The Dance Vision World by Ivo Bruno Pomorski

When and where did you start your artistic journey?

Hello Diana, Thanks for having me here. It’s a pleasure for me. My adventure with dance began relatively early because of my mother, who was a well-known and recognized dance choreographer in Lower Silesia, Poland. I remember those times very well, Poland was in the communist bloc and the most popular form of dancing activity was the state community centers. This is how I started my childhood career. I was 6 years old when my mother took me to my first ballet class in my hometown of Bolesławiec. I hated these classes but I had to lead by example as a choreographer’s son so I attended these classes no matter if I liked them or not. From that moment on, my life path was probably already precisely defined. As it turned out later, I have never strayed from this path.

Who were and are your biggest icons within art, musical, dance and why?

In the beginning, my greatest fascination was, of course, my older friends attending the same classes, but later, as I grew up, I got into disco dancing, so my music idols were: Koll & The Gang, Electric Light Orchestra, etc. This music inspired me, we were the dance elite in my hometown. All the local discos were ours. I even went to the Polish Disco Dance Championship for the first time. Further on it was faster, I started to get interested in ballroom dancing. I started to dance in standard and Latin American style in my hometown AKT DEBUT Marek Czajkowski. Soon after, I moved to Wrocław, where I danced at the AKTAN Dance Club with Professor Beata Lichtarska. This is the most turbulent period in my life. I was the President of this club.

After 3 years I started dreaming about professional skills and knowledge in this field. English teachers were my idols. I dreamed about going abroad permanently and staying permanently in the United Kingdom. Walter Laird was my dance bible. Donnie Burns & Gainor Fairweather, Marcus & Karen Hilton were my idols, and of course, my teachers in Wrocław, Roman and & Malgotzata Chraczynscy. One of the leading Polish couples in 10 dances in this period.

What does artistic creation mean for you, what are your favorite artistic performances you have done?

Artistic creation defines my current life. Already at the beginning, I had a feeling that only an original and unique work can distinguish a man in the crowd.

I did a dance show that always had to be different, surprising, often controversial, but it made sure that it would be watched regardless of whether someone liked it or not. As it turned out later in the United Kingdom and America, my works were always very highly rated by critics. I was a producer of many projects:

I worked for BBC 1, dancing in the England National Team as the only Pole at that time.

I was a private student of Mrs. Peggy Spencer. Member of British Empire.

Then in America, I worked for John Galliano, a fashion designer, I worked for Arthur Murray international. The largest dance school network in the world.

I was also a professional couple in American smooth & American rhythm.

Ivo Bruno Pomorski & Megan Sistrunk, from Ohio.

As you can see always… I had to be original and one step ahead of everyone else.

After I passed my professional exams in Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing in London, My First Dance Factory was in Warsaw called Art Imperium. Very successful and loved. My first Dance Vision school was also established in the USA, which gave me the direction of work, and then it also operated in Poland as Dance Vision Poland. It is such a large summary of what has happened over the years.

During your career, you were moving and mentioned earlier the problem of adaptation in different countries. What is the difference between acting in Europe or America? What are the biggest challenges? Could you please tell us more about acceptance and tolerance?

I think that the biggest problem and at the same time a trap for a young artist and dancer is what I call “young wolf syndrome”. This is what the so-called American way of being … be the best!

I was like that too and unfortunately; I continue to laugh at myself that I am still like that.

The desire to be the best in the world makes a person have few feelings because they either see you as arrogant or chauvinistic or as a dangerous enemy because your knowledge and experience are so enormous that you threaten their business. Added to all this is the so-called empty space between countries. 

Emigration sometimes causes many problems. In England, I was treated as a talented Pole, in America as a strange Englishman, in Poland as a Polish-American hybrid. Nowhere to the end does not feel like belonging to this day. I feel like a citizen of the world and it will probably remain so for the rest of my life.

Tolerance is very debatable and depends largely on who you are? If you are very professional in what you do, you are a force that must be respected. Only this approach gives you tolerances in every country in the world. The power of professionalism in the profession.

People accept you when you are the best because they have no way out.

Who is your biggest support in development within your artistic career?

If you ask for a person, then I will tell you that, unlike my older colleagues, I am fascinated by young people. I believe that nowadays young, efficient human organisms are capable of much greater challenges than, for example, 20 years ago. The perception of dance and physical activity has changed dramatically. My source of energy and inspiration in dance is in young musicians and dancers from all over the world, who every quarter of the year reveal themselves with new ideas and a new point of view. I like to reach for new media, the physical movement has to develop and teaching methods as well.my help is to observe the world, analyze and wish to do better. Nothing has changed in this regard. My request to young dance teachers or just artists!

Don’t try to be modest, don’t try to be calm, don’t try to be perfect and politically correct, distance yourself from yourself! Only rebels have a big career …. calm people do not get anywhere … because they are too normal and do not stand out from the crowd. Think it over.

You have many talents from different styles of dance what is your biggest focus? 

Yes, it is true. Working and contact with the best and most original individuals in the world have made me have knowledge in many areas of dance which is fundamental to understanding how a world champion is created. Each of us knows that concentration in only one dance style gives a limitation that will be deadly in confrontation with coaches who have knowledge in several dance styles. That is why I feel good where I can solve a technical problem in a clear and transparent way. I have to feel that my student understands me and is satisfied with the results in a short time. Everything costs money, so I try to do it as quickly and efficiently as a student or a group of students allows me.

