May-June 2011 American Dancer

Transcription

Dancer
A M E R I C A N
Chapter
of the Year
Reaching Out and
Creating Smiles
Crowning
Champions
Crowning National Champions
and World Team
On the
Runway
SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS &
four top fashion designers sponsor
10 USA Dance DanceSport
couples at Nationals
Official Publication of USA Dance
USA dance 2011 national dancesport championships
www.usadance.org
May - June 2011
Issue 30
Dancewith
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Apr 27, 2011 - May 2, 2011
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Jun 12 - 17, 2011
at the
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Visit www.dancevision.com or Call 1-800-851-2813
The world’s most talented, certified instructors
On the Cover
8 Chapter of the Year:
Rhode Island
Reaching out and Creating Smiles. Rhode Island is
making more opportunities for everyone to dance.
32 Crowning Champions
Results for the finalists at Nationals.
40 On the Runway
SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS partners with four of America’s
top fashion designers to sponsor 10 USA Dance couples.
Their costumes debuted at 2011 Nationals.
40
Ron Garber & Ashley Goldman
photo by Ivor Lee
Inside the Cover
Line of Dance
4
6
7
President’s Report
Editorial Information & Contributors
Important announcements
Dance Floor
10
12
14
Volunteer of the Year: Craig Kunkel
National Chapter Conference: New Orleans
USA National Dance Cruise
38
44
Social Activities at Nationals-on board the “Spirit of Baltimore” ship at Nationals.
Behind the Scenes-Volunteers at Nationals
In Step
46
AD Marketplace
On Beat
16
USA DANCE in the Public Eye
DanceSport
20
24
IDSF Worlds-results from the US athletes.
2011 Mid-Atlantic Championships - 22 hours
of intense dance competition at Bethesda.
Nationals
25
About Nationals - bringing a collision of worlds to Nationals
World Team selected - A Look at the USA World Nationals.
30
32
Finalists - 2011 National
DanceSport Championships
2011 Treasure Tier - participants in this year’s Treasure Tier.
36
www.USADANCE.ORG
25
photo by Ivor Lee
2011 May - June 3
Presidents’
Report
N
ATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: A GREAT SUCCESS
First of all, in this issue you will find articles and photographs
from the recently completed 2011 USA Dance National
DanceSport Championships, and I wanted to give you my comments
about this event and add my congratulations to everyone who worked
so hard to make this such a successful competition. It was particularly
special because of our new partnership with Swarovski Elements and a
group of extremely talented dress designers: Dore Designs, Designs to
Shine, ElleDance Studio, and Deirdre of London, who designed some
spectacular costumes made with Swarovski Elements for the elite athletes
who were the highest ranking finalists in the 2010 Championships
Divisions and still competing in those divisions in the 2011 Nationals.
If you have not yet seen these striking costumes in person, you will still
have an opportunity to do so as the athletes will be wearing them at
upcoming National Qualifying Events (NQE’s). We are very proud of
our partnership with Swarovski Elements and the designers, and thank
their generosity to our World Team and to USA Dance.
Every year at the National Championships, USA Dance holds its annual
membership meeting. We were pleased this year to have not only our
immediate Past President Peter Pover, but also our longest serving Past
Secretary, Connie Townsend in attendance. They both spoke about
the growth of USA Dance over the years, and reminded everyone that
USA Dance started many years ago as a small, East Coast organization
with a few hundred members, that has now grown into a nationwide
body of 22,000 dancers with chapters in virtually every state. Peter and
Connie have been associated with USA Dance from the very beginning
and were instrumental in guiding it as it grew and developed over the
years. It is always so nice to see past officials returning to our National
Championships, and it reminds us that our continuing growth is never
guaranteed, but is dependent upon the hard work over many years of
many dedicated volunteers. How lucky we are to have such individuals
in our organization!
Fundraising, A Top Priority
And speaking of volunteers, the second item I would like to discuss is
that we need our members’ help in locating a volunteer to assist USA
Dance in the area of fundraising. If you know of such an individual, please
4 Line of Dance
refer him or her to us. The volunteer position we have available is entitled
Director of Development, and the individual in the position is responsible
for developing and executing fundraising and corporate-giving strategies
for various USA Dance programs, including K-12 and college programs,
as well as DanceSport, Social Dance and fundraising for the organization
as a whole. Identifying appropriate grant opportunities is an activity this
position could also be involved in, depending on the individual’s background
and experience. The Director of Development is a voting position on the
Governing Council appointed by the President and ratified by the GC.
A full list of position responsibilities and a job description may be found on
the USA Dance website at www.usadance.org. Any USA Dance volunteer
with appropriate experience and a desire to assist USA Dance in the
important area of fundraising is encouraged to contact me at: President@
usadance.org. Within our network of 22,000 members I am sure we have
an individual skilled in fundraising who has volunteer time available and the
desire to help USA Dance in this area. If any of our members know of such
an individual, please refer him or her to me for this important volunteer
opportunity.
Lydia T. Scardina
National President, USA Dance
www.USADANCE.ORG
2011 May - June 5
Dancer
Contributing Writers
A m e r i c a n
Jean Krupa
Jean Krupa currently serves as the Social
Vice President for USA Dance. She served
as Region VI Vice President in 1999. She is
a founding member of the Greater Daytona
Chapter in 1990.
National Officers
PRESIDENT Lydia Scardina, 415.469.9815 e-mail: [email protected]
SENIOR VP Bill Rose, 949.842.8284 e-mail: [email protected]
SECRETARY Stan Andrews, 217.454.8879 e-mail: [email protected]
TREASURER Esther Freeman, 541.799.6787 e-mail: [email protected]
DANCESPORT VP Ken Richards, 302.290.2583 e-mail: [email protected]
SOCIAL VP Jean Krupa, 386.761.1625 e-mail: [email protected]
•
Daphna Locker
Editorial Staff
Daphna is currently a member of the Greater
N.Y. Chapter of USA Dance #3004. For the
last year and a half, Daphna has been the
Chair of the National Organizing Committee
and organized the IDSF World Latin
Championship in November. She is also the
head of NOC for the 2011 Nationals.
Editor-in-chief Shawn Fisher
MANAGING & COPY EDITOR Ivor Lee
WRITERS Ivor Lee • Angela Prince • Lorraine Fisher
ART & PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Jan Stoddard
DESIGNERS Jan Stoddard• Ivor Lee •Lorraine Fisher
•
Contributors
WRITERS Jean Krupa • Daphna Locker
EDITORIAL ADVISOR Angela Prince, USA Dance Director of Public Relations
•
Angela Prince
Rates & Prices
Angela Prince is the National Public Relations
Director for USA Dance, responsible for
all integrated pr programs, organization
publicity and communications, national
media relations, social media relations and
brand development. She is also the editorial
advisor for American Dancer magazine and
other publications.
American Dancer is published bimonthly as a service for
members and is included in membership annual dues.
•
Subscription
Individual Non-Member $25
Canadian Air Delivery $32
Overseas Air Delivery $36
Library Subscription $9
•
Advertising
AD REPRESENTATIVE Doug Montanus 502.836.7946
e-mail: [email protected]
•
Submissions
Guest Writers
American Dancer welcomes submissions of letters, articles and photos. All
submissions are considered the property of American Dancer. Submission does
not guarantee publication. Articles and letters may also be edited for length and
content without notice to the author. Photos and other materials are not returned.
