August 2000

you're never too old to lambada home

1. So dancers, remember be kind to your body - Nadia Lang (BSc physio wits)
2. ZANIDU Line dance clubs in Kameeldrif & Centurion are going strong - Zany
3. research into the incidence of injuries amongst dancers - Nadia Lang
4. is Fred Astaire studios FEDANSA associated ? - Nan
5. We have at last had our second win.   What a feeling! - Milton
6. comp date correction - Cheryl Tudhope
7. Instructional Videos for the International Ballroom and Latin American - Quentin
8. Sugar and Spice was a great success - Ken (Zim)
9. arthur murray florida function photos - Gerald
10. competitive tango, social tango and argentine tango - Brian Joubert
11. aching feet - Tessa
12. where is the new danceinfo magazine? - Shelly
13. Any Dancing of TV? - Lydia

ZANIDU Line dance clubs in Kameeldrif & Centurion are going strong Hi Jay
Thought I'd let you know that ZANIDU Line dance clubs in Kameeldrif & Centurion are going strong. Latest development is a new branch opening in Menlo Park.

The new club will meet at the Scout Hall in 26th street (corner of Atterbury) from Monday 4th September and every following Monday.

All interested and friends can attend the demo to be held at the venue on Monday 28th August at 7pm. See you there!

Ed
Going strong makes me listen! New branch opening makes me hear. And when that's happening it's time to give yourself and your happy helpers a pat on the back for a job well done - take 5. It's a known fact that 75% of those who start their own business fail.

A few years ago, two big-name social dance schools taught in the same street diagonally across each other. The one was thriving while the other was going broke. The dying studio blamed it on the economy, saying that the people were afraid to spend; uncertain of the future of our country. The thriving one didn't know how to spell economy, so they blindly carried on creating their own economy with their usual mega enthusiasm. Reliable source has it that the dying studio had dead-looking staff; always tired, always moaning, always complaining, always criticizing, always seeing the dark side of things.

Line Dancing is very lively, very fun, very good exercise and very easy to learn because you just follow the herd to oomphy music, and nobody cares. But Zani, I've been in a Line Dance session where all the people, who didn't take their wake-up pills that morning, didn't wake up. The instructor was more than a little gevrek and couldn't understand why the majority of his class, within a month of opening, eloped to greener pastures. It takes a special personality with special talents and manigi vooohmaoomphalele to do what you are doing, so let us know when you open your next one.

I've also put your message in the "Special Notice" space of your free studio page. Talking about advertising on the net through DanceInfo SA. Three week's ago we enrolled a couple who saw our page on the net (the 5th this year), since then, they have enrolled almost their entire family plus three friends. Just from that swoop alone, our R50 for a year's advertising on the net through DISA has yielded R3456, and is now very busy making eight law-abiding citizens better, happier, more confident social dancers - isn't that WONDERFUL?

research into the incidence of injuries amongst dancers Dear Jay
My name is Nadia Lang, I am a physiotherapist with an interest in dance sports. I am currently doing research on the incidence of injuries amongst dancers. With dance sport becoming an increasingly popular sport, the physical demands on dancers have become much greater.

Just like other competitive sports, dancers suffer from injuries which need to be rehabilitated in a hurry so that they can get back on the dance floor without prolonged delay. If you can offer me information or personal experience on this topic I would be most grateful.

Should you have any queries please don't hesitate to contact me.

If dancers need any information or advice regarging injuries I am happy to be of assistance. My contact number is 0836001244.

Yours faithfully

Nadia Lang ( BSc physio wits)

Ed
I tried several times to reply to your email but someone's server don't-a-like me, so here's the letter that couldn't get through, hope you find it the way you found us originally:

"Hi Nadia, thanks for the offer to help, greatly appreciated. I will add yours to the "letters from dancers" page. I'm sure it will attract much interest. Maybe you would like to add a few things to your letter to encourage a response from the DanceSport community.

My site is the main dance directory for dancers in South Africa and the most visited one (+- 500 a week). Just recently I received a letter asking about aching feet. A dancer's brain, body, legs and feet take quite a pounding, and I don't think many realize that special care should be taken, otherwise the body-parts come apart.

