Walter Laird

Walter Laird

Laird & Lorraine in action

Walter Laird (born July 26, 1920 , † May 30, 2002 London ) was a British dancer and three-time world champion of Latin American dances . His book The Technique of Latin American Dancing , published in 1961, forms the basis of the international tournament regulations for Latin American dances in dance sport and is used for training as a dance teacher and trainer.

successes

Walter Laird began his career as a professional dancer in 1946. In 1962 he and his dance partner Lorraine Rohdin won the world title of Professional Latin American Dance Professional Latin World Champion and defended it in 1963 and 1964. In his five-year dance career with Lorraine he remained undefeated.

He later trained some of the world's best couples as a dance teacher .

The "Laird Technique"

During his active time as a competition dancer, Walter Laird dealt with Latin American dances on a scientific level. He developed his own technique, which he described in his 1961 and 1964 revised book The Technique of Latin American Dancing . The dance style developed by Laird prevailed at tournaments around the world and is accordingly referred to as the International Style .

In the course of the years there were technical developments and new figures in tournament dance, which Laird took up in 1972, 1977, 1983 and 1988 in further editions of his technical book. In 1997, a supplementary volume was published (Supplement) with additional figures.

Before Laird could complete the 6th edition of his Latin Technique , he died in May 2002. The book was then completed by his bereaved wife Julie Laird and was published in 2003 as The Laird Technique of Latin Dancing - The Commemorative Edition . Revised versions followed in 2006 and 2009, but they do not contain any technical changes.

The 7th edition of The Laird Technique of Latin Dancing was published in 2014 . The latter includes over 100 changes and additions.

The current edition of the Laird Technique and the associated supplements serve as the basis for the training of dance teachers, trainers and judges in Latin American dances worldwide . In addition, the aforementioned books show the step limit for tournaments in the lower classes. This applies in the area of ​​the German Dance Sport Association (DTV) for the D and C classes and partly also in the B classes of all age groups, on the international level, however, only for the lower classes among the juveniles (children / young people up to 11 years).

Works

• The Laird Technique of Latin Dancing - 7th edition 2014
• Technique of Latin Dancing Supplement: Technique for the British Dance Council's Appendix 1. (Latin) Figures - 1st edition 1997
• The Ballroom Dance Pack
• BILOLA as Social Rhythm Dancing
• LA Music: Rhythm only and Lairds Latin Cocktails (Salsa)

Quotes

"Technique is there to support you, not to be there as an end product."

- Walter Laird

"Technique must be looked upon as a useful tool to be aid the development of good dancing and not be used to kill individual expression and natural development."

- Walter Laird, 1963

Web links

• Information about Walter Laird on DancesportInfo.net