Submissions may be sent to [email protected]
•
Michael Mecham
Jack Reinhold
Letters to the editor
Please include your name, city and state. Names will appear
in full unless specified otherwise.
•
Chapter News
Please include chapter name and number, contact information and
any photos with caption information that you might have.
•
Photos
Must be high resolution, print quality digital photos. 600 dpi.
Send to editorial office:
or mail to: American Dancer magazine
PO Box 462
Rexburg, ID 83440-0462
•
Membership
If you need information concerning membership or missed issues, contact:
Mary at USA Dance Central Office
800.447.9047 • Fax: 239.573.0946
E-mail: [email protected]
Check our Web Site - www.USADANCE.org
6 Line of Dance
Dancer
A M E R I C A N
Cover Photo
Chapter
of the Year
Photo by
Ivor Lee
Reaching Out and
Creating Smiles
Taras Savitskyy & Liya
Podokshik
Crowning
Champions
Crowning National Champions and
World Team
On the
Runway
SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS &
four top fashion designers sponsor
10 USA Dance DanceSport
couples at Nationals
USA dance 2011 national dancesport championships
www.usadance.org
May - June 2011
Issue 30
Youth 10-Dance vice-champions
at 2011 Nationals
Announcements
VOLUNTEER POSITION ON GOVERNING COUNCIL AVAILABLE
USA Dance is looking for a qualified volunteer to
fill the position of Director of Development. This
individual will be a voting member of the USA Dance
National Governing Council and will be responsible for
developing and implementing fund raising programs
for the national organization. The detailed job
description at
www.usadance.org.
Any USA Dance member with fund raising
experience and interest in this volunteer
position should also contact the National
President, Lydia Scardina at: president@
usadance.org
Encourage & Support
Dancers to Join USA Dance
There are a number of flyers and brochures
available in the document library to help support
your efforts to grow your chapter.
IDSF adjudicator training Coming in November
The 2011 IDSF Adjudicators Congress is
Sunday, November 20, 2011 – following
The Ohio Star Ball in Columbus, Ohio.
Our lecturers will be Melissa Dexter and
Glenn Weiss.
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Cost: $ 120.00 per person
Per IDSF requirements, all IDSF
Adjudicators must attend a Congress
every two years in order to maintain their
IDSF Adjudicators License.
www.USADANCE.ORG
To become an IDSF Adjudicator, one
must attend two Congresses and submit
an application to USA Dance. If you
attended your first Congress in 2010, this
is your opportunity to fulfill this two-year
requirement.
Adjudicators must register in advance in order
to participate! The deadline for registration is
November 1, 2011.
To learn more information, and to download a
registration form visit www.usadance.org.
2011 May - June 7
Chapter
of the year
By: Lorraine Fisher
J
Reaching O
Rhode Island Chapter #3010
ust below Massachusetts and next to
decision has changed the way they work, think
Connecticut sits a tiny state with big
and love. The immense success the Special
dreams. It’s no glitz and glam here
Olympics Ballroom Team has had within the
Rhode Island Chapter,
photo by Andrew Metcalf
that Rhode Island aspires to, instead
they’ve set a new standard in reaching
out and providing opportunities for
everyone to dance. Just over a year ago,
Linda Succi, Rhode Island Chapter
President, decided they should start a
Special Olympics Ballroom Team. That
past year has earned for Rhode Island the
coveted “Chapter of the Year Award.”
For Succi, this idea hit home since she is the
mother of a daughter with brain damage, who
was given the opportunity to dance on the team.
“The Special Olympics Ballroom Team,” Succi
stated, “makes ballroom dancing available to a
Linda Succi,
photo by Ivor Lee
larger population of people—to subgroups that
8 Dance Floor
are ordinarily shut out from activities like this.”
This team has opened doors that they never
thought possible.
Out & Creating Smiles
In the past year, the Special Olympics
Now with the wind in their sails, the Special
Ballroom team traveled to New York to
Olympics Ballroom team is on a steady course
try out for Paula Adbul’s show “Live to
for the rest of this year. In June, the team will
Dance,” and made it through to the second
also perform at the the University of Rhode
round. As Succi mentioned, “Some of these
Island for the Rhode Island Special Olympics
people have never been out of the state of
State Games and exhibitions are also planned
Rhode Island—it was phenomenal.” They
around the state of Rhode Island within the
also performed in an exhibition at the New
next few months. The team has definitely hit
England DanceSport Championships. “I try
the ground running, and are sure to succeed as
to give them as much exposure to performing
the team matures.
opportunities. It’s a great growth experience
for them.” Succi explained.
Winning Chapter of the Year Award was a
great honor for the Rhode Island Chapter.
The Rhode Island Chapter couldn’t have done it
Remembering the moment at Nationals when
without the support of the community, parents
Succi received the award, she remarked, “I
and many fundraisers. The Arthur J. Trudeau
was very proud as I accepted the award and
Center in Warwick is the main sponsor for
all the joy of the team development was in my
the Special Olympics Ballroom team. They
head. This [team] is the core that our chapter
provide a gym to practice in, as well as funding
has taken up to support,” she recalled. For the
for the team’s instructors and choreographers.
Rhode Island Chapter, this Special Olympics
On June 11th, the Chapter hosted a fundraiser
Ballroom team has opened eyes to what dance
for the team at St. Luke’s Church, where they
is all about. Optimistic about the future, Succi
provided a workshop and some social dancing.
added, “USA Dance will have a lot more special
They are always on the lookout for additional
Olympics teams in the coming years.”
places to host fundraisers and events where
they can perform together.
www.USAdance.ORG
2011 May - June 9
Volunteer Craig Kunkel
of the
Year
I
by: Lorraine Fisher
t’s 9pm on Saturday, April 9th. The seats
are packed, and even a few are standing.
Jean Krupa, USA Dance Vice President,
makes her way to the stand and begins. It’s here,
at the National DanceSport Championships
where Craig Kunkel received an award he will
never forget. No, it wasn’t dancing a ballroom
routine for which he would get his applause.
Rather, it was for his time and energy that he
gave willingly to USA Dance throughout the
year that gave him the title Volunteer of the
Year.
was hooked and wanted to learn more. “I enjoy
the social interaction of dancing, the exercise,
and going to clubs to dance,” Kunkel explained,
“I may be learning a little bit of smooth dance
one month, and then the next month I may
focus on a little bit of swing or salsa.” He’s
always open to try something new. He also
enjoys choreographing routines to music and
competing. Kunkel has competed in the Texas
Star Ball, the Southwestern Invitational, the
Sapphire Ball, and the Oklahoma Challenge. “I
will always have a love for dancing,” he added.
Kunkel has been a board member of the
Dallas Chapter of USA Dance since 2004. He’s
devoted more of his time to USA Dance than
anyone could ever thank him for. Some of his
contributions over the years include deejaying
for over 20 dances a year, maintaining and
storing USA Dance related files on back-up discs,
creating graphics and logos for flyers, business
cards, newsletters and brochures; editing and
cropping dance photos and videos, helping out
with workshops and special events, developing
and hosting USA Dance related websites and
sending out weekly e-mail announcements to
USA Dance members. His “love for dance”has
inspired him to seek more ways to volunteer.
Kunkel works for Cambium Learning, a national
educational publishing company in Dallas. He is
the graphics manager and oversees the designs
and layouts for all of the textbooks. In his spare
time, he likes to roller blade, canoe, or just lay
out by the pool and catch some rays. One of his
hobbies includes painting, for which he has had
about half a dozen paintings displayed at the
State Fair of Texas over the years. Considering
how much he’s contributed, it’s a wonder he
how he manages his time so well.