Would you like me to add you to my list of weekly updates which I send to thousands of dancers in SA ?

Cheers, Jay"

Dancers who would like to try to email Nadia at Wits, here are the addresses which failed for me: langsclan@mweb.co.za or howard.lang@pixie.co.za.

A discussion on the prevention of dance injuries, and their cures, could be very helpful to dancers at all levels and for all types of dancing, and we could also assist Nadia in her research - a two-way benefit.

Nadia's Reply
Thanks for your response. I apologise  for the delay. I am having problems with my E-mail. Try this address hl000005@pixie.co.za. If you are still not winning, my hotmail is nadia_lang @hotmail.com

I would appreciate if you could add me to your list of weekly updates. My contact number is 083 600 1244.

Physiotherapy does play a vital role in the prevention and treatment of dance injuries. I will put together an article describing the benefits of physiotherapy for dancers.

Regards
Nadia Lang (BSc Physio Wits)

Ed
Nadia, you're on our list, and thanks for your support - looking forward to receiving your article.

Nadia's Article So remember, be kind to your body
Nadia Lang (BSc physio wits) Dear Jay
Due to the recognition of dance as an Olympic sport, greater demands are being placed on the dancers, and the incidence of injuries is on the increase. I have become aware of the number of dancers who have muscular skeletal problems and simply live with these conditions because they do not know what to do about them. This is a less than ideal situation and adversely affects dance performance.

Dancers place tremendous stress on their feet through hours and hours of training and performance, making them especially prone to injury. In a recent survey of injuries to dancers, muscle strains represent more than a third of all injuries.

Generally the most common areas of injuries in dance sport have been found to occur in the spine, knees, calves, feet and ankles. These include injuries such as anterior knee pain, shin splints, calf strains, achilles tendinitis, sprained ankles, plantar fascitis and metatarsalgia to name a few.

How physiotherapy can help ?

• provide treatment to injured dancers on the spot
• assessment and diagnosis of injuries
• rehabilitation of sports injuries
• speed up the rate of recovery
• prevention of injuries
• enhance dance performance
• assessment of cardio vascular fitness and administration of fitness programs
• muscle conditioning and flexibility
• carefully designed exercise programs tailored to the individual condition and needs
• taping and bracing
• correct biomechanics
• shoe wear advice
• posture analysis and correction

Forced dancing, through an acute or chronic injury, will only exacerbate the problem. A relatively minor problem can often be resolved with adequate rest and treatment. Injuries can also be prevented with proper stretching, strengthening, endurance, posture and general physical fitness.

The sporting profession has recognised and incorporated physiotherapists as integral members of their sporting teams. Injuries can occur at any stage without warning. They can keep the dancer away from the floor for weeks, sometimes months and can even end a career if severe enough.

So remember, be kind to your body.

Nadia Lang

Ed
Nadia, thanks for all the advice. It's true, first there's a slight sensation, then a friendly pain (nothing to worry about), followed by a kind of stretch, and suddenly a snapped achilles, and finally, a crutch to accompany you on your long sojourn of incapacitation.

is Fred Astaire studios FEDANSA associated ? Hi Jay
Firstly, thanks so much for including me on your e-mail lists, much obliged. Here are some questions from a very ignorant person when it comes to this kind of thing. However, a complete dance fanatic!

Regarding the competition results that you advertise on your site; is Fred Astaire studios FEDANSA associated at all? If not, does this mean that no student at a Fred Astaire studio may enter??

If so, how does one become a member of FEDANSA if one is a student at a Fred Astaire studio, or isn’t it possible ??
Is it possible to belong to both? Or dance at both a Fedansa affiliation and a Fred Astaire studio.

Is Tanz Café in Bryanston a FEDANSA member??

All these questions, but I would really appreciate assistance here.

All the best

Nan

Ed
Both Fred Astaire and Tanz Café are primarily social schools, where the dances, the variations and the techniques they teach are geared for more advanced social, crowded-floor dancing. This does not mean that the styles they teach are different from that of the International competitive standard, which FEDANSA is part of, it's just not as intensely, or as competitively applied. For instance, the hold, posture, footwork and styles in the Latin and Ballroom sections are identical, with the variations being a fusion of both, and social offers many more dances.

