Blog

09-02-09 | 06:56 pm

Ballroom Icons Book Worthy of Title

Your passion for this project is evident in every page. Beautifully done! This is a particularly important work and you have truly done it justice.

I can not think of anyone else who would have given this project the kind of respect and commitment to excellence that you have contributed in putting it together. This is a book that will live on for generations to come. Thanks so much!

Click here to read the book review.

09-01-09 | 10:07 am

Ballroom Icons at the German Open

The press covered and buyers lined up to get their copies signed.

See also Brigitt’s article on the Grand Slam Latin at dancebeatworld.com

08-30-09 | 07:08 pm

Ballroom Icons: The Launch Party

Spanning many generations and when it was eventually produced it came out as an utterly fascinating, magnificently presented book which would grace the bookshelf of any fervently interested in how the dance of today was so influenced by those of yesterday ... and those of today as well.

Harry Smith-Hampshire, Nina Hunt and Dimitri Petrides, Len Colyer, Bobby Short, Gillian MacKenzie, Peter Eggleton, Espen Salberg, Henry Jacques, Rudi Trautz, Anthony and Fay Hurly, Len Scrivener, Victor Silvester, Phyllis Haylor, Walter Laird ... etc etc ... so many of the Icons stripped of their tail suits or Latin gear ... laying bare their inner thoughts and feeling for dance, showing how many handle their "normal" life away from the spotlight which usually illuminates them. ...

to read the full article click on the picture on the right

08-22-09 | 06:30 pm

A word from the author

The desire to move graciously on the floor seems synonymous with the way we want to move through life.

Still a relatively young form of physical activity, ballroom dancing has developed through many stages to its present day resurgent popularity. From socially unacceptable, to social activity, as an Olympic sport, or as an art form, its transformation has taken over 100 years, very little of which has been documented….until now.

Who were the people who moved this field of dance to where it is today, loved by millions? What are their stories? Who were their mentors and what inspired them? What is their essence? These are some of the questions I will answer in my book entitled, BALLROOM ICONS.

Since 1976 I have been actively involved in ballroom dancing as a participant, coach and judge. It was my vision to create a book that is through its format, a piece of art, and through its content, a true and intriguing documentation of ballroom history. The people who ‘speak’ have influenced ballroom dancing, and its various facets. The early pioneers have passed away and we lose more and more of those who remember the ‘roots’ of this elegant craft. I want to record the knowledge of those great masters before it is lost forever. This is the central theme of the book project I have been working on since 2002.

Until today, a book as comprehensive and poignant on this topic has not been available in any language; most literature is of a technical nature.

Now it is here! I am happy to announce, that Ballroom Icons has been launched in Blackpool, May 25, 2009!

We produced a Limited Luxury Collectors Edition of 2500 books which come in a beautiful dark linen box with embossed print and have the following special features (printed in Germany):

• numbered
• thread bound
• 296 pages
• 64 featured artists/icons
• two dance-history parts
• Römerturm-transparent pages overlaying art photography
• fold out of 200 vintage pictures from the icons in action in their time, dating back to 1910 -’20
• testimonies from former World champions about their favourite icons
• including four (4) random art prints of different icons on special photo-art paper, suitable for framing
• some more special features

Thank you and enjoy,

08-13-09 | 06:48 pm

More comments

It is truly a beautiful piece of work and art and very inspiring. We were also very intrigue to learn about the history of Ballroom dancing that we could not close the book.

We enjoyed reading about our icons that had influenced us on our journey of Ballroom Dance and look forward to read about other icons that had contributed and made ballroom dancing what it is today.

Thank you for such a remarkable book that we all can learn from our roots and remember our history. It is also an exquisite and beautiful book from the simple, elegant box to detailed overlay transparent art pages, it is a master piece of work!

With love

08-07-09 | 07:01 pm

Fantastic job on the book!! Its great and long overdue. I am so proud that someone took thetime to recognize people like Peter and Doreen to mention but a few.....

Thank You

08-02-09 | 07:09 pm

I was on business travel this week but came home to find that my book had arrived.

