Saturday 26th July

Lindy Hop
Richard Marcel and Julie Oram

The first lecture given by Richard Marcel was on the Lindy Hop. This is a very attractive dance, using medium paced Swing music, a type of Line dance. Everyone enjoyed learning the Shim Sham Shimmy, a popular dance adopted from Tap dancing. Very well taught by Julie Oram.

Lindy Hop, Richard Marcel and Julie Oram

Saturday Night Social Dances
Rachel Wadey

Next we had Rachel Wadey, looking very elegant, and with her partner Colin Piper giving us some Saturday night Social Dances. First a lovely Sequence dance, the Queen of Hearts Rumba. This dance would also be useful in any Latin class. Then a lively dance, the Safari Swing. This would make any party go with a swing.

Saturday Night Social Dances, Rachel Wadey

Free Styling
Paul Streatfield

Paul Streatfield was assisted by Vanessa Gover and two dances were shown, a medium tempo and a slow tempo. They were danced with an easy relaxed style, with a soft, natural use of body and arms. This could be a welcome trend for Disco/Freestyle. Paul also gave a choice of various arm actions.

Free Styling, Paul Streatfield assisted by Vanessa Gover

Old Time: From Medallist to Champion
Craig Bedwell and Angela Painting

Craig Bedwell and Angela Painting gave us a very interesting lecture. Beautifully demonstrated dancing, and many important points were shown by Angela, with delightful poise and style. As with all Champions it was the attention given to details of action and the depth of thought that gave this lecture its impact.

Rock 'n' Roll
Pat Lait

This lecture was a real hit with me and many of the teachers present. Shown with the original authentic styling, very natural dancing with the emphasis on rhythm. Very well taught by Pat Lait and well danced by Bruce Lait and Crystal Main. We all enjoyed dancing to Elvis!

Rock 'n' Roll, Pat Lait danced by Bruce Lait and Crystal Main

Country Connection
Margaret Banks

Wings of an Angel was a lovely soft Waltz with very nice movements, looking equally good as Man or Lady. Next a partner Circle dance, Little Chapel, mostly danced with sweetheart hold. A very good 'swing' feeling. Clearly explained and taught by Margaret and presented by a smart team of her dancers.

Country Connection, Margaret Banks

Sunday 27th July

Salsa
Richard Marcel

To start the day what better than Richard, partnered by Caroline Rice, bringing everyone on to the floor for Salsa. Some very interesting moves taught clearly and with enthusiasm by Richard.

Argentine Tango
Ralf Schiller and Kele Baker

Next, a great contrast, the appealing music, style and actions of the Argentine Tango. Ralf was partnered by Gillian Cook and we all thoroughly enjoyed their demonstration. A very authentic look and beautifully taught as usual by Ralf.

Argentine Tango, Ralf Schiller and Kele Baker

Lady in a Leading Role
Margaret Preedy

Margaret was welcomed onto the floor to give the first Modern Ballroom lecture of the day. Obviously and extremely experienced teacher with a wealth of knowledge, she made this half hour slot simply evaporate away. With the help of an enthusiastic class, she emphasised the importance of correct technique, paying particular attention to foot/body alignments, controlling lowering actions and the connections of the 'leader's' right side with partner. Margaret then went on to explain how important it is for a female teacher to be able to switch, both mentally and physically, from one role to another.

This she demonstrated beautifully with the help of Mark Willemite, who also proved that he was equally 'finely tuned', changing roles with considerable ease.

A Star in the Making: Paso Doble and Cha Cha Cha
John Byrnes

John and his partner Jane Lyttleton Byrnes produced an excellent teachable Paso Doble group and showed with use of shape in the body and artistic arms how good syllabus figures can look. A lively Cha Cha Cha using a Natural Top and Cuban Rocks, both groups useful for Gold Star work. Good teaching hints.

A Star in the Making: Paso Doble and Cha Cha Cha, John Byrnes

Grade 1 Examination
Marion Lane

Marion gave a very informative lecture, clear and detailed, on the Grade 1 examination. This new exciting examination will be available from 1st January 2004. Terry Collard, a 10 year old pupil of Marion's and Alexa Hilton from Margaret Preedy's School, beautifully demonstrated warm up exercises and preparatory dance exercises for the set dances, Latin American, Rumba and Jive, and Ballroom, Waltz and Quickstep. The audience were quiet and enthralled, taking in all the information.

