3 battles.
Based on these results, the FDSARR will form the Russian National Breaking Team. National Team members will take part in training camps and be nominated to take part in international Breaking competitions.
These two big successes for the FDSARR in September have opened a new chapter for Russian DanceSport and Breaking in 2020.
Results of the 2020 Russian national Breaking championships:
When the World Rock’n’Roll Confederation (WRRC) announced on 17 August that all competition for the rest of 2020 had been cancelled or postponed due to the pandemic, dancers around the world could be forgiven for feeling a little deflated.
But we are happy to report that all hope is not lost!
Beginning in October, the WRRC will be organizing its first ever online competition for registered dancers that will last until the end of the year, culminating in a World Cup with overall winners announced in each category.
That means it’s time to get back into serious training – on both your dance routines and social media skills.
“Basically, we want to keep our dancers active,” says WRRC Sports Director Denis Lilih. “After cancelling our competitions and seeing other sports move online, we thought, ‘Ok, we are in an impossible situation in a totally different time where nothing is standard or normal anymore, so we need to find a way to enable the dancers to dance.”
The shift to the Internet has become even more critical for the WRRC community as coronavirus cases continue to rise worldwide, resulting in ever more restrictions, including the shuttering of halls and auditoriums used by dancers and stricter social distancing rules.
“The worry is that if too many dancers are not able to train, we may lose them and see our sport go back 20 years in terms of the number of dancers, quality, everything. Because once you stop, it’s really hard to start again,” Lilih says. “We don’t want that, so we decided to continue by any means possible and provide at least some kind of competition for those dancers still able to train.”
The first day of competition is scheduled for 24 October, while the final day is set for 20 December. The plan is to organize events every second weekend with at least three online competitions per category until the end of the year. The full schedule can be found here.
The WRRC is already putting the final touches on the event, with registration now open, rules and definitions on how the competition will be conducted in place, and all the technical logistics arranged. The events will be aired live (links will be available on www.wrrc.dance), with the hosts in a production studio and adjudicators in their homes judging the previously unseen, pre-recorded videos from the dancers in real time.
It’s a fascinating concept that Lilih admits has had its fair share of hurdles to overcome before getting to the stage it’s currently at.
“We know that not all the dancers have the same ability to train and the different time zones would be challenging, so the idea was to give the dancers a six-day timeframe during which they must film their performance and send it to us,” Lilih says. “In this way we are allowing our dancers some freedom and flexibility to use their halls whenever they can. It doesn’t matter if they film on Monday, on Tuesday or on Wednesday as long as it is within the specified six-day timeframe.”
WRRC President Miriam K. Izak says the new online competition could result in some terrific performances being submitted, thanks in part to regulations allowing the dancers to record themselves multiple times until they get their routines just right.
“Perhaps now we will be able to see the best edition from each couple and formation,” Izak says. “Of course, there will be challenges – technical and logistical. How to check that the recording is not a mix (or does it really matter?), how to check that the couples don’t send the same recording over and over again? But I’m sure that, overall, we will succeed to produce something good.”
While it is still too early to say definitively how many dancers will take part in the online competition, early registrations suggest that interest is high.
Because the online competition will be the first of its kind for the WRRC, Lilih says he is happy to hear from anyone from other sports or disciplines who have any bright ideas on how to improve the product.
“If somebody has something to add, has any good ideas that we can implement, all these things are really welcome from our side,” he says. “The more people you include in any project, the more you can benefit from the many ideas they have.”
To contact the WRRC team organizing the online competition, email: nospam.info@wrrc.dance
For further information, check out the WRRC website at www.wrrc.dance
Interest in Breaking has seen a sharp increase worldwide since its provisional inclusion on the program for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
One person who saw significant potential in Breaking years before its Olympic affiliations was WDSF Athletes’ Commission Member Moises Rivas, aka b-boy Moy. With his successful Break Free Hip-Hop Schools, mentoring programs, global competitions and much more, Moy now stands at the forefront with those attempting to elevate the DanceSport discipline to greater heights.
Moy founded his first Break Free Hip-Hop School in Houston, Texas back in 2011 to give young people in the community a place where they could freely express themselves as individuals, become goal oriented, and learn about the positivity of hip-hop culture through Breaking, DJ’ing, art and poetry. All lessons that he himself learned growing up that allowed him to get off the streets and build a solid career as a successful Breaker.
Since 2011, Moy has seen his one school grow into five, the most recent of which opened in Phoenix, Arizona on 1 October. His aim is to have 100 schools in operation globally by the time the flame is lit to start the Olympic Games in Paris in four years’ time.