The book is very classy and so well done. I am really enjoying it and learning so much about some of the ballroom legends I have heard so much about.

I am so very glad that I ordered it. Best wishes!

08-02-09 | 07:05 pm

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your book Ballroom Icons.

I found it to be richly illustrated with unique history and photographs of extraordinary personalities that resonate the culture and values of dance and its divine beginnings.

It is the perfect compliment to the grace and beauty of the dance world that has and will continue to inspire every generation.

I thank you and your husband John Karakis for opening the dance world to me, for the opportunities to meet with such gracious people and the enjoyment of their performances.

Congratulations Brigitt on the success of your beautiful book, it is truly a work of art. Well done!

07-30-09 | 07:16 pm

Your beautiful book arrived this week. I can not wait to have time to read it. It is so well designed and your dad s photos are beautiful.

Congratulations on your work.

07-30-09 | 07:13 pm

Thank you. I am already enjoying my copy. The recipient of the 2nd copy was truly amazed, surprised and delighted. I am impressed with the quality of paper, binding, packaging, etc. You did a tremendous job.

Again, many thanks for all your hard work on the book and assistance getting my copies to me. It was well worth the wait.

07-29-09 | 07:30 pm

Just got the book today.

FANTASTIC !!!!

Thanks for the history I sure look forward to your next edition

SEE YA

07-27-09 | 07:23 pm

What a wonderful,wonderful book !!!

My wife and I have often heard during our lessons, about Jo Bradley, Henry Jacques, Scriv, Benny, Peter, Dennis Udell [from whom we had lessons].

What a magnificent job you have done in reminding all of us of our beautiful world of Ballroom dancing and the heart and souls of all the Icons, that we should never ever forget!!!

Well Done and Thank You.

God Bless

07-11-09 | 07:54 pm

Your beautiful book has arrived in pristine condition thank you so much.

I know we will have many many hours of pleasure delving into it.

With our very best wishes!

07-10-09 | 05:06 am

Journey of a Lifetime

The great names, those responsible for crafting ballroom dancing and evolving it into what we know today, are documented in words and pictures – from Victor Silvester and Josephine Bradley to Richard Gleave and Espen Salberg. Brigitt is the first to acknowledge that her readers will no doubt find “omissions”.

“When I started, I had a core group in mind and they were the key players I knew through my own experience as a dancer, but there were others I did not know about so the group grew as a result of those initial interviews. Bill and Bobbie Irvine were among those. I met them with my ideas for the book and how I envisaged its structure and they suggested many people that they thought I should include.”

Read the full article in Dance Today magazine.

06-25-09 | 07:57 am

Blackpool Gazette

From taboo to tangos

GLAMOUR, Movement, Fascination. Or, as playwright George Bernard Shaw once described it: A very crude attempt to get into the rhythm of life. We’re talking about ballroom dancing and there’s plenty of it going on until Friday at the 84th annual Blackpool Dance Festival.

From social taboo to social activity and Olympic sport, its metamorphosis has taken 100 years – little of which has been recorded. Until now. Who were the people who moved this field of dance to where it is today, loved by millions? This is the central question of a £105 a time coffee table book – Ballroom Icons – which Canada-based German-born dance teacher/coach and adjudicator Brigitt Mayer-Karakis has been working on for the last seven years.

The book, about people and their enthusiasm and tenacious love for ballroom dancing, was finally unveiled at the festival in the Winter Gardens last night at a glittering reception when the guest speaker was British Dance Council president Bryan Allen.

Described as a journey through the lives of dancers, doers and devotees of the ballroom world, this limited luxury edition of 2,500 books, no doubt soon to become a collector’s item, comes in a beautiful dark linen box with embossed print. There is a fold out with over 200 vintage pictures from the icons in action in their time, dating back to 1910, with testimonies from former world champions about their favourite icons.

Brigitt says: “Living in this field of dance for so long, it was my vision to create a book that through its format is a piece of art, and through its content a true and intriguing documentation of ballroom dance history. I hope that it is also a pleasure to read.”