Easy Variations: Waltz and Tango
Diana Hearn

Thinking of something new is often tricky - also having to make it easy to dance simply adds to that challenge! However, Diana never ceases to impress in the way that she always comes up with a new magic recipe. Teaching her Tango group first, followed by the Waltz, she gave really excellent guidance as to how to achieve the most out of each variation, offering many useful tips with regard to positioning, timing etc. Both amalgamations were superbly demonstrated by Anton du Beke and Erin Boag in a very professional manner. All in all, a first class lecture for a dedicated and gifted teacher.

Anton du Beke and Erin Boag assisting Diana Hearn's lecture, Easy Variations: Waltz and Tango

Gold Dust for your Class: Rumba and Jive
Alison Lacey

Alison's first lecture for the ISTD was well presented, showing excellent teaching methods using a clear voice. The groups in Rumba and Jive were well constructed and superbly danced with very good use of arms. Thomas Smith ably assisted her.

Gold Dust for your Class: Rumba and Jive, Alison Lacey assisted by Thomas Smith

Masterclass
Margaret Redmond

One would probably consider it an impossible task to conduct a Masterclass within half an hour. Although a very short period of time, Margaret packed so much into her lecture that it could easily have spanned the whole day! She described so clearly some of her priorities when teaching: the need for good posture, combining muscular control through the back and shoulders. How when taking up dance hold we should work from 'inside to outside' and give more consideration to the fact that the hold is based on many triangular shapes. With the help of newly turned professionals, Ronald Jager and Jenny Sheeran, Margaret also explained how she tries to develop a slower closing action on beat 3 of the music in Waltz, thus preventing the rise being completed too soon. Moving onto Tango, Margaret taught a short amalgamation, consisting of a Contra Check, Right Lunge, Telespin and Five Step. Many of the lady dancers taking part looked slightly anxious when their partners were asked to release hold (ladies maintaining the Contra Check hold), and circle around them - it was a good test of individual balance and control! An excellent lecture offering much food for thought.

Masterclass, Margaret Redmond assisted by Ronald Jager and Jenny Sheeran

Competitive Styling
Mark Robertson and Luani Fanni

Mark and Luani showed us how good a routine of syllabus figures in Rumba can look. The audience then participated and even changed partners. Mark explained how a 'courtship' is needed between the couple, also by delaying the action speed of turn is increased. It looks easy, but it is not!

Competitive Styling, Mark Robertson & Luani Fanni

Fun Dance for Kids
Nicky Miles

Although entitled Fun Dance for Kids, Nicky's lecture certainly proved most captivating entertainment for all of us 'grown up' kids in the audience. We were treated to a mini time warp production of the Sound of Music, from which Nicky, with the help of a much aged and heavily disguised Mark Willemite, Liz Young (also in disguise as a brown paper package, tied up with string), and his Von Trapp family, transported up from the 1960's to the present day. It wasn't long before everyone was on the floor enjoying his adaptation of the Viennese Wing to the recent chart track, Favourite Things by Big Brovaz. An excellent, almost instantaneous to learn, fun dance with the added benefit of being suitable for solo or couple dancers. Nicky has certainly set a standard which even he will find difficult to surpass!

Fun Dance for Kids, Nicky Miles, assisted by Liz Young

Monday 28th July

FUNdamentals for Kids
Johnathan Reed

A wonderful start to Monday. Johnathan gave us an entertaining lecture assisted by six of his children from the Star Dance posse. Using excellent teaching ideas he showed the children clapping to music, exercising arms with chiffon scarves and generally having fun. Johnathan has the ability to think like a child, which can be invaluable when dealing with them. It was good to see children looking like children.

FUNdamentals for Kids, Johnathan Reed, with some of his pupils

Easy Variations: Waltz
Samantha Harris

In her first lecture for the Imperial Society, Samantha Harris presented an easy variation for classwork in the Waltz, a beautiful presentation, with her partner, Thomas Persson, that will surely be of great use to the members.

Easy Variations: Quickstep
Robert Singer

This was followed by a Quickstep group by Robert Singer, partnered by Suzanne White - another 'first time' lecturer - who had great control of the crowd, whilst teaching this free-flowing, lively and challenging variation.