That’s a lofty goal for any company, especially in the middle of the COVID-19 crisis, which has hurt businesses across the board, especially those in sports and the arts. But Moy is undeterred, explaining that he is currently in talks with potential partners in Belgium, Chile, Japan, Ukraine, other cities in the United States, among others.
“It’s been difficult with the pandemic but we’re constantly trying to evolutionize how Breaking is perceived,” he says. “It’s from the street but at the same time it’s provided a career path for myself and many others in the Breaking community, so why can’t we build a stronger platform that is motivated by us inspiring b-boys and b-girls that want to pursue this at a higher level? And especially with Breaking potentially moving into the Olympics in Paris 2024 and beyond, I think it’s important for us to professionalize and take everything to another level.”
Breaking will be handed its Olympic fate this December when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) makes its final vote on whether the DanceSport discipline makes the grade for Paris 2024 or not.
But like most people in the community, Moy is not sitting around doing nothing in the meantime. Quite the contrary. In addition to opening up his fifth school, he has also been busy putting the final touches on what will be his third major online Breaking competition of 2020, with a fourth (and bigger still) slated to take place in December.
“COVID-19 really sparked us to do something quickly due to the stoppage of all events. There was definitely not anything going to be happening in 2020 otherwise [without going online],” Moy says. “So we didn’t want to stop the momentum that Breaking had and we thought it was important for Break Free to make this investment to be able to showcase to people at the WDSF, to people at the IOC, to people in the community, that regardless of what we’re going through, we should still find a way to continue.
“We wanted to showcase that we are able to connect even in the time of need.”
And connect they have. The first two Break Free Worldwide events held online in April and July each featured between 400 and 500 Breakers from countries around the world. The multiple days of competition were viewed in 75 countries and over 300 cities each, with over 2 million impressions achieved globally.
So things clearly bode well for Moy’s latest project, called the SURVIV-ILL Championship. Set to take place this weekend (9-11 October), SURVIV-ILL is being billed as “the essence of a raw battle brought to the competitive stage. Unlimited rounds – a test of strength, stamina and style.”
“Last year during our Break Free Activation Day, people went bananas over [the new format],” Moy says. “They loved it. They loved the entertainment side of it, they loved the sport side of it, they loved the challenge side of it. So people asked for it and that’s why we’re bringing it back.”
The SURVIV-ILL Championship will feature 64 b-boys and 64 b-girls battling it out in a regular, two-round format until the semifinals, when those rules are then tossed out the window. From the semis on it will be a knock-down, drag-out battle to the finish with unlimited rounds. The only way a Breaker can lose is if they give up or two of the three judges throw in their towels.
“The beauty of this event is that you have to be built to last. You have to be strategic about your moves, about your breathing, etc.,” Moy says. “It’s really entertaining, and I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes. It definitely takes a toll on the body.”
One of the more compelling components of all Break Free activities is the focus on inclusivity and opportunity. Unlike other Breaking events, SURVIV-ILL will see a total of 128 b-boys and b-girls competing, far more than the usual 64, 32 or 16. Moy has instilled this openness in Break Free since 2011 and he continues to look for ways to open doors for young people to learn about hip hop culture and widen their horizons in the process.
“Right now, a lot of kids growing up want to play basketball, baseball, soccer, baseball. But maybe they're also looking for something different,” Moy says. “And this is why I do what I do. Because when I was younger, I was looking for a way to get involved without being expressive in words, but through action, and Breaking allowed for that.
“The heart and soul of Break Free,” Moy concludes, “is in building up the Breaking community. We provide positive reinforcement for positive alternatives.”
The World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) would like to congratulate all National Member Bodies for their efforts getting DanceSport back up and running after its long hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, with the number of cases rising in many countries worldwide and new restrictions on travel and social distancing being imposed, the WDSF wanted to take this opportunity to update you on the status of upcoming competitions.
2020 WDSF Open European Championship Senior I Latin & Senior II Standard
The Dutch DanceSport Federation (NADB) had expressed its great desire to organise the 2020 WDSF Open European Championship Senior I Latin and Senior II Standard, scheduled to take place in Rotterdam on 23 and 24 October. Despite taking great strides to make it a reality, the event has unfortunately been cancelled in accordance with recent decisions taken by the Dutch government to stem the spread of the virus. The WDSF would like to thank the NADB for all its hard work and we commiserate with everyone affected by the cancellation, in particular the dancers.
2020 WDSF European Championship ShowDance Latin & Standard
On a bright note, the Slovak DanceSport Federation (SDSF) has received government approval to organise the 2020 WDSF European Championship ShowDance Latin and Standard on 14 November in Bratislava. After careful consideration, the WDSF Presidium has endorsed the event as well, which will take place together with the previously approved 2020 WDSF PD European Championship Standard Adult.
