At the 1975 Worlds in Colorado Springs, these three great pairs demonstrated three new compulsory dances which would be introduced to competition by the 1977 season when we first saw the Ravensburger competed followed the following year by the Tango Romantica and then the Yankee Polka in 1979.
First up is Judy Schwomeyer & Jim Sladky who had retired from amateur competition after the 1972 season but here they are demonstrating their invention - the Yankee Polka.
They're followed by Kristina Krisztina Regőczy and Andras Sallay who demonstrated the Ravensburger Waltz which was invented by another pair, the German brother and sister team of Angelika & Erich Buck who hailed from Ravensburg and invented the dance with their coach Betty Callaway. Kristina & Andras were also coached by Callaway.
Finally we have Ludmilla Pakhomova and Alexander Gorshkov performing the Tango Romantia which they invented along with their coach Elena Tchaikovskaya. Gorshkov fell during this demonstration but he had been seriously ill after the 1975 Europeans, requiring a lung operation that Tchaikovskaya apparently donated blood for and while they went to Colorado Springs they were unsure whether or not they could compete. Their first practice - at altitude - saw Gorshkov needing oxygen so they withdrew but he had sufficiently acclimatised by the end of the week to give this demonstration.
All in all a wonderful bit of ice dance history and thank you so much to my dear friend John who generously sent me this wonderful video many moons ago.
29 сен 2024
