Sparkly Nails

Here's an option for competition nails if you're sick of the same old french tipped nails. Easy enough to try at home :)

Finally! Some Blackpool Videos

Videos for the Blackpool Latin Final - Enjoy!

Nobody Does It Better Than a Drag Queen

I was looking for some inspiration for a new make-up look to try and I came across the two videos below. I like how dramatic the looks are - they'd definitely stand out on the dancefloor. I'm going to give them a try and pick one of the two for my upcoming comps. Let's see how I do.

WDSF World Championship Videos

Videos of the recent WDSF World Championships in Singapore. Enjoy!

2011 WDSF World Championship Results

The WDSF World Championships were held in my hometown, Singapore, this weekend. The results of the Adult Latin were a little different from that of the last WDSF competition. Also - watching the youtube videos I was a little surprised that Charles Guillame Schmidt didn't do better.

1. Zoran Plohl - Tatsiana Lahvinovich, Croatia
2. Andrey Zaytsev - Anna Kuzminskaya, Russian Federation
3. Aniello Langella - Khrystyna Moshenska, Italy
4. Martino Zanibellato - Michelle Abildtrup, Denmark
5. Gabriele Pasquale Goffredo - Anna Matus, Moldavia
6. Pavel Pasechnik - Francesca Berardi, Italy

For videos, check out DanceSportTotal on YouTube.

GOC - Amateur Latin Grand Slam Results

With Zoran and Tatsiana absent at the German Open Championship this week, Andrei Zaitsev and partner Anna Kuzminskaya proved victorious. They beat out recent WDSF grand slam winners, Italians Aniello Langella and Krystina Moshenska, who placed second. Coming in third were Martino Zanibellato and Michelle Abildstrup from Denmark.

Final:
1. Andrey Zaytsev/Anna Kuzminskay, Russia
2. Aniello Langella/Khrystina Moshenska, Italy
3. Martino Zanibellato / Michelle Abildstrup, Denmark
4. Timur Imametdinov/Ekaterina Nikolaeva, Russia
5. Vladimir Karpov/Mariya Tzaptashvilli, Russia
6. Gabriele Pasquale Goffredo/Anna Matus, Moldova

Blackpool Professional Latin Final Results

Michael Malitowski - Joanna Leunis (Poland)
Riccardo Cocchi - Yulia Zagorouitchenko (Usa)
Sergey Sourkov - Agnieszka Melnicka (Russia)
Andrej Skufca - Melinda Torokgyorgy (Slovenia)
Stefano Di Filippo - Olga Urumova (Italy)
Maurizio Vescovo - Andra Vaidilaite (Canada)

Maurizio was only one dance away from 5th place! So close!

2010 Grand Ball Showcase of Champions

The talent that was invited to last year's Grand Ball in BC was amazing. All of the finalists performed show dances. The rumba by Mija and Nadya from Slovenia (performed to James Blunt's Goodbye My Lover) was especially touching. I only recently found this video but still wanted to share it. The calibre of dancing was spectacular and I look forward to competing again this year.

Canadian Closed Championship 2011

This last weekend I participated in my first Canadian Nationals. It was an amazing experience, but I do think that the nerves got to me. We didn't make the first cut, and I'm still trying to get my hands on the results to see how many recalls we got.

On a complete side note, we totally look like hobbits next to everyone else. At the beginning of the rumba, two other dancers trample over me before we even get going.

The first video is of the first round of the Adult Latin Championship - so you get to see all of the couples. The second is of the final (but just the Rumba, Paso, Jive). Enjoy!

WDC 2011 Results

My shrieks this morning may have alarmed the neighbours, but I could hardly contain myself. For the second time in a row Yulia and Riccardo won the world dance championships!

The final results were as follows:

1.) Riccardo Cocchi - Yulia Zagoruychenko (USA)

2.) Michael Malitowski - Joanna Leunis (Poland)

3.) Sergey Surkov - Melia (Russia)

4.) Franco Formica - Oksana Lebedew (Germany)

5.) Andrej Skufca - Melinda Torokyorgy (Slovenia)

6.) Maurizio Vescovo - Andra Vadilaite (Canada)

But that was not the only (pleasant) surprise. Maurizio and Andra were in the finals as well, placing sixth. Franco and Oxana were knocked from the third spot by Sergey and Melia. Is this an indication of Blackpool next month? We'll see.

The live cast of the finals made it quite difficult to see all of the couples dancing. Hopefully some YouTube videos will be posted soon.

My New Favourite Samba Video

I don't know what it is about this video but everytime I watch it I just wanted to give my next round my all. All of the couples are amazing for various reasons. Someday I will master that hip roll Anna does (0:28).

