Once again, jumpers from Europe will join counterparts from Japan and cities across the United States to see which country will win the best-in-the-show contest when the 20th Annual Double Dutch Holiday Classic gets under way 1:00 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, at Harlem’s world famous Apollo Theater, 253 West 125th St. in Manhattan.
Every year since 1996 Japan has won the award, except in September, 2001, when it didn’t compete due to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York, and in 2004 when the jumpers in command from Brooklyn beat the teams from Japan, to keep the award in New York City, where the Dutch settlers first played the game on the streets of New York City over 350 years ago.
As always, jumpers from the 4th and 5th grades up to adults will compete in three categories:
Speed — How many times the left foot hits the floor in two minutes; compulsory mandatory jump routines and Free Style — anything the mind can think up and the body can do, jumpers will compete against counterparts in their age division.
The National Double-Dutch League has asked Congressman Charles Rangel and First Lady Michelle Obama to ask the United States Olympic Committee to get double dutch designated as an an Olympic game because of its worldwide competition. No word has yet been received from either as to the progress of those talks.
For more information visit the national double dutch league website www.nddl.org.
