C`ship Attracts Dancers, Dollars to Lombok

Trisha Sertori, Contributor, Mataram, Lombok

A host of dance sport world champions from Iceland, Poland, Russia and Ukraine led the vote in Sunday`s inaugural Lombok International Dance Sport Championships 2007, held in the Grand Ballroom at Mataram`s Lombok Raya Hotel.

The international dancers brought a touch of magic to ballroom and Latin dance, at the same time giving local dancers an opportunity to witness just how this sport is really done.

Opened by Muhammad Nur, head of the Lombok and West Nusa Tenggara regional culture and tourism office, the first international dance sport championships in Lombok marks a major annual boost to the island`s tourism sector -- and Indonesia`s place in the dance sport world.

Winners of the ballroom dance category in the championships were the 17-year-old Ukraine youth champion couple, Denys Samson and Veronica Prybok, who were as Prince Charming and Cinderella as they glided across the floor.

The Latin dance winners were the extraordinary Russian professionals, Evgeny Ryupin and Yana Pokrovskaya, who stole the show. From the moment they took to the floor, there was no doubt the audience vote for Most Outstanding Couple would go to this pair, who placed 12th in the recent Professional World Championships in Japan.

Their skill, emotion and fiery passion amazed all comers, even the eight-time world amateur champion couple from Ukraine, Dmytro Vlokh and Olga Urumova. Until the arrival of the Russians on the scene it seemed this outstanding couple would take the lead.

Organized by International Dance Indonesia (IDI) and the Lombok Tourist Association, with support from the Lombok culture and tourism office, the world-class competition attracted international dance sport judges.

The jury was headed by Ukraine`s Dance Sport Association president, Dr. Svyatoslav Vlokh, while other judges from Holland, Russia, Hong Kong and Indonesia joined in assessing dancers from around the world at the event.

The championship was coordinated by World Dance Council vice president and World Championships Ballroom, Latin and Ten Dance finalist, Marcel De Rijk.

Indonesia was well represented in the lower levels with sport dance competitors from Jakarta, Surabaya, Bali, Malang and Kalimantan dancing to compete with the world`s best.

The event was capped off with an extravaganza dance sport show featuring international dance stars from Iceland, Ukraine and Russia. The world championship dancers -- all multiple winners -- staggered the 300-strong audience with their talent, honed since they were children.

According to Hadi Tjahjono and Fanny Tanudihardja, Indonesia`s sole professional dance sport couple and IDI members, events like the Lombok internationals gave local dancers an extraordinary opportunity to see and compete among the world`s best dancers.

"We are so far behind in Indonesia -- and in Southeast Asia -- in this sport. We may think we are doing well when we win a championship within our region, but when we go up against the Europeans, Americans and of course the English, we realize we know absolutely nothing," said Fanny of Surabaya`s F&H International Dance School.

"Very few of our dancers ever get to see the level of competition witnessed during the Lombok internationals. Having this event here in Indonesia is incredibly valuable in our development of this sport," she added.

Hosting international championships is also highly valuable to local economies, according to regional culture and tourism head Muhammad Nur.

"Hosting these championships brings much-needed dollars into Lombok at the grassroots level," he said. "The international dancers and their counterparts from across Indonesia go shopping when they are here for the competition. That brings additional income to the grass roots. Also, when we have hundreds of new tourists here for the championships more local people are employed in service industries, so again there is a real economic benefit to the people of Lombok."

An added benefit of the international dance sport championships was the introduction of Lombok`s population to new cultures and viewpoints, said Nur.

"This gives the youth of Lombok the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the world outside Lombok, to see other cultures and their arts, such as dance sport. It`s about all of us respecting each other and learning about each other. That is great for Lombok and I look forward to seeing these championships grow each year," he stressed.

According to event coordinator De Rijk, being host of such a championship is a major coup for Lombok.

"As the vice president of the World Dance Council, I travel all around the world to officiate in major competitions, and it is quite an achievement that a small island such as Lombok is now able to host the Lombok International Dance Sport Championships 2007," he said, pointing out that the support of organizations such as the Lombok Tourism Board, the regional government and the Indonesian Organization for Dance Sport had been vital in the realization of the Lombok championships.

Major sponsors of the event included Puri Mas Boutique Resorts and Spa, the Lombok Tourism Association, IDI, Prudential Insurance, Transnusa Airlines, and Lombok International Dance Studio students, as well as local hotels and tour operators.

Source: www.thejakartapost.com (27 April 2007)
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