When Scary Things Happen at a Dance Competition

You know that recurring nightmare one gets before an important event. All of mine run along the same lines. Showing up for a dance competition without shoes, running late for a competition, falling in a competition and the most dreaded - forgetting my routines.

Well at the Northern LIghts Classic in Edmonton last Saturday, the scariest of the scary occurred. Actually it was a combo - a 3 couple collision plus forgetting 2 of my routines. The samba started with us running into 2 other couples and it was just downhill from there. I was so incredibly mortified. I just couldn't hear the music anymore and I didn't know where to start again. I couldn't remember my routines! Where was I? What's next? I could just feel everyone looking at me with pity.

Eventually the ordeal ended and I hobbled off. I was fighting tears and my legs were shaking so badly I could barely walk. I sat in a stairwell crying, refusing to do the next event. My coach exercised tough love - ie. he was in my face trying to scare me into putting my shoes back on. It was also then that I was told that I somehow had made the cut for the finals. How did that happen?! Well, at that point I realized that the respectable thing to do would be to keep dancing. In the end, we did ok. We made the finals in both events, placing sixth. Not bad for my third competition.

The whole experience just goes to show you never know what the outcome may be, and being a perfectionist never pays off. I am always focused on doing my routines perfectly. Whenever something went awry during a practice I stopped. And when things didn't go perfectly, I didn't know how to recover. So here's to comebacks and keeping your head up when shit hits the fan. And I'm thinking that after that experience, things can only get better.

Also don't beg your partner to walk off between dances - in case your coach is like mine and can read lips.

I'm trying to find pictures from the weekend - but we were all too frazzled to take any. If some surface on Facebook, I will put them up.

The New Look

As I have mentioned before, we were at Grand Ball in Vancouver this last weekend competing. It was a great competition and an excellent opportunity to watch some very talented couples from Europe and New York compete. But the most exciting part of the competition was the mini makeover I got.

This was a spontaneous decision and somehow I managed to find someone help me execute my master plan on a Sunday morning. I decided to cut my hair! Not just a trim. About 8 inches of it. Check out the before and after pictures below. I realize its an odd look for an Indian girl, but I really like the way it looked on the dance floor. And I sure felt ever so Anna Melnikova-ish.

Before



After



In Action

New Costume!

Sorry for being MIA for the last little bit. I have been keeping busy preparing for the Grandball competition in Vancouver. It is coming up really soon - just next weekend.

I have been getting a costume made for Grandball. I picked it up today and we just need to stone it at this point. However, a fellow dancer stopped by the studio with some of her costumes for sale. I, of course, ended up purchasing one. Check out the pictures below. I'm thinking of wearing this one at Grandball instead. I'll post pictures of the other as soon as I finish stoning it.

2010 Wild Rose Ball

We had the 2010 Wild Rose Ball in Calgary last weekend at the Polish Cultural Centre. The dancers from our studio did really well. Leah and Richard won Adult Silver, Michael and Clarice won Adult Pre-Champ and also placed fourth in Adult Champ. Whitney and Winston did really well as well - placing second in Adult Pre-Champ. All of us were quite happy with how things turned out. Everyone has been working really hard and their efforts are paying off.

Unfortunately, David and I did not compete. We decided that after the Embassy Ball, we still have quite a bit that we need to work on. We'll be competing at the Grandball in Vancouver next month. So we are working hard to ensure that we'll be ready for that. You have to win a competition before you walk on to the dance floor!

I have attached some pictures of our couples! I was so jealous - wish I was competing as well...

IDSF Latin Final - Embassy Ball

I found videos of the IDSF final from the Embassy Ball. Its insane to think that we were competing with dancers of this calibre!

Another First - My Costume

One of the most exciting components of competing is the costume. I spent ages researching, thinking about colours and other various shiny options. However, the design we settled on was swayed by other more practical ideas. As a “new” dancer, we decided that we would have to hide my weaker/under-utilized body parts – mostly my back. We settled on something similar to Oxana Lebedew’s 2008 costume.



Working with a designer, we drew up a design. I wasn’t too excited to be honest, since I wasn’t completely sold on the idea. But I needed to have faith, I thought. At the first fitting, I burst into tears. I hated it! It felt like a ballroom burkha! It was also quite different from what Oxana’s costume looked like. I seriously considered getting another costume, but funds and timing did not allow for this. Upon further reflection, I decided that we needed to shorten it and cut some holes in the bodysuit to make it a little sexier. Anything!

