DANCING SPORT

On September, 8th, 1997 in the world of dancing sports a significant event has happened. This day the international Olympic Committee (IOC) declared a full recognition of the International of Dancing Sports (IDSF) as "Recognized Federation" and the full member of the IOC. This recognition all over the world was considered as the main achievement of IDSF and in the whole dancing sports. It served also as the culmination of long history of development of sports dances, six-year persistent work of IDSF, huge efforts of National Federations, hundreds thousand of dancers all over the world.

Earlier this kind of sport took part from kind of an art. Today is already accepted to consider competitive ball dances as “an artistic kind of sports”. Why there is a possibility to count dance as sports? Because it demands from the dancer such qualities, which are peculiar to the majority of the "present" kinds of sports.

Physical strength. Ball dances by their intensity of supports and complexity of performances of elements may be compared with figure skating (many sheaves have come to dances on ice from usual dances).

Flexibility and coordination.These qualities are necessary for manoeuvring on a parquet floor and performance of figures and lines. Similar qualities are characteristic to such kinds of sports as diving, sailing races, surfing, basketball and even football, but to gymnastics are the closest.

Musicality.All participants of competitions on sports dances should demonstrate the understanding of music and rhythm in the same way as it demands in art gymnastics.

Fatigue resistance. The competitions on dancing sports are organized in several rounds-from preliminary to a semi-final and final. On each round the competitors should execute five two-minute dances. The investigations made in 1996 has shown that the degree of pressure of muscles and frequency of breath of the dancers, performed one two-minute dance corresponded to indicators for bicyclists, swimmers and sprinters (on the same period of time). The finalist of World Championship on 10 dances should perform 30 dances during the tournament.

Sprits of command and discipline. Dancing is a command kind of sports. The team may consist of one couple or 16 members (8 couples) in contests "Formation". The requirements to this discipline are 16 people, performing till 13 changes of dancing tempo, coordinating their position on parquet floor towards the other members of the team, in comparison with other kinds of sports are more exigent.

Grace and style.Like dances on ice and art gymnastics, the most important component of success is to be considered the smoothness of movements and attractive appearance.

However, different to the majority of kinds of sports, dances possess such peculiarities which allow considering them not only the kind of sports, but also a kind of art.

The motto "Citius, Altius, Fortius" - "Faster, higher, stronger" - apparently expresses the spirit of Olympic Games. However it does not cover all the aspects of Games today, neither it covered in IV-V B.C. This motto truly reflects the ancient spirit of competitiveness, but could not show the whole spectrum entering into Games. Obviously the competition is a characteristic feature of modern society not only on the sports arena, but in business and carrier as well. Therefore concepts of comparativeness and excellence of good and the best are familiar to everyone.

How much is applicable the Olympic motto to dancing sports nowadays? 10 years ago we were witnesses of the inclusion of dancing sports into Olympic family, as earlier then rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming. Thus, these kinds of sports were recognized to be corresponded to the Olympic ideas. They include unsurpassed skills and comprehension on the highest level. The sportsmen of the advanced level in any kind of sports treat to their business with full self-renunciation. All these kinds of sports are competitive and assume such degree of preparations of the participants, which guarantees the statute of the tournaments as sports events. However, none of the above mentioned kinds of sports do not correspond to the criteria "Faster, higher, stronger". Evidently, towards them such characteristics as "accurately", "gracefully" or "artistically" correspond.

Dancing sports is not a hobby, but a style of life. During serious lessons the head is always occupied by dances. Is not important; taking the dinner or travelling by bus-you always listen to the rhythm of music, count movements, think of new interesting ideas. And this cannot be different. The practical lessons pass very fast, - when you come to the lesson, training you should not think - you should know and perform.

Usually, the dancers have a strict timetable, which includes training (lessons and practical lessons) and the tournament schedule. Lessons in the majority of dancing studios are done daily-including the days off and holidays. The dancer himself decides how much he or she should exercise together or without any tutor.

The high results cannot be reached without doing nothing, for this you should work hard and the most important think and to search new original decisions.

No less important is to take part continiously in international tournaments. In order the couple not to be forgotten by judges, it should be always in the vision, take its place in ratings, in the list of results of the contest. The publicity is not the last part in its life, more over in such subjective kind of sports, like dances. The judges mark the couples being estimated by their own ideals in dancing, subjective appreciation.

Thus the first place may not be taken only by performing a good quantity of turns or tempo of movement.