Hong Kong News Archive 2001

WORLD PROFESSIONAL TEN DANCE REPRESENTATIVE
The selection competition for the 2001 World Professional Dance Sport Championship Ten Dance Division concluded on the 23rd September. The two couples that will be representing Hong Kong will be Kenny Leung & Winnie Cheung and Fung Kuen Kei & Chan Lan Heung (See results page for full results). This year the World Professional Dance Sport Championship Ten Dance Division will be held in Hong Kong. The Championship will take place in Queen Elizabeth Stadium on the 3rd-4th November. Winnie Cheung has posted a thank you letter to their teachers and supporters in our forum. Those who are interested can visit our Dancers' Corner to view it.

BLACKPOOL SUM-UP
The 2001 Blackpool Dance Festival has been successfully concluded. Here is a brief recap of the results for some of the outstanding Hong Kong couples:

• David Yin Wei Dong & Angel Long Wei Min and Li Ming & Yu Ming Fang decided to represent Hong Kong this year, qualified in the third round of both the Professional Rising Star Latin category (last 98 couples) and Professional Latin category (last 104 couples).
• Hong Kong's own Rolex Lo & Linda Luk managed to qualify in the second round of both Professional Latin and Professional Rising Star Latin category.
• Alan & Irene Young came within the last 154 couples out of 302 couples in the Amateur Latin category.

FLEETWOOD REPORT
On the sunday of the Blackpool Dance Festival, 27th May, there were two big competitions held nearby - the Star Championships presented by Stopford & McColl at the Blackpool Tower and the 26th Annual West European Dance Festival in Fleetwood. A number of competitors from Hong Kong participated in the Fleetwod competition. Rolex Lo and Linda Luk obtained remarkable results and came fifth in the Professional Rising Star Category. Alan and Irene Young also made the quarter final (last 24 couple) in the IDSF Latin open (More detail results could be found in our results page). Vincent Li and Kong Siu Ping made the second round in the Senior Five Dance Modern Category.

NEW PARTNERSHIP
Dicky Chan, who has just announced his split-up with his current dance partner at a party on 5 May, has found a new partner! She is the Hong Kong Ballroom Dancing Council Modern Pre-Amateur Champion, Ms. Ruthana Chan. Dicky and Ruthana will shortly participate in competitions. At the same time, Ruthana also announced her turning professional and wish to take this opportunity to thank her former teachers, Alan Li & May Lee, and Peter & Angela Lau.

9th COME DANCING CUP
The 9th "Come Dancing Cup" Hong Kong Open Dancesport Championship & Jukka Haapalainen & Sirpa Suutari Performing Dance Party, organised by Come Dancing Studio Academy held at the Crystal Ballroom of Holiday Inn, Golden Mile was successfully concluded on 30 April 2001. In accordance with normal tradition, the first three places for the amateur events were awarded with trophies and the fourth to sixth places were awarded with medals. In addition, all finalists for amateur events were also rewarded with prize money: The winning couple was awarded with HK$2,000, runner-up HK$1,500, second runner-up HK$1,000, forth place HK$500, fifth place HK$300 and sixth place HK$200! George Yip & Rainbow Hung came firstin the Amateur Modern category and Alan & Irene Young became the champion of the Amateur Latin category. For detail results of the competition, please visit our results page.
Competitors include representatives from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Macau and Hong Kong, and adjudicators include top coaches from Finland, England, Italy, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, China and Hong Kong.
The composition of the adjudicators and competitors would have been even more exhilarating if a renowned Blackpool adjudicator, who had originally agreed to attend the event with a number of world class standard and latin competitors, was not unable to come at the last minute for certain reasons.
A special feature of the evening was the "twist competition". There were altogether nine couples competing for the title and HK$5,000 worth of prize sponsored by Squina.
After the competition events, sponsors Mr. Lau and Ms. Wong first took the floor and performed a foxtrot and tango. It was then followed by an extraordinary combined dance of Argentio Tango and Rumba by host Lawrence Chan and his student, Jennifer.
The highlight of the evening of course is the performance by Jukka & Sirpa. It was a particular special evening for Jukka and Sirpa because 30 April also happened to be Sirpa's birthday! The host and hostess, Lawrence and Gertrude especially conspired with Jukka to prepare a special birthday surprise for Sirpa. It was a very touching scene indeed.

"SUPER" INTERNATIONAL BALLROOM DANCING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Here's a brief overview of what happened on the "Super" International Ballroom Dancing Championships. In the Hong Kong Closed Professional Latin category due to the absence of the long reigning Hong Kong "Super" International Ballroom Dancing champions, Alan Li & May Lee, the champion title is up for grabs. Rolex Lo & Linda Luk emerged as the new champion by winning three of the five dances with Eric Lai & Chizuko Tanaka came second by coming first in Rumba and Jive. Third place was taken by Daivd Sin & Katherine Chak. The category continued to be dominated by Jimmy Chan & Betty Wan continued to retain their Closed Professional Modern championship title. The runner-up is Jimmy & Carol Yek followed by Dicky Chan & Christine Tam.
On the following day, Rolex Lo & Linda Luk was the only Hong Kong couple who was selected into the finals of the Open Professional Latin section. They finished seventh out of the eight finalists. (1st: Ryupin Sergey & Khvorova Elena from Russia, 2nd: Mark Lunn & Louise Lidbury from England) Jimmy Chan & Betty Wan also represented Hong Kong and came eighth in the Professional Open Ballroom final. (The championship title goes to Luca and Lorraine Baricchi)
Ken Tsui & May Hau carried on dominating the local Amateur Latin scene and was the only Hong Kong couple who managed to get into the final. They came fourth winning over couples from Taiwan and Slovenia. The top three places of the Amateur Latin goes to S”ren Hougaard - Mette Georgio from Denmark, Scott Montague/ Elisabeth Haraldsdottir from England and Michael Olesen/ Katherine Bonde from Denmark. Michael & Katherine also came first in the Amateur Modern Section.

MARCH RECAP
March has been a very busy month for Hong Kong competitors. Firstly there was the JDC Official "The 6th BDF.J Cup 2001 Japan Open Dance Championships" which Dicky Chan & Christine Tam (Professional Standard), David Sin & Katherine Chak (Professional Latin) and Patrick Lu & Monita Lai (Amateur Standard 4 dance) attended. Patrick & Monita did especially well and came 19th out of more than 80 couples.

On the following week many Hong Kong couples went to Taoyuan in Taiwan to participate in the 9th Chin-Shi Cup. Jimmy Wong & Sandy Tsui became the Professional Rising Star Latin Champion, Jimmy Yek & Carol Yek took third place in the Professional Rising Star Standard section. Alan & Irene Young, Ken Tsui & May Hau came second and third respectively in Amateur Latin. James Ma & Elaine Chan took the Amateur Standard title and Tom Tong & Cherry Wan came fourth in the same event.

On the 17th and 18th, Tokyo hosted the IDSF International Open Championship. Alan & Irene Young came 17th out of 76 couples in the Latin Section and Steven So & Connie Cheng came 60th out of 117 couples in the Standard Section. More detail results could be found in our results page. Photos are availble in our photo gallery.

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