WDSF European Youth Standard and WDSF Open European U21 Standard
The WDSF Presidium is in the process of evaluating another SDSF proposal to host the WDSF European Youth Standard and WDSF Open European U21 Standard in Kosice on 22-23 November. Once a thorough review is completed, the Presidium is expected to give the green light to the SDSF.
WDSF European Championship Adult Latin & Standard
The WDSF Sports Commission is currently considering the feasibility of hosting the WDSF European Championship Adult Latin and Standard. Depending on how the COVID-19 situation evolves, should it be deemed safe to host the event it will take place on 4-5 December in a yet to be determined location.
The WDSF Sports Commission continues to analyse and monitor the situation on a weekly basis, adjusting its decisions accordingly. The Sports Department is working as hard as possible under these difficult and unforeseen circumstances, but due to the unpredictability of the pandemic cannot say with certainty that this Championship will go ahead in December. We will of course keep you updated as soon as new information becomes available and decisions are made.
The health of our dancers, adjudicators, fans and organisers remains our top priority. We thank everyone for their patience and understanding.
Bumblebee is the first ever men´s Youth Olympic Breaking Champion in 2018, when Breaking was featuring in YOG in Buenos Aires (ARG) in 2018. In mixed-gender competition, he took bronze with Ella (AUT).
Bumblebee started his sportive career already at the age of 4: his first discipline was gymnastics. He changed to Breaking at the age of 8, and this naturally brought a smile on his father´s lips, as his father had been a Breaking teacher since early 1990´s.
He got his b-boy name from Transformers: instead of taking the first option “Optimus Prime”, he chose the name of the friendly robot, Bumblebee.
In TWG interview, Bumblebee explains about the lockdown:
“I think everyone needed a big pause. All events stopped... I mean all the live events because there were a lot of online ones. I think it was for everyone's benefit. If I speak about myself, I was constantly on the move. But you don't develop yourself when you are going places all the time, you just show the material that you already have. Sometimes you need to stop, to realise that you have the time to rethink something and to sit in the workshop and create something there. That's actually why I have a change of approach now. I just had the time.”
B-girl Señorita Carlota has come a long way since her appearance as a 16-year-old at the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018.
Since then she’s travelled the world competing in battles, showcased Breaking for Olympic decision-makers, obtained her Baccalaureate, and continued to grow as both a dancer and a person.
While the hard work and dedication are all her own, she credits her experience at the YOG for providing the inspiration to develop even further.
“In two years, a lot has happened,” the now 18-year-old breaker says. “I’ve been through many things, but I've grown up and it’s obvious that the YOG had a considerable impact on that. I am building myself as a young woman and also as a dancer. My dancing is evolving and you can feel that it has matured. This year I moved out on my own to devote myself to my studies and my sport and I think that this will contribute even more to my growth and construction.”
Carlota became the first Frenchwoman to qualify for the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, and she did her country proud, finishing a respectable 5th in the 1vs1 battles against predominantly older competition.
Breaking made its Olympic debut in Buenos Aires, and thanks to the crowd-pleasing performances of Carlota and the 23 other Breakers (12 b-girls and 12 b-boys in total), the DanceSport discipline is now being considered for inclusion on the sport programme for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. An official decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will be made in early December.
Carlota recalls her time in Buenos Aires fondly, and has indelible memories of her first exposure to the Olympic experience.
“The beauty of the Youth Olympic Games is that it was a series of events that combined to create a unique experience,” she says. “Several moments in particular made an impression on me, including our arrival at the Olympic Village (it was so impressive to find ourselves in front of this village full of flags, activities and sportsmen and women coming from all over the world), the Opening Ceremony, which was splendid, and finally the realization that all our efforts during the competition, the atmosphere, and the level at which we competed were appreciated and we felt proud to be part of the delegations!”
As her name suggests, Señorita Carlota comes from Latin heritage, namely Cuban. Her background made the visit to Argentina for the YOG even more special, as she was keenly interested in sinking her teeth into the culture and surroundings when she wasn’t training or competing.
“It was my first time in Argentina,” she says. “Indeed, my Cuban origins mean that a part of me belongs to this Latin American culture and it was therefore important for me to discover the country. Argentina left me with beautiful memories. I was able to walk in the beautiful streets of Buenos Aires, visit the markets, have lunch at the restaurant ‘La Poesía,’ taste the famous dulce de leche and meet nice and welcoming people.
“After staying in Buenos Aires, it became a dream for me to visit the whole of Argentina.”
But her favourite memory from the YOG was something else entirely – a meeting with dancer, choreographer, instructor and influencer Kaelynn ‘KK’ Harris.
