20th May – flew direct into Blackpool from Dublin, into a drizzle and a seaside resort which looked closed.

Day 1 – Amateur Rising Stars Latin in the Empress Ballroom. The largest field in the Festival of 482 couples, with only 20 from England. 16 couples on the floor in each heat of cha cha, samba, rumba and paso. Took a gruelling 3 days to decide. With no seat booked, somehow I worked myself into a frontrow seat. A girl’s bangle fell on the floor with rhinestones and swarovski crystals, still sitting on my desk as I type. If the owner is reading this, apply within.

Day 2 – Over-35’s ballroom. 235 enthusiastic couples, 22 English. This looked more like over-50’s and I swear there were some over-70’s. For the waltz, foxtrot, tango and quickstep there were any number of collisions, 3 women and 2 men fell on the floor but all got up and resumed in good humour. The Empress Ballroom is unique in having a rectangular side as long as 120 feet. In the quickstep the bunnies hopped with ever-increasing momentum in a long straight line. By the time they passed me they were like the carriages of a GNER Intercity Express speeding nonstop through Northumberland. My frontrow chair shook from the vibrating floor, and the worldlywise judges stepped back to preserve life and limb. After 7 rounds and many shakes of my chair the Belgian couple won the Final at 1am, followed by 4 Italian couples, 1 Poland and 1 USA. England where art thou?

Day 2 – Professional Rising Stars latin. 260 couples of whom 8 were English. In the early rounds of 7 they did not look any more Professional than the Amateurs, but by the Final at midnight the finalists were not only dazzling but cool and fresh and competitive while my eyelids were drooping after 14 hours.

Day 3 – by Professional Invitation, a ten-dance showdown between Germany, Italy, USA and England. Despite Hazel Newberry batting for England the locals lost to USA. Missed this compo. Why? Because in an upstairs room there was a simultaneous Congress of talks by dance gods. Recently-married Sergey Surkov and Agnieszke Melnicka showed us 3 aspects of rumba. Then my DS friend was among the models showing off Chrisanne clothes. George Coad then talked about ballroom past and present, explaining the merits of the “pressure step” and added for good measure tales of the late and much-loved Miss Bradley, and her minstrels’ gallery where 3 violinists used to play giving an impression of a cat being strangled.

Day 3 – age 16-21 Amateur Latin over 7 rounds. 284 couples, of whom 13 English. Did not miss this one. How could I? There were so many pretty girls.

Day 4 – the second day of Congress. Hazel gave some penetrating insight about a woman following a lead but sensitive and ready for any sudden change unavoidable on a ballroom floor with no traffic policemen. Michael Stylianos and Alan Fletcher then gave priceless and hilarious hints on latin, both ribbing Donnie Burns seated on the organisers high table, whom I last saw 16 years ago. Michael Malitowski and Joanna Leunis then explained what they did, how they did, and why. Joanna’s superfast spins again frightened me to death. Michael said they frightened him too.

In between riots of colour and music and adrenalin and the glorious informality of young dancers in the ballroom, I even had a home to go to, actually the Imperial Hotel which by tonight is choc-full of dance legends. Bumped into Karen Hardy going up the lift the second night looking very young and luscious. This morning saw Melia on a nearby breakfast table. I have been sworn by my DS friend to report all details, including what she wore, what she did, what she ate. I did walk inches past their table while affecting a sophisticated nonchalance. Without a direct gaze I could not ascertain what was on Melia’s plate. I shall need to tip the head waiter to place me on an adjacent table tomorrow. I have a feeling Sergey was not fooled by my nonchalance though. These legends, they see everything.

One night my excitement threatened to boil over, so I went to cool off in the basement swimming pool. Altoghether a very comfortable hotel with good beds and quiet at night. £75 per person per night looks very good value in low season.

Karen is one of the daytime judges, as is Matthew Cutler. Camilla with longflowing blonde hair and bright eyes walked past me on Wednesday. Gaynor Fairweather is one of the evening judges, as are too many ex World Champions to mention.

Will my DS friend pass out when she discovers what Melia has for breakfast? Will Joanna of the frightening spins retain her Latin crown? Will Hazel improve on her third placing last year? Can that frontrow chair much shaken but never booked be still seizable by a quick move? Watch this space as all will be revealed over the next 5 days.

Day 5 – Professional Rising Stars Ballroom, 7 rounds. 256 couples, 7 English.

Day 5 – Over-35’s Latin over 5 rounds. 94 couples of whom 14 English.

Day 5 – Amateur latin over 6 rounds. 360 couples, 14 English.

Day 6 – Age 16-21 Amateurs Ballroom over 6 rounds. 175 couples, 12 English.

