By Staff Reporter
WINDHOEK
Namibia through the Namibia Amateur Dance Sport Association (NADSA) reached another milestone on the sporting arena with the announcement that the country will from now on become the official headquarters of the newly established Southern African Dance Sport Federation (SADSF).
The federation held its Annual General Meeting in Durban, earlier this month and resolved to have its head office stationed in Windhoek, with the primary aim of promoting and popularizing this particular discipline in Namibia and neighbouring countries.
Apart from Namibia – Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe are the other countries represented on the eight-member federation.
SADSF is currently mapping out a comprehensive plan to produce highly qualified dancers, coaches and adjudicators for the development of dance sport within the Southern African region. The federation is an affiliate of the International Dance Sport Federation (IDSF)
The International Dance Sport Federation held a meeting under the chairmanship of Marco Sietas in Durban, South Africa recently with the main objective of assisting emerging nations with the development of dance sport and also to recruit new members.
Addressing the assembly, Sietas emphasized the importance of cooperating with the African continent in the dance sport world scene and the unification of adjudicators’ criteria and education as well as the functions of the three most essential organs of the organization – the IDSF, Membership Commission and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Sietas also took members of the Southern African Dance Sport Federation through the ropes on the finer points of organizing competitions between member states, notably on the African continent with the subsequent staging of the maiden edition of the African Championships.
The IDSF applauded Namibia for having been granted official membership as affiliate number 87 and praised the country on its effective methods and well prepared presentation.
The various disciplines resorting under the jurisdiction of the umbrella body included Ballroom, Latin and American Dancing, Hip-Hop, Modern Dancing, Belly Dancing, Free-style, Rock n Roll and Line Dancing.
Meanwhile, the Southern African Dance Sport Federation (SADSF) has elected its new executive consisting of the following members.
1. President – Ms Ntsili Motsieloa (Lesotho)
2. Vice- President – Mr Bernard Johnson (South Africa)
3. Secretary-General – Ms Thulie Dlamini (Swaziland)
4. Treasurer – Ms Hannelie Stein (Namibia)
5. Public Relations Officer – Mr Tiro Mojatale (Botswana)
6. Sports Director – Mr Mofokeng (South Africa)