The Dutch Open. Day 3 Saturday 10th November
It is not known as Super Saturday for no reason and today was super Special in many ways and not least because the Dutch Open was in 2018 playing host to the WDC European Professional Ballroom Championships. Without a doubt, the staging was extremely good with s super March On Ceremony and WDC President Donnie Burns MBE addressing the audience saying it was a privilege and honour for the organisers to present the Championship this year. The atmosphere in the Ballroom was incredible. It is not often one hears such enthusiasm for Ballroom and the couples responded with fabulous dancing. This event is course is Open to every WDC registered competitor and whilst some faces one might have expected at a prestigious title event were missing the competitors seemed to grab the opportunity to impress the audience, dance lovers and the adjudicators. We had a fabulous final with beautiful dancing and it was refreshing to have new faces – although the dancers themselves already have outstanding reputations. A European Championship many will remember for a long time I am sure.
The Dutch Open began the morning at 9.30 a.m.with the first qualification round for the Amateur Latin. 9 heats of great dancing to commence and we knew for sure that Sunday is going to bring us another outstanding and supremely contested Championship. The depth of talent is staggering as is the beautiful varied and tasteful costuming of the ladies.
Today we saw the first appearance in 2018 of Under 12 and Under 16 plus Under 19 and yet again one can only express huge appreciation for the talent that we saw. These may indeed Juveniles, Junior and Youth at home but on that dance floor they are truly amazing showing such confidence and maturity and we all, but especially their parents and families, can feel justly proud.
Under 12 and Under 19 Latin and Under 16 Ballroom were spellbinding competitions from start to finish. These young people have talent in abundance and one can only imagine the quality of dancing they will eventually produce if they keep developing and improving as is currently the case
Assen is without doubt Unique in the many event categories it covers during the 4 days and we had a taste of that first with a World Open Exhibition Section with 5 fabulous couples with breathtaking lift work and extremely entertaining performances. The audience loved the event and warmly applauded ever performance.
For many in the audience, it was their first experience of the art of American Smooth as the 2nd Dutch Open American smooth Championship took place. this year with 6 entries, and from their reaction they loved it and this competition is going to become very popular in the years to come.
How fortunate we in the WDC and AL are with the excellent dancing we enjoy and today both Professionals and Amateurs gave us true value for money. Our dance world has never been stronger and with so much to anticipate in the future with growth and development. The Professional WDC World Super Series Latin Championship tonight was hugely exciting and had the audience screaming from the first beat of the first dance to the last beat of the last dance. The best of the best were really all on top form and no one could have asked for more from any competitor. It is hard to imagine a competition with more love and care for the interests of the dance competitors.
The first 3 days may have encompassed many hours but the time seems to have sped by and it hardly seems possible that tomorrow Sunday Assen 2018 will come to a close. It is going to be a very special day indeed and what an amazing Amateur Latin and Professional Ballroom Championships we are going o enjoy.
Full Results : https://dansinternationaal.nl/index.php/2014-01-29-13-07-58/results/dans-2018