Starting right after college, Kunkel was drawn
to try the country dancing clubs around Dallas;
after all, it’s Texas. After a few group classes, he
10 Dance Floor
In regard to Kunkel, Linda Succi, President
of the Rhode Island “Chapter of the Year,”
remarked, “I met Craig at one of the National
Dancesport Championships for the first time. I
found him charming and a great dancer. He is a
wonderful representative for USA Dance.” After
getting a call from Diane Montgomery, Dallas
Linda Succi, Jean Krupa, Craig Kunkel
photo by Ivor Lee
“I met Craig at the National Dancesport Championships for
the first time. I found him charming and a great dancer. He is a
wonderful representative for USA Dance.” -Linda Succi
Chapter President, about the award, Kunkel
stated, “I was not expecting it at all. No one
had even told me that they had nominated me
for the National Volunteer of the Year award.
The rest of my evening that day, all I could do
www.USAdance.ORG
was smile and feel good about myself.” For how
many smiles Kunkel has put on the faces of
others this year, perhaps others will follow his
example and go the extra mile as he has.
2011 May - June 11
National Chapter Conference
New Orleans
Ever Growing
By: Lorraine Fisher
T
his year, USA Dance ventured down
to the birthplace of Jazz to host
our National Chapter Conference
of 2011. In the heart of New Orleans, 31
chapters convened at the Crowne Plaza Hotel
to share ideas and learn ways to improve their
membership, organization, and other ways
to strengthen and help USA Dance grow. A
variety of classes were offered to help each
chapter board member improve in their specific
responsibility.
The topics covered at the National Chapter
Conference included building your chapter
website by Senior VP Bill Rose, motivating
and recruiting members by Barbara Wally,
budgeting by Esther Freeman, dealing with
chapter conflicts by National Secretary Stan
Andrews, running a successful competition
by members of the Gumbo Chapter, and
competition sanctioning by DanceSport
VP Ken Richards. Also, a Constant Contact
representative was there to demonstrate
new features in design formatting database
12 Dance Floor
management in a two-hour class. As a special
treat, Bobbi Jo Gamache, Director of Chapter
Liaison, held a one-on-one class with all the
of the Chapter Presidents. With 5 hours of
classes for two days, the schedule packed each
members’ brains with enough new ideas to
keep them busy for the next year.
To spice things up a bit, the Gumbo Chapter
in New Orleans provided and sponsored
entertainment each evening. They provided a
DJ who played music with a fun New Orleans
flavor for social dancing. There were also
exhibitions each night by competitors and
the O’ Perry Walker High School dance team.
Dancing, socializing and meeting new friends
was a great way to end each day.
For Jean Krupa, USA Dance Social VP, the
highlight wasn’t in any particular event, but
rather the joy she felt from all the positive
feedback she received regarding the event. “It
was nice seeing everybody and [hearing] their
nice remarks, and how much they benefited
Photos Courtesy of Bill Rose
from it. I just got satisfaction that everybody
else felt that they’d really benefited from this
gathering,” she explained. She mentioned that
some were skeptical about the benefit from
the conference at first. Later however, they
were glad they came, and were excited about
all the new ideas for their chapters. “One of the
exciting things, for me, that came out of it, was
having members from several different chapters
say they want to host it next year. I now have
the next three years planned where the chapter
conferences are going to be,” she added.
www.USAdance.ORG
Next year, the National Chapter Conference
will be held in Dallas, Texas on March 1-4
2012. For the next two years, USA Dance
will meet in Richmond, Virginia, and then in
Southern California to host this Conference.
As the Conference makes its way from west
to east coast, every chapter is encouraged to
attend at least once. The more chapters that
attend, the more USA Dance will prosper in
furthering our educational and charitable
goals these coming years.
2011 May - June 13
USA
dance cruise
by Michael Mecham
Dancing at sea for seven days, compelling
music, a variety of savory dishes, glorious
sunsets, and welcoming smiles everywhere
you look; what more could you want? How
about all of that on an incredible cruise ship
in the middle of the Bahamas? A dream come
true? Well it doesn’t have to be a dream.
USA Dance is gearing up for their second
National Dance Cruise and inviting USA
Dance members from all 50 states, families,
and friends to join them for what is sure to be
an unforgettable dancing experience.
14 Dance Floor
photos courtesy of Holland America line
This December, escape the stress of the
holidays and the winter chill, if only for a
few days, on this wonderful cruise. Enjoy
the sun in Florida, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas
and other tropical locations as you sit aboard
the elegant Westerdam cruise liner. When
you aren’t soaking up the sun and taking
in the sights, work on your dance moves.
With over 30 dance lessons taught by top
professional instructors covering ballroom,
latin, and club style dancing, you’re sure
to find something that fits your own style.
There will be different classes for beginners,
experts, and everyone in-between. You can
work on perfecting your passion, or learn
something totally new—the choice is yours.
In addition to lessons, spectacular shows will
feed the imagination and fuel the dreams of
those in attendance.
With nightly dances and daily lessons it may
seem that there is little time for anything
other than fancy footwork. Not true!
Parasailing, scuba diving, and shopping
excursions can all be part of your ideal
USA Dance cruise experience. Put aside
your stress during the holidays this year,
feel a little lighter on your feet, and join us
December 4, 2011 for the opportunity of a
lifetime. Escape into a world of gourmet
dining, exotic destinations, and nearly nonstop dancing for as little as rates starting at
$999.
www.USAdance.ORG
2011 May - June 15
the
PUBLIC EYE
Angela Prince
On the Backburner…But We’re Still Hopeful!
Hardly a week goes by that USA Dance doesn’t get a
call from television producers about dancers for either
a current program or for a new pilot in the works.
We are always excited about the opportunities for
our dancers. We’ve had nearly 20 couples make it
to DWTS, two finalists on America’s Got Talent,
some to MTV’s Made program, others as guests
on news and talk show programs—but in the everchanging world of television entertainment, we
can only bring the opportunity to audition and
hope the casting directors and judges will see that
magical spark they need.
Recent auditions by our dancers have included
programs like DWTS, America’s Got Talent, the
Wendy Show all in the past month. Thanks to
the many the television production companies
testing out pilot programs, there are always great
opportunities to audition. Great program ideas often
get moved to the “backburner” and for business and
timing reasons that don’t have anything to do with
the quality of the dancing.
If you are interested in being considered for
television programs, keep your dance resume up to
date and a handy folder of videos and photos. We’ll
always send out an alert from our Central Office
first when we get a casting call.
USA Dance Chapters Take Aim! TV Shows Are Your Silver Bullets!
Sometimes the media gets the impression there
would be no ballroom dancing in America if it
wasn’t for the television dance shows. Of course,
we all know differently, so we remind them of our
16 On Beat
growing history and its popularity growth starting
about 10 years ago. We tell them about all the
soaring number of dancers–including kids–who
make up our 178 chapters and are learning to dance.
We tell them about our accomplished athletes who
have great aspirations and our own hopes for the
Olympics.
Yes, dancers and audiences have always been there,
but the dancing hadn’t hit the living rooms and the
iPhones and computers of hundreds of millions
of people around the globe until the every-day
whirlwind of Dancing With the Stars, So You Think
You Can Dance?, Randy Jackson’s America’s Best
Dance Crews, Live to Dance, America’s Got Talent
and soon-to-launch X-Factor.
