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When an Olympic athlete needs medicines 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009 - 09:29

THE ANTI-DOPING DIRECTOR

Issue: May 2009

When an athlete needs medicines …….

Besides the spirit of sport (no fraud, no cheating) one of the principles of anti-doping policies is to keep sport healthy. However anti-doping policies are not meant to abstain sick people from sport.

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Nashville Music Survey for Dancers
Thursday, May 14, 2009 - 09:25

Music Survey for Dancers

Barry and Dari Anne Amato are doing market research for some major record labels in Nashville to gather statistics from the line dance community. The label executives were surprised to find out that there is still a thriving line dance community. In their minds, country dance and line dance were something from the past.

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Love N' Dancing in theaters May 8, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009 - 13:21

Hi All,

I am so happy to announce that the Film I produced with Tom Malloy will be released in theaters May 8th in seven cities, San Antonio, Atlanta, San Diego, LA, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and Nashville. Our plan is to expand to more cites in weeks following the opening. This film focuses on West Coast Swing, but there are many, many UCWDC dancers in it, and there is even some Two Step!!!

read more

New, Free UCWDC® Syllabus Videos
Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 23:33
New, Free UCWDC® Syllabus Videos

The UCWDC® Directors and I are very proud to announce the creation of two (2) new, entry level divisions for Couples, ProAm and Line Dance and a complete, free, downloadable video teaching syllabus for all eight (8) Worlds Couples and ProAm dances. A UCWDC® Line Dance Video Dictionary of Steps and Choreographic Elements is also planned for release this year.

New 2009 UCWDC® Divisional Skill Level Structure
Line DanceCouplesProAm
AdvancedIAdvanced
IntermediateIIIntermediate
NoviceIIINovice
NewcomerIVNewcomer
Starter BVStarter B
Starter AVIStarter A

These new syllabi are intended to help all Country Western Dance enthusiasts, students and teachers learn to dance, or improve their skills in, and knowledge of all our Worlds dances. It is the first step in our Vision 2012 focused on turning all dance forms, including Line Dance and Country Western Dance into recognized Olympic Sports.

The entire UCWDC® is committed to helping every School, College and University around the world start or extend their physical education program by including Line Dance and Country Western Dance in their curricula by providing free video study aids as well as free dance instruction classes for their instructors.

I want to personally thank all those who made these videos possible. The three Masters Couples who volunteered to demonstrate the patterns for you: Rex & Rachel Jones, Albert & Antoinette Tailleur and Rowdy Dufrene & Maryanne Harvey. Those who helped create the syllabus: Jeff Bartholomew, Kathi Bittner, Sue Boyd, Mark Bradburn, Mona Brandt, Melissa Culbertson, Dave Getty, Kelly Gellette, Rachel Jones, Rex Jones, Judy McDonald, Clive Stevens, Brigitte Zerah and myself. The UCWDC® members who helped direct this video: Jeff Bartholomew (thanks for your advice, too!), Kathi Bittner, and Kelly Gellette. And Rex and Rachel Jones for their time, editing expertise, and hospitality. Rex edited this video for you on his computer; there was so much video he had to take everything else off to make it fit! Thanks, Rex!

Finally, I thank all the Rules Committee members for their continuing work: Sam Arvidson, Jeff Bartholomew, Kathi Bittner, Sue Boyd, Mona Brandt, Barry Durand, Dave Getty, Tony Lee, Judy McDonald, J.P. Oster, and Bill Robinson.

I hope you notice we’ve been paying attention to widely differing requests. We listen to each of you and carefully discuss each suggestion, continually working to improve our sport and attract new people to our Country Western dance family. We hope you’ll share this syllabus with friends who have never experienced Country Western Dance. Click on the link to the 2009 Rules Overview to see a list of rules changes and clarifications, and the syllabus outline.

Have a fabulous 2009 Dance Season, and, as always, have fun dancing!

Beth Emerson
UCWDC® Vice President, Rules

P.S. Click the link to download each syllabus. Be patient, they’re large files.