“In the morning, my girlfriends sent me a photo of [Kaelynn] showing that she has arrived in the Olympic Village, so they asked me to try and get a picture with her,” Carlota recalls. “The next day I found myself not only taking a photo with her but also filming a promotional video for the Olympic Channel, where I taught her some breaking choreography. I guess I still can’t believe that I'm the one who taught her a lesson when I only dreamed of having a picture with her.”
The Breaking competition in Buenos Aires was held in the Urban Park from 7-11 October, and in addition to 1v1 battles, Bonnie & Clyde battles also took place, featuring mixed-gender pairs from different countries. The 24 Breakers had already grown close before these battles, but it was clear their bonds strengthened even more once they came together as teammates.
Following the YOG, Carlota says she has kept in contact with most of the BA alumni, mainly through social media, and says she continues to be impressed with all the great things they continue to achieve.
“I am still in contact with the YOG dancers, of course,” Carlota says. “We keep in touch, we follow each other on social media, and the most fascinating thing is to see and react to how we evolve after this common experience. To see how it has impacted each one of us and the new objectives we manage to unlock, the way we evolve and the new projects we manage to carry out.”
One personal accomplishment with possible long-term implications was a stint Carlota enjoyed with the Paris 2024 local organising committee.
“I was lucky, along with b-boy Lagaet, to be able to represent Breaking during a demonstration for the IOC Coordination Commission during their visit to Marseille [an Olympic site location for Paris 2024],” Carlota says. “It was a great moment, the Commission was super receptive, and we were able to highlight our sport, the beauty and uniqueness of it. I felt that I was directly involved in the advancement of Breaking at the Olympics.”
Carlota’s efforts have already borne fruit. Breaking was provisionally included on the programme for Paris 2024 along with skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing, in September 2019. The DanceSport discipline is considered to have a good chance of receiving official approval at the next IOC Executive Board meeting from 8-10 December.
Breaking is popular in France, with some 560 national and 11 major international Breaking events held in the country every year. There is also a powerful development programme at the national level in place, aimed at supporting competing b-boys and b-girls with coaching and training preparation. More than 10,000 athletes have already benefited from the programme.
The 2024 Summer Olympic Games are scheduled to take place in the French capital from 26 July to 11 August.
“I think it’s great that Breaking could be included at Paris 2024!,” says Carlota. “What I love about this sport is that it’s multi-faceted. There’s the cultural dimension, the artistic dimension and the sporting dimension. I think it’s a chance [for the Olympics to gain] so much richness from one discipline, and it’s so important to be able to explore and exploit them all. The competition format is evolving, and we have to use this experience to continue to take Breaking forward with all the other aspects we have to offer.”
Ahead of the IOC decision in December, Carlota says she is doing everything she can to continue her personal growth during the COVID-19 pandemic and is looking forward to better things ahead in 2021.
“Despite the alarming situation, it has been very beneficial to me,” Carlota says of the coronavirus lockdown and other measures implemented to contain the virus. “It has allowed me to breathe, settle down and focus on myself and my needs. I was able to take the time to identify and mobilise the tools I needed to evolve. I am lucky to have been able to fit out my garage and dedicate myself to my training. It has allowed me to work on my weak points more calmly and come back with more technique and material. So it’s been a calm time for me that has allowed me to strengthen myself.
“What I am now expecting from 2021 is that COVID-19 will end and allow me to bring out all the resources I have mobilised and express myself freely. Having been deprived of contact with others, I also want to evolve by becoming more present in my exchanges and sharing with others.”
The World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) would like to extend its gratitude to the National Member Bodies (NMBs) of France and Slovakia that were recently forced to cancel their events due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The WDSF is appreciative of all the hard work, dedication and resources that the organisers put into hosting these events, which were scheduled to take place over the next two weeks.
The cancelled events are as follows:
The 2020 WDSF European Cup Ten Dance, originally scheduled to take place in Pontault Combault (FRA) on 7 November 2020;
The 2020 WDSF European Championship Show Dance Standard and Show Dance Latin, originally scheduled to take place in Bratislava (SVK) on 14 November 2020; and
The 2020 WDSF Professional European Championship Standard, originally scheduled to take place in Bratislava (SVK) on 14 November 2020.
“The entire DanceSport community was pulling for our French and Slovak friends to be able to successfully hold these events in the face of such adversity, but unfortunately it was not to be,” said WDSF Vice-President for Sport Nenad Jeftic. “It is another tough blow for our dancers in what has been a very trying year for all of us.
“We thank everyone involved for their tremendous efforts to comply with all the safety measures under difficult conditions. In the end, however, the situation worsened and the governments of both countries prohibited these events from being held at this time.”