But here’s the twist: it’s not the tv programs that
sustain ballroom dancing. It’s what we as social
dancers, associations, studios and professionals do.
TV dance programs are the triggers to motivating
public interest and support, and they become our
“silver bullets” promotionally for local success.
A great story appeared in the Pittsburgh Gazette
newspaper following the DWTS winners’ finale,
the 2nd story with them since DWTS began. The
May 27th story interviewed USA Dance national,
our local chapter president Joe Aiken, one of our
former Youth & College Network directors, and
several studios. Everyone of us were on the same
page – the interest is only growing, the stereotypes
are changing and we now have millions of fans now
to bring into our circle.
Photos Courtesy of © ABC/kelsey mcneal
www.USADANCE.ORG
2011 May - June 17
Swarovski Elements and USA Dance Brand Ambassador Program
On the Ballroom Floor “Runway” . . .
Costumes of Absolute Brilliance Debut at Nationals 2011—Created By Four
Distinguished Ballroom Fashion Designers & Made with Swarovski Elements
In this American Dancer issue, see updates about
the new Swarovski Elements – USA Dance Brand
Ambassador Program that provided sponsorships
to 10 of our Championship Division couples, each
either winners or finalists at Nationals 2010 in their
respective divisions.
The participating designers—Deirdre of London,
Designs to Shine, Dore Designs and ElleDance
Studio—are rightfully among America’s very best.....
had worked for months and into overtime to design
and created unique fashions for each couple in time
for Nationals. Their work hit the Nationals “fashion
runway” in grand style!
The new DanceSport Xilion 2058 crystal by
Swarovski Elements was literally a brilliant success,
as it reflected competition floor lights and enhanced
each custom design to perfection.
USA Dance is grateful for this opportunity to work
closely with industry leaders, whose sponsorships
and contributions have not only assisted our 10
sponsored couples, but has also provided significant
funding for the USA Dance DanceSport programs
and our Travel & Development Scholarship Fund
for our Championship-level athletes competing at
the upcoming IDSF World Championships.
Xingmin & Katerina Lu/Igor Mikushov & Margaretta Midura/Valentin Chmerkovskiy & Daria Chesnokova
Photo 1 courtesy of Parkwest Photography. Photos 2 & 3 courtesy of carson zullinger
18 On Beat
During
Nationals,
Swarovski
Elements
professionally video’d the performances of the 10
sponsored couples throughout the event. They
then created 30-second video recaps of their
dancing which showcased the new costumes.
Swarovski Elements then launched a three-week
“Vote For Your Favorite Designs” social media
campaign, from the company’s Facebook site
“Swarovski Elements.”
Everyone jumped on board to rally their “friends”
to vote on Facebook!. Each person could vote once
per Facebook account and they could vote for all 10
designs.
This collaborative “rally the votes” effort involved
the support of the USA Dance Governing Council,
the Chapters and members, along with the 10
sponsored couples, the four Designers, and every
family member, dance friend and USA Dance chapter
they could solicit to vote—not much different from
America’s Got Talent or American Idol voting.
At press time, the results were not in and were
announced at the NYC event on June 8th. Polls
closed midnight Pacific Time June 7th.
It’s important to realize that every couple—from
Junior II to Senior I—in the program are winners.
Every design was simply amazing. The promotional
campaign rallied dancers and friends around the
country to support USA Dance and the couples,
and increased their awareness of four wonderful
designers, SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS, and that
this wonderful sponsorship had happened for our
athletes.
Has your chapter
been in the news
lately? Have you been
featured in the paper,
on TV, or online?
Send us the latest
happenings of your
chapter to be
considered for an
upcoming issue.
When submitting,
please keep in mind
the following:
1
2
3
4
Articles should be
a maximum of 175
words.
High quality, digital
photos relating to
the event at 600 dpi
or higher.
Accurate photo
caption, or names
of persons (left to
right).
Name of
photographer for
photo credit.
Send submissions
and questions to :
We want to hear from your chapter!
Social Media Campaign Culminates
in Swarovski Elements
Presentation Event in New York City
[email protected]
www.USADANCE.ORG
2011 May - June 19
Ten Dance & Ten Dance
S tandard
IDSF Worlds
Senior I
Junior II
Senior II
By Ivor Lee
The month of April featured an unprecedented number
of World Championships. Here is a look at how athletes
from the United States faired.
Senior I Ten Dance
Toronto, Canada, one of the largest cities in the nation,
welcomed dancers to the IDSF World Championship
Senior I Ten Dance on April 16, 2011. United States
representatives Todd Marsden and Susanna Hardt
danced to a 31st place finish in a field of 33 competitors
in the Canadian hosted event.
Junior II Ten Dance
The ancient city of Sant Cugat del Valles in Spain is well
known for its growing population and beauty. It’s almost
fitting that in this city of emerging futures that American
rising talents Patryk Ploszaj and Anna Kaczmarski, fresh
from Nationals win, would compete hard to a strong
14th place finish in a field of 34 competitors.
Senior II Standard
In one of the largest competitive fields this year, Palma
de Mallorca in Spain hosted the Senior II Standard
competition. Hans Stork and Ans Stork danced to a 30th
place finish while Takeshi Kawaratani and Annie Chan
finished in a solid 151st place out of 222 competitors.
The three-day event featured eight different IDSF
events—a gathering of many of the world’s best talent
in DanceSport.
Congratulations from USA Dance to all of our athletes!
Hans and Ans Stork
Photo courtesy of Hans and DSphoto
20 DanceSport
Dancer
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The new National
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The Things
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Why you should be a
member of USA Dance.
National Ballroom Dance Week Recap
www.usadance.org
November-December 2010
Issue 27
Above the Ordinary
USA
USA Dance Pre-Teens on the Maury Show
dance 2011 national dancesport champions
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Ballroom: New Districts
march - april 2011
Issue 29
How the new districts will aid chapter growth
Eugene and Maria Retire from Competition
www.usadance.org
July-August 2010
Issue 25
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Royal Caribbean “Liberty” Round trip from Barcelona, Spain
Provence (Toulon), France * Villefranche (Nice), France
Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy * Civitavecchia (Rome) Italy * Naples, Capri, Italy
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Colorado (303) 250-7344 ♦Toll Free Phone (866) 409-SAIL
Fax: 1-303-284-0983
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Watch for Details on Our 2012 Dance Cruises to the Caribbean & Alaska
www.USAdance.ORG
May - June 21
DanceSport DanceSport DanceSport DanceSport D
DanceSport DanceSport
DanceSport
Qualifying
Events forDanceSport Danc
DanceSport
DanceSport
DanceSport Da
USADanceSport
Dance 2012
National
DanceSport
DanceSport DanceSport
DanceSport Dance
DanceSport
Championships
DanceSport DanceSport DanceSport DanceSport Dan
010 Southeastern Regional DanceSport Championships
2009 Southeastern Regional DanceSport Championship
2010 Southeastern Regional DanceSport Championshi
DanceSport DanceSp
DanceSport DanceSport DanceSport DanceSport Da
Sport DanceSport DanceSport
DanceSport DanceSport DanceSport DanceSport DanceS
Pasha Pashkov & Daniella Karagach
Photo by: Carson Zullinger
NATIONALS
C C
Challenge
Phoenix, AZ
PhoenixDanceSort
DanceSport
Northwest
Championships The Quake
Gumbo DanceSport Championships 011
Seattle, WA
Baton Rouge, LA
San Francisco, CA
Oct 22 - 23, 2011
June 17 -18, 2011
Nov 13, 2011
Carolina Fall Classic
February 19, 2011
Greensboro, NC
Oct 7 - 9, 2011
Chicago DanceSport Championships
Chicago, IL
Nov 4 - 6, 2011
For More Information visit www.usadance.org
22 DanceSport
CO M PE T I T I O N
C AL E N D A R
Events listed with the * do not accrue proficiency points
June 17-18, 2011
Oct 7-9, 2011
Gumbo DanceSport Championships—NQE
Carolina Fall Classic-NQE
Baton Rouge, LA
Greensboro, NC
July 30, 2011
Southern Star Mid-Summer Classic*
Tampa, FL
July 30-31, 2011
Heart & Soul of Ballroom Dance*
Fort Wayne, IN
September 18, 2011
New Englad Fall Challenge
Glastony, CT
Sep 24, 2011
Quest For the Best*
Seattle, WA
Competitions noted as “NQE” are National Qualifying Events
for the 2011 National DanceSport Championships.
