The review of the BDFI Annual General meeting held in May 2009
	BDF members requested more information at our AGM in November last year, as a result of which we wrote to the BDFI and it agreed to invite representatives of the WDC and IDSF to its AGM in May. The biggest concern and the main topic at the BDFI meeting was the developing problems in our Dancing World, therefore it was decided to invite representatives of the WDC and the IDSF to attend this meeting to explain their different standpoints. The reply was received from the WDC that they would be here, but was heard nothing from the IDSF. The President of the WDC, Donnie Burns, appreciated that there were many causes for concern in the dance world and gave an résumé of the history between the WDC and IDSF. Donnie Burns pointed out that the WDC did not believe in bans and proposes and promotes an open market. Most people, who support the open market, were also supporting the IDSF by holding IDSF licenses. It was pointed out that there was a time when everyone could dance anywhere without restriction. The meeting was informed that no reason had been given for the actions of the IDSF, but IDSF members were reported to have stated that all events would be attacked, with Assen being the first. Junior Blackpool had been the first of the UK events to be attacked this, where Italian FIDS chairman stopped its amateur members from attending Junior Blackpool, which was thought to be unethical, as it was dealing with children under 16 years of age. It was agreed that such actions created animosity. It was pointed out that there was a time when everyone could dance anywhere without restriction, but more negotiations are required between WDC and IDSF to escape more problem in the future. Therefore it was quite disappointing that the IDSF were not in attendance at the meeting for the discussion. Vice President of the WDC stressed that the WDC was not opposed to the IDSF/IDU/IDSA, or any other organization, running events that were closed to their own couples. The WDC was, however, opposed to an organization trying to ban couples who wished to dance in another organization's events, or to anyone being prevented from competing, adjudicating or running their business. The President of the WDC clarified that the WDC had an open market policy, therefore competitors and adjudicators had the right to go anywhere and dance or adjudicate wherever they wished. No one had the right to bully anyone. Press release by the BDF
Posted On: 07-06-2009