DSGB

GlitterBall Classic at Trim, Ireland

DSGB couple, Jakub and Shannon, travelled to Trim in Ireland to compete at the GlitterBall Classic competition on 19th May. The adult couple have been dancing and competing for a number of years in both Standard and Latin American categories.

Shannon said: “The competition at Trim has such a friendly and fun vibe, with the hosts being as accommodating as possible to ensure we felt welcome and to make it easy for us to get to and from the location.

“The other couples were supportive, even though we were not on home ground, and their cheering for one another made for a great atmosphere. We eased into things with each round, and with growing enthusiasm. As we’d attended the previous year we generally felt not too anxious and were just there to get the job done, which we did.”

For more details on how to get involved in DanceSport lessons and competitions, contact us on info@dancesportgb.org.uk

Kedainiai Open 2018

The talented junior couple – Louis and Nicole – was back on the road to represent England at the Kediniai Open in Kaunas, Lithuania on 10th and 11th February.

The two day event gathered together class level and international ranking WSDF couples from around the world, all competing for the open championship title in both Standard (Ballroom) and Latin American.

Louis and Nicole performed in the D and E class events in both Standard and Latin American. Together, they danced the Samba, Cha Cha Cha, Rumba and Jive, as well as the Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot and Quickstep in front of a cheering and excitable audience.

The bright young dancers were joined by two other DSGB couples who danced in the WDSF International Open Adult and Senior I events.

A very merry DanceSport Christmas

Christmas is nearly upon us and while there is no snowflake falling quite yet, Southside Ballroom in Wandsworth, London, is certainly glistening with sparkles.

Juveniles, Juniors, Youth and Adult couples took to the floor to perform their Cha Cha Cha, Jive, Quickstep and Foxtrot at the London DanceSport Challenge Cup on 2nd December 2017.

As always, the British event attracted talents from around the world, with international class couples dancing their very best to win the trophy.

Here are a few highlights from the day. For more details on the next event or how you can get involved, contact us today.

London welcomes international talents

European Standard (Ballroom) and Latin American couples took to the floor alongside British talents in the latest series of the London DanceSport Challenge Cup.

The one day event took place at Southside Ballroom in Wandsworth, South London, on 17th June 2017.

Dancers’ age groups ranged from juvenile, junior, youth, adult and adult II (over 28s).

The event categories suited dancers of all levels including hobby/beginners and E to B class. There was also an open DSGB event for any couple who can dance all five dances in both styles of Standard and Latin.

For the latest updates and details of our next event, follow us on Facebook.

International dance competition opens for entries

Southside Ballroom will play host to the London DanceSport Challenge Cup on 17th June.

This is a special opportunity for UK dancers to compete against international couples in a number of class-based events in Standard (Ballroom) and Latin American dancing.

Entry categories include:

Juveniles Hobby, E and D classes
Juniors Hobby, E, D and C classes
Youth Hobby, E, D, C and B classes
Adults Hobby, E, D, C, B and A classes

The event will be judged by an international panel of adjudicators.

For more information, contact the organisations at Wimbledon Dance Academy on info@danceacademy.org.uk

London kicks off 2017 DanceSport Challenge Cup series

New year, new start. London was the first city to host the 2017 series of DanceSport Challenge Cup.

Organisers, Nick and Olga, invited representatives from various European countries to participate in the February event at Southside Ballroom in Wandsworth, South London.

Over 30 couples participated at the event, representing five countries including Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Estonia and England.

The one-day event saw couples compete in both style of Standard and Latin American dancing, across every class level for juvenile, junior, youth and adult. It also hosted the five-dance DSGB open events for advanced, experienced adult dancers.

“Competing internationally may seem daunting for many amateur dancers but it is incredibly valuable for those who wish to improve,” said Olga. “It opens your eyes to new styles and dance quality, and provides inspirations for young dancers to do more. We find our students become more motivated after an event like this. They come back stronger, they train harder and they practice more.”  

For more details on the next DanceSport Challenge Cup, see our events calendar for details.

DSGB couples at the Riga DanceSport Challenge Cup

November 2016 saw the last leg of the international DanceSport Challenge Cups, with the finale event taking place in Riga, Latvia.

For the first time in DSGB’s history, two junior couples travelled abroad to compete in the international class-level event. Accompanied by their parents and coach, Semion and Daisy made the final in E class Latin American competition. They also danced in the Standard event alongside the second junior couple, Louise and Nicole, who proudly represented England in three out of four DanceSport Challenge Cups during 2016.

Also representing England are seasoned travellers, Alex and Anastasia, adult 10-dance competitors who danced in the C class Standard and D class Latin American competitions.

“Riga was a great event and a wonderful experience for everyone involved,” said Anastasia. “I’m glad to have participated in all four DanceSport Challenge Cup series. It has really built up my confidence on the floor and helped me realise the training required to improve my dancing. It was brilliant to be travelling with two junior couples, too. They’ve enjoyed it a lot and are excited by the opportunity to compete abroad.”

England at the World Championship Standard

Good luck to the two couples – Alexandru Pogo and Katrina North, Bas Willems and Jennifer McMillan – representing England at the WDSF World Championship Standard in Aarhus this weekend.

This is the second consecutive year for Bas and Jennifer, having danced for England at last year’s event in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Alexandru and Katrina will be making their first appearance at the World Championship but they are certainly no strangers to such high level of competitions. It was only last weekend that they were dancing in the European Cup in Warsaw, Poland, ranking 16th place.

Live results are available on the WDSF website: https://www.worlddancesport.org

A weekend of World Championship and World Cups

Good luck to all the English couples competing at the World Championship and World Cups this weekend.

• Alexandru Pogo and Katrina North will be dancing at the WDSF Standard European Cup in Warsaw.
• Christopher Burrell and Emma Burrell will be representing England at the WDSF Ten Dance World Cup in Riga.
• Meanwhile, England Junior II representatives, Glenn Boyce and Caroly Janes, will be performing at the World Championship Ten Dance in Warsaw.

Follow their journeys on the WDSF website.

Alexandru Pogo and Katrina North

Celebrating another successful DanceSport Challenge Cup

London hosted its second DanceSport GB Challenge Cup, welcoming dancers from four countries, including Estonia, Germany, Latvia and England.

Last Saturday, 15th October, saw a successful return of the DSGB international event. Adult and children competitors took part in a range of events in both style of Standard (Ballroom) and Latin American dancing.

Performing in front of an enthusiastic live audience, the couples showcased all ten dances, including Cha Cha Cha, Jive, Waltz and Tango, according to their own class levels and abilities. Five adjudicators from Estonia, Germany, Latvia and England ranked these dancers based on musicality, technicality and overall performance.

A special highlight from the day was the team match, which involved couples of all levels working together as one team for the top prize. Each of the four teams were dressed in special Halloween costumes: Black Cats, Orange Pumpkins, Purple Spiders and White Ghosts. Points from each couple were added up for the final score.

Photos from the event can be seen here and here. Results will be published shortly.