Judges – Masters of Ceremonies – DJane – Chairpersons/Scrutineers
Judges
Peter Chen (Austria)
- Amateur S class in both Standard and Latin (Austrian Dancesport Federation ÖTSV) 2000 – 2007
- Austrian Professional Ballroom Champion 2008 (WDC)
- Semifinalist WDC European 10 Dance 2008
- Runners up Austrian Professional Ten Dance 2009 – 2011 (WDC)
- WDC Adjudicator and Coach (2008 – 2016)
- VTW Diplomierter Tanzmeister (Social Dance Teacher) (2014)
- ÖTSV Adjudicator (since 2010)
Sandro De Giuli (Italy)
I danced for 25 years in the most prestigious national and international competitions with my dance partner Debora La Monaca, first as an amateur in standard and Latin American dances, then as a professional in Latin dances. Finalist in many national competitions; ranked in the sixth place INTERNATIONAL RISING STARS 1998, and in 48 INTERNATIONAL OPEN. 1999 semi-finalists RISING STARS U.K. and in the 48 in the OPEN U.K. Semi-finalists at the GERMAN OPEN RISING STARS 1999, 1999 in the 48 RISING STARS BLACKPOOL.
Finalists in many other international competitions: AUSTRIAN OPEN, DUTCH OPEN …
Agnes Forrai (Germany)
Like lots of adolescents I visited a dancing school to learn ballroom dancing. In 1989 I started to train for competition dancing and did it for ten years in Germany – of which six years exceptionally in the Amateur Latin S-League. After passing my trainer certificates I decided to get the judging certificate, too. Since about 13 years I have the highest German judging certificate.
Heather Gladding (England/Israel)
HEATHER GLADDING, FISTD
Heather has worked extensively as a dance professional for 40 years as performer, choreographer, lecturer, teacher, adjudicator and coach. She trained and qualified at The Bill & Bobbie Irvine Dance Studio in 1979. She opened her first studio in West London, with her dance partner at that time Glenn Wright, in 1984. She gained a Fellowship with the ISTD and holds a British Dance Council Adjudicator’s license.
Heather has been involved in the same-sex dance scene for more than 28 years. In 1993 she started and developed the women only ballroom and Latin dance scene in London. She also helped spearhead the change of discriminatory regulations within the ISTD dance examination system. She was a founding member of the UKSSDC and remained on the board until she emigrated in 2015. She has also served on the ESSDA board.
She co-owned a studio in Central London, with her wife Hadass Armon, for fourteen years, which was predominately a LGBTQ venue. As well as training social dancers, medallists and s-s competitors Heather and Hadass coached, for many years, the first all male Showdance team Guyz in Sync, who won several European and Outgames titles and also were semi-finalists in the ITV programme ‘Got To Dance’.
Heather has worked tirelessly towards the inclusion and acceptance of same-sex dancers. Heather and Hadass have now opened s-s dance classes in Tel Aviv, Israel, the first in the Middle East.
Ron Hoorn (Netherlands)
NADB Ambassador Foreign Affairs
(Inter)national Adjudicator NADB/WDSF
Having his first dance lessons as 11 year old guy he started a long life career in Ballroom dance.
25 years in a row he was running two social dance schools in the Netherlands and compete very successfully all over Europe first as an Amateur and later as Professional dancer.
Now already almost 20 years he is as freelancer traveling all over the World as international adjudicator (including many European- and World Championships and Grand Slams), and as 10-Danceteacher/trainer/coach working with top amateur and professional couples.
Barbara Nagode Ambroz (Slovenia)
- Born in Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Dance Teacher, Trainer and Adjudicator within the Sports Faculty in Ljubljana
- 34 years experience as Adjudicator and Lecturer for WDSF, WDC and BDFI in 55 different countries
- Adjudicator for European and World Championships Amateur/Professionals in Standard and Latin American Dancing as well as Grand Slams and other major competitions
- Founder of Cuban Experience Educational Program in Havana together with leading experts of the Instituto Superior del Arte
- Author of the book “Back to the roots – the authentic Cuban footprint in competitive Latin American Dancing”
Fabrizio Nencini (Italy)
- Semifinalist of WDSF World Championships Senior II Standard 2014
- Finalist of German Open Championships Master Class Senior II 2014
- Semifinalist Italian Championships Master Class Senior II 2018
- Finalist Italian Championships Master Class Senior III 2019
- Federal Technician C.O.N.I. FIDS 2 Level
- Dance Master Dance4Fun Freedom To Dance Standard & Latin
- Technical Director EFFEKAPPA Dance School
Stella Ponne (Netherlands)
- My name is Stella Ponne, I am a dance teacher for 42 years.
- The first 15 years it was only ballroom and latin I teached and danced. Later I started dancing and teaching Rock & Roll.
- For years me and my husband trained the top couples of the Dutch dance sport scene and we also had latin and ballroom formation teams. In the ninety years we were one of the first studios that was interested in streetdance/hiphop. Nowaday my daughter is responsible for that part of the studio.
- I am also a trainer for the professional diploma of the IDTA.
- We have been organizing for 57 years a big ballroom/latin competition in Amsterdam/Badhoevedorp and for the last six years the same-sex dancing is part of this competition.
Michael Webel (Germany)
Since 29 years Michael is a dance sport trainer and adjudicator in Standard, Latin and Formation Dancing. He reached the highest German tournament classes in both sections himself. From 2002 to 2013 he was head coach of the German National Team in Para Dance Sport (Wheelchair Dance Sport). He travels the world as an official and teacher.
He also has more than 20 years of experience in Equality Dancing where he is as well involved as adjudicator and coach. Among others he was a judge at the EuroGames in Zurich and Hanover as well as the highlight, the GayGames 2002 in Sydney, which were a special and unforgettable experience for all participants.
