First Meeting of the IDSF Working Group

On 25 October 2009 the International DanceSport Federation (IDSF) Working Group on VISION 2012 met for the first time in Sant Cugat, ESP, to discuss the further proceedings in trying to have IDSF evolve into the World DanceSport Federation.

Previously, on 14 June, the 2009 IDSF Annual General Meeting held in Macau, CHN, had unanimously passed the following motion:

"That this meeting directs and encourages the Presidium to continue working on VISION 2012, and to establish a working group including representatives of Associate Members, representatives of other key IDSF Member Bodies and representatives of other dance disciplines. The meeting directs that this working group shall consider all the information and questions raised in the 2009 IDSF Forum in Macau and also any responses or questions received from IDSF Members during or after the Forum. The working group’s work will be communicated on a regular periodic basis to all IDSF Member Bodies, and all IDSF Member Bodies are encouraged to provide their comments in writing."

Present at the first meeting of the IDSF Working Group were:

1. IDSF Presidium Members Freitag, Hinder, Sietas and Tay
2. French DanceSport Federation President Marty
3. German DanceSport Federation President Allert
4. Italian DanceSport Federation President Galvagno and Technical Secretary Valeri
5. World Rock ‘n’ Roll Confederation President Kerpan-Izak and Secretary General Herrmann
6. International Dance Organization Senior Vice-President Storbratten
7. International Professional DanceSport Council President Tondon
8. International Paralympic Committee Wheelchair DanceSport Manager Charitaki and Technical Director Andersen
9. United Western Country Dance Council – International Affairs President Bartholomew
10. International Cheer Union Secretary General Olson and Adviser Jacki
11. IDSF Advisers Bunn and Hilfiker
    
    The following joint declaration was drafted between the representatives of the different organisations at the conclusion of the meeting:
    
    DanceSport as a Unifying Force

• All organisations present support the World DanceSport Federation concept (Vision 2012) as worked out on 25/10/2009 in Sant Cugat.
• All organisations agree to create a working group.
• The working group is mandated to continue analysis based on information presented at the meeting with the intention of creating the WDSF.
• Each organisation is to define the profile of its sport division within WDSF and to
  Provide information on current organisation (incl. structure and statutes);
  Provide information on financial activities.
• Each organisation is to consider the list of obstacles and send proposed solutions to the IDSF Office.

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Vision 2012

It is nothing short of shifting paradigms. It is the most ambitious project ever taken on by the International DanceSport Federation (IDSF). Over the years to come, IDSF is to evolve into the World DanceSport Federation, the new governing body which unites all forms of dance practised as sport under a single umbrella.

During the 2007 IDSF Congress in Barcelona, Spain, the Presidium informed the delegates about the plans to restructure the world governing body for DanceSport. Exactly 50 years had passed since the IDSF predecessor organisation, the International Council of Amateur Dancers, was founded at the Wiesbaden home of German Champion Otto Teipel.

On the occasion of this anniversary, the IOC Honorary President for Life, HE Juan Antonio Samaranch, delivered the most appropriate address in Barcelona.
“The IDSF is an organisation which has reached its maturity. This requires changes. Criteria need to be updated and the challenges imposed by an increasing media society must be accepted,” Samaranch, who had accepted an appointment as the IDSF Ambassador at Large, told the delegates in attendance.

Since then IDSF worked incessantly on laying the groundwork to a comprehensive restructure, one capable of doing away with the factionalism in DanceSport – and one which allows to establish the new organisation as the cohesive force between the stakeholders in all sporting activities involving dance.

Important milestones have been reached. In December 2007, IDSF has entered into an agreement with the International Professional DanceSport Council (IPDSC). It provides for IDSF and IPDSC to coordinate dates and other matters pertaining to DanceSport competitions, and to work cooperatively in developing, implementing and enforcing competition, disciplinary and other rules.

IDSF President Carlos Freitag and Sir Philip Craven, the President of the International Paralympic Committee, have signed a formal cooperation agreement on 14 October 2008. Under the terms of this agreement, the two bodies pledge to jointly develop and promote Wheelchair DanceSport, and to work towards establishing a single international governing body for DanceSport.

On 7 December 2008, the United Country Western Dance Council (UCWDC) joined IDSF as an Associate Member. The presidents of both organisations affixed their signatures to a contract which has IDSF recognise the UCWDC as the sole worldwide representative of Country Western Dance and Line Dance. UCWDC, on the other hand, pledges to support the fundamental principles and essential values of Olympism.

Based on these agreements and on longstanding alliances with other organisations – the World Rock ‘n’ Roll Confederation and the International Dance Organisation are IDSF Associate Members for several years already – DanceSport starts to redefine itself as an all-encompassing brand.

It will take much more time and effort before the new governing body finally emerges: other alliances need to be forged; democratic and federalist structures need to be developed; above all, paradigms need to be shifted and perspectives changed.

World DanceSport Federation

Gradually, over the years to come, IDSF evolves into a new organisation: the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF). The democratic and federalist structure of WDSF allows for the governance of the all-encompassing DanceSport. The WDSF statutes extend on the alliances and agreements between IDSF and the

• World Rock ‘n’ Roll Confederation (WRRC)



• International Dance Organisation (IDO)



• International Professional DanceSport Council (IPDSC)



• International Paralympic Committee (IPC)



• United Country Western Dance Council (UCWDC

The statutes are drafted to embrace all other organisations which regulate and promote DanceSport, and which concur with the objectives of the WDSF.

WDSF is established as the cohesive force between all stakeholders in sporting activities which involve dance. Through its statutes, WDSF sets out to:

• Govern DanceSport per established best practice standards and through proven procedures of IDSF, WRRC, IDO, IPDSC, IPC and others;



• Improve DanceSport through synergies resulting from the combined knowledge base and expertise of IDSF, WRRC, IDO, IPDSC, IPC and others;



• Promote DanceSport on the strength of a greater constituency, of a broader combined appeal, and of benefits arising from economy of scale;



• Generate goodwill for DanceSport within the Olympic and Paralympic Movement;


• Enhance the status of DanceSport in international sports.

http://www.worlddancesportfederation.org/