Dear friends,

It is big honour and also the challenge for every country to organize big dance sport festivals in their country. The year 2012 will be the second time in the history of Estonian dance sport, when there will be held the biggest dance sport festival in the history of Estonia – 2nd Tallinn Old Thomas Trophy – on the 20th, 21st and 22nd of April 2012. This festival will consist from three different, but equally important parts – from WDSF European Union Championships in Standard and Latin, from WDSF International Open competitions in Standard and Latin, which will be held almost in all possible age groups in WDSF competition system – starting with Juveniles and finishing with Seniors and from open national ranking competitions “Sweet Beginning X” and “Ritmo XVI"

European Union championships will be held first time here, in Estonia. The history of those championships goes back to the year of 2005, when the first time there was held in Latvia the European Union championships in Latin. From the 2006 the EU championships have been held annually in all three disciplines – in Standard, Latin and 10-dance. From every country there can participate two best couples, from every country which are the members of the European Union. To inspire dancers even more, every participating country has the right to nominate one additional couple from their country.

On the 21st and 22nd of April 2012 there will be held WDSF International Open competitions in Standard and Latin. As it considered to think, that the most valuable competitions in the WDSF competition systems are the International Open competition for adult age category, the star turn of Tallinn Old Thomas Trophy dance festival, will be the WDSF International Open competition in Standard and Latin for the adults, where the best of the best couples of the world amateur dance sport will take part in. To support very high level couples, organizers offering to the couples high level adjudicators panel, valuable price money, perfect competition place and accommodation for a very good price. Of course we haven’t forgot our future of dance sport – juveniles, juniors, youth, rising star and senior couples, who will be offered the same high level adjudicators panel, perfect competition place and accommodation for a very good price. All the finalists are the subjects of prices and diplomas and best ones, medals and cups.

Here, in Estonia, we are proud of our competition systems, which have helped to increase popularity of dance sport and numbers of athletes, who are involved in dance sport in every level and in every age group during last 10 years.

There are in Estonia two absolutely wonderful competition systems. First of them, beginners competition system "Sweet Beginning X", which competition series has a history of 10 years and there are competitions nowadays where, in monthly held competitions, take part in over than 300 beginner couples from dance categories A2 to E-class. Already 6 years ago there was added to this competition C-class ranking competition, which has had big success from then, considering that more than 70 couples participating in every competition. So we can say that there are absolutely considerable amount of open-class beginners in Estonia. Many of those couples are our future open-class, and why not, also the world top-class dancers. As we are not afraid of competition, we would like to ask everybody to come and compete with our couples, of cause if you agree to fallow Estonian rules.

Second of those above mentioned systems is hobby-class competition system, which helps to satisfy the needs of our adult dancers who have decided to compete in the future in senior age group. This system also supports the dancers, who are already in senior age group in different dancing level. This system has developed during last 4 years, but it started actually already 16 years ago from dance club Ritmo. This year this will be 16th traditional competition and thanks to this work we can count already almost 100 senior and hobby-class dancers today in Estonia.

When you decide to visit Tallinn Old Thomas Trophy dance festival, which is the one of the most important world dance sport events of this year, we assure that you will not regret, because you can see the most beautiful and sportive dance competition presented by the best of the best dancers of the world.

It is honour to the Estonian Dance Sport Association, to the Estonian Dance Sport Association Professional Division and to the Estonian Hobby Dance Association, to be host of such an important event. Warm welcome and very good accommodation to all competitors and adjudicators will be offered by the Estonian Ministry of Culture, the city government of the Tallinn City, the Estonian Olympic Committee, the Dance School Laguun and the Estonian Dance Sport Academy.

Last but not least, we want to thank all the sponsors of the dance festival and their names you can find in our website. Thank you all very much!