Mi csak kérdezzük ezt, de mások már ezt kész tényként ki is jelentik. Mr. Anthony Hurley a WDSF DanceSport Academy Workshop The Development of the Viennese Waltz előadásának videófelvételéről egyenesen ezt állította: "Istenem, láttam a Bécsi keringő halálát a WDSF internetes oldalán".
A következő videón megnézhetjük a nagyon sokak által megdöbbenéssel és éles kritikával fogadott 'megújítási' törekvéseket.
Mr. Anthony Hurley kritikájában kiemeli többek között, hogy a standard társastáncoknak vannak olyan alap követelményei, amelyekből a pontozóbíróknak egyértelműen le kell tudnia mérnie a párok képességeit. Ezek pedig a swing, sway, rotation és musicality. Csak halkan említjük meg, hogy a híres zánkai versenyen az egyik pontozóbírótól azt a választ kaptuk hasonló téma eszmefuttatásán, hogy a standard táncok értékelésének nem a fent említettek a legfontosabb szempontjai, hanem az 'egységesség'. Mit mondjunk erre? Nem csak a Bécsi keringő, de a versenytánc is haldoklik! Egy másik kritikus lakonikus egyszerűséggel csak így fogalmazott: "Bill Irvine, Oliver Wessel-Therhorn és más jól képzett tanár sem gondolta volna soha, hogy van lehetőség a társastánc megsemmisítésére". Hát sajnos van. Nézzünk csak körül kis hazánkban, mi folyik itt társastánc címen?
A jó öreg Bécsi keringő 'továbbfejlesztését' hivatott kongresszus kritikáinak eredeti verziói a folytatásban olvashatók.
OH MY GOD I HAVE JUST WITNESSED THE DEATH OF THE VIENESSE WALTZ ON THE WDSF WEB SITE.
IT WAS PRESENTED AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE VIENESSE WALTZ. WHEN ONE CONSIDERS THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWING, SWINGING MOTION OF THE DANCE TO THE LILTING MUSIC, IT CONJURES UP SOFISTICATION, ELEGANCE AND SIMPLICITY OF CONSTRUCTION WITH... THE EXCEPTION OF THE FLECKERL THIS SIMPLICITY MAKES THE DANCE SO POPULAR WITH AUDIENCES AS THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE DANCE AND RELATE IT EASILY TO THE MUSIC. BECAUSE THE COUPLES ARE ALL DOING THE SAME REQUIREMENTS OF THE DANCE THE ADJUDICATOR CAN IMMEDIATELY SEE THE COUPLES ABILITY TO SHOW THE FUNDAMENTALS OF SWING, SWAY, ROTATION AND MUSICALITY, THERE ARE NO STATIC LINES TO CAMOUFLAGE THE FACT THEY CANNOT PRODUCE THE NECESSARY MERITS OF THE DANCE.
IT IS REFRESHING THAT COLLISIONS BETWEEN COUPLES IS RARE AS THEY ARE ALL TRAVELLING IN AN ANTI- CLOCKWISE DIRECTION AROUND THE FLOOR, A PLEASING BONUS.
THE PROPOSALS ON THE WDSF WEBSITE WERE PRESENTED IN STUTTGART BY TOP COMPETITIVE MEMBERS OF THIS ORGANISATION.
BRIEFLY THE FIGURES THAT WERE INTRODUCED AND DEMONSTRATED WERE;
THE LEFT WHISK, THROWAWAY OVERSWAY, RUDOLF FALLAWAY, RIGHT LUNGE, CHECKED NATURAL AND REVERSE, OUTSIDE SWIVEL TO PIVOT FROM PROMENADE, FORWARD AND BACKWARD RONDES, NATURAL PIVOTS WITH SWAY TO LEFT.
ALL BEAUTIFUL FIGURES THAT WE LOVE TO DANCE AND EXPECT TO SEE IN THE SLOW WALTZ EXCEPT SWAYING TO LEFT ON NATURAL PIVOTS, POOR GIRL.
THESE FIGURES HAVE ALSO FOUND THEIR WAY INTO THE SLOW FOXTROT TANGO AND QUICKSTEP, NOW WE HAVE THE SAME CHOREOGRAPHY IN ALL FIVE DANCES, WHERE WILL IT END.
PLEASE LET US KEEP THE IDENTIDY OF ONE OF OUR CLASSIC DANCES. PERHAPS IT IS TO ELEGANT IN ITS PRESENT FORM FOR OUR DANCE SPORT FANATICS
ANTHONY HURLEY.