look for future event updates at
http://usadance.org/dancesport/
competition-calendar/
www.USAdance.ORG
Oct 22-23, 2011
Northwest DanceSport Championships-NQE
Seattle, WA
Nov 4-6, 2011
Chicago DanceSport Challenge-NQE
Chicago, IL
Nov 13, 2011
The Quake-NQE
San Francisco, CA
Nov 20, 2011
IDSF Adjudicatiors Congress
Collumbus, OH
look for future collegiate event
updates on FaceBook
sign onto FaceBook, click on “Groups,”
and type in “USA Dance Competitions”
May - June 23
2011
Mid-Atlantic Championships
Jack Reinhold
The 2011 Mid-Atlantic Championships, hosted by the MidEastern Chapter, were held with great acclaim on February 26
& 27, 2011. The event brought competitors from twenty eight
states to Bethesda for 22 hours of intense dance competition.
The event mixed in competitions in all age categories, from
Pre-Teen to Senior III. Judges, competitors and spectators
alike praised the event for the level of dance proficiency, the
precision of the events and overall atmosphere.
The event represented the third consecutive year that the
Mid-Eastern Chapter has hosted a National Qualifying
event, so named as competitors qualify to dance at the USA
National Championships.
Six hundred and fifty people registered as competitors at this
year’s Mid-Atlantic Championships, an increase of 30% of
last year. All the volunteers, the judging panel and officials
had to work overtime to complete the schedule of events.
The event was held to qualify dancers for the USA Dance
Nationals, but also to assist couples who demonstrate
proficiency pursuit of their avocation. Almost $8000 in
scholarships were awarded at the event.
photo by Rassi Borneo
For the competitors and spectators, the “face of the
competition” is the dais where the officials sit. The 2011
Mid-Atlantic Championships were fortunate to retain all the
people from the 2010 Mid-Atlantic Championships. This
team, consisting of Dan Calloway, the Chairmen of Judges,
Yang Chen, the Master of Ceremonies, Joe Huesmann,
the event’s IT specialist, Len Diana, the scrutineer, Dawn
Veillette Diana, the registrar, and John Hall, the deck captain,
had worked together last two years. This year’s competition
included PDAs for scoring.
The organizing committee was probably most proud
of the large entries at the Bronze and Silver levels of
the four styles of dancing: Latin, Standard, Rhythm and
Smooth. The competitors at this level will hopefully
stay involved with competitive dancing and USA Dance
for many years to come.
24 DanceSport
NATIONALS
2011
Mike Monokandilos & Cara Loo
Photo by Ivor Lee
“Through dance I get to create something new every time.”
-Mike Monokandilos
www.USAdance.ORG
2011 May - june 25
A Collision of Worlds
By: Ivor Lee
J
udges line the edge of the ballroom floor.
They stand with PDA in hand, shuffling slightly
to the music. Their feet move in an irresistible
microcosm of foxtrot, waltz, jive. Next to them,
two little girls, their forms barely taller than the
VIP tables next to them, inspect the line between
ballroom floor and carpet for lost rhinestones.
They pick up the casualties, judging the sparkle of
each with child-like wonder, and place them in a
carefully held styrofoam cup.
Photos by Carson Zullinger
26 Nationals
From the top of the risers and behind them, mothers
and coaches call to their young athletes. In between
the polite applause of the audience, and the next heats
announcements from the emcee, costumed dancers
march over after their time on the floor. What follows
is a flurry of Russian, Czechoslovakian, and a myriad of
other languages. The dancers dutifully nod—a chorus of
“Yes, Dad.” Loving hands touch up make-up and reapply,
dabbing up streams of sweat from their foreheads.
Volunteers man the doors, controlling the flow of traffic
in and out of the ballroom. They keep a watchful eye over
tickets, exchanging pleasant small talk with spectators
as they enter. They run in and out of the ballroom,
performing the million of small errands needed to keep
Nationals running smoothly. Dancers warm up in any
open space, practicing rehearsed moves, hoping that
they can put everything they have on the dance floor.
Nationals is a collision of worlds. Each person has a
story to tell. On April 8-11 of 2011, Baltimore collected
some of these individual stories as it played host to
the USA Dance National DanceSport Championships.
Held in the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel on the inner
harbor, the event proved to be a fast-paced, entertaining
competition. The three day event gathered the best
www.USAdance.ORG
2011 May - june 27
DanceSport athletes in the country, with each competitor
hoping for the right to be crowned champion.
From the events in the ballroom to social events for all in
attendance, Nationals featured something for everyone.
There were dance workshops for social dancers, and
even a lunch cruise around Baltimore’s inner harbor.
“There’s always something to do, something to see,” said
one attendee.
New champions were crowned, while some returned to
defend their titles. Nationals featured all the drama and
excitement that comes with a high caliber event. Even
the annual regional competition proved to be highly
entertaining for both competitors and spectators.
“We competed two days. It’s fantastic to see it,” said Richard
Stewart, a competitor from Prairievill, Louisianna.
Some social dancers may wonder at why people dance
competitively. The journey from beginning DanceSport
to competing on the national level is long, but according
to Richard Stewart and his partner Melanie Tiechner,
very much worth it.
“Start now,” Tiechner said with a smile.
28 Nationals
Photos by Ivor Lee
Nationals Sponsors 2011
SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS (Title Sponsor)
Arlene Yu
Nadia Eftedal
Holiday Ball Competition
Erminio Stefano & Luana Conte
Eugene Katsevman & Maria Manusova
Victor Fung & Anastasia Muravyeva
Larinda McRaven
Dance Pants
Scott & Sarah Coates
USA Dance Central Florida
Chapter # 6002
USISTD
USA Dance Michigan Northern Lights
Chapter #2048
USA Dance Royal Palm Chapter #6016
USA Dance Treasure Coast Chapter #6004
USA Dance Tidewater Chapter #6008
Spencer & Elena Nyemchek
David & Connie Taylor
Aida Renzo
www.USAdance.ORG
Thank you for your support!