For a dancer to be part of the competitive (FEDANSA) scene, there are a few basic requirements:

1. you need a dedicated partner (hard to come-by)
2. you must register with their association
3. dance the figures and apply the techniques laid down by FEDANSA to the letter
4. for the above you need someone qualified to train you on the things FEDANSA expect
5. and you must be insanely fanatical

I know, that a few years back, the Pretoria Fred Astaire Studio had their staff coached by one of the top trainers to  compete as professionals, and I think they entered a few of their pupils as amateurs as well. So it can be done, but the social schools, as a rule, find the competitive section a commercial loss to them, plus there are too many hassles,  hence the reason FADS Pta reverted to social only.

On the other hand, many competitive schools can't survive without their social side. Our school teaches the laid-down competitive bronze, silver, gold and the International advanced syllabi after the bronze, silver and gold social standards, as a special to our long-term, advanced pupils.

I'm sneaking this in for the "fun 'n frolic" social dancer. Here are a few names of competitive dancers who started as social dancers at our school and went on to excel at comps: Martiens & Linda Nel (Former Gauteng ballroom champ), Ryno van den Berg & Sonja Stanford (Gauteng Latin champ), Quintin, Malcolm & Theresa Poley, Derick Stokes & Jonada Anderson (rising stars) and there are many other budding champs from our studio in their pipeline. Most of these people had no self-confidence when we first taught then, and many-a-soul wouldn’t have given a few of them much hope in Hades.

Dance experts believe that social dancing is the best way for prospective champs to acquire a sound competitive foundation, but once you start competitive training, your coach will advise you to stop social and concentrate on winning comps, because then the two often conflict.

If Fred Astaire or Tanz Café teach only social, it's because they prefer not to lose the fun element of dancing. Once you get enwebbed by the competitive spider, stress becomes the emphasis and enjoyment the underdog.

The only reason why the results of competitive dancing (FEDANSA/RDTA) seems so prominent is that they supply their comp so regularly.  I have been trying to get the social schools to displays their contest/exam results on my site for years now, but they don't see much merit in doing so. Only one social studio regularly sends theirs with photos, and their studio and pupils derive much benefit from it.

Thanks for the Q. I am certain many social dancers have wondered about that, but didn't want to sound stupid by asking the question - it's a real stupid world don't you think? We avoid asking the question because it sounds stupid, so we keep quiet and stay stupid by not asking the question.

Nan, if you know of friends that dance socially, who have email, and would like me to send them updates, let them contact me and I'll gladly put them on the list.

comp date correction Hi Jay
On your dance calendar for November 2000 you have the Gold Cup Championships on the 25th November. I believe the date is the 4th November and it is an SADTA event not Fedansa.

Regards

Cheryl

Ed
Thanks for letting us know, will correct

We have at last had our second win. What a feeling! Dear Jay
It is quite some time since I last put pen to paper but we seem to have been so busy, competing, having lessons, practising and so on, that there seemed to be time for nothing else.   Since changing teachers / coaches, Yvonne and I feel that our dancing has started to take off.   Nothing against our previous teacher / coach – it just happens sometimes that someone reaches you or is able to get through to you in a different manner and not for the want of trying.   Just different personalities!

We have at last had our second win.   What a feeling!

Now that we are able to practice (in a Church Hall) it brings back memories of days gone by, but where we practised virtually everyday of the week, we, at our age, can now only manage +/- 1 hour each on a Tuesday and Thursday with a lesson on Wednesdays and Saturdays of an hour’s duration.

Yvonne and I entered the competition at the Natalia Holiday Resort in Illovu.   Having originally come from Natal, we should have been prepared for the outcome.   The people were fabulous and at the comp. itself well behaved with applause and vocal encouragement for both visiting couples as well as local, and surprisingly no whistling!   The comp. started at +/- 1300 hrs and was due to finish at about 2200 hrs but alas only at 2400 hrs the prize giving took place!   There was to have been a braai after the comp. but no one was keen at that time of night!