With regard to the proposed changes in the Viennese Waltz which have been suggested by the amateur dance sport organisation (WDSF). I sit on the Ballroom Faculty of the ISTD, whilst our aim as committee members is to represent the interests of teachers of dancing throughout the world, the fundamental aim of the Ballroom faculty is to protect, nurture and develop the art of ballroom dancing and provide education to those teaching ballroom dancing.
The ISTD ballroom faculty are authors of the current ballroom technique, which is a development of the form of “Alex Moore Technique of Ballroom Dancing”.
Here a number of changes had to be made to reflect the current style of ballroom dancing. My colleagues on the faculty board are naturally experts in their field and are all forward thinking and open minded. One of our tasks is naturally the continuous updating and development of The Ballroom Technique.
Obviously ballroom dancing will change, we can already see significant changes, compare to ballroom dancing as it was in the sixties, seventies, eighties and nineties.
In any form of dance music sets the pace. For example a typical slow Waltz of today is very different to the music used in the late sixties and early seventies. Therefore, obviously the musical interpretation will change. This is already noticeable with Rumba, where the music was so influential in developing the style.
However, when developing the art of ballroom dancing there are certain structures and criteria which must be adhered to.
Firstly, the characteristic of the dance will always remain the same.
Even in a rapid changing dance as Rumba, the romantic characteristic has purely become sexy, however, the basic characteristic has remain unchanged.
Secondly, the structure of the dance.
Any developments within slow Waltz have been based on the diagonal Waltz.
In Slow Foxtrot the forwards und backwards curving action has not been lost, even in Tango the basic characteristic still remains.
Common figures.
Figures have been inter changed within dances, when the characteristic can be maintained and progression and interpretation enhanced, for example we will see a Foxtrot open turn turning to the right in Waltz and Quickstep to allow a more fluid movement.
An impetus can be used in the moving dances, however, figures which are against the characteristic of the dances would not be used . For example in Slow Foxtrot it would completely break the characteristic to dance a whisk and chasse.
Often developments in Viennese Waltz have been discussed, however its structure allows very little development if the characteristic is to be maintained and there is no change in the music.
The ISTD recently introduced American Smooth as an extension of the work of the Ballroom Faculty; however, this is used as a separate dance and will not take place on the same floor as an international competition in Viennese waltz.
Whilst any organisation aiming to make a positive contribution or development to the quality or awareness of ballroom dancing has my full support, the proposed developments suggested by WDSF simply do not seem to have been seriously through or made without appropriate technical expertise or have been completely misguided.
Having taken a selection of figures from Slow Waltz, Slow Foxtrot and American Smooth and combining them with Viennese Waltz they have actually structured a completely new dance in 3 timing. Naturally this could not be called Viennese Waltz, but could possibly be named Quick Waltz.
Their new dance may work if they find appropriate music which based on the mechanics of movements would need to be played at a tempo of ca. 45 bars per minute. Unfortunately most dance orchestras do not play this tempo. As the Slow Waltz is based on the diagonal Waltz and the Viennese Waltz on the Rotary Waltz there are naturally limitations.
Their proposal which looses the characteristic of Viennese Waltz is not based on natural movements and presents health and safety issues which should not be ignored.
The material which they present would make a very good show or exhibition when a couple are on a floor alone, but naturally could not seriously be performed on a competition floor. Already floor craft is sadly lacking from many couples, many lower grade competitors seem to be build without brakes or steering devices, to introduce a static figure such as the left whisk will cause absolutely chaos when danced on the same floor as other couples swinging round the floor at 60 bars per minute.
The WDSF has obviously not thought this one through, whilst a few top couples can perform this work and disguise the weaknesses, the majority of those attempting this work will be lower grade couples.
With couples stopping, posing, pivoting (without correct technique), or dancing continuity figures, not only will it look hectic, but the competition floor will be a dangerous place.
It appears the only people who benefit if these ridiculous changes are accepted will be doctors or those treating the resultant sprains, fractures and bruises etc.
Whilst change is good, it must be positive and for the benefit of those involved. In this case the dancer and dance in general. With such an absurd proposal it seems the IDSF despite their new name WDSF have embarrassed themselves yet again.
Is it possible to name just one dance expert in the world wwho knows what they are doing who would approve or even suggest changing the characteristic of one of the Ballroom Dances?
Bill Irvine, Oliver Wessel-Therhorn and any properly trained teacher would never dream of allowing the destruction of ballroom dancing!
Ian de Souza