ERROL WILLIAMSON & VASHTI REED
PHOTO BY IVOR LEE
2011 May - june 29
World Team
Junior II Standard
Patryk Ploszaj &
1st Anna Kaczmarski
William Stansbury &
2nd Jenny Sokolsky
The intensity of the dancers increases with each
round and heat—their movements more dynamic,
their expressions more passionate, forceful—the
very embodiment, the very essence of each dance.
Yet there was a different feeling in the room, a
certain tension before each final determining the
dancers on the world team. The crowd was on
edge, anxious, to learn who would be the next
world couple to represent the USA.
Photos By: Carson Zullinger and Ivor Lee
Youth Latin
Junior II Ten Dance
Patryk Ploszaj &
1st Anna Kaczmarski
Ron Garber &
1st Ashley Goldman
Junior II Latin
Ploszaj &
1st Patryk
Anna Kaczmarski
30 Nationals
Youth Ten Dance
Austin Joson &
2nd Gabrielle Sabler
Errol Williamson &
1st Vashti Reed
Youth Standard
Stevens &
st Errol Williamson
2nd Nicholas
Alexandra Gutkovich 1 & Vashti Reed
Shapiro &
2nd Daniel
Catherine Kovalyova
Adult Latin
Valentin Chmerkovskiy
Adult Ten Dance
Ruslan Aydaev &
Adult Standard
Igor Mikushov &
1st Margaretta Midura
Xingmin Lu &
Pasha Pashkov &
2nd Daniella Karagach
David Wright
2nd & Liva Wright
Irsan Tisnabudi &
1st Cami Tisnabudi
Thomas Chu &
2nd Olga Rogachevskaya
Senior II Latin
Paul M. Giuliano &
1st Louise Giuliano
Sean Shiauh Wei Lin &
2nd Vivian Lin
Photo Courtesy of Vivian Lin
www.USAdance.ORG
1st Daniella Karagach
Senior I Latin
Senior I Standard
1st Katerina Lu
Pasha Pashkov &
2nd Valeriya Kozharinova
1st & Daria Chesnokova
2011 May - june 31
Finalists - USA Dance 2011 Natio
Amateur Junior II Championship
Ten Dance (WTVFQSCRPJ)
1) 538 Patryk Ploszaj & Anna Kaczmarski - NY
2) 577 Kamil Falkowski & Katarina Hermanova - NJ
3) 176 Jaryd Farcon & Darya Ryndych - NJ
4) 390 William Stansbury & Jenny Sokolsky - CA
5) 470 Andrey Privado & Jenna Gaskil - MD
6) 171 Alexei Mitchell & Alexis Turko - NJ
Amateur Youth Championship
Latin (SCRPJ)
1) 385 Ron Garber & Ashley Goldman - MA
2) 262 Austin Joson & Gabrielle Sabler - NJ
3) 544 Errol Williamson & Vashti Reed - NY
4) 676 Phillip Kudryavtsev & Liza Lakovitsky - MA
5) 266 Allen Rudman & Sandy Rabinovich - MA
6) 594 Taras Savitskyy & Liya Podokshik - NJ
Standard (WTVFQ)
2) 390 William Stansbury & Jenny Sokolsky - CA
3) 577 Kamil Falkowski & Katarina Hermanova - NJ
4) 470 Andrey Privado & Jenna Gaskil - MD
6) 171 Alexei Mitchell & Alexis Turko - NJ
Amateur Adult Championship
1) 454 Pasha Pashkov & Daniella Karagach - NY
2) 488 Alexandre Tchernossitov & Regina Maziarz - NJ
3) 699 Yuriy Nartov & Khyrstyne Barton - NY
4) 327 Daniil Vesnovskiy & Anna Oblakova - NY
5) 466 Dmitriy Vorobiev & Kseniya Sovenko - WA
6) 504 Kani Liao & Annie he Xiao - NY
7) 565 Jonathan Lyles & Mutsuko Ohnishi - MA
Latin (SCRPJ)
2) 296 Nicholas Stevens & Alexandra Gutkovich - TX
4) 517 Eric Rosenberg & Nicole Akhmerova - CA
5) 555 Briant Leytman & Natasha Shevchenko - CA
6) 240 Jonathan Zaika & Nicole Agaronnik - NY
4) 639 Daniel Shapiro & Catherine Kovalyova - NY
5) 596 Kevin Morales & Anna Odessky - NY
6) 107 Cezary Dyrda & Sandra Spernacka - NY
Standard (WTVFQ)
2) 639 Daniel Shapiro & Catherine Kovalyova - NY
4) 600 Nicholas Kharlamov & Rochelle Kharlamov - FL
6) 596 Kevin Morales & Anna Odessky - NY
32 Nationals
Standard (WTVFQ)
1) 476 Igor Mikushov & Margaretta Midura - NJ
3) 696 Oskar Wojciechowski & Caroline Holody - NY
4) 699 Yuriy Nartov & Khyrstyne Barton - NY
5) 231 Kamil Nieroda & Gemma Louise Arnold - NJ
6) 488 Alexandre Tchernossitov & Regina Maziarz - NJ
7) 294 Sergio Dementyev & Toma Snieskaite - NY
Latin (SCRPJ)
1) 188 Valentin Chmerkovskiy & Daria Chesnokova - NJ
2) 166 Ruslan Aydaev & Valeriya Kozharinova - NJ
3) 116 Andrey Tarasov & Laura Kveladze - CA
5) 167 Tal Livshitz & Vlada Semenova - NJ
6) 457 Denys Drozdyuk & Antonina Skobina - NY
Nine Dance (WTFVCRSBM)
1) 247 Justin David & Marianna Melnikova - DE
2) 267 Damian Pataluna & Irina Morozova - KY
3) 524 Pavel Popov & Darina Chudnovskaya - PA
4) 153 Christopher Ellwood & Jennifer Davis - CA
onal DanceSport Championships
5) 473 Christopher Temple & Brittany St John - NC
6) 505 Jeremy D. Anderson & Yuko T. Taniguchi - MN
Smooth (WTFV)
1) 645 Nels E. Petersen & Theresa L. Kimler - MN
2) 112 Angus Sinclair & Susan S. Sidman - CA
4) 189 Zachary Bordonaro & Vicky Gilbert
5) 363 Jonathan Medlin & Malin Allert - NC
6) 119 Larry Woodward & Jessica Bryant - KY
Rhythm (CRSBM)
2) 524 Pavel Popov & Darina Chudnovskaya - PA
3) 439 Jean Paul Laurent & Carissa Chambers - NY
4) 267 Damian Pataluna & Irina Morozova - KY
5) 376 Adrian Lomeli & Michelle Graell - TX
6) 153 Christopher Ellwood & Jennifer Davis - CA
7) 583 Zedric Marrero & Lisbeth Acosta - NY
8) 410 Christopher Roche & Rachel Surridge - CT
Theatre Arts
1) 224 Jack Kellner & Miyoung Kim - NY
Senior I Championship Am.
