We have an exciting day planned for both students and teachers and led by a wonderful group of industry experts. 

Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in classes in Ballroom, Latin American, Sequence and American Smooth - followed by a joint masterclass led by ISTD President Shirley Ballas. 

Shirley will teach a short Cha cha cha routine to all attendees. This will form the basis of what they will demonstrate and perform during the Presidents Competition.

 

Use code EARLYBIRD for 10% off bookings until Sunday 18 August 2024. If teachers bring 10 students to the Sunday congress, you can claim a free place on this event. 

This congress event will form part of the BLS Medallist series, with medallist competitions taking place on Saturday 31 August. 

 

A special afternoon tea and ISTD goodies are included. So, don't miss out.!

 

 

 

Students Workshops
10.30 – 11.15	Jive: Kicks & Flicks – with Ben Milan-Vega & Morgan Hemphill
11.30 – 12.15	Medallist Series Sequence Dances – with Karen Byron
12.15 – 13.15	Lunch
13.15 – 14.00	Quickstep: Chasses & Locks – with David Cockram & Rosie Ward
14.15 – 15.00	American Smooth: Tango – with Kirill Shevelev
15.30 – 16.30	Cha Cha Cha Masterclass – with ISTD President, Shirley Ballas
16.30 – 19.00	Tea party and President’s competition

 

Teachers Workshops
9.30 – 10.00	Jive: Developing standard figures with competitive flair – with Ben Milan Vega & Morgan Hemphill
10.00 – 10.30	Rhythm Dancing: Up to Gold Medal – with Vernon Kemp
10.30 – 11.00	Medallist Series Sequence: A Teachers point of view – with Karen Byron
11.30 – 12.00	Tips & Advice: with LEXT team (Yvonne Taylor-Hill & Jill Bush)
12.00 – 12.30	Rhythm Dancing: Quick Rhythm and other uses of Rhythm Dancing – with Vernon Kemp
12.30 – 13.30	Lunch
13.30 – 14.00	American Smooth: Tango - with Kirill Shevelev
14.00 – 14.30	Advanced Rumba Variations - with Lorna Lee
14.30 – 15.00	Quickstep: Developing standard figures with competitive flair - with David Cockram & Rosie Ward
15.30 – 16.30	Cha Cha Cha Masterclass – with ISTD President, Shirley Ballas
16.30 – 19.00	Tea party and President’s competition

PRESIDENTS COMPETITION - Entry criteria and eligibility

• Students should only wear smart casual. No practice wear or competition wear is allowed.
• All ages will be competing against each other. One overall winner will be crowned, with commendations given to outstanding individuals in different age groups (Juvenile, Junior, Youth, Adult etc)
• The Cha Cha Cha routine for the competitions will be taught by Shirley during her Masterclass.
• The competitors will compete solo, without a partner.

 

 

 

 

Shirley Ballas - ISTD President

Shirley Ballas, originally from Wallasey, has been dancing since the age of seven. She is three time ‘British Open to the World’ Latin American Champion, 10-time US Latin American Champion, and multiple-times British National Champion.  By 21, Shirley had won nearly every major title she competed in worldwide. She is the only person to have ever won the British Open to the World Latin American Championships in Blackpool with two different partners and reached the finals an impressive 17 times. Shirley still remains the youngest ever female to reach the ‘British Open to the World’ Dance Championship finals.  Shirley is now one of the top Ballroom and Latin teachers and adjudicators in the world and is delighted and honoured to be head judge on the BBC’S Strictly Come Dancing.

 

Ben Milan-Vega and Morgan Hemphill are one of the UK's top Professional Latin couples. They are British National Professional Latin ShowDance Champions, World and European Professional Latin Semi-Finalists and top 3 British National and UK Closed Professional Latin.  They also run a big dance school, DanceMatic, alongside Alexander and Jade Shindila, training UK Closed, British National, European and International Champions. 

David Cockram and Rosie Ward

Dancing together since June 2018, David Cockram and Rosie Ward have competed across the UK, Europe and Asia. Together they are World and European Championship Professional Semi Finalists; UK Open, British Open & Internationals Rising Star Finalists; and British National and U.K. Open Professional Finalists. In May this year they were also selected to represent Great Britain at the Open Worlds Professional Team Match.  
Alongside their competitive career, David and Rosie have appeared in various television performances including performing for her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family at the Royal Albert Hall. Rosie also performs in Theatre Tours of 'An Audience with Anton Du Beke' which has seen her dance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the London Palladium.

