Happy New Year! I hope you all enjoyed the festive season and are looking forward to dancing your way through 2023.
Committee update
We’ve had some changes to the committee since our last newsletter. The full list of committee members and roles is below, but in brief, Ansell Chezan decided in December to step down from the committee. I’d like to thank him very much for his contribution to the work of the committee and I have no doubt that we will still see him on the dance floor.
Following Ansell’s resignation, I have taken on the role of Chair and Thorsten has kindly agreed to act as Secretary. I’d also very much like to welcome our new Treasurer, Tessa Cleaver. A huge thanks to her for taking on the role.
This still leaves us one committee member short, so please do let any of the committee know if you might be interested in joining us.
Upcoming competitions
We are only about 6 weeks away from the Pink Jukebox Trophy – if you are planning to compete, please do sign up as soon as you can. Discounted entry fees are available for UKEDC members. Spectator tickets will be on sale soon.
As many of you will have seen, there will be equality categories at the Open Worlds Dance Championships in Blackpool in May. This is as part of a prestigious mainstream ballroom competition and is a great opportunity to showcase equality dancing to a wider audience. There will also be some familiar faces among the adjudicators. The equality category will follow many of our usual rules with A-D levels, role-changes being permitted and no dress restrictions. Due to time constraints, there will be no classification rounds and competitors will need to self-classify upon entry. Registration is expected to open soon, but more information is here.
And finally, the European Same-Sex Dance Association (ESSDA), of which the UKEDC is a member, is looking for people to join their working groups. See their latest newsletter for information.
We hope to see you on the dancefloor very soon and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.
Best Wishes
Tom Dane, Chair of UKEDC.