Multi-Dance (WTFVCRSBM)
1) 258 Mark E. Gray & Jennifer Donnell-Weinaug - GA
2) 222 Joe G. Medina & Sue Putzier - AZ
3) 197 Edward Rogers & Trisha Rogers - CA
4) 368 Stephen Gonzales & Natalya Franklin - VA
Senior I Championship
Intl. Multi-Dance (WTVFQSCRPJ)
1) 587 Todd Marsden & Susanna Hardt - CA
2) 612 Glenn R Wuennenberg & Bonnie Wuennenberg - NJ
Amateur Senior I Championship
Standard (WTVFQ)
1) 137 Xingmin Lu & Katerina Lu - NY
2) 496 David Wright & Liva Wright - CT
3) 447 Andreas Meijer & Jody Frease - CA
www.USAdance.ORG
5) 193 Turtle Brennen & Julie Hayes - CA
6) 615 Joseph Huesmann & Stacey Friedman - MD
Latin (SCRPJ)
1) 272 Irsan Tisnabudi & Cami Tisnabudi - TX
2) 540 Thomas Chu & Olga Rogachevskaya - NY
3) 574 Roger Korsiak & Teresa Tison - CA
4) 403 Sargon Ishaya & Rachael Coquilla - CA
5) 152 SouHuei Nei & Jinfeng Suo - NY
6) 378 Roger Wiblin & Kristen Hawkins - UT
Smooth (WTFV)
2) 572 Andrzej Lelewer & Mary Beth Beasley - NC
3) 362 Mike Lynch & Rose-Ann Lynch - VA
4) 693 Mike Shelton & Daneen Shelton - CO
5) 284 Kurt Lemmer & Mary Lemmer - CT
6) 130 David Tippett & Nadia Tippett - CO
Introducing
Lead and Follow: Life
Lessons through Dancing
Get insights about the importance
of dance and art in your life.
Available on:
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Follow Dancing
2011 May - june 33
Finalists - USA Dance 2011 Natio
Rhythm (CRSBM)
1) 222 Joe G. Medina & Sue Putzier - AZ
3) 667 Henry L. Hudson & Olivia V. Hudson - AZ
5) 368 Stephen Gonzales & Natalya Franklin - VA
Senior II Championship Intl.
Multi-dance (SCRPJWTVFQ)
1) 430 Sean Shiauh Wei Lin & Vivian Lin - NY
2) 523 Paul M. Giuliano & Louise Giuliano - NY
3) 649 Edward Huang & Corrina Huang - TX
4) 474 Ricardo Kisner & Alicia J. Kisner - MI
5) 292 John E. Linn & Kathy S. Linn - TN
Senior II Championship Am.
1) 203 Daniel P. Fugazzotto & Janis Merluzzo - FL
3) 243 Bill L. Underwood & Patti A. Underwood - PA
4) 192 James E Herbert & Sharon Jones - RI
5) 242 John D. Rominger & Sandra A. Rominger - WA
Amateur Senior II Championship
Standard (WTVFQ)
1) 193 Turtle Brennen & Julie Hayes - CA
2) 298 Hans Stork & Ans Stork - CA
3) 319 Thomas Yu & Yuko Naululani Yu - MD
4) 239 Glenn Okazaki & Anne Chang Ho - HI
5) 283 Terry Yeh & Glendy Yeh - CA
Photo By: Ivor Lee
34 Nationals
onal DanceSport Championships
6) 650 Eugene J. Brockert & Jill Bradford - OH
7) 357 Patrick J. Martone & Denise Martone - MA
5) 663 Gary G. Reber & Haru K. Wladyka - VA
Latin (SCRPJ)
2) 430 Sean Shiauh Wei Lin & Vivian Lin - NY
3) 652 Richard Y. Chiang & Iris T. Chiang - CA
5) 353 Robert A. Blank & Martha Estevez - CT
AMATEUR SENIOR III CHAMPIONSHIP
STANDARD (WTVFQ)
1) 283 Terry Yeh & Glendy Yeh - CA
2) 564 Hiroshi Kawanami & Juliana Kawanami - CA
3) 660 Winston Chow & Lilly T.F. Chow - CA
4) 310 Adel Ghoneimy & Karen Chow - CA
Smooth (WTFV)
1) 362 Mike Lynch & Rose-Ann Lynch - VA
2) 693 Mike Shelton & Daneen Shelton - CO
4) 194 Joseph Brogan & Shelly Brogan - VA
5) 284 Kurt Lemmer & Mary Lemmer - CT
6) 130 David Tippett & Nadia Tippett - CO
7) 172 Anthony Sanchez-Torres & Marina SanchezTorres - CA
LATIN (SCRPJ)
2) 652 Richard Y. Chiang & Iris T. Chiang - CA
Rhythm (CRSBM)
3) 667 Henry L. Hudson & Olivia V. Hudson - AZ
5) 160 Randy H. Henderson & Jean E. Henderson - FL
6) 192 James E Herbert & Sharon Jones - RI
Senior III Championship Am.
SMOOTH (WTFV)
1) 113 Peter Greenslade & Sue Eldred - AZ
3) 234 Anthony Conger & Judith Dygdon - IL
5) 507 Walt J. Ward & Jan L. Ward - FL
Amateur Senior III Championship
Rhythm (CRSBM)
3) 416 Darry Martin & Sarah Coates - AL
4) 160 Randy H. Henderson & Jean E. Henderson - FL
5) 264 William R. Urban & Jill D. Urban - PA
Senior III Championship Intl.
Multi-Dance (WTVFQSCRPJ)
www.USAdance.ORG
2011 May - june 35
Treasure Tier 2011
By: Lorraine Fisher
The number of participants in 2011 Treasure Tier reached
an all time high. Over 30 couples attended and competed
in USA Dance events in this last 2010-2011 cycle. We’d
like to extend our gratitude and congratulations to those
competing for their dedication of time and practice to
make the National Qualifying events an even greater
success.
The following 21 couples achieved the Ruby Tier by
attending at least 4 National Qualifying Events:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Andrew Bershtein & Julia Aizman
Burt & Flo Jackson
C. Philip & Ann Carter
Carmine Rucco & Marie Bolyard
Clifford & Carrietta Pepper
Damian Pataluna & Irina Morozova
Daniel & Carole Barber
David & Connie Taylor
David & Liva Wright
Jerry & Jo Ann Snyder
Jonathan Towne & Leigha McReynolds
Joseph & Mary Louise Bates
Kevin & Louise Payne
Rockie & Mary Lou Troxler
Samuel & Renee Dapore-Schwartz
Scott Verden & Wen Kao
Ted & Eunmee Damianos
Tim Cannell & Dale Flowers
Thomas & Renee Malinowski
Thomas & Yuko Yu
Walt & Jan Ward
love the VIP seating at Nationals. Last year in LA we
were sitting next to some of our favorite Dancing With
The Stars pros.”
Each couple will receive lapel pins with a corresponding
faux stone (ruby, emerald, or diamond), one (ruby), two
(emerald) or three (diamond) free entries at nationals,
one free program per couple, the couples’ names listed
in the National program, and the couples’ names listed
in the advertisement following Nationals. The Emerald
Tier will receive VIP seating for one evening session of
their choice at Nationals, and the Diamond Tier will get
VIP seating for the entire weekend.
Congratulations to all those who achieved a Treasure
Tier this last cycle. We hope more couples will
continue to attend and compete in upcoming NQE’s
for USA Dance.
The following 4 couples achieved the Emerald Tier by
attending at least 5-6 NQEs:
•
•
•
•
Carl & Lelia Blevin
Peter Greenslade & Sue Eldred
Henry & Olivia Hudson
Robert & Deborah Pratico.
