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59th
Annual General Meeting
The
59th Annual Meeting of the ISTD was held
at ISTD HQ on Thursday 8th July 2004 at
3.30pm
Madam
President, Life President, Presidential
Officers, Members of Council and all members
of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing,
may I welcome you all here to Headquarters
for our 59th Annual General Meeting.
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Sadly,
over recent months we have seen the passing of
some of our most dedicated people, Vice President
Joyce Percy, Grand Council members Doreen Bird
and Audrey Bambra and our thoughts also go to
one of our Presidential Officers, Mr Bill Irvine
for the loss of his beloved wife Bobbie just a
few weeks ago.
To
those so close and other members dearly departed
I ask you to stand in a moment of silence to honour
their memory.
Thank
you very much.
This
is a very special AGM as it is taking place in
the centenary year of our world-renowned organisation.
The achievements of the ISTD and the dedication
of its membership and staff have been truly outstanding
over those 100 years of Dance.
Our
recently commissioned Centenary book has documented
an unparalleled account of our wonderful history,
it makes fascinating reading and well I’m
sure be reflected upon in future years for its
very valuable content.
It
was with a great deal of surprise that I found
my very own Bronze medal report form appearing
on page 41 of our Centenary publication, as colleagues
have mentioned to me, it does make encouraging
reading for any aspiring leader of this or any
other organisation.
My
thanks must go to the Marketing and Publicity
department, who created and orchestrated the entire
project.
Our
QCA government accreditation and the support of
all aspects of our membership have been high on
the agenda leading up to our Centenary year.
It
has not been an easy task for any of our membership
or management team meeting the demands set by
the QCA, but meet them we must. The ISTD and like-minded
organisations are now placed in a position to
ask a question of the whole dancing fraternity
as to what kind of examination structure shall
be required in the future. Equally it must be
the responsibility of all dance teachers to provide
the best environment for pupils to develop and
attain the success that is demanded by the accountable
world in which we live today. We suggest nothing
less will suffice in future years.
The
Headquarters, staff and Management team, under
the guidance of our Chief Executive, Mr Michael
Browne, have once again helped to channel all
the efforts of our committees in a most successful
and productive direction.
Our Finance and General Purposes Committee, under
the Chairmanship of Mr John Cook, has guided the
Society to yet another sound financial position
and my thanks must go to all concerned.
All
Society events held throughout the year have continued
to flourish and increased numbers have participated.
Our
Examination sessions in the UK and Abroad have
increased over the past few years to a recent
record high. Opportunities for new examiners are
there; just recently we have appointed our first
full-time examiner from the Theatre Faculties
Board, Miss Heather Fish.
Our
Centenary Dinner Dance was a tremendous success;
the very enthusiastic audience witnessed two wonderful
demonstrations by world champions Christopher
Hawkins and Hazel Newberry and Brian Watson and
Carmen.
The
unique presentations of the ISTD Centenary Lifetime
Achievement Award to Dame Beryl Grey. Bill Irvine,
Joyce Percy and Peggy Spencer were truly memorable.
At
our last Administrative Council meeting on the
20th June, Mr Bill Irvine ended his three-year
period as our President and now moves to take
up a new position of Past President. I would like
to thank him most sincerely for performing his
duties so admirably throughout his term of office.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it now gives me great pleasure
to officially announce that Peggy Spencer is the
new President of the Imperial Society of Teachers
of Dancing and I would like to personally congratulate
her on her appointment.
We
also have two new Vice Presidents elected, the
first is Murielle Ashcroft, and the second Elizabeth
Romain, and my very best wishes go to both of
these very deserving ladies.
On
the International front, the S.A.R.S. epidemic
and the war in Iraq did affect our Asian continent
and Middle Eastern operations for a short time,
but I’m happy to report that they are all
on now firmly back on track.
Other
areas continue to be developed. Our progressive
examiner-training programmes will certainly have
the potential to cope with those ever emerging
markets.
The
British Council’s assistance in administering
our examinations throughout the world has been
generally disappointing; it is our intention in
the future to have greater control over the organisation
of overseas examinations.
The
official functions of our centenary year will
end with a much-anticipated Gala to be held on
Sunday, 26th September at the Sadler’s Wells
Theatre in London.
As
to the future, we at the ISTD look forward with
enthusiasm and relish the challenges that lie
ahead, however I do feel, Ladies and Gentlemen,
it is only fitting to conclude my address by looking
back at the ideals of our founder members, who
in 1904 gathered at the Hotel Cecil in the Strand
in London. Their outstanding concerns were raising
standards and the educational values of Dance.
Those
same ideals are as valuable today as they were
100 years ago and I am quite sure those original
200 members, and the many dedicated servants of
this Society who have followed, would be very
proud of the ISTD in which we serve today, and
the excellent reputation we have gained throughout
the Dancing World.
Thank
you very much.
Robert
Grover
Chairman, ISTD
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