London, March, 2009

Children abused, shame on IDSF

If anybody can be called innocent, one obviously thinks of a child.
Who in his right mind could think of using children as tools to a political end?
Who in his right mind would justify such behaviour?
The answers to those questions are right in front of us!

Whatever the issues at heart, there is no excuse at all for involving children in the situation which occurs nowadays in our world of dance.
The IDSF in
Italy seems to think differently and does not have any reservation whatsoever to speak its mind on this, and in a way which is absolutely "out of order" in any civilized society.
Did their president not first reply to Karl Breuer in a racist way, speaking of "blond hair and blue eyes", clearly referring to the 2nd World War? Now he is accusing the whole of
Great Britain of being "imperialists" and Sandra Wilson of being a liar.
This in an official press release!

Once again IDSF, instead of even taking a respectable distance from his actions and his views on humanity, sends out a letter of full support!
This all under the banner of IOC and the national CONI. 
To be perfectly clear: this latest action of using children as human (not shields but) weapons is surely, like racism, repugnant.
Moreover, is it not true that for those children, juveniles and juniors, winning
Blackpool might only be a single opportunity this year? Because of the age-restrictions, next year may be too late for them and "dancing Blackpool" is no longer possible.
In the career of every dancer the Blackpool Dance Festival is a milestone memory. To block this opportunity of children, only there for one year , is not in the interest of dancing. Not at all.
It gets even more absurd if the reason posted is a "friendly teammatch". And that's what it is, nothing more, nothing less. Like all teammatches in Blackpool, whatever the qualities of the participants, it is nothing more than a friendly match between dancers, so organized that it is great entertainment for all. Of course winning is an honor, but participating in it is first priority. And doesn't that remind me of a great saying in sports??
"Not winning, but participating ...."

Many know that the arguments of IDSF are a ridiculous smokescreen.
This kind of action convinces me more and more that every dancer should be offered an alternative, safe from people such as racists (and IDSF it seems) who show again to have no consideration for the dancers, amateurs, professionals, the very young to the very old.
Blinded by their own targets (whatever they might be), abusing their position and membership of IOC and National Sports Federations, they indiscriminately ban, punish and block those who are just wishing to dance. The distance between them and reality is getting bigger every day. I can find no excuse for their latest action to involve children in this  adult conflict.

Being a parent myself, I would go all the way to fight this abuse if it were my child who was suddenly confronted with this action. I would no longer like to be associated in any way with an organisation which does this, nor with an organisation which supports this.
Any parent instinctively would defend his or her child against being abused (and that is what is done here and now). The same goes for those who allow this to happen because they are not directly involved but just sit and watch.
I can have no respect at all for an organisation which does not take offense: children should be left out of this completely.
I simply hope that all juvenile and junior competitors come and dance. I call to them. Do not allow anyone to rob you of your dreams. Dance in
Blackpool and I promise you that the WDC Amateur League will support you in every possible way to build up your careers and provide you with alternative, and indeed superior competitions that will welcome you as you are!

Free, young,innocent and simply wishing to dance!


Kindest regards,
Sammy Stopford.