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Over 100 couples danced at a ceremony at the Tai Kok Tsui Sports Centre today (December 8) to celebrate the breaking of the Guinness World Record for the Largest Dance by Couples in July which opened a new chapter in the annals of Hong Kong dancesport.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) subvented the Hong Kong DanceSport Association (HKDSA) to organise the International DanceSport Extravaganza on July 7 and 8 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR.
In a session of the International DanceSport Extravaganza, a record 540 pairs of dancesport enthusiasts, aged between four and 82, danced for five minutes and broke the Guinness World Record for the Largest Dance by Couples.
Among these record breakers, over 700 participants were from Community Sports Clubs and Schools Sports Programme, subvented by the LCSD in support of the development of sports at the community and school levels.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Deputy Director (Leisure Services), Mr Vincent Liu, said dancesport had been growing fast in recent years. He added that with the subvention from the LCSD, 21 community sports clubs were established in just three years with more than 6000 participants. He encouraged members and associations to continue their efforts and to foster more talent in future.
Mr Liu presented a congratulatory letter to the HKDSA and certificates to participants at today's ceremony, congratulating them on being awarded the Guinness World Record Certificate.
Under LCSD School Sports Programme, some 250 sports activities, including training, have been provided so far this year for over 7000 students of 74 schools whilst 152 activities have been organised by Community Sports Clubs in the local community through subvention to the HKDSA in this year.
A junior squad comprising 31 couples which was selected for progressive training to get prepared for international competitions and the East Asian Games in 2009 was formally established under the HKDSA at the ceremony. Some of these couples were trained under the School Sports Programme and the Community Sports Clubs.
Today's ceremony also featured performances by over 100 couples of dancesport athletes. They included members from the newly-formed Junior Squad and couples having taken part in the Guinness record-breaking session of the International DanceSport Extravaganza.
Ends/Saturday, December 8, 2007
Issued at HKT 11:53
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