The Dance Camp at Assen. The Dutch Open.

Barry Peinke 2:45am Nov 11

The Dance Camp at Assen. The Dutch Open.

From Monday 7th till Wednesday 9th November the Workshops of the Dutch Open took place in Assen.

Superb lectures were given every day by brilliant coaches and also great dancers from the past All passing on knowledge, wisdom, inspiration to the great dancers of today and the future. No one could have failed to be impressed and inspired by what they saw and heard.

Professor Dr Ruud Vermej trainer of Champions and also the Head of the WDC & AL Education Department, was one of the lecturers and he must have been delighted at the quality of all the lectures together with the excellent rapport which exists between the Professionals and Amateurs. Working in harmony they are certainly creating a better Competitive Dance world.

This was possibly one of the largest Training Camps ever, bringing together dancers from all over the world, and if the prolonged and sustained applause was a guide the couples loved it and wished to stay on (and on). There was a special moment when at the conclusion of the congress with the dancers standing, clapping, cheering, whistling, foot stamping to show the speakers their appreciation they found the lecturers standing giving the same respect and sentiments back to the couples.

What a great debt of gratitude is owed to Mr Fred Bijster who has brought the Dutch Open and the congress to dancers for so many years. Fred has fought long and hard, with belief in his heart for dancers, to have Freedom. Little wonder that he was treated to special applause from everyone present. The Dutch Open was the first major Dance Competition to fall victim to an infamous banning policy. Never in doubt or daunted Fred has persevered and his struggle is being rewarded with many dancers returning to the unique and much loved Dutch Open.