The WDSF is conscious of the disappointment that these cancellations bring, especially for our athletes, and the continued difficulties they face even practising DanceSport under these challenging conditions.
The top priority of the WDSF remains the health and safety of the athletes, officials, and fans. We will work with our NMBs around the world to organise competitions when it is safe to do so, and we continue to closely monitor the evolution of the pandemic as well as the new safety measures implemented to control it.
The WDSF remains committed to returning stronger than ever once conditions allow us to return to competition.
Breaking in Finland has made substantial progress since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that the DanceSport discipline would appear at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games and, provisionally, at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
The Finnish DanceSport Federation (FDSF) has worked closely with the Finnish Olympic Committee in the ensuing years to help the Finnish Breaking Association (SBL) develop and professionalize its operations.
Among its recent initiatives, the SBL has enhanced and improved its statutes and established a new Executive Board, currently chaired by Ramona Panula, aka b-girl Ramona.
With full membership in the FDSF, the SBL now has the ability to influence the future of DanceSport in Finland using its voting privileges, beginning with the next FDSF Annual General Meeting set to take place on 22 November. The FDSF has deemed it important to have Breaking represented on its Board and as such has invited the SBL to put their candidate forward for election.
“We are delighted with the progress we have made together with the Breaking community in Finland and especially the SBL to integrate Breaking into the FDSF,” said Leena Liusvaara, FDSF President and WDSF Vice-President for Communication. “We are also looking forward to better things to come with our ‘Matkalla Pariisiin 2024’ [‘On Our Way to Paris 2024’] project, which would see support coming from the National Olympic Committee that would benefit not only Breaking but other DanceSport disciplines as well.”
“Matkalla Pariisiin 2024” is a project proposed by the FDSF to the Finnish Olympic Committee that, if approved, would see the NOC support Finnish Breaking en route to the Olympic Games Paris 2024, including help for b-boys and b-girls attempting to qualify for Olympic events and competing at major multisports events like The World Games.
The FDSF presented the project, which was jointly developed with the SBL, to the NOC in October and was very well-received. As a result, the FDSF has been invited back for a second hearing on the project on 9 November.
In addition to Breaking, the FDSF also updated the NOC on initiatives in Standard, Latin and Boogie-Woogie. Athletes from these disciplines would also benefit from NOC financial support under the Matkalla Pariisiin 2024, if approved. Aid would be put toward development and dance camps, while the NOC has already approved that it will provide mentoring and advisors.
In the meantime, a Finnish Breaking National Team featuring 10 breakers was named last week, and the SBL is in the process of creating a ranking system, which will begin with results at the Finnish Breaking Championships on 5 December. Like the innovative online qualification system launched by the WDSF for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, qualifying for the Finnish Championships will also be determined electronically, via videos sent in from b-boys and b-girls across the country.
The unveiling of the Breaking National team generated a good deal of media coverage and social media buzz. Some of the big names that made the team are AT (who was a WDSF judge at the YOG in Buenos Aires), Ramona, Haiku, and Hatsolo. Aleksi Kyllönen was nominated as the head of discipline and thus also a member of the FDSF’s top sport committee.
“We warmly applaud the excellent initiatives undertaken by the FDSF in recent years to bring Breaking into the DanceSport fold in Finland,” said WDSF President Shawn Tay. “Adding a representative of the local Breaking Association to the FDSF Board would be a welcome next step. The excellent work undertaken by the FDSF in this area should inspire other NMBs around the world to consider taking similar steps.”
The IOC will make an official decision on whether to include Breaking (along with skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing) on the sports programme for Paris 2024 at its Executive Board meeting in early December.
The Spanish DanceSport Federation (FEDB) appears to be operating under the old adage “When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile.”
The pandemic has slowed progress in the country to be sure, but it has only strengthened the resolve of those in charge of DanceSport in Spain.
From 9-12 October, for example, the National Member Body (NMB) successfully hosted the II Alicante DanceSport Challenge, featuring 1,331 dancers of all ages competing in Standard, Latin, Caribbean, Breaking and other disciplines.
It was a tall order, especially with COVID-19 restrictions and protocols that amounted to no fewer than 30 pages per event hall.
“Initially we were going to organize the event in one building but under the regulations at the time, we were only allowed to have 400 people – that means the participants, officials, public and staff. So we asked for another building just 100 meters away,” said Sergey Nifontov, who oversaw the organisation of the event, which included three national championships.
The rules required that all participants wore masks, while gloves were also mandatory for all event staff. Four personnel were tasked with constantly disinfecting and cleaning the two halls, including the dressing rooms and bathrooms.