Day 7 – Professional latin over 7 rounds (Joanna vs Melia?). 306 couples, 10 English.

Day 7 – Ballroom Formation Dancing with only one entry. Germany is therefore a dead cert.

Day 7 – Amateur Ballroom over 5 rounds. 240 couples, 20 English.

Day 8 – Exhibition Competition. 7 couples, England nil.

Day 9 – Professional ballroom over 7 rounds (with Hazel). 285 couples, 12 English.

Day 9 – Latin Formation Dance. 3 teams, 2 of them English.

Then curtain falls on Blackpool Festival 2009, a fullscale gathering of ALL the dance tribes of the world. Many happy memories to take away. Back the year after.

Thank you SM for a wonderfully informative first report. Sounds as if you had a fabby time

There didn't appear to be a very large entry from English participants which I find rather disappointing, or was that to be expected.

you lucky thing, i'd love to go to this, but OH isn't a dancer, and won't, and my "mates" are not as obsessed as me. we should have a DS group next year!!

thanks for the report soulmate61 - totally gutted that I am not going this year so any news is greatly appreciated - thank you

Thank you so much for the full report. so sad im not there this year, stupid work. Looking forward to more reports

Great Report, thanks for that.

Keep promising myself a trip to this event each year but so far it has not materialised. OH is not a dancer so dont get any encouragement there.

SM - Good to see your report. I've seen the results coming through on dancesportinfo.net but not much of a narrative to get an idea of what it's really like.

EJ and tvaddict31, I have same problem as you. Noone to go with, as none of my workmates or friends interested beyond casual viewing of SCD. Maybe we should organise a DS trip to Blackpool next year.

This year, a new, alternative dance event has begun in Blackpool, running the same time as Dance Festival. It's called out2dance and it's all free. Ian and Camilla and Vincent and Flavia and Chris Marques and Jaci Spencer are all having workshops at it. Apart from them, there are names from the worlds of line dancing and hip hop and urban street dancing and ballet and jazz and theatre dance and all sorts doing demos and running workshops and exhibitions. And it's all free.
I think I mentioned that

So if any of you ballroom fiends want to go to the Blackpool Dance Festival at the Winter Gardens next year, but are having trouble convincing your pals to stump up the £27 for a day ticket, they might be interested in going to Blackpool with you and pottering along to have a look at that, while you're esconced in the Empress Ballroom.

Failing that, if there is a DS outing, I would be interested in being your local liaison officer!

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Thanks for the extra info Expresso. The workshops sound great, especially since a lot of the dance teachers go off to Blackpool at this time of the year and so dance tuition comes to a bit of a standstill.

As far as local liaison officer is concerned, you're pencilled in for the job!

Yay!

I read about the free event, thought it was a great idea, hope they do it again next year then.
My dance teacher is at Blackpool so I have no lessons this week. Have a dance medal test on the 13th June as well, timing is everything.

Hi all ,

pleased to file a report from where the action is. Every ballroom heat ends with a chair-shaking quickstep, every latin with trumpets and castanets of the paso doble which gets the contestants even more stirred.

Overhead lights are in salmon pink, cyan blue and I think aquamarine. These colour lights are not over strong, and I often find the most striking ballgowns are white trimmed with silver or black. Walking into the ballroom is like walking from grey England into a Seville fiesta or Rio carnival. Behind the chairs, along every passage, in every square foot of spare space there are young dancers limbering up and practising lastminute moves with their partners. Even on carpet dancers turn like lightning, as do their long limbs, and I take care not to get whacked accidentally. I would not myself venture onto the dance floor packed with high-energy high-kicking 18-year-olds in full flow. The changing rooms are packed with competitors constantly coming in and out, where World Champions have to rough it alongside also-rans. Hazel and Jonathan told me yesterday that there are no special concessions for stars, no showers. They make do with a towel wipe-down.

It is competitors who make Blackpool Festival. In the lesser divisions the winner from a field of 400 would pocket only £230, having forked out minimum £2,000 for travel, hotel, entry fees not to mention dance equipment. Possibly £3,000 for the many many who travel in from the Far East. The latin grand champions will be lucky to pick up £1,000, i.e. they will make a loss. This is a labour of love. For the £2,000 this Fiesta will probably cost me over ten days I could have gone on a cruise. But inside the Empress Ballroom I have been on a storybook cruise, with the flair of Italians, drama and fire from Russians and Poles, elegance from the French, zeal and energy from young China, not forgetting the always formidable Americans. The faces of those on the floor show an obvious exhilaration, given that most will by definition lose. They have a ball and they connect with partners. If any teenage girl suffers anorexia, perhaps let her try dancing. She will finish up slim, but she will have to and she will want to eat to keep fit and keep dancing. Provided she has a good partner, there will be more colour in her life and more camaraderie.

