I's Tuesday, 12th April. The telephone rings around 4 pm.
- "Hallo, it's Lodek Smirnow here. Are you sitting?"
- "No, but I'm doing it now. What's happened again?"
- "You are going to the European Amateur Championships. Siergiej is injured."
- "What? It's on this Saturday, 16th April."
- "Yes, exactly. So, get ready and go! Good luck!"
Easier
said than done! We have only Wednesday and Thursday to arrange everything: visas, hotels and transport ... .
We are leaving on Thursday afternoon. At 10 am we pick up our visas from the Danish Embassy, and at 4 pm Marta from school and we are on the way.
And so we went by car through half Europe to take part in the European Championships in Latin Dances.
After
a long journey, one night and adventures we got to Aarhus. We could feel the dance atmosphere
already in the Hotel Hellan lobby. We see Franco Formica sitting and next to him Oksana.
At the reception desk there is a long queue of aces: Di Filippo, Imrekov, Vescovo, Rossi, Kuznietsov.
You don't know who to look at. I'm standing and waiting for the room keys but Marta and Zora are already
exchanging hugs with their acqaintances. After a while, our Aneta and Derek come down the hall.
As usual, they are nice and smiling. They don't quite understand our presence here. They were expecting
Siergiej and Agnieszka, but they wish us luck.
We go down to the restaurant. Zora keeps stopping and talking to some people on the way. A handsome
blond guy walks by and with a nice smile on his face says "hallo" to us. I think that I don't know the man,
but in a moment I recognise him - it's simply Klaus Kongsdal, who is accompanied shortly by a tiny blond
girl in a sport suit not resembling the great lady from the floor - Victoria Franova.
In the corner behind us we see a wamp in a green peaked leather cup and similar jacket. For a moment
I try to recognise the language she speaks and because it isn't similar to anything my ear can distinguish
I reckon it's Hungarian and I immediately recognise Melinda Törökgyörgy.
(Don't ask me how to pronounce it. I believe, she herself may have problems with it.) And I was right.
In a moment Maurizio appears. From the opposite corner we can hear a melodic Italian conversation.
I can't resist looking there. And what do I see - a legend of Latin dances Serena Lecca and next to her
with a blond plead ... Alan Tornsberg. Both a bit aging but you can't see that from the distance.
There might be some kind of impressive show. I look into the programme and see "Show Chicago"
tomorrow evening. It's going to be a celebration.
After these social events and a few glasses of wine I decide to go to bed, as tomorrow is going to be full of excitement ...
It's
8:30. We rush to a light breakfast. All the famous dancers, and those less klown too, are without make-up
or hair-do. And now we have a problem with identifying them. All girls look 10 years younger,
5 kilos slimmer and the guys are much more handsome and normal. There will be a big transformation in two hours.
At 11:15 we leave for Arena hall, where the championships are going to take place. We are on time at the
reception desk, we're 'done', cheerful and smiling. Dancers are all transformed and they get on the coaches,
and so do we. I look at those two coaches and think to myself that inside there's quite a decent team;
absolutely the best dancers in Europe and I realise that every dancer's dream is to be inside this symbollic
coach. We sit there and come to the conclusion that being there and aged together less than some of the
dancers individually is a great reason to be proud and satisfied.
We
reach the beutiful Sport Centre Arena. Dancers leave to do rehearsals on the floor and we are off
to a refreshment bar where we could hear the familiar language of our brothers from across the Bug river.
There are a lot of countries represented by mixed nationality pairs and especially from eastern countries.
Finally at 1 pm the Championships start.
The ballroom is huge, but the qualification rounds are accompanied by little audience. Because our pairs
compete in further groups I have time to look around. I'm puzzled by the simplicity of decoration.
There are no flags, no IDSF mark and even no sign 'the European Champioships'. Organizers failed to give
significance to the event but the outstanding dancers around filled that gap.
There are no stars in the EC, so everybody dances from the very beginning. The first round passes
without any surprises. Our both couples qualify to the next round without the re-dance round.
Aneta had a black, tight dress without any frills. Derek was also dressed in black. They looked great
but in my opinion they danced the qualification below their standard. Marta presented her beauty in
a turquoise outfit which exhibited her legs very much. Zora danced in a black polo neck. Both pairs
looked brilliant.