Nifontov and his team were even obliged to do a head count every 15 minutes to ensure the numbers stayed under 400 throughout the four days of competition.
“From a coordinator’s viewpoint, it was hard work, but we showed that it was possible,” said Alicante DanceSport Challenge Coordinator Diana Simarro, who said the head count peaked at 369.
“It was a bit more difficult logistically than normal,” continued Nifontov. “But in the end, for us to give hope to the dancers, and especially the parents who came with their children, it was really important.”
That was a sentiment echoed by WDSF Membership Commission Member and Chair of the Educational Commission at the Spanish DanceSport Federation Valeri Ivanov, who provided valuable daily support to Nifontov and his team, in particular with the tricky business of scheduling.
“Sergey and his team did a really, really great job for the Federation, and to continue DanceSport in Spain was very important for us,” said Ivanov, who is also the organiser of one of Spain’s longest-running competitions, the DanceSport Cup. “The most important thing is that it showed that it is possible to organise competitions in this situation. And the competition was perfect, with very strict protocols, including how people got in how they got out, each block by age, everything was very well organised.”
The competition included national championships in Standard, 10 Dance, and Breaking (Mini Kids, Kids and Junior), the Spanish Cup in Latin, and regional championships in Standard and Latin. In addition, national competitions were held in Standard, Latin, Caribbean, Single and Choreographic dances.
With over 1,300 dancers competing, ensuring a smooth flow of people in and out of the two halls was crucial for the safety and well-being of the participants. It required a little bit of scheduling magic from Ivanov to pull off.
“What Valeri did with the timetable and the schedule of the event was very special,” said Nifontov. “We tried our best not to not mix people, so Valeri divided everything into groups. There was a senior three group, for example, and a senior four group, etc., all starting and stopping at different times, with each group leaving the halls before the next group arrived.”
The competition was attended by Jose Luis Berenguer, a representative of the city hall of Alicante, as well as President of the Spanish DanceSport Federation Luis Vaño.
“It was really great that the Federation could continue with our sports calendar,” said President Vaño. “The Federation has already hosted some small national competitions since the II Alicante DanceSport Challenge and we have more planned until the end of 2020. It is important because the dancers need to dance and the competitors need to compete. Our events help to keep them motivated and wanting to work harder.”
The next major DanceSport event on the Spanish sports calendar will be the national championships for multiple disciplines from 6-9 December in Guadalajara, outside of Madrid. The event was originally supposed to be a WDSF-sanctioned World Championship for Latin but was cancelled due to the pandemic. As a Plan B, the FEDB decided to host an event for Spanish dancers instead. A Plan C has also been considered, should COVID-19 restrictions force a move of venues.
The Federation has been keeping itself busy off the dancefloor throughout the pandemic as well. Activities include a weekly online programme that features interviews with dancers and trainers, over half a dozen online competitions, and an online training camp where the Federation gathered around 40 teachers to give free lectures.
The FEDB also managed to hold its General Assembly in person in Zaragoza earlier this year, where elections for president and other posts were held and regulations updated.
The flexibility, ingenuity and tenacity shown by the Federation this year are exemplary, and according to Ivanov, everything has been done out of love for the dancers.
“Not every dancer is ready to return to competition, and we respect that. But for those who have come back they have proven that they are ready and can dance under these conditions. I think it is really important and has set an example that we can continue in the new reality. It’s really important for our sport not to stop,” said Ivanov.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will soon make its official decision on whether or not Breaking will be added to the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
As the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) looks ahead to Breaking’s future, we also thought it would be a good time to reflect on the past, in particular to Breaking’s Olympic debut at the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Buenos Aires in 2018.
And who better to speak with on the subject than YOG gold medallist Sergei Chernyshev, aka b-boy Bumblebee?
The 20-year-old native of Voronezh, Russia reached the podium twice at the Urban Park in Buenos Aires, first after beating b-boy Martin of France in the final of the 1vs1 battles, and later when he claimed bronze with b-girl Ella of Austria in the Bonnie & Clyde event.
Like father, like son
Bumblebee says he has many fond memories from his three weeks in Argentina, but if he had to single out one in particular, bringing home gold for his father would be at the top of the list.
Sergei Sr. was one of the first breakers in Voronezh, and his son followed in his footsteps at the age of 9 when he first started working on his moves. His parents still run a dance studio in the city.
“My father left the park after quarterfinals – he wanted me to concentrate, not be distracted by him, feel less pressure,” Bumblebee says. “We only met again after the final. So that moment meeting up is probably the most memorable. He left, he trusted me, and I didn’t disappoint.