Masters of Ceremonies
Marta Cagnin (Italy)
My anthropological research for Choreomundus – International master in dance knowledge, practice and cultural heritage brought me close to same-sex ballroom dancing but also all around Europe, from Hungary to Germany, where I eventually met the amazing LadyO. A queer dancer myself and dance teacher in training, I linked my dance activity with the academic one and I am sharing and learning about different styles of dance and movement from the whole world.
I am proud to host this edition of EuroGames in Italy and to welcome all the energy it will bring to Rome.
Csaba Csetneki (Hungary)
Csaba started his competition level ballroom dancing on the same-sex scene and danced all the way up to become two times European Champion (Budapest 2012, Blackpool 2014) and Vice World Champion (Antwerp 2013). More recent he is into delivering shows and workshops throughout Europe, with a specialty of working on the mental aspects of competing, performing and putting dreams successfully into practice.
Csaba is a certified dance trainer and coach. He works as a professional business coach and trainer, interpreting embodiment and dance related experience into the fields of corporate and organizational environment via working with business professionals, leaders in various development projects.
LadyO (Germany)
LadyO – the icon of good taste and beauty is part of EuroGames 2019 in Rome to bring happiness and good mood to all competing dancers! She also was part successfully of the equality scene before the Mammuts died.
The lady from Berlin just bought a farm for her daughter and will concentrate in working on the field and Restauration of her Farmhouse. We hope her nails and her beautiful skin will survive that! She cannot wait to spend the time in that great team to host the spectacular event!
DJane
Andrea Schlinkert (Germany)
After many successful years as a dance couple with Kerstin Hübner – from EuroGames Berlin 1996 on, crowned by European champion titles in Barcelona and Antwerp as well as an A Finalist Latin of Outgames in Montréal, Andrea is still an active dancer in the showdance group Revue en Rose, who 2017 won the European Champions 2017 in Berlin and 2018 the World Championship in Paris.
Since more than 20 years Andrea teaches queer classes in ballroom and latin as well as Argentine Tango, hosts event series as DJane and organizes the women’s ball “Berliner Diven”, already in the third year.
Musically, she is well known for many years as DJane of the Berlin Open, with the requirement of the competition music rising with the performance of the dancers in their classes. Always looking for titles that have not been heard many times, the playlists are meticulously arranged in advance, so that a thrilling atmosphere for the audience arises and also the lower classes can perform in an enjoyable tournament mood – with a clear rhythm without boredom 😉
Chairpersons/Scrutineers/IT
Dörte Lange (Germany)
Together with Ingeborg Petersen Dörte was a successful same-sex dancer, up to the silver medal in ballroom and latin at GayGames 2006 in Chicago. Since 2000 Ingeborg & Dörte took part in each EuroGames, Gay Games and Outgames and many smaller competitions as active dancers or as part of the organization team.
In 2007 Dörte was a founding member, board member and web master of ESSDA and some years later female co-president. In 2010 she resigned from the ESSDA board to become president of DVET.
For 12 years she was active as manager of sports at her club TTC Rot-Gold Köln, which is the biggest dance club in Cologne. In Cologne and Wuppertal she supported many DTV and WDSF tournaments as a licensed scrutineer. In 2010 she was one of four hosts of Gay Games Cologne which was the biggest same-sex dancing tournament so far. You know Dörte as Chairperson, master of ceremonies or scrutineer of many small same-sex competitions, German Championships and the European Championship 2017 in Berlin.
It is both a challenge and an honor that the EGLSF has entrusted us, a team of dance-experts from the DVET and the ÖTSV, with organizing the dance competitions of EuroGames Rome 2019!
Thorsten Reulen (Germany)
Thorsten Reulen is connected to the same-sex dance sports scene since he had his first lessons with three times Gay Games winner Bernd Farwick back in 1996. Between 1998 and 2013 he attended – with two exceptions – all dance competitions within international LGBT multisport events such as EuroGames, GayGames and World Outgames, starting with a gold medal in the E class (!) in Amsterdam 1998 and finishing with a 5th place in the A class Senior Ballroom competition in Antwerp 2013.
Highlights (with dance partner Stefan Huch):
- A class finalist World Outgames 2009 Ballroom (Adults + Seniors)
- Silver Medallist Gay Games 2010 10 Dance Seniors
- European Vice Champion Ballroom Seniors 2011
- German Vice Champion Ballroom Seniors 2009
- German Champion 10 Dance Adults 2011
- German Champion 10 Dance Seniors 2009, 2010 and 2011
Thorsten is founding member of ESSDA and DVET, former board member ESSDA, sports director DVET since 2010, co-organizer of all Same-Sex Dance competitions being held in Berlin since 2000 (including German International Championships in 2005 and 2013 and ESSDA European Championships 2017), holding a scrutineers license of the German Dance Sports Association (DTV) and experienced as competition leader and chairman.
Peter Steinerberger (Austria)
Competitor in Latin and Standard in the highest classes in Austria. State-certified trainer for dancesport (Final examination passed with distinction at the National Academy for Sports). Teaching at several dance schools and dance sport clubs in Austria since 1995. Adjudicator since 1998. WorldDanceSportFederation Adjudicator A-License since 2011, License for Standard and Latin, Formation, Showdance and Wheelchair. Judging at Austrian Championships, WDSF Open Competitions (Austrian Open, German Open, …), WDSF Grand Slam, WDSF World Championships and WDSF Worldcups.
Sports Director of the Austrian Dancesport Federation since 2008.
Teaching same-sex couples since 2007 and trainer of the biggest same-sex dancesportclub for men and women in Austria (TSC Wechselschritt Linz). Judging same-sex competitions since 2008 (Vienna Dance Contest, German Championships, Nordic Open, …).