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Dear
Readers,
I received a
telephone call from Dan while in Orlando at the inaguration
of The Diamond Dancesport Championship. He wanted
to get our perspective of what was going on at a competition
while the attack on America was unfolding before our
eyes.
This event was to be quite spectacular.
In addition to the Pro-Am entries, there was an Invitational
International Latin and Standard Championship and
American Smooth and Rhythm Championships scheduled
to be held in the ABC Wide World of Sports Arena at
Disney World, and filmed for television.
The world famous
Ross Mitchell Orchestra was being flown in from England
for the event, and many of the overseas competitors
from Miami the previous week were scheduled to attend.
The beginning of the week was a Dance Camp, with a
faculty that included Alan and Hazel Fletcher, Michael
and Lorna Stylianos and Bianca Schreiber. In addition,
the IDO was presenting the World Salsa Championship,
which had been heavily advertised. The buzz when we
arrived in Orlando, was that this event and its dancers
were definetly giving Mickey a run for his money!
The Sunday after USDSC, 40 of us boarded a
bus and road for 4 hours to Orlando. Everyone checked
in upon arrival, and the preparations began. After
a teaching day on Monday, 15 of us went to see the
fabulous Circ de Solei show. We had great seats and
met the a couple fo the cast members after the show,
which was nothing short of spectacular. It looked
like it was really going to be a great week. Of course,
by Tuesday morning, everything had changed. We saw
the drama unfold on television that morning, and like
the rest of the country, looked at each other in stunned
dis- belief. While the faculty went back to teaching,
the rest of us manned our phones, both cell and land,
trying to reach our friends, loved ones and acquaintences
in New York. After hours of no service, contact was
finally made. Our own phones started ringing with
people from all over the country trying to found out
our whereabouts and our state of safety.
That night, we all ate dinner in the Hillary's suite...35
of us glued to the television. We watched the President,
the Mayor, The Prime Minister, the Secretary of Defense,
and the awful footage of New York and Washington.
Some of us cried, some got angry, and some just watched
in stunned silence. As we begin to see that Disney
was being shut down, no domestic planes flying, no
international flights in or out, bomb scares and evacuations
happening, we all knew that there were going to be
some rough days ahead. As awful as it was, however,
there was still a feeling of comfort and comraderie
that I believe we all felt just by being together.
Over the next few days, things continued to grow graver.
Disney reopened, but the Wide World of Sports Arena
remained closed. The Ross Mitchell Orchestra was stuck
in London and would not be coming. Competitors and
Judges due to arrive couldn't get out on a flight.
And as if things
couldn't get much worse, Hurricane Gabrielle was now
bearing done on Orlando. Now those who were planning
on driving in were out of the picture as well. But
there were still those of us who were there already,
and competitors who drove in before Gabrielle was
upon us. So we pressed on.
Sam, Colin and Joy consolidated the entire competition
into the Royal Plaza Hotel ballroom. With calm and
confidence, these three seasoned and savvy organizers
took the worst of all possible scenarios and turned
it into a success. They revamped the times schedule
to fill in the gaps from the cancelled competitiors,
and reorganized the event to accomodate what we had.
I thought it really all worked out well.
Everyone was glued to the TV in the morning, and it
seemed like just when it was going to become unbearable,
it was time to dance. The competition sessions were
shorter than usual, and when we were done, everyone
headed back to their rooms, or to the bar to catch
up on the days events. We discussed and debated, and
then it was time to dance again.
In this part of
the country, if you live in the "Tri-State"
area of New Jersey, New York, or Connecticut, you
are a New Yorker. I grew up in New Jersey with the
skyline in view. I watched the World Trade Center
being built. A rite of passage into adulthood was
your first trip into Manhattan alone.We may not hang
our hat there, but most of us who live here conduct
the major part of our lives in that wonderful, hectic,
eclectic city that holds parts of the whole world
in it. It felt like a bad dream while we were in Orlando.
When reality appeared, it was almost too much to bear.
Looking back on the past week, as much as I wished
we were home when tragedy struck, I am grateful that
fate placed us where we were.There were several people
who emailed Joy with messages of outrage that the
Diamond Dancesport wasn't cancelled. I couldn't disagree
more!
Being in our dance
community, with our friends from around the world,
who shared our shock and fear, gave us comfort and
a feeling of solidarity. Those of us who are organizers
pondered the fate of those who have upcoming events,
and our own in the years to come.It is in times of
crisis that activities like dancing become an important
mechanism in our survival.
There are many of us who work in the industry, as
well as those who participate as students, that view
our dance world as an extended family. When my cell
phone rang with concerned calls from all parts of
the country regarding our safety that only confirmed
it to be true. I believe what the President said.
We must continue on. If we don't, then the terrorists
have won, by compromising our freedom to travel and
live as we have become accustomed.
I sincerely hope we all keep dancing. It is a great
medicine for this horrible illness we are all suffering.
We are boarding a plane at JFK and flying to Hawaii,
to attend the Hawaii Star Ball. Are we apprehensive?
Yes. Are we going? YES!!!
I look forward to seeing you all in the coming months.
May God Bless Us All.
John DePalma
09-25-2001
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