On the plus side, the organisers did arrange seating for competitors, and as one section was being danced so the next were brought forward and seated ready to go on.   On the whole it was good fun.

Subsequently we have just returned from the W.T. Comp. in Pietermaritzburg but again time means nothing in the lives of the Natalians, e.g. the morning session was due to end at 1330 hrs with a prize giving and the afternoon session was due to start at 1400 hrs, ending at 1600 hrs.   Surprise, the morning session ended at 1430 hrs, no prizes, as they did not arrive!   The afternoon session ended at about 1800 hrs and a prize giving was held but only certain prizes handed out as not all the trophies had arrived!   We did not wait for our results as they only announced the results later in the evening and we were already committed to other arrangements, but the friendliness of everyone at the comp. made up for all the hassles.

I wonder how many people watched the interview with Lilian Dooley on “People of the South”.   At the start of the show an old clip of the African Mirror was shown featuring the 1961 Grand Prix in the Johannesburg City Hall.   Two familiar faces were evident to Yvonne’s and my delight – couple no. 10 was Hennie Nortjie and Joan Siegruhn and couple no. 12 was an old friend and stablemate of those days Doug Grant and partner.   I have a feeling his partner at the time was Thelma Thompson, but I am under correction.   Having given up 2 years previously (1959), it brought back so many memories and I felt quite heartsore.

Doug and I had competed against each other on a number of occasions.

Watching the short clip made me realise how agile we were in those days and made me want to get my legs to move like that again, alas they refuse to do so, but all the same we are still enjoying ourselves and that is what it is all about!

Whilst in Natal for the World Trials in Pietermaritzburg, we stayed with my younger brother who gave up dancing about 4 or 5 years ago due to loss of interest in competing and health reasons, although he and his wife are keen spectators.

It was great to sit down and reminisce about the old days, and to recall the times we had and the people we knew.   Some of those lost colleagues – but not forgotten - may even read your magazine, if so we would love to hear from them.   They were mostly from the Smith / Martin School of Dancing.   One of the things we spoke about was the number of young people who attended group classes on a Saturday morning, there were two sessions – beginners and advanced.   There were on average about 30 attendees.   To make sure that they were given good tuition Betty Martin insisted that her comp. couples came in to help teach the younger pupils.   Boy, what a task that was at times, until you started to realise that you were at that stage earlier on in your life and someone had taken the trouble to teach you.

If you were foolish enough to wear your good patent leather pumps they looked like a dog’s breakfast after a session with the beginners!   Don’t get me wrong it was rewarding because strangely enough you sometimes picked up faults of your own and were able to correct them.

All you comp. dancers out there, when last did you help a beginner?  Do it, maybe you could be helping a future champion!   Yvonne and I always arrive early at a comp. to watch the tiny tots, and boy, there certainly is talent out there!

Sorry if I have waffled a bit!

By the way, many thanks Jay for passing on our email address to the Scotts and thank you too to the Scotts of Bulawayo for their letter and invitation – we might just take them / you up on it!   We love Zimbabwe, and have a daughter in Harare.

Kind regards

MILTON DEMMER

Ed
From the recent comp results, I was happy to see your win emblazoned in the winner's slot. I say, go to Zim, particularly with your daughter being there. My elder brother always said, "Jans" He called me Jans, "we must visit mom regularly, life is so short, we might not have the opportunity for long" I didn't, and regret it to this day. I'm sure your daughter will enjoy seeing you win the Zim comp.

Milton, thanks for the dance talk. That's what we call a good-old aggie.

Instructional Videos for the International Ballroom and Latin American Dear Sir/Madam
Could you please provide a bit more information with regard to the following: Instructional Videos for the International Ballroom and Latin American

Standards:
Silver : Foxtrot, Quickstep, Waltz, Tango, Cha-Cha, Rumba, Samba, (Mambo??)
Gold : same dances as above.

What's the difference between the videos of above standards and those of ADVANCED Ballroom and Latin American
Could you provide the following details.