Karen Byron

Karen is a fellow of the ISTD, BDC adjudicator, recipient of both the Carl Alan award and the Classique de Danse award for services to Classical Sequence. She is principal of her own school training pupils from the age of 18 months onwards in Ballroom, Latin and Sequence from social adults, beginners through to professionals. She has trained many Sequence Juvenile, Junior and Amateur British finalists during long career spanning over 46 years. 

Kirill Shevelev

Professional Latin and Ballroom, American Smooth and Rhythm competitive dancer, ISTD qualified teacher, started dancing from the age of 6 in Russia. During his dance career Kirill has achieved great results in numerous national and international championships including under 21 International Dance Championship and Blackpool Dance Festival. Currently with his wife Valeriia Sheveleva is running Duet Dance Studio in London.

Lorna Lee

With her husband and partner Michael Stylianos, Lorna enjoyed a fruitful competitive career. Never dancing as Amateurs and during the short span of eleven years, they won and successfully defended major Professional European & World Latin American Titles including the very prestigious title of Open British Professional Latin American Champion. She has been the fortunate recipient of many awards including 5 Carl Alan Awards, 3 Classique de Dance Awards and the “Prince Makasa Award” for Services to Dance, presented by HRH Imperial Princess Makasa. Internationally well known Lorna travels the world teaching, lecturing and adjudicating, and has been involved in the training of many past and present Champions.
Lorna is an honorary member of the British Dance Council and holds Fellowship qualifications in three genres with the prestigious Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, she was chairperson of the ISTD Latin American Faculty for twelve years during which time she played an enormous part in the re-writing of the ISTD Latin American Technique. On her retirement from this position in she was invited to join the ISTD “Grand Council” a position only given to selected individuals.

Vernon Kemp

Popular Lecturer and Examiner in all Dancesport Faculties, Vernon teaches in central London. He is a world renowned trainer of teachers from Associate to Examiner and regularly enters both Amateur and Professional candidates for examination. As a British Dance Council Championship Adjudicator he has judged in Australia, America, the Far East as well as Europe. Vernon has held many positions within the ISTD including Chair Modern Ballroom Faculty and Chair of Dancesport Faculty Board. He is a former Trustee, ISTD Council member and Trustee of Dance Professionals Fund which assists Dancers, Teachers and Choreographers.

 

 

 

Ticket information

Use code EARLYBIRD for 10% off bookings until Saturday 3 August 2024. 

Students: £45

Teachers: £60

* If teachers bring 10 students to the Sunday congress, you can claim a free place on this event. 

** Students price is inclusive of 1 free chaperone place. 

Lecturers

In the instance of a change to availability, we may need to find an alternative lecturer (than the one originally scheduled) to lead a course. This will not affect the content covered in the course.

CPD hours

All hours stated next to each course refer to the earned CPD hours. This will be reflected on each certificate of attendance that you will receive.

Further questions

If you have any further questions, please contact ballroom@istd.org and a member of the team will get back to you.

 

Booking Conditions and cancellations

All fees must be paid in full, with cleared funds, before bookings close for the event. Delegates may only attend once payment has been made.

The ISTD reserves the right to cancel or amend any session within this event and these terms and conditions without notice. Any changes to the event will be notified to participants as soon as possible by the organiser.

No refunds are payable once a ticket has been purchased and payment received.

This event relies on a certain number of entries being received. If insufficient entries are received the event may not be viable and in this case entry fees will be returned. Delegates are advised to book refundable travel and/or accommodation, as the ISTD will not refund any incurred costs if the event does not take place.

This does not affect your statutory rights.

Further Information

Certificates of attendance will be sent to each delegate via email as a PDF document, after the event has taken place. The CPD hours on the certificate will reflect the time attended by the participant with time deducted for late arrival or early departure from the session.

The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing has the right to refuse bookings on the grounds of health and safety.

Course delegates are responsible for their own personal property and safety. 

The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing reserves the right to record any CPD for the purpose of further training. The ISTD is committed to the principle that the interests and welfare of participants taking part in dance activities is paramount. To comply with the Data Protection Act 1998, ISTD needs your permission before we take any photography or video of you. By acknowledging and agreeing to these terms I consent to ISTD photographing or videoing me at this event. 

Filming /photography / recording of any content displayed or discussed during the class is not permitted by any delegate.

All work displayed is the intellectual property of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and appointed lecturers.

Behaviour and Conduct

Should any delegate display behaviour or conduct that is not deemed appropriate or respectful during or after the event then they may be asked to leave for the benefit of the other attendees.

How we use your information

Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing will process your personal information in accordance with our privacy policy. Please refer to our privacy policy which can be found in full on our website, www.istd.org

Any concerns should be emailed to ballroom@istd.org