“When I saw him, you know, it was a similar feeling to when you give someone a cool gift that you have been preparing for a long time. At the same time, I understood that we prepared everything together, and I simply completed the final part. Everything worked out.”
The Youth Olympic Games are often billed as the ultimate multi-sports event for young athletes, but they are about much more than just competing. They are also about learning important skills, connecting to other cultures and celebrating the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.
Fast friends
Bumblebee certainly seemed to take all of that to heart while in Buenos Aires. Rather than fly directly home after the YOG had ended, he remained in Argentina so he could compete at a Latin American championship with his new Argentine friend, b-boy Fabez. The duo took part in the 2vs2 battles at the event and were eventually crowned champions. [Watch footage of the pair in action here.]
“I met local b-boy Fabez at the Games,” Bumblebee says. “He was there as staff and accompanied us to training, prepared a gym for us. We got along from the first meeting. He supported me a lot during the days of competition, and his support really gave me energy. I’m not sure why, he just somehow knew what was needed to say.”
The two cemented their friendship during the 2vs2 battles and remain close to this day.
“After our victory, he was invited to Europe and travelled abroad for the first time,” says Bumblebee. “He was on the road for about a year in total and even got to Russia, to Voronezh, where he stayed with us for 10 days in the summer of 2019. Then he travelled from Austria to Budapest to support me at the World Urban Games. And we still communicate to this day. He really became a good friend.”
Having won two medals at the YOG, Bumblebee quickly became the talk of the town in Buenos Aires as well as a darling of the Olympic Channel. The Channel was so impressed with his star potential that they invited him to the Olympic Capital of Lausanne, Switzerland, to work in front of the camera during the Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020. While at the winter YOG, Bumblebee met and interviewed a wide variety of people, from athletes to IOC Members, including Russian pole-vaulting queen Yelena Isinbaeva.
A video of Bumblebee even went viral during the YOG, helping him receive mentions in such mainstream media outlets as Sports Illustrated and The New York Times.
The only constant is change
Like a number of his peers from the YOG, Bumblebee saw his schedule become busier and busier following Buenos Aires.
“Life has changed. It has become more intense. I travel more often, work, and train hard,” he says, adding that Breaking itself has also been evolving.
“Breaking …. now also has a sporting path. Many people, in fact, worried in vain that sports would eat up the cultural component of the art form but everything remains, everything works harmoniously together,” he says. “The prize money has grown, the budgets of the festivals have grown. In general, the demand for Breaking is growing, so the dancers have more commercial opportunities as well.
“For me, I try to find a balance in all this: in sports, and in what came before it. And I can tell you that it works. So there have been changes both for me and for the whole direction, and more of them will happen closer to 2024, when Breaking becomes even more popular.”
The Executive Board of the IOC is set to make its final decision on whether to include Breaking (along with Skateboarding, Sport Climbing and Surfing) on the sports programme for Paris 2024 at its next meeting on 9-10 December.
Lemons into lemonade
Bumblebee is confident Breaking will make the grade next month and considers it to be a “cool” development. But of more immediate concern is simply to get back into competition after a year of postponements and cancellations. While online battles have sustained Breaking’s momentum during the pandemic, Bumblebee admits to not being a fan of the virtual format.
“In the summer we had a couple of real – not online but offline – battles in Russia, one of which was the Yalta Summer Jam (where I came in second),” he says. “They were breaths of fresh air. And in September and October we also had the Russian Championship and the Open Breaking Championship.”
But for the time being his calendar is fairly empty for the rest of the year, a development he accepts quite pragmatically. In fact, it seems that Bumblebee has adopted a when-life-gives-you-lemons-make-lemonade approach to all the downtime, taking the time, for example, to learn to drive, obtain his driver’s license and study English.
“The whole world has stopped,” Bumblebee says. “But in terms of Breaking, I actually see a plus in this. We need to pause sometimes so that we can stop and rethink everything. This is useful. After pauses, development accelerates. So I took the lockdown fine. I had the opportunity to train, I went to my parents' studio alone and did it. This training also had a beneficial effect on me.”
We sincerely thank you for your patience and understanding during this very difficult time. Throughout this health crisis, WDSF has been working on developing opportunities to support all DanceSport disciplines in the years to come.
As you know, the competitive activity of the WDSF continues to be temporarily blocked due to the Global Coronavirus pandemic.
WDSF is closely monitoring the situation and will inform you about the relaunch of competition activity through its official channels including the WDSF website and competition calendar.
We remind you that your Athletes License is valid for 12 months from the date of the last payment. Thus, you will only need to re-activate (to pay for) your license shortly before you decide to take part in the WDSF competitions, which we all hope will be possible in the near future. During this period, the status of your license will be indicated as “ NOT ACTIVE” in the WDSF database.