1. Cost of the Silver standard -- dances as specifies above
2. Cost of the Gold standard -- dances as specified above.
3. Cost of the ADVANCED - LATIN AMERICAN
4. Payment method.
5. Delivery method etc.

Eagerly awaiting a response.

Quentin

Ed
The full Instructional Video set for the Silver Level of the International Ballroom and Latin American standards include:  Ballroom (Foxtrot, Quickstep, Waltz, Tango) and Latin (Cha-Cha, Rumba, Samba, Paso Doble and Jive).  Mambo does not yet belong to the International syllabus. I know that Mambo has been added to Freestyle dancing, and that the Americans do it in their competitive section.

The figures on these tapes are the laid-down International figures for medal and competitive dancing used world-wide. Because the Silver Level tape has fewer patterns than the Bronze and Gold tapes it contains much more instruction on techniques, such as, placement, arms, hips, balance, posture, footwork, etc.

You'll need one 3-hour tape for the Silver Ballroom section and a 3-hour tape for the Latin section. You pay R30 per tape. Then, for each dance recorded on it R34, which means that the Silver Ballroom (Foxtrot, Quickstep, Waltz, Tango) will cost you R136 plus the one 3-hour tape (R30) = R166, and the postage will set you back another +- R15. This is a give-away, because one dance ordered from the States or the UK could cost you between R750 and R900.

The expense for the full 5-dance Latin section (Cha-Cha, Rumba, Samba, Paso Doble and Jive) is R170 plus the postage.

The Gold section works out to the same, except you need Viennese Waltz for the complete set and the figures are more advanced.

There is also a Bronze Level (the 1st Level)

The difference between the International Medal levels and the ADVANCED Ballroom and Latin American is, the Medal section gives you a good grounding for competitive dancing, while the Advanced tapes include more intricate variations and choreography used in open competitions. The other difference is that the Advanced dances have many more variations and cost R64 per dance. You may also select which dances you want on your Advanced tape.

Once you have decided what you want recorded, you pay it into my account, and confirm by email, and I start recording.

Bank details:
Bank: First National Bank
Name: J. J. Helm
Branch: Sunnyside, Number 25-06-45
Account Number: 510 6100 7775

These tapes have helped hundreds of dancers who couldn't afford professional coaching, and even with professional help, they're an excellent aid.

competitive tango, social tango and argentine tango

Hi Jay
Could you please explain what the difference is between the competitive tango, social tango and Argentine tango?

On the question (for August) of whether dancing is the 3rd most popular sport in South Africa, I don't think so. The reason I say this is, the popularity of a sport in any country is determined by the TV coverage it gets, not by how many people participate in it. On that score alone, dancing is a non-entity.

The other puzzle is why so few of our many expert trainers don't respond to the questions asked by dancers. It is always nice to read what the various trainers have to say. Lilian Dooley who was very talkative the other night on "People of the South", and who, according to your list of adjudicators and their qualifications, is the most competent dancer in South Africa, has only once written to you. That was when she thanked you for promoting dancing in South Africa and for what you or someone said about her well-organised Rumba in the Jungle competition.

Brian Joubert

Ed
The competitive tango, also known as the English Style tango, has a level, progressive movement and a distinctive sharp, crisp, staccato action. Here the man features a strong right side lead and picks the foot up slightly and places it into position. Because of its "crab-like" stance, the left foot forward is stepped in CBMP (across the body), while the right foot forward steps open. The closes are quite different from the American or social style.

Because of the man's right shoulder lead, he holds his partner further around the waist with his right arm. To create a compact stance he pulls his left forearm in towards him, and lowers it a little. She in turn places her left hand just under his armpit, and keeps her lower left arm parallel with the floor.  Other than that, the hold conforms to the conventional standard style of Ballroom - heads turned slightly left.

The technique, style and interpretation of the social tango is fashioned on the same lines as the competitive or English style tango, except that many social schools prefer to keep it less dramatic. The American social style has adopted the E techniques to the letter. The step patterns of the social style are a combination of the English and the Argentine, with mostly progressive movements (E style) and a number of stationary fans and lunges (A style).