A familiar local face in the book is Gill MacKenzie, who joined the Blackpool Tower Company publicity department in 1973 and, worked for successive owners Trusthouse Forte Leisure, First Leisure and Leisure Parcs.

Organiser of the Blackpool Dance Festival organiser from 1981 until her retirement in 2004, Gill is featured in pictures and words over four pages as the story of the festival unfolds, from its early years as very much a north of England championship to its world status today. This year’s event sees a total of 122 British couples and 1,685 foreign couples from a total of 58 countries taking part in the various Amateur, Senior and Professional Ballroom and Latin events.

06-06-09 | 04:40 pm

Comments

The book is fab! We wish you all the success; you deserve it. Its such a well produced memento of dance history and we are very proud to have been included. Thank you Love Mick and Lorna

06-05-09 | 02:17 pm

Congratulations on your launch at Blackpool, it was super! We got everyone to sign the book and Didio is going to take it with him on his travels and complete all the living icon signatures. My mum loved it too!

06-04-09 | 02:30 pm

06-03-09 | 02:18 pm

Am Freitag habe ich Ihr Buch erhalten! Muss Ihnen ein großes Lob aussprechen - habe es inzwischen schon oft zur bloßen Freude durchgeblättert und bereits viele Porträts gelesen; ich bin wirklich begeistert! Sie haben ein wundervolles Werk der Erinnerung und ein eindrucksvolles Statement für die Historie und die Wurzeln des Tanzsports geschaffen, mein Kompliment.

06-02-09 | 06:53 am

I have just recieved a copy of the book - what an amazing publication. Thank you.

05-27-09 | 02:38 pm

Thank you so very much for sending me Ballroom Icons. Now I cant put it down. I am already up to Doreen Freeman, who I knew so well. It is brilliant.

I do admire all the work and research you have put into it, and I sincerely hope that it will be a great success at Blackpool and that you sell many, many copies. You really deserve to and I wish you lots of luck. Thank you once again

05-27-09 | 06:39 am

Bryan Allen in Blackpool for Ballroom Icons

Our reasons for being here tonight are 4 in number.

We come to launch this most remarkable book.

We come to honour those icons no longer with us - our pioneers whose incredible contribution to the world of dancing has got us to where we are today.

We come here, as some of the icons still making a significant contibution to the wonderful world of dance.

Very importantly, we come here to congratulate and to thank a quite remarkable Lady.

I have been involved in the production and publication of a number of books relating to our dance world and I fully recognize the great effort, the work, the dedication and the struggle such projects entail. I pay her a personal and sincere tribute in the foreword I was invited to write in the book.

Ladies and Gentlemen, for HER superb contribution to the world of dance, please let us salute and thank Brigitt Mayer.

Bryan Allen, President of the British Dance Council

06-16-08 | 10:35 am

A Word from the editor

Ballroom dancing has its roots in the first decade of the 20th century, one of the most accelerated in history. Ballroom’s longevity and resurgent popularity in the 21st century is owed to men and women who, were and are, passionate, talented, benevolent and clever.

Ballroom’s nature is perennial. It carried on during the Great Depression with paying clients, survived in the ‘psychedelic’ 70’s and the disco craze and has given us scores of gifted people with fascinating and often funny stories. Throughout the world today, millions of enthusiasts experience the joy of ballroom dancing.

But who are the men and women who brought this about? Who are the icons of ballroom dancing? What are their stories? We lose more and more of those who remember the roots of ballroom dancing with its emotional, colorful and almost hedonistic nature.

Brigitt Mayer, the author of Ballroom Icons, has been intrigued and passionate about preserving and recording the history of ballroom dancing before it is lost forever. Born and educated in the Rhineland, Germany’s dancing ‘hub’, she began her career at age 16. Due to her innovative and creative approach to ballroom dancing, she received an invitation to perform at Britain’s prestigious Albert Hall. She lives in Canada, teaches and adjudicates worldwide, and had the opportunity and the skill to research and write Ballroom Icons.

Her book, Ballroom Icons with its archival and exquisite original photographs, documents the lives of the men and women who personify ballroom dancing.