Well, the final outcome wasn’t so bad. On one hand, it was certainly unique. Did I love it and feel fabulous in it? No, not really. It still wasn’t me nor was it sexy enough for my liking. I love the colour though…



But like with all of my ballroom experiences, there is a learning here. Trust your instinct. If you feel that you are being heavily influenced by others and are placing blind trust in others, don’t do it! Create something that suits your personality and style. After all, you’re the one walking on to the dance floor.

I'm already in the midst of creating my next costume, and it's going to be fabulous.

Starstruck at the Embassy Ball

If not to compete, one should go to the Embassy Ball to watch the professionals. Even the amatuers (this is a division when competiting) were amazing. The quality of dancers in every division was astounding. We were very lucky to have the opportunity to watch Zoran and Tatsiana in the IDSF Amatuer Championship competition (Blackpool 2010 Amatuery winners), and Yulia and Riccardo, and Melinda and Andrej in the Professional Latin Championship competition.

We even ran into Melinda and Andrej at the airport checking in. We were such groupies - screaming at them and shouting adorations! We may sound crazy, but, oh my god, these are people you see on your tiny computer and television screens. Plus, they are from Slovenia. So my chances of seeing them again in person are really slim.

But I must say, I was most uncool when I met Max (you might know him as the really hot pro from Dancing With the Stars). Apparently our coach's wife is an acquaintance of his, and she made a quick introduction. Next thing we knew we were taking a picture with him, and he had his hand on my waist! I don't really remember what I said. Something about how amazing he was. The worst part was that I was shaking throughout the entire experience. And just to prove that I am not making things up, please find the picture attached. He's a greek god - that dances!



Excuse the hair and make-up - remnants from my afternoon of competing.

On a more serious note - Riccardo and Yulia are most certainly one of my favourite couples. Amazing rhythm, intensity and a great partnership. Watching them compete live was a privelege. Check out some of their perfomances from the 2009 World Super Stars Dance Festival:

My First Comp and I Didn't Pee My Pants!

I made it! I survived my first ballroom competition - in one piece. It was such an intense experience, but so incredibly worthwhile.

We flew into LA on Friday evening and more importantly, our luggage made it as well. Just to be on the safe side I had packed a carry-on with competing necessities - costume, shoes, jewellery and dark foundation. I recommend everyone to do so. A fellow dancer travelling with us was not so lucky. United lost her luggage and she only received it after the competition. (I would like to take this opportunity to say that I have never had a pleasant experience with United for various reasons. I will save this discussion for a different blog)

Saturday flew by so quickly. I was awake at the crack of dawn for various reasons. Anxiety and, also, not knowing how long it would take for me to do my hair for the most part. Having started at 8am I was finally ready at noon. Getting ready involved tanning, doing my hair (with a fro like mine at one point I had two other people helping me), extensive makeup and adorning oneself with jewellery, rhinestones and shiny lotion.

Once I made it to the competition, it finally hit me! I'm actually competing! Yes, there were various intimidating dancers - giving each other the stink eye of course. I fel so uncool! Like an imposter of some sort. My costume wasn't nice enough, my make-up wasn't heavy enough - plus I didn't have a fancy robe like the other girls. This definitely felt like a first day of school nightmare.

Soon enough they were calling numbers of heats and next thing I knew I was being led onto the dance floor. The music started and off we went. I'm not going to lie, it was not good (note: I'm referring to myself, not my talented partner). I was off at certain points and the 1.40 minutes seem to last forever. I was pooped and dragging my ass on the dance floor. But before you knew it, its all over.

My coach came rushing to us, asking how we felt about the experience. He was trying to assess if we had been scarred for life. Hell no, I answered, I wish I could do this every single day! As crazy and scary as it was - it was amazing! I have never felt so alive. We got to do a second round later in the afternoon and the performance only got better. The rumba was amazing and I got through my paso without any falls! And I was calm enough to wink at a few audience members!

At the end of the day, we didn't do so well in terms of ranking. But its important to remember that everyone has to start somewhere. And when you start at the bottom, you can only go up! So, its back to the studio for practice and the countdown for Grand Ball in November begins.

PS: I'm waiting on some pictures. Pictures of us and details of some of the pros we got to see will follow soon. And you won't be able to guess who we ran into at the airport!

A Good Laugh

Our coach showed us these videos over the weekend. These guys are the top Amateur latin ballroom dancers from Russia. The first video is of Andrey - we had a good chuckle over his lip syncing and unique jive moves. But it only gets better.

The second video is of Andrey and Alexei (current IDSF Amatuer Latin Champion) competing. This video was hilarious!!! Not only were the guys imitating each other, but the swapping of partners at a competition was just unheard of. All in good fun or was it just rude?