The UCWDC® owns and protects the copyrights to every pattern in the syllabus videos. However, anyone who acknowledges and credits the UCWDC® for their use, is welcome to download and use these materials free of charge in order to promote good, authentic American Style Country Western Dance and Line Dance around the world. Volunteers to help teach Educator Dance Classes at nearby schools are most welcome. Apply to the UCWDC® Office.

Wow! What a great Worlds!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009 - 16:56

Outstanding planning, organization, and execution! Fantastic event! Perfect venue! Everything ran on time! Lots of social dancing and parties on big dance floors! Exciting Parade of Contestants with eachmPoints Champion recognized by name! A great dance vacation! Family oriented fun for all at the Disney Parks and our resort swimming pools in the balmy, Orlando weather! Fireworks every night! Over 5,600 dance entries, the largest, modern Country Dance Worlds on Earth!

That was clearly the message we all heard, over and over again while we were all attending Worlds XVII© at the beautiful, Walt Disney World, Coronado Springs Resort®! Our deepest thanks to all of you who participated and contributed to the excitement and comradery that was 2009 Worlds XVII©, my last Worlds as President.

The competitors from six continents were each fantastic. It is each and every one of you, who spend your time, energy and money pursuing ever higher achievement, more elaborate choreography, and work toward more and more personal physical mobility and fluid movement on the dance floor who make all of this possible and worthwhile. Unlike any other art form, in the sport of dance, it is you who are the art! Each judge’s dedication to obtaining more and more knowledge and education in this art form and sport continues to be no less than awesome.

There are so many people to thank for this magnificent Worlds, I’d never get them all written down. So, rather than risk offending even one of you, I’ll defer to all. It takes an army of dedicated, seldom recognized and often overlooked volunteers, staffers and organizers to run an event of this magnitude. “Thank you,” to all of our leaders, planners, workers, staff members and volunteers each of whom worked endless hours cheerfully. If you helped, a lot, or even just a little, please accept my personal “Thank you” from the bottom of my heart for all your kind-hearted effort, thoughtful support and helping hands.

I heartily welcome Kathi Bittner, as President and Dave Getty, as VP Judge Certification and wish them each a great term in office. I also deeply thank Susan Boyd for twenty-continuous years of service as a UCWDC Officer, a record that will stand for many, many years. Job well done, Suzie!

Thank you all for your support and belief in the art forms and sports of Line Dance and Country Western Dance and the entire UCWDC program. I am genuinely looking forward to continuing my service to the dance community I love so much in my new role as UCWDC Olympic Competition Organizing Committee Chair. Thanks to the unflagging efforts of many, many people for nearly forty years, the World Games and the Summer Olympics are finally on our horizon.

Jeff Bartholomew


2009 Eligibility Credentials for Worlds XVIII© Nashville
Wednesday, January 21, 2009 - 16:50

Time flies and the UCWDC® is already starting our twenty-first year. People from all over the world are planning for this dance season and also for Worlds XVIII©, January 4-10, 2010 in Nashville. One thing everyone needs to plan ahead for is renewing your Associate Membership Number before you compete at any event you wish to count toward your Worlds XVIII© requirement. (n.b., This includes all Pros as well. Am’s, is your Pro up to date?)

Except for Country Club Challenge, Showtime, Newcomers, Couples Divisions VI, V and IV (who are still all required to be paid up members before competing at their last, Worlds Qualifying Event,) . . . any event you compete in before you pay your dues will not count as a Worlds pre-requisite, e.g., If you dance at a UCWDC event in April 2009, but do not pay your Associate Membership dues until May, the April event will not count toward Worlds XVIII©.

As you may already know, this has been a published rule in the UCWDC Rules Book for many, many years. But, now that we have a permanent member tracking system in place, this year the rule will be monitored very closely. If you find any discrepancy in your Points, Worlds Eligibility or Graduation records, please notify JP Oster, UCWDC Points Eligibility and Graduation Chair via eMail jposter@videotron.ca so he can review and update your records.