Every couple has a different interpretation and their dresses outdazzle the Strictly wardrobe for daring and imagination. Following one paso I put my hands together in silent applause for one blonde I liked. Out of the hundreds in the audience she was facing she instantly picked up my appreciation from the frontrow and making eye contact nodded, beaming from ear to ear. Yes, dancers and audience do connect.

Breakfast at the Imperial starts with fruit: apricots, peaches, pears, grapefruit, oranges, melons, watermelons, prunes. I solve the problem by choosing everything except prunes. After that I had 3 fried eggs with bacon and sausage, tomatoes, and two fried slices. Surprisingly for Lancashire there is no black pudding. I had tea today, finishing with a croisant, and took away a muffin for later. As I came out of the restaurant I passed an European dance legend couple was coming in. If only I could spell their Russian names I would.

I wear a shirt and navy sweater for the Ballroom, often taking off the latter inside the ballroom. Inside my survival kit bag contains a bottle of water, my A4-sized programme, and a container of prawn fried rice, as lunches at the Winter Gardens are very poor. For the midnight Finals I bring a jacket and tie in case the front row are required to look colourful.

Oh dear, off then to another long day of music to wake the dead, colours to outshine skyrockets, drama and romance spoken through the body. Oh, and did I forget the endless pretty girls?

I love Blackpool - I cant tell you how gutted I am not to be there - I am definately going next year - come hell or high water - I shall be there!!!!

EDIT: thanks for the update soulmate - transports me there instantly

Wauw soulmate must be quite an experience to be there!! Thanks for your update!!!

The numbers provided by soulmate are interesting. I'm surprised that so few English couples compete. My dance teacher is competing and I just assumed that everyone did.


Front row! Now I'm really jealous.


I agree with this. I had a somewhat exhausting two hour dance lesson on Saturday. Came back and did some gardening and then weighed myself to find I was 3 lb lighter.

I could be a way, provided though that the girl wants to dance. It is not something you can force, that will give the opposite result. But understand your way of thinking..

Am off tomorrow til Saturday. Cannot wait!

I will go one year. The festival is at the worst time of year for young people who have exams. I've wanted to go every year since I've been about 15, thanks for the report. Blackpool is where the true dance fans go.

x x x x x

Am glad this year that my exam falls after Blackpool. I'm all packed, ready to go, hoping I haven't missed too much of the early stuff.

Can't wait to see Michael and Joanna dance again.

If anyone's interested and on Twitter, you can follow danceplaza, they're updating often with results and pictures etc.

It all sounds very interesting. Laura are you going to dance yourself or mainly watch other dancers??

Hah, definitely watching the others. Can honestly say I'd probably come last if I danced! Although I have seen some pretty shocking dancers who call themselves professionals

Hi Laura,

If you are coming send me an IM, I definitely want to say hello to a girl who rose from the grave.

Tomorrow is ballroom for the kiddies 16-21 with many hopefuls but no doubt some outstanding talent. On Wednesday the unmissable Latin championship then on Friday the best Ballroom championship in the world, where England has her only chance of a win. Semi-final will be at about 11pm, final about midnight. Both stages will be electrifying and all contestants diamond quality. I hope the band will not be asked to play oompah music for our divine dancers. Michael Malitowski and Joanna Leunis are number 82. Sergey Surkov and Melia are number 202. Riccardo Cocchi and Yulia Zagouychenko are number 226.

I have tried out various seats, but I find the best to be front row centre facing the band platform across the dance floor. Festival bigshots evidently agree with me. For the 11pm semi they descended en masse and managed to displace me from dead centre but not from the front row. Imagine, Joanna could be spinning right in front of me within fingertip distance. If ever I am going to be frightened to death it will be on Wednesday night. I am preparing a will.

Six of eight judges stand hour after hour below the platform right in front of the loudspeakers, including Matthew and Karen. The decibels in front of the speakers exceed pain level and I would need earplugs. From across the dance floor the sound is fine.

I achieved front row centre again this afternoon. Unfortunately my chair was wedged in between two fat photographers with their equipment. I am not fat but I need more than 50% of a seat, particularly a chair which vibrates uncontrollabley at every quickstep. So I gave up for this afternoon session. Will have a swim, a meal then go back this evening to see the quality rounds.

I've risen from the grave? Do explain please!

Number 82 will be shouted as loud as I can

soulmate your report's make such interesting reading,you certainly get a sense of the atmosphere etc from all your information and descriptions............i think it must be like stepping into a slightly surreal world from whatever is going on outside the Winter Gardens.

Interesting to hear Matthew and Karen are judging as well.....are they there every day/all day judging all categories ??

Will keep up with your report's during the week