Please note that the World Ranking is currently paused and having your license as “NOT ACTIVE” will NOT affect your ranking during this exceptional period. Please make sure you re-activate your license once we start the World Ranking again. This will ensure that you will remain in the ranking list.
The Spanish DanceSport Federation (FEDB) appears to be operating under the old adage “When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile.”
The pandemic has slowed progress in the country to be sure, but it has only strengthened the resolve of those in charge of DanceSport in Spain.
From 9-12 October, for example, the National Member Body (NMB) successfully hosted the II Alicante DanceSport Challenge, featuring 1,331 dancers of all ages competing in Standard, Latin, Caribbean, Breaking and other disciplines.
It was a tall order, especially with COVID-19 restrictions and protocols that amounted to no fewer than 30 pages per event hall.
“Initially we were going to organize the event in one building but under the regulations at the time, we were only allowed to have 400 people – that means the participants, officials, public and staff. So we asked for another building just 100 meters away,” said Sergey Nifontov, who oversaw the organisation of the event, which included three national championships.
The rules required that all participants wore masks, while gloves were also mandatory for all event staff. Four personnel were tasked with constantly disinfecting and cleaning the two halls, including the dressing rooms and bathrooms.
Nifontov and his team were even obliged to do a head count every 15 minutes to ensure the numbers stayed under 400 throughout the four days of competition.
“From a coordinator’s viewpoint, it was hard work, but we showed that it was possible,” said Alicante DanceSport Challenge Coordinator Diana Simarro, who said the head count peaked at 369.
“It was a bit more difficult logistically than normal,” continued Nifontov. “But in the end, for us to give hope to the dancers, and especially the parents who came with their children, it was really important.”
That was a sentiment echoed by WDSF Membership Commission Member and Chair of the Educational Commission at the Spanish DanceSport Federation Valeri Ivanov, who provided valuable daily support to Nifontov and his team, in particular with the tricky business of scheduling.
“Sergey and his team did a really, really great job for the Federation, and to continue DanceSport in Spain was very important for us,” said Ivanov, who is also the organiser of one of Spain’s longest-running competitions, the DanceSport Cup. “The most important thing is that it showed that it is possible to organise competitions in this situation. And the competition was perfect, with very strict protocols, including how people got in how they got out, each block by age, everything was very well organised.”
The competition included national championships in Standard, 10 Dance, and Breaking (Mini Kids, Kids and Junior), the Spanish Cup in Latin, and regional championships in Standard and Latin. In addition, national competitions were held in Standard, Latin, Caribbean, Single and Choreographic dances.
With over 1,300 dancers competing, ensuring a smooth flow of people in and out of the two halls was crucial for the safety and well-being of the participants. It required a little bit of scheduling magic from Ivanov to pull off.
“What Valeri did with the timetable and the schedule of the event was very special,” said Nifontov. “We tried our best not to not mix people, so Valeri divided everything into groups. There was a senior three group, for example, and a senior four group, etc., all starting and stopping at different times, with each group leaving the halls before the next group arrived.”
The competition was attended by Jose Luis Berenguer, a representative of the city hall of Alicante, as well as President of the Spanish DanceSport Federation Luis Vaño.
“It was really great that the Federation could continue with our sports calendar,” said President Vaño. “The Federation has already hosted some small national competitions since the II Alicante DanceSport Challenge and we have more planned until the end of 2020. It is important because the dancers need to dance and the competitors need to compete. Our events help to keep them motivated and wanting to work harder.”
The next major DanceSport event on the Spanish sports calendar will be the national championships for multiple disciplines from 6-9 December in Guadalajara, outside of Madrid. The event was originally supposed to be a WDSF-sanctioned World Championship for Latin but was cancelled due to the pandemic. As a Plan B, the FEDB decided to host an event for Spanish dancers instead. A Plan C has also been considered, should COVID-19 restrictions force a move of venues.
The Federation has been keeping itself busy off the dancefloor throughout the pandemic as well. Activities include a weekly online programme that features interviews with dancers and trainers, over half a dozen online competitions, and an online training camp where the Federation gathered around 40 teachers to give free lectures.
The FEDB also managed to hold its General Assembly in person in Zaragoza earlier this year, where elections for president and other posts were held and regulations updated.
The flexibility, ingenuity and tenacity shown by the Federation this year are exemplary, and according to Ivanov, everything has been done out of love for the dancers.
“Not every dancer is ready to return to competition, and we respect that. But for those who have come back they have proven that they are ready and can dance under these conditions. I think it is really important and has set an example that we can continue in the new reality. It’s really important for our sport not to stop,” said Ivanov.
