Peace in the dance world

The very numerals of the New Year sound promising  1-1-2011. Will the new year have a better tomorrow for our marginalized sector? Will our new government deliver the lofty goals it set for the citizenry when they gave us their platform during their campaign?

Only time will tell.

For most of us, the new year ushers in a renewal of hope in the face of difficult times.

There are so many challenges to face in life and, somehow, at the start of the year we seek to realize the solutions to these challenges whether they be financial adversities, health issues, bitterness and divisiveness in some families, political parties or some organizations. We have that gnawing hope in our hearts that all these could be resolved within the new year.

During an all-ladies get-together recently, we dedicated an hour to share with each other our wishes for the new year. The purpose of the sharing was to try to help each other realize our dreams for the coming year. Dynamic dance personality Pinky Puno surprised everyone when she said that her dream for 2011 is for world peace in the dance world.

“I wish we could just all dance together as one and forget the politics that cause so much divisiveness in the top dance organizations,” Pinky said.

Prodded to explain further, she gave us a background of her problem.

The best of times — when Filipino dancers could compete in the Philippine StarBall. This year, the conflict between the organizations has banned them from joining. Photo shows Cynthia Carrion, Pinky Puno and Becky Garcia who awarded their trophies.

Pinky Puno is well known in the international and national dance world because she joins international dance competitions and she organized the Philippine StarBall competition in the last three years, which brought in top dancers, both professional and amateur, to the Philippines.

Her purpose was twofold: to give Filipino audiences a chance to see the top ballroom dancers in the world and to give the Filipino dancers the opportunity to dance side by side with the top dancers in the world so they can serve as an inspiration to them.

She did not affiliate the Philippine StarBall with any worldwide dance organization but she was successful in getting participation from two of the biggest organizations — the professionals from World Dance Council (WDC) and the amateurs from International Dance Sport Federation. (IDSF).

There had always been cooperation between these two organizations since their inception. However, during the past years, some unresolved conflicts and political battles between the two organizations caused a rift and has affected the Philippine StarBall.

This year, international dancers and Filipino dancers belonging to IDSF are banned from competing in the Philippine StarBall because of the presence of dancers from WDC, who have come to Manila in the past three years to compete. Unless Pinky Puno is willing to withdraw the dancers and adjudicators of the World Dance Council, (WDC) members of the IDSF are banned from joining. This infuriated the Filipino dancers who were looking forward to join this competition in their own country. They were willing to risk suspension from IDSF but Puno decided against it.

“We don’t want to be a cause for more divisiveness in this current difficult situation. As a result, we have chosen a different format for the 4th Philippine StarBall, which will be held at Makati Shangri-La on Feb. 12.

“It will no longer be a competition but a dance festival. Filipino audiences will be able to see the best in the world (professional dancers from Europe, USA, Latin America and Asia) doing six different dance styles. It is a pity that the Filipinos cannot dance alongside them because they all belong to IDSF. This breaks my heart. My hope for the New Year is to see the conflicts between these two organizations resolved”.

She quotes something she read, “Dance is the universal language of man. It is not confined to any one race or country, or to any particular period in history. It is an art form that binds together all of humanity.”

Because of the ongoing political conflicts in the ballroom dance world, there is a movement now called “Freedom to Dance.” Dancers should have the freedom to join any competition and not be restricted by the dictates and demands of organizations. Dancers only want to dance. That is their passion.

Pinky Puno is a dancer so this is also her passion. She continues wistfully, ”World peace can be achieved one step at a time. Dancers can do their part in achieving this.”