The Argentine Tango is characterised by its passionate hold (lady looks to her right or into the man's big blue eyes) and complex leg and foot movements, and less progressive in movement than the English. The Argentine style is in a class of its own. The approach is a cat-like, stalking interpretation achieved by smoothly sliding the feet...  heady and passionate, sensual and silky, melancholic yet joyful. It is danced with intense feeling and emotion.

The Argentine tango holds a unique place in couple dancing. The body is much closer and intimate than in any other dance form, and yet the two legs move faster and with more deadly accuracy. It is this combination of sensual, meditative, relaxed contact in the upper body and swift, almost martial arts-like movement in the lower body that gives the A tango its unique identity. A feeling, a passion, an emotion evoked by its provocative music, sensual style and spontaneity... and the man wears a mafia hat with real coooool braces, while his lady shows a leg or two.

Someone once said: "The forms of tango are like the stages of a marriage. The American (social) tango resembles the beginning of a love affair, when you're both very romantic and on your best behaviour. The Argentine tango is when you're in the heat of things and all kinds of emotions are flying: passion, anger, bliss, jealousy, submission, humour. The International tango is like the end of the marriage, when you're staying together for the sake of the children."

Many true tango dancers feel that the competitive tango is far too staccato, too jerky; projecting an over-aggressive, stark image which detracts from the streamlined sleek, serious quality of burning passion which its moody, romantic music calls for.

You're right, dancing is a non-entity on the popularity list of SA sport. Agreed, there are millions who take up dancing as a sport, hobby, etc. but that doesn't make it the 3rd most popular sport in the land. The other night on TV a netball coach claimed netball to be the 3rd most popular sport in SA. Every Cinderella sport is now professing to be the 3rd most popular sport in South Africa. The only scheme that will elevate dancing into the big leagues of SA sport is the  one I proposed at the beginning of 2000 which I called "DanceSport needs Steroids" but that proposal, I'm afraid, is a few light-years ahead of its time. But worry not Brian, I've asked them to mummify it for a millennium or so.

It is TV viewership that makes a sport popular in the eyes of all (sponsors in particular), not the numbers that play it. Take soccer, how many men and women actually play soccer in the world, or played soccer at school? yet it is rated the most popular (viewed) sport in the world. The Americans don't even know what soccer is, they think you guzzle it with a blob of ketchup. Even when the World Cup was held in the States, their people, when asked about soccer, didn't have a clue.

As for the poor feed-back from trainers, I too am clueless. Dancing has so much to talk about, but, to make the time to write, you need the inclination, the passion. One trainer called this "fear to write" a conspiracy, the fear of getting politically involved, because some people in our sport have a very nasty habit of telling the truth.

aching feet Hi Jay
Do you by any chance know how I can keep my aching feet from burning all the time? Although I must say, once I start dancing there is on pain, but it's becoming a big worry because I'm unable to walk barefoot these days.

Tessa van der Merwe

Ed
When you say to your partner, "let's sit this one out, your feet are killing me" that's a dance joke. But when your feet scream, "you are killing me" then that's mobile murder. Just walking around the office or the house each day gives your feet a sledge-hammer pounding, so you can image how many tons of jolts dancing offers your feet.

Tessa, did you know that the head is the heaviest part of a dancer's body...? and our poor, delicate feet have to schlepp it around at incredible speeds, and while they are doing that, the rest of our mass enjoys a free ride. No wonder a dancer's footsies go on strike or frequently rebel, or look disfigured early on in life. Almost like rugby players and their cabbage ears.

I am sure there are hordes of dancers out there with many miracle cures for your feet problem, but using your feet to dance or walk a shoe in, is definitely not a good idea - that's called feet abuse. Your left and your right foot must snug softly and neatly in to the shoe from the moment you slip them on, and don't believe the salesman who says they stretch to size, and don't let the style cajole you in to buying those misfit, fashion feet killers - think comfort, think happy feet, think blissful dancing.