Fair is fair!

P.S. Each member, and Team or Troupe, is responsible for keeping their own membership record active and accurate. If your eMail address changes, you must immediately update your own profile or notify the Associate Membership Office; we will gladly do it for you. JLBartholomew@comcast.net
Tip - You can save money by joining or renewing for multiple years.


Dancers Eligibility for World and Olympic Games Participation
Wednesday, December 10, 2008 - 11:03
UCWDC Dancers Eligibility for World and Olympic Games Participation

With the blessing and support of incoming President, Kathi Bittner and the Officers of the UCWDC(R), a permanent UCWDC(R) Olympic Competition Organizing Committee was recently formed with Jeff Bartholomew as Chair.

After several years of work and negotiation by many people, in a ceremony concluded on December 7, 2008 at 12:15pm, Barcelona time, in the midst of the entire assemblage of the International DanceSport Federation's Youth Standard World Championships at the IDSF's 10th annual Spanish Open, Salou, Spain, the final contract binding together the IDSF with the UCWDC(R) as a permanent member, was executed by Carlos Freitag, IDSF President and Jeff Bartholomew, UCWDC(R) President/Olympic Competition Organizing Committee Chair.

In part that contract says,
"5.    UCWDC(R) recognizes IDSF as the sole worldwide representative of the sport of DanceSport.
6.    UCWDC(R) supports:
(a)   the Fundamental Principles and essential values of Olympism,
(b)   IDSF's aspirations that IDSF and IDSF's members be part of the Olympic movement,
(c)   IDSF's application to be included in the Programme of the Olympic Games ("Summer Olympic games"), and
(d)   the anti-doping movement, including but not limited to the work of the World Anti-Doping Association ("WADA")

7.  IDSF recognizes the UCWDC(R) as the sole worldwide representative of the sports of Country Western Dance and Line Dance and the UCWDC's right and obligation to govern and promulgate the rules and regulations of those sports."
The IDSF will form the World DanceSport Federation, WDSF, in 2012, again with the UCWDC(R) as a member.  As a result, qualified UCWDC Couples and Line Dancers, Teams and/or Troupes will have the right of full participation in the World Games in 2013.  The WDSF will serve as the UCWDC's dancers entry point for participation in future Olympic Summer Games.

This remarkable achievement of this lofty goal for the sports of Country Western Dance and Line Dance could not have been possible without the firm and steadfast support, gracious hospitality and selfless generosity of:
Carlos Freitag, IDSF President
Luis Vañó, IDSF Spain President,
Dr. Sebastián Sendrós, President of our UCWDC Member, The Catalan DanceSport Federation
Arturo Chao, Finance Minister, The Catalan DanceSport Federation
    and last, but by far not least,
Marti Prades and Fina Comas, UCWDC(R) Directors, Barcelona Stars Line, March 2009, Salou, Spain
We thank them all for their exciting vision of the future and their overwhelming, individual and combined confidence in the UCWDC(R) and it's current and future leaders.

I also offer a special, and personal thank you to Tony Lee for his help, insight and understanding of the history of Ballroom Dance and it's quest for Olympic participation.


With deep gratitude to all,
Jeff Bartholomew
UCWDC President and Olympic Competition Organizing Committee Chair

EUROPEAN GROWTH SPURT!
Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 16:24
EUROPEAN GROWTH SPURT!
New 2009 UCWDC Events bring even more excitement and energy to Europe.

UC Director's standing ovation welcomes new events in Amsterdam, Netherlands and Siracusa, Italy and salutes Barcelona Star's Line merge into the second annual Catalan DanceSport Federation Dance Olympiad in Spain.

The new Tulip Challenge was awarded 1st year Sanctioning at the UCWDC's annual fall meeting and received a standing ovation.  Well know Event Directors Daan Geelen, Michel Platje and Marlon Ronkes announced the inaugural event will be held at De Rijp Eilanden in Amsterdam, Holland, 20-22 March 2009 just weeks before the world famous Keukenhof Gardens Tulip Festival.

