WDDSC World wide ban to Philippine Professionals!

30. listopadu 2005 2:10

Yes, here in the new millenium, in 2005 WDDSC do appear to show no compassion at all for its fellow professionals by continuing to support racist discriminitive actions with restrictive trade issues & overtones toward certain Philippine Professionals, those whom are members of the Philippine Professional Dance Sport Association. 

Advice was sought from former WDDSC President Karl Breuer in May 2001re the Philippine situation, with an answer, "Go dance for Indonesia ".  One couple were able to seek and gain representation in Australia , a luxury not available to all Philippine professionals whom struggle to survive daily in a Third World Country.

In May 2003 at the WDDSC AGM, a Presidium directive finally went to the Philippine member, PDTA to form a council with the Philippine Professional Dance Sport Association with constitution in place by Dec 2003.  Agreements were put in place & signed off in September 2003 to initiate this new council by Jan 1st 2004. 

This new Philippine council for local WDDSC activity, would finally allow equality for all Philippine professionals, especially those that have been affected the most through being unable to gain WDDSC registration/licenses as adjudicators &/or competitors these past 9 years.  Alas, honor or integrity appear not to be qualities of WDDSC & its member PDTA, as there is no  likely hood of activation of the new council in sight.  WDDSC has passed any decisions over to next year as they are too busy to deal with discrimination &/or equality issues.

As statesmen & custodians of professional ballroom dancing, WDDSC & its Presidium appear to display a total lack of duty & care towards certain Philippine professionals, whom are competitors &/or adjudicators & are also suitably qualified to hold such WDDSC registrations/licenses, yet are constantly denied equal opportunity with fellow professionals to gain such registrations/licenses, and not just for a short time, but over many years. 

These certain Philippine professionals are also denied the right to aspire towards national representation through the restrictive measures applied by WDDSC & its member PDTA. 

Philippine professionals have been forced to withdraw from UK & USA comps previously due to fears of black bans, but now it is for real!  These same certain Philippine professionals are now banned world wide from competition due to the restrictive practices enforced by WDDSC recently in Hong Kong, (Nov 12 2005), where three Philippine professional couples were denied the right to compete as professionals. 

Competitors from other countries, (Europe & Asia), were allowed to compete and take prize money, yet did not hold WDDSC registration on the day of the competition, displaying the rule forced upon certain Philippine professionals and that allowed for the rest of the world. 

There would be no WDDSC activity in the IDSF dominated Philippines without these certain Philippine professional members of Philippine Professional Dance Sport Association that initiated professional activity in 1999.

What ever happened to supporting those supporting you?

Where is the equality?

Why are certain Philippine Professionals allowed to dance in Senior Amateur competitions while holding Professional Certification and Board positions on the WDDSC member body in Philippines , yet those that wish to be professional are denied participation..

For years, assistance has been sought from WDDSC, IDO, WCDC, etc, to little or no avail. 

What ever happened to WCDC protecting its professional competitor members?  Guess if you happen to be in the top 6, protection is strong, but those down the ladder are just to add strength for the upper echelon! 

Are other WDDSC member countries and their competitors from around the world afraid of Philippine participation?

Is any one interested in a fair go for all? Replies, assistance & guidance welcome to presidentppdsa@yahoo.com

Re: WDDSC World wide ban to Philippine Professionals!

12. července 2006 4:16

Dear Willy,

You have written a lot of senseless dribble further opening the local “can of worms”, but I am tired of having uneducated and ridiculous attacks at me, so congratulations for what follows. 

No matter how hard I try, I could never out perform certain Filipina social dance matrons in giving the Philippines negative promotion in the “industry” as you call it.  I do not believe it is an industry, as if it was, you would be a “laborer”, but only you know the truth.  I believe it is the “profession of ballroom dancing” and we are professionals, those that are certified through examination to teach and those teachers that choose to compete as professionals, where our aim is to protect the art. 

I am embarrassed at the power you suggest I hold, but truth is I am involved with the Philippine Professional Dance Sport Association, PPDSA and have been working as one of many for the interests of all Filipino’s, not just the socially elite and their subservient “bag boys”, where some seem to believe they have a right to denigrate those unfortunate to be born without wealth.  That is why I have been a benefactor to Philippine ballroom dancing and have taught for FREE to help those unfortunates that wish to lift their station in life.  That is why I have worked to allow affordable certification through examination for those wishing to be dance teachers, but unable to afford the fees normally involved.

John Co & Edna Ledesma-Asano

You mention the situation of John Co & Edna Ledesma-Asano, so let’s all understand the problem and see reality, as integrity & honor generally and sadly are lost in today’s world, even in ballroom dancing.

This pair traveled purposely to Blackpool UK 2003 sponsored to represent the Professional Dance Teachers Association, the professional member organization representing the WDDSC in the Philippines as well as to compete in “Senior Amateur” Latin division of the British Championship.  John had completed an examination with Walter Wat in Hong Kong during October 2002 with the National Association of Teachers of Dancing (London) making him “Professional” as the dance world normally would feel; and just a few short months prior to Blackpool 2003.  Both John Co & Edna Ledesma-Asano have been earning their living plying their profession as Ballroom Dancing Teachers, Instructors for hire and demonstrators for many years, even appearing on television with payment.  They both adjudicated ballroom dancing competitions regularly prior to 2003 Blackpool as well as after that date.  Edna has been a Board Committee member of the Professional Dance Teachers Association since as early as 2002 and has produced a VCD instructional on Ballroom dances as a further testament to her professional status. 

