History
The
easy going, vibrant energy that Latin rhythms inspire
make Latin American dance as popular today as when it
was first brought to this country in the 1930s. It was
a young man from the Basque region of France, Monsieur
Pierre, who introduced this style to the English Dance
scene. Pierre was an accomplished dancer and teacher,
with a special love and flair for Latin American dance.
Rumba, Samba, Paso Doble, Jive and Cha Cha Cha were
to become established favourites.
The
Latin American Faculty was formed in 1946 by Monsieur
Pierre, his partner Doris Lavelle, and colleague, Doris
Nichols. They were later joined by Gwenethe Walshe and
Dimitri Petrides. This small band of dedicated specialists
worked vigorously to establish an examination system
of set syllabus for both amateur and professional dancers.
A high standard of excellence in dance was set by these
founder members and continues to be nurtured and developed
by the present day committee of specialists who include
top competitive coaches, world renowned technicians
and choreographers, specialists in movement dynamics
and experts in current trends of leisure, medallist
and competitive dance.
Activities
The
Latin American Faculty offers dance and enjoyment to
all. The fun and liveliness of the dances hold a strong
appeal for people of all ages. Children as young as
three years old enjoy 'baby Samba' and 'cheerful Cha
Cha Cha'. As confidence, poise and strength of limbs
increases from dance, so do the number of dances in
which the boys and girls can participate. As for the
older teenager and young adult, Cha Cha Cha and Jive
are definitely the dances with street credibility. While
the classic Rumba, exciting Paso Doble and Rhythmic
Samba provide an irresistable challenge to the keen
dancer, adults of all ages find the activity of dance
relaxes the mind, uplifts spirits and invigorates the
body, making it an altogether great leisure activity.
There is something for everyone in the ISTD Medal system.
The taking of examinations is a good way of measuring
your improvement. This improvement is inevitable when
you train with a well qualified ISTD teacher. There
are badges to be won which are specially geared to the
under eights, social tests covering all the Latin dances
for all ages and then there are the Medal Grades - Bronze
through to Supreme Award.
For
medallists who enjoy the thrill of competing against
others of their grade, the ISTD run three major competitions
a year, plus smaller area competitions. This year there
will be the Grand Finals Day in November at the famous
Tower Ballroom in Blackpool. With the realisation that
activity is essential to a healthy lifestyle and maintenance
of a trim figure, and in the knowledge that the creativity
of dance stimulates the mind, sense and body, we can
appreciate the many benefits of dance. Dance is a wonderful
way of making friends and enjoying a social evening
in the warm and friendly atmosphere of your local dance
studio.
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