Next, Director Nick Vitale will welcome competitors, guests and celebrities at the debut of the Sicilian Western Dance Classic, at the beautiful Arenella Resort in historic Siracusa, Italy 27-29 March 2009.  This first ever Italian UCWDC event was awarded 1st year Sanctioning at this year's spring meeting.

Barcelona Star's Line, 1-3 May 2009, will become part of the Catalan DanceSport Federation's Dance Olympiad Spain possibly in sun drenched Mallorca, Spain.  Did someone say, "Olympics?"  Stay tuned.

Click on UCWDC Event Schedule to check for contact information and news about the entire worldwide UCWDC Event List which includes these great non-North American events:
Tulip Challenge, Amsterdam, Netherlands - March
Sicilian Western Dance Classic, Siracusa, Sicily, Italy - March
Norwegian Open, Ã…rnes, Norway, - April
Barcelona Star's Line, TBA - May
British Championship, Surrey, England - June
City of Light, Paris, France - July
Swedish Championships, Umeå, Sweden - (hiatus)
Scottish C/W Dance Gathering, Aberdeen, Scotland - August
Finnish C/W Dance Championships, Vora , Finland - (hiatus)
Shamrock Western Dance Classic, Bettystown, Co. Meath, Ireland -  September
Australian Indian Pacific Dance Challenge, Fremantle, Western Australia - September
Japan Country Dance Challenge, Kanagawa, Japan - October
European Cup Championship III - 2009 fall
Scandinavian Open, Skellefteå, Sweden - (hiatus)

UCWDC® 2008 POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP!
Monday, September 1, 2008 - 10:55

Ladies & Gentlemen, Start your Engines!

After several years of planning and hard work, here at last we have, LIVE on the Internet,
  

YOUR  POINTS RACE STANDINGS
for the
UCWDC® 2008 POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP! 
 
Plus our new added attraction, up to date
INDIVIDUAL WORLDS© ELIGIBILITY STANDINGS


We would like to thank all the UCWDC® Event Directors and Scoring Coordinators for sending in their formatted event results. 

All twenty-three (23) events held so far this year are in the database.  But stay tuned, there is much more to come each week as we receive more Points files…
We are very glad you are part of this exciting Race for the Top Points Winner in each Division! 

Plenty of events are still on the calendar, it's not too late for you to move up the ladder.
 
Go ahead, browse, sort…check out all the features of our interactive interface page.  Easy to use and LIVE !!!!
 
Browse The UCWDC® 2008 POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP and WORLDS© ELIGIBILITY STANDINGS to see if you have qualified yet for

WORLDS XVII© Disney World, Orlando in you favorite divisions.  Discover answers to your questions. 

Who else is dancing in my Division?  At what event did I earn my points?  How many more points do I need to win? …

Exciting and informative don't you think?
 
 
Disclaimer: The information included in this database is for consultation only, if any discrepancy is noted, please tell us about it. 

This database will not ever supersede the original event scoring documents. Our source of information is based on the results file we received from the event directors. 

 Note: Worlds Eligibility Standings for non-North American Events is currently under construction, please be patient.
 
Click here to see the RACE !
 
We welcome your comments:   
jp.oster@ucwdc.org

UCWDC® Event Director Jean Garr was in a terrible car crash, Tuesday, July 22
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 23:06

An unlicensed driver ran a red light, T-boned Jean and tore the entire front end off her car. Thankfully, Jean was wearing her seat belt and the air bag deployed completely. The belt and the bag caused severe soft tissue damage, but saved her skeleton and her life.

Jean is walking with a walker and very, very bruised and sore. She has been staying with her sister for the last week to be closer to the doctors, so she has not had access to a computer. However, she is moving back home tonight, Wednesday, July 30th. Her address is jg2dancer@earthlink.net if you wish to send a Get Well eMail.




1997 - 2007 United Country Western Dance Council ®