Let's get technical. The foot is constructed of an astonishing number of parts, a fact which accounts for its resiliency. A quarter of all the body's bones are in the feet. Each foot contains twenty-six bones, cunningly linked through thirty-three joints and lashed together with ligaments. The biggest bone, one of the seven tarsals, is the heel. It sits solidly on the ground with six chunky dovetailed tarsals arching in front of it. These bones meet the five long metatarsals whose heads form the ball of the foot.

The heel bone and the metatarsal heads are the weight bearers. The five toes serve as a launching pad. When you walk, the body weight strikes the ground through the heel and travels swiftly along the outside of the foot to the ball, across the metatarsal heads to the first metatarsal, where it is transferred to the big toe, which sets you in motion.

In dancing, the onslaught is tons heavier; with the toes and the ball of the foot bearing all the brunt most of the time. When the pressure of the weight of the body is constantly pushed off the ball of the feet, at varying angles and speeds, and the shoes give no release, that's when the many delicate bones of a dancer's feet begin to churn, and damage is done. Aching or burning feet are the alarm bells that tell your brain that someone is, by unnatural strangulation, trying to murder the cute, sensitive little bones of your feet, and you are the sole perpetrator.

The description below is taken from my dancer's dictionary on the web.

FOOT CARE: 90% of us are born with perfect feet. Yet, according to a recent survey, 8% have developed troubles at one year, 41% at five years, and 80% at twenty. We limp into adulthood on corns, calluses, bunions, ingrown toenails, hammer toes, plantar warts and dozens more groan-getters all caused by the wrong shoes we wear. The incidence of foot defects among barefoot peoples is only 7%, caused mainly by thorns and broken bottles.

Because it takes ten years to grow the foot bones, and twenty years before the heel is fully finished, pre-school children need larger-size shoes every two months or oftener. Six- to ten-year-olds need larger shoes every two to three months; ten- to twelve-year-olds every three to four months; twelve- to fifteen-year-olds every four to five months; fifteen- to twenty-year-olds every six months. Yet how often do growing feet get the larger size that they demand?

The incidence of foot defects among dancers is 200%. Dancers place tremendous stress on their feet through hours and hours of training and performance, making them especially prone to injury. Therefore, for anyone taking part in dance classes or performance, proper foot care is imperative.

Metatarsalgia is a general term used to denote a painful foot condition in the metatarsal region of the foot (the area just before the toes, more commonly referred to as the ball-of-the-foot). This common foot disorder affects the bones and joints at the ball-of-the-foot. The first step in treating metatarsalgia is to determine what is causing the pain. If improper fitting dance shoes or other footwear is the cause, the footwear must be changed.

Your aim should be to unload pressure on the ball-of-foot to allow your condition to heal. When not dancing, you should wear shoes with a high, wide toe box that allows your foot to spread out. Plantar Fasciitis is an inflammation caused by excessive stretching of the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is a broad band of fibrous tissue that runs along the bottom surface of the foot, attaching at the bottom of the heel bone and extending to the forefoot. Excessive stretching of the plantar fascia causes Plantar Fasciitis, which can also lead to heel pain, arch pain, and heel spurs.

The key for the proper treatment of Plantar Fasciitis is determining what is causing the excessive stretching of the plantar fascia. When the cause is over-pronation (flat feet), an orthotic with rearfoot posting and longitudinal arch support can effectively reduce the over-pronation and allow the condition to heal. If orthotics cannot be worn while dancing, they should be worn in everyday shoes.

Achilles Tendonitis causes inflammation and degeneration of the achilles tendon. The disorder can cause shooting, burning, or even an extremely piercing pain. Achilles tendonitis should not be left untreated, as there is a danger that the tendon can become weak and ruptured. If this or any foot problem persists, Dr. Belyea recommends that you consult your foot doctor. For more information on these or other foot conditions, visit foot care

where is the new danceinfo magazine? Hi Jay
Do you have info on the new dance magazine that replaced DanceInfo, please?

Shelly

Ed
Unfortunately not. A few of the top dancers say that they are still working on it, but I say, what I've said all along, SA dancers will never pay R14 a copy and R3000 an ad, regardless of how glossy it is. They didn't even want to pay R4 for my DanceInfo which had much more in it than any other dance mag, and a full page ad cost a laughable R150.