However, if you ask. what do I like in private? Musical Dance, Hip Hop New Age, Ballroom Dance … in the end, I was also a 3-times Great Britain Champion in Latin-American.

In hip hop, I have raised multiple Polish champions and 4-time world champions.

I did so many Musicals… like FROZEN also for my daughter Mia Pomorska. Like Captain America … I can fight until the morning ☺  Oh no jokingly and seriously …… I love analyzing movement from a scientific point of view. The correct process of movement gives immediate results and gives you a chance to delight your heart in dance and feelings that have never been felt before.

How did you find your spirit in the dance competition challenge to share your emotions and charisma?

You know what? … hmmm … here the answer is very simple and fast. I have always danced at 120% of my ability in the practice room. I don’t know what stage fright means. I am explaining the same to my students today. You are to go on the dance floor, kill them and come down with a smile on your face. You will only do this when you involve your feelings in the dance. Make sure the viewers are picking you up in HD.

How did you mentally manage hard training and intensive competition period, is there anyone who provided motivation consultancy for you?

Yes, of course, This person was always my Mom, then the English Mom Peggy Spencer and then I think, like everyone else … this desire to prove to the world every day that you are the best gives you not a single day off. There is no retirement pension in our profession. You have to marry the dance, then you have 2 wives. They are both jealous of each other and you have no choice. You have to give advice whether you are tired or not. This is the essence of the choreographer’s life.

As an experienced international judge, choreographer, and dancer what would you advise to younger dancers who lose their motivation during a pandemic?

What does motivation mean? I understand that sick organisms need the motivation to survive? Healthy organisms live and work normally and do not need motivation. We are ambassadors of a healthy lifestyle, mass meetings, and a happy life. If we stop dancing, training, and taking part in dance competitions, what’s left for us? Lockdown at home 24/24?

We, the artists, give humanity a sense of happiness and worth. Let us not forget about it and let us cultivate it. The pandemic will not stop us.

You are an entrepreneur, could you please tell us more about your dance academies and what drives you?

Yes, It’s almost the 30th anniversary. So far there were companies: Polish Dance Centre Art Imperium, Polish Dance Vision Factory, Dance Vision Poland Academy.

Now, this huge experience has turned into the final product: Dance Vision World Foundation 

with headquarters in Warsaw and branches in Warsaw and London.

The development of everything depends, of course, on the epidemiological situation in the world, but it is the foundation that will be the guardian of the interests of the owners of dance schools and event organizers. Contact with businessmen from all over the world will enable the exchange of interests and product and commercial sales through events. Specialist training and funding for young talents is also a priority for the Foundation. We want the dancers and owners of dance schools to enjoy nothing but pleasure … that is, creating the world of dance. Bills shouldn’t be too much for them. And I can assure you that we will be good at it. Our experiences are huge.

On many boards all over the world, we still see the majority of male judges. Do you have any examples of women empowering in your cooperation within dance businesses and what is your point of view?

Well… I think I have a different point of view than yours. My experience shows that women are more useful for judging a dance, women are beauty, beauty can judge what is beautiful. Men also appreciate the beauty of dance. It all comes down to the beauty of a woman assisted by a man! Is it not so? We live because of it; we love because of it. Secondly, My Trainer and Mentor Mrs. Peggy Spencer was the head of the biggest dance federation in the world.

Can you observe any evaluation of dance in Ballroom dancing from different perspectives technical, behavioral, and political? 

The behavioral, technical point of view of dance judges can be a major obstacle to the development of a modern dancer. We all understand that there must be some rules by which we develop and evaluate artists, but certain flexibility and openness to new trends should be a priority in the development of individuality in dance today. I am against locking everything in rigid clamps because an organization makes money from it. I am for development. I will always be behind young people looking for better solutions.

What kind of dance styles will you provide in Dance Vision World?

As I mentioned before, Dance Vision World today is a Foundation. This means that it is a support for every dance community, mainly in Poland and the UK. We are to make dance school owners feel free from economic hassles. We want to build financial programs that will help them deal with common problems of costs and expenses. We want them to take care of creating ONLY the world of dance. At this point, it doesn’t matter what dance style they dance school represents. I hope that we will be able to help everyone organizationally and financially. The first project will be carried out for the organizer of the WADF Dance Event. We will see how the situation develops.

We also have in mind great dance schools run by enthusiasts of this profession, hard-working people who deserve to be helped. These include, for example, Szkola Tanca DiscoFox Poznan with whom we maintain good relations. It is also the Head Office of the Polish Dance Society. (PDS) (OTT) I think that others will follow, regardless of the federation and internal politics.

What are your 3 biggest dreams?

I would like people to remember me as a nice guy, full of love and humanity. Money is nothing to me. I prefer to help others.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Swedish quarterly magazine Designer Stockholm, thanks to you, the world speaks to people and this is what we need today in a pandemic world.

Kind regards
Ivo Bruno Pomorski
The President of Dance Vision World

Interview by Diana Kicia

11.01.2022 Stockholm