Senior Amateur competition is designed for those over 35yrs whom take up competitive dance purely as an “after work” hobby.  Those professionally motivated go to Professional Division. 

I have been told, so this is hearsay, but I believe it is close to the truth, that a certain Brit, lied at Blackpool when questioned regarding professional status for John & Edna, whom, by all accounts, seemed to do a good job in that department themselves.  History says they went on to become the British Senior Amateur Champions, but it is a most hollow victory devoid of integrity, honor and pride when facts are considered, albeit in my opinion.

Faye Salvador

A student for a short time, yes it is true, but a little longer and some ethics may have been included with the training that I feel would have guided Faye in another direction than what occurred March 13^th 2006. 

Faye became involved recently in the Professional Dance Teachers Association of the Philippines , PDTA, so let’s look into the leadership of this group to see what unfolds.

The PDTA is affiliated to its mother the Dance Sport Council of the Philippines , DSCP, interestingly, where an amateur group leads the professional body.  This PDTA led by a social dance matron, Attorney Ma. Cecilia “Chel” Katigbak, whom has never been a medalist, competitor or a dance teacher, yet feels she is qualified to lead a professional dance teacher group representing the interests of Professional Dance Teachers & Competitors.  I doubt this attorney could even be qualified to lead a Sanitary Inspection Protocol team, yet someone had the audacity to allow this person to adjudicate professional competition, but that is another story in my book “Manila Madness” coming soon in a book store near you.

On the morning of March 13^th 2006, the Dance Sport Council of the Philippines , DSCP, the PDTA and their officer/member representatives, namely Attorney  Ms. Ma. Cecilia"Chel" Katigbak, Mr. Ariel Llanillo, Mr. Marvin Marquez, Ms. Edna Ledesma-Asano, Mr. Rico Rosima, Mr Lowell “Louie” B. Tan, Ms. Filomena “Faye” C. Salvador and Mr. Julius Saranza;  “gate crashed” another dance group’s legitimate Congress.  The alleged purpose was an attempt to “hijack” another group’s workshop which failed with all the due respect it deserves, where the congress participants heckled these would-be intimidators out of the premises.  The congress participants then wrote a letter to the congress organizer protesting the unethical non-professional behavior of this Professional Dance Teachers Association including that of Ariel Llanilo & Edna Ledesma-Asano with their antics, and further requesting that the organizer of this congress not have anymore to do with this PDTA due to the actions displayed on the morning of March 13^th 2006.

How an attorney such as Attorney Ma. Cecilia “Chel” Katigbak could ever feel she had the “right” to bring her subordinates on a six to eight hour car journey out of Manila in a laughable attempt to gate crash another group’s legitimate Congress which failed with all the due respect it deserves, is totally beyond reason.  It does however; explain the current position of the Professional Dance Teachers Association.

It is disappointing that Faye could have been led astray by this Professional Dance Teachers Association of the Philippines; a professional dance teacher body that had supported the DSCP media attacks subjected upon myself and the PPDSA for conducting “illegal” “unauthorized” and “non recognized” Dance Teacher Training & Certification projects in the “provinces”, the PDTA that had no professional dance teachers until PPDSA forced their hand in September 2003; the PDTA that denied democratic process and also denied Filipino’s opportunity to apply for WDDSC registration as professionals leading to a world wide ban placed on Filipino Professionals until WDDSC stepped in to commence to rectify the problem back in May 2003.  In November 2005 the PDTA caused Filipino professional competitors to be black banned in Hong Kong .  Further evidence of the activities of this group lay in the WDDSC suspension of the PDTA on June 1^st 2006.

Willy, you say … “let the Filipino handle their own problem, we Filipinos have our own way of organizing, let the Filipinos organize and let their decision be.” 

That cannot be Willy, because most of the developed world and even many Filipinos do want the Philippines to move forward to allow equality with democracy for all, not just those with a wallet to afford it.  That is what has been happening with the PPDSA these past seven years leading to the WDDSC finally taking the required action; sending social dance enthusiast matron attorneys to find a new hobby and allow the Philippines to move forward in dance.

I am glad to hear these guys you mention as accepted by the professionals, “david roberts, paul bishop, richard morresey”.  What about Paul Harris, does he not deserve a mention too?  David Roberts is the co-author of the email “Philippine sadness” and an examiner of the UKA.  Enough said!

Paul Bishop has had a strong hand in developing the original infrastructure of Philippine dancing that was not followed through with by Becky Garcia for her own purpose, leading to the PDTA fiasco today and then Richard Morrisey, one of Australia ’s leading professionals.

But which professionals or dance teachers champions are you referring when saying I am not accepted, as to my knowledge, I produced the first professionals of the Philippines during 1999 through to September 2003 and still going strong, unless you want to count John Co & Edna Ledesma-Asano and many of their friends, then it was all started long before I was ever involved or even arrived here in the Philippines.

I am still the only teacher/coach that has produced Filipino Professional Champions, so to whom are you referring?  Maybe for some enlightenment, you should talk with the Professionals at PPDSA for a more balanced view on the status quo of Philippine Dancing.

Regards,

Stan

Re: WDDSC World wide ban to Philippine Professionals!

25. listopadu 2006 10:06

Congratulations are in order only and when the Philippine Dance Council (PDC) is actually a reality. Knowing the personalities and politics involved in the 3 founding organizations it may take another 5 years till they get things right.