Persons with disability to take part in dance competition

The Malta Wheelchair DanceSport Assocation is organising the Malta Open Dance Spectacular 2002 on December 14 and 15.

The two-day event is to be held at the New University Hall in Gzira. It will feature the 1st Malta Open Wheelchair Dance Sport Championships, the Malta Open Ballroom & Latin American Challenge Cup and a Star Cabaret show by John Byrnes & Jane Lyttleton Byrnes who are the British Latin Amercian Showdance Champions.

More than 45 disabled and non-disabled couples from Holland, Norway, Germany, Russia, Poland, Italy, Belgium and England will be competing alongside no less than 120 Maltese, disabled and non-disabled couples.

This event coincides with the beginning of the European Year of People with Disabilities next year.

The association said the Malta Open Dance Spectacular will reflect the Year's primary aim, which is to integrate all people interested in dancing regardless of their ability and to show the abilities of people in wheelchairs.

Wheelchair dancing started as a recreational activity at the end of the '60s with Duo Dance (two wheelchair users dancing together) in Great Britain and with Combi Dancing (one wheelchair user dancing with a non-disabled dancer) in Sweden and Germany.

Corrie van Hugten from Holland, one of the distinguished adjudicators of the event, developed wheelchair dancing as a ballroom and Latin Amercian dance discipline, and this has grown into the competitive and social form it is today.

Wheelchair dancing is now established in many countries and is practised in more than 40 countries worldwide by approximately 5,500 dancers.

The Malta Wheelchair DanceSport Association was established in January last year after two years working with Janatha and Paddy Stubbs at the Park of Friendship.

The association said dancing had the power to change people.

The competition will open at 12.30 p.m. on December 14 and at noon on December 15. The competitons will last throughout the whole two days ending at about 10.30 p.m.

Tickets cost Lm5 per person per day and will be available at the entrance. Booking can be made until December 12 on telephone 21432927.