Cha Cha Cha Update
Lorna Lee

Lorna, as usual, treated us to a very professional, positive and informative lecture: Updating the Cha Cha Cha. She said that she was disappointed that the new technique was not always applied in a practical way with Medallists and Medallist competitors - the 'Peddling Action' had not disappeared. She showed the various Chasses, e.g. Split Cuban Break Chasses that can replace compact Chasses. She stressed that people should work to avoid ugly leg lines.

'Gold' that Sparkles: Cha Cha Cha and Jive
Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace

One of my favourite lectures of the weekend. Variations clearly and precisely taught with good humour. Good Cha Cha Cha, tricky timing, but Flavia showed a slower alternative. Snappy Jive, should be fun to teach in a class trying to avoid broken arms! They received a terrific ovation from the audience. As Lorna said, 'absolutely fabulous'.

'Gold' that Sparkles: Cha Cha Cha and Jive, Vincent Simone & Flavia Cacace

New Professional Examinations
Anne Lingard

During the final day of Congress, the ISTD were delighted that Anne Lingard was able to present to the members the outline of the syllabus of its new professional qualifications, which are due to commence on 1st January 2004. The recent government accreditation through QCA of the ISTD examinations and procedures has now been successfully completed and provides their teachers with the facility to hold qualifications that will stand alongside all sectors in the future.

Social Sequence
Jill Bush

Jill was assisted by Mark Willemite and first showed us the Social Samba. A very lively Samba, with danceable movements which everyone enjoyed. To follow was a very good arrangement of Waltz figures in the Candleglow Waltz, a winning dance for Jill at the British Dance Council in May 1988. Stylish dancing by Jill and Mark, Jill teaching with her usual mix of authority and charm.

Social Sequence, Jill Bush assisted by Mark Willemite

Modern Trends in Latin
Michael Stylianos

A genius at work! In half an hour Michael gave so many up-to-date developments in Cha Cha Cha, Rumba and Jive. Samantha Harris partnered him brilliantly, not knowing quite what to expect from him. As Lorna summed up, 'he is never lost for material'. We are so lucky to have characters like Michael in our Society.

Modern Trends in Latin, Michael Stylianos partnered by Samantha Harris

Easy Variations: Slow Foxtrot and Quickstep
Richard Miles

Finally, Easy Variations in Slow Foxtrot and Quickstep were presented by Richard Miles and his charming partner. Both groups were well constructed using basic figures and were equally suitable for classwork and Medallists. Expertly taught by Richard, in a relaxed manner and most enjoyed by this knowledgeable audience.

A Star is Born: Rumba and Samba
Lorraine Kuznik

Last, but not least, were two very teachable variations by Lorraine, assisted by Neil Dewar, in Samba and Rumba. Good use of basic figures showing interesting developments. Very clearly and confidently taught.

A Star is Born: Rumba and Samba Lorraine Kuznik assisted by Neil Dewar

All in all, a wonderful Worthing Congress - roll on 2004!

Ballroom report: Barbara Grover and Jill Bush
Latin report: Paula Goodyear
Alternative Rhythms, DFR and Sequence report: Marion Brown
All photographs: Ron Self

Buffet Dance

It's Sunday night and time for the Buffet Dance at the Assembly Hall in Worthing. Surprisingly the weather had not been up to its usual high standards and this year we had actually experienced torrential downpours rather than the usual sunshine we are accustomed to in Worthing.

Upon arriving at the Assembly Hall, for those who have attended the Congress during the day, it is great to see how the staff have transformed the hall from a space used for the dance lectures to one that can be used for the Buffet Dance. Prior to the buffet commencing guests had the opportunity to mingle at the bar and reflect on the Congress so far.

Cabaret by Craig Bedwell & Angela Painting

The Buffet Dance gives everyone the opportunity to dine and dance the night away under the inimitable guidance of DJ and compere Nicky Miles. Guests were also treated to a wonderful Sequence Dance demonstration by Craig Bedwell and Angela Painting. Their performance was warmly received by an appreciative audience. The Buffet Dance also provides an opportunity to raise funds for the ISTD Benevolent Fund through an end of evening raffle. Nicky Miles and his helpers ensured that if you were not fortunate enough to win one of the wonderful prizes you could still enjoy the experience!

Jon Singleton
Head of Marketing & Publicity

See you next year!
Saturday 24th, Sunday 25th & Monday 26th July 2004
Assembly Hall, Worthing, West Sussex