In the evening gala we could only watch Aneta and Derek, as Marta and Zora finished their first Amateur
Championships on the 32 place - the same place they held in the IDSF ranking on the day of the Championships.
There were many more good pairs that finished their presentation in this round but had previous
achievements in IDSF tournaments and in England. I will mention just a few names: Vitalijs Polikarpovs/Agita
Baranovska from Latvia (24 in Blackpool 2003), Saulius Skambinas/Sandra Kniazeviciute from Lithuenia,
Jakub Davidek/Michaela Gatekova - the Czechs, Marek Dedik/Kristina Horvatova- Slovakia or Dima Nikolaev
from Belorussia and many more.
The
evening gala started with the presentation of 24 best pairs and giving them diplomas.
In the quterfinals pairs showed really high level of dancing, though there were a few absolute mistakes.
Looking at this small group we felt regret but generally our impressions were positive.
In this round Aneta with Derek really showed their abilities and got to the semifinals in a smashing way.
The
semifinal round was an outstanding event.
The golden dozen included:: Formica, Kongsdal, Stokkebroe, Vescovo, Kuznetsov, Imrekov, Kandelis, Plohl, Rossi, Di Filippo,
Smagin and Derek.
For me only four final pairs are clear, the remaining two places could have been awarded to each of the
other couples. My favourites are Kuznetsov and Smagin. We wait for the results.
W
In the meantime we exchange our opinions about the pairs. Everybody seems to be enchanted and
delighted with Peter Stokkebroe and Kristina Juel. This pair captured the hearts of the audience.
They are cheerful, outgoing, open for the audience and wonderfully dancing.Peter and Kristina enchanted
everybody that day. They have changed their image, dance, emotions so much that for me, and not only,
they were absolute winners of these Championships. Everybody was aware, however, it was impossible ...
They had so much glamour and charm that they overshadowed even great Franco, who hasn't overwhelmed me this time.
Aneta and Derek were 12. The semifinals were also the end for: Imrekov (Russia), Smagin (England),
Plohl (Slovenia), Kandelis (Lithuenia) and Rossi (Spain).
A
And here is the great final. On the dance floor we have Vescovo, Kongsdal, Formica, Stokkebroe
(at this point the audience explodes!), Kuznetsov and Di Filippo. Personally, I expected Smagin as they
had danced perfectly but apparently the judges had seen it in a different way.
The first three places are apparent. Franco is believed to win and the second place is going to be
a battle between two Danish couples. I wish Peter and Kristina took the silver medal because they have
desrved it. The remaining order may be arbitrary. In my opinion Kuznetsov gives the weakest performance,
though his family who are sitting next to us counts on a medal. I look at Di Filippo and Vescovo.
They are almost the same. In the Hungarian couple Melinda seems to be stronger and in the Italian pair
the male is dominating. The results - according to the latest IDSF trend - are not provided, so nothing
is known till the very end.
When we heard the last tunes of jive and the couples bowed to four parts of the world, the floor fell in
dusk and the show of a legendary pair Serena Lecca and Alan Tornsberg began. We witnessed a performance
to the music from "Chicago". The spectacle was beautiful and full of good dance, though the main actors
in comparison to the finalists seemed a bit archaic and as if 'dusty'...
Finally
the cermony of awarding the best. So, the sixth place goes to Kuznetsov (I was right), fifth to Di Filippo (Italian temerament has won!), fourth to Vescovo (good work from Melinda!), third Stokkebroe (what a pity!), second Kongsdal (not really!) and the first Formica (it has been apparent!).
When
the last tunes of the German anthem passed, the Centre became empty and the lights went out,
The European Championships in 2004 became a part of history. Now we look forward to the
World Championships 2004 in Liepsig. We will see who will represent Poland this time because,
as we can see, in our country one never knows... . One thing is certain though, despite all surprises
Zora and Marta won't go there because on that day they are dancing in the Youth World Championships i
n Barcelona. It will remain an unsolved puzzle why among 365 days in a year both Amateur and Youth
World Championships are set on the same day - 9th October... . But it was just a short remark to show
you that even the Big Boss IDSF is sometimes imperfect!
Beata Sztobryn
Warsaw, 17th April 2004.
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