Only 1 couple, Joseph & Shelly Brogen, achieved the
Diamond Tier by attending 7 NQEs—their second year
in a row. Reflecting on their experience competing
and attending NQEs, Shelly stated, “We have gained a
lot more experience on the floor by participating in so
many competitions. Competing has become fun and less
stressful. It’s exciting to see our improvement over the
years. By attending most of the NQEs, we’ve gotten to
know our competitors from all over the country. We also
36 Nationals
Joseph & Shelly Brogen
- winners of the
Diamond Tier
photo courtesy of
Joseph & Shelly Brogen
www.USAdance.ORG
37 DanceSport
2011 May - june 37
Cold
is a relative term
O
On the deck of the “Spirit of Baltimore,” USA Dance
social dancers chatted amiably as a stiff stroked the
length of the ship. For Jean Krupa, Vice-president of
Social Dance, the deck was freezing. To a resident
of Daytona, Florida, anything below 70 degrees is
considered cold. Ben Moesley, a cheerful man with
a ready smile, (also known as the guy that runs the
usadance website) found the weather not too bad,
since cold in his state could be defined as close to
the 40s.
To this reporter, the overcast weather was fantastic.
It snowed the morning we left for Baltimore, whiteout conditions covering the roads.
So cold is relative to the regions we use to define
ourselves. We each have labels that we use to
define ourselves, and while regions determine a lot,
the one that unifies us the most is “dancer.” USA
Dance, after all, is about national unity and vision.
In the inner harbor, social dancers from all regions
of USA Dance Boarded The Spirit of Baltimore.
On the shore a booth advertised “Ice, Custard,
Happiness,” an auspicious promise for those on
38 Nationals
by Ivor Lee
board the harbor cruise. The cruise was part of the
festivities offered to Social Dancers at USA Dance’s
National DanceSport Championship.
From how-to workshops to the cruise, there are
many options for the social dancer attending
Nationals.
On board, dancers mingled with each other, making
new friends and talking about the many things that
readily come up when people of similar hobbies
get together. Ideas for chapters, physical struggles
with dance, and intent expressions, marked the
lunch provided by the ships crew: grilled rosemary
chicken and baked salmon. Though hailing from
different parts of the country, all conversations
came to the conclusion that all of us are similar.
As the ship glided through the harbor, passengers
wandered on deck to take in the sites of the
Baltimore harbor. Crew members served dessert
and sang smooth classics, like “Come Fly with Me.”
With passengers thoroughly delighted, and the
party winding down, a section of the floor cleared
and dance music erupted through the ship. Dancers
crowded the floor, USA Dance members leading
the way in swing and line dances. A celebratory
pitch dictated the movement, and it felt like the
conclusion of a movie with an impromptu dance
party and smiles as the credits rolled.
Yet all of it is best summed up in the one overarching universal truth: we are all dancers; we are
all USA Dance.
www.USAdance.ORG
2011 May - june 39
Doré Sponsors:
Eric Rosenberg &
Nicole Akhmerova
Junior II Latin
Doré Sponsors:
Igor Mikushov &
Margaretta Midura
Adult Standard
Doré Sponsors:
William Stansbury &
Jenny Sokolsky
Junior II Standard
Photos by ivor lee and carson zullinger
40 Nationals
“I
absolutely
love
my dress.
I feel so
comfortable in it. I
feel like its a work of
art instead of a dress.
I feel amazing in it.
We haven’t used the
new stones [before]
and we feel it really
makes a difference.”
Margaretta Midura
Doré Sponsors:
Pasha Pashkov &
Daniella Karagach
Adult 10-Dance
"Its not just about the amount of stones, but
how they are put together." Pasha Pashkov
On the Runway...
SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS and four Top Fashion Designers
Sponsor 10 Couples at National Championships.
Doré Sponsors:
Taras Savitskyy &
Liya Podokshik
Youth 10-Dance
www.USAdance.ORG
2011 May - june 41
Designs to Shine Sponsors:
Valentin Chmerkovskiy
& Daria Chesnokova
Adult Latin
Patryk Ploszaj &
Anna Kaczmarski
Junior II 10-Dance
Photos by ivor lee and carson zullinger
42 Nationals
Elle Dance Studio Sponsors:
Ron Garber &
Ashley Goldman
Youth Latin
Deirdre of London Sponsors:
Xingmin & Katerina Lu
Senior I Standard
“I am so happy with the way
this dress turned out. “
Katya Kolvalyova
“I’m looking at this and
just saying, wow, pretty,
gorgeous.”
David Shapiro
otography
Park West Ph
Photo by ©2011
“The costumes are beautiful.
They make me feel good.
We
work really hard to defend our
title, and Swarovski Elements
are wonderful stones.”
Xingmin & Katerina Lu
Daniel Shapiro &
Katya Kolvalyova
Youth Standard
www.USAdance.ORG
2011 May - june 43
Behind
O
the
S cenes :
Volunteers at Nationals
by: Ivor Lee
n the night before Nationals volunteers work the
ballroom and the lobby, ironing out the thousand little
details before the doors officially open the next day. By
the time last volunteer leaves the ballroom to go to bed,
it’s 3:30 AM, with a scant few hours before show time. In
three short hours, bleary eyed volunteers holding cups
of coffee open registration and begin the three-day event
that is Nationals.
The list of responsibilities of the volunteers that make
nationals possible is as long as it is tiring. They stand long
shifts by the door checking for tickets. They are ushers.
They are clean-up crews. They are servers. They work
the registration desk and the on-deck area. They line up
dancers, they check them in. They offer a listening ear to
an upset parent, or a coach. They set up the ballroom,
they take it down.
None of the glamor of Nationals would be possible
without the small army of volunteers. They come from
all walks of life. Some are college students working on
undergraduate, masters, and doctorate degrees. Some
are veterans of many ballroom competitions. Some are
competitors. But one thing is certain: all are loyal and
good friends.
Often they don’t even get a chance to see the competiton,
so busy are they running everything else. They are
embodiments of self-sacrifice, putting in the effort to
make the event good. They are representative of USA
Dance as a whole, hard-working determined—the driving
spirit that makes USA Dance what it is.
44 Nationals
photos by caron zullinger
USA Dance is a collection of stories. It’s about meeting
new people and finding new friends. Take Hong Yuen
Wong from Singapore, a PhD student at John Hopkins,
who only started dancing six months ago. Even as he
runs in and out of the ballroom, getting orders and filling
drinks, he knows that he’s part of something special. The
27-year-old enjoys catching what glimpses he can of the
competition between dances.
Some volunteers like Isabel Ishizuka, try to cram in
homework during not-so-demanding assignments. She
sits by the window in the judges lounge, reading from
photocopied section of textbook. When the competition
is over, it’s back to the grindstone. “I have homework still
to catch up on,” she says.
All over USA dance from the MAC to the Gumbo and
the Northwest DanceSport competition, volunteers
are silent, long suffering from behind the scenes of the
show. For some reason, they keep coming back. For the
exhaustion of the tiring weekend and juggling regular
full time jobs, they love what they do.
According to Debbie Russell, volunteer coordinator, “We
do it because we love making friends, watching friends
and because we enjoy dancing.”
www.USAdance.ORG
2011 May - june 45
AD Marketplace
SHOES AND ACCESSORIES
The Dance Dresser Inc.
Sylvia Cummings
195 S. Westmonte Drive, Suite 1106
Altamonte Springs, FL. 32714
Phone: 407-774-1106
Phone: 880-774-1106
Fax: 407-778-1374
Email: [email protected]
www.dancedresser.com
Ballroom Gifts
Affordable quality - ballgowns, Latin dresses,
shoes, accessories and gifts.
Yin Zhang, proprietor
518-782-7903,