For details of the magazine SADance, contact Louise @ 012-663 5860 or email Allan Hammond

Shelly, thanks for your support

Any Dancing of TV? Hi Jay
Thanks for the updates. Any news of ANY dancing on the TV? I believe Felicia has recorded a programme on dancing with a few studios present at a recording last Sat. morning. Don't know when it will be broadcast.

Keep up your good efforts.

Lydia

Ed
No, but will try to find out. In the meantime let's hope someone will read your letter and help.

Lydia, help has arrived, your question is answered, thanks to Chyrel Tudhope;

"Hi Jay,

The Felicia programme is scheduled for Aug 22  - apropo the letter from Lydia.

Regards

Cheryl"

Jay
Thanks to Cheryl Tudhope for letting me know date of Felicia's broadcast (22 August 2000).
Shall tell all my dancing pals to watch out for programme.

Regards

Lydia Conrad

arthur murray florida function photos Hi Jay
Thanks for the up dates !  Here's something that everyone might find interesting. Our Arthur Murray Florida studio has a weekly up dated site with photos of its recent functions... exam nights, parties, weekends away, etc.

The address is:  http://ww.web.netactive.co.za/~gklitzke/am1/

enjoy !

Gerhard

Ed
Great start to spreading and sharing your studio's dance news. What would also be nice is a review or two of what you do at these functions. Dancers are always interested in how other dancers enjoy themselves through dancing.
Particularly with those weekend trips away, or fancy-dress balls, or who excels at your exam functions, or who has been in your studio since 1910 and why. We call it dance talk - give it to us Gerald.

The link you supplied has a funny in it. Will need the full address for dancers to see your photos.

Sugar and Spice was a great success Hi Jay
Just to let you know that our variety show Sugar and Spice was a great success. We can now buy more wheelchairs for disabled children.This will now become an annual event and nearer the time we hope to be able to entice some

South African performers to take part in the next show. We will give them a good time - guaranteed.

Next on the agenda is our annual Spring Fair on 9 September.

After that we will be organising a Dancesport FESTIVAL. Possibly late October. Will give you the date soon.

Still miss DanceInfo, but guess that we have to live with the times.

Keep well. Will keep in touch.

Cheers,

Ken [Zim]

Ed
Ken, long time no hear from - thanks for the info. You should let us have your comp results too; our dancers really enjoy seeing their placings and the results of other areas on the net. What might be a good idea, since you do so much for the disabled, is to contact Elizabeth Rundle who organisers wheelchair dancing in SA. Elizabeth could possibly send a few of her dancers to Zim for a demo or three when you present the wheelchairs to the organisation - just a thought. Her number is, 011-616 2469.

Re the late DanceInfo; once a bushman, always a bushman, it sure is hard to accept the new. I still get many dancers writing to, and phoning me about how much they miss the newspaper copy. What worries me about this computer age is that while we are still learning the new improved applications, newer and more improved applications are being sold - it's an absolute nightmare for traditionalists, but like you say, "we have to live with the times", it's more like, "we have to grind with the times".

The announcement of the new glossy mag "SADance" was just a wolf cry, a farce. They hauled the wool over the eyes of us sheep, us dim, docile dancers. It's a great pity that a sport as large and as glamorous as ours can't afford to finance its own mag, be it glossy or otherwise - there is DEFINITELY SOMETHING WRONG. A magazine, in any sport, is a special luxury, a symbol of pride for its sport and members; a sure sign that things are in a healthy state of management. My suggestion was, I do the editorial side, and if they are too poor, add a Rand or so to the dancer's registration fee and stay cheap like DI was. I even suggested they appoint someone to veto my forthrightness, so that things are kept in line with the purity of the Reader's Digest... love stories without a feather fluffed, boring, but it was my last bid to keep the bushman alive.

But Ken, the net is NOW and it's the unstoppable far FUTURE, and I have thousands more who read and appreciate the dance news I dispense from the net. Although there are still many who don't have internet, particularly in SA, internet will be extremely big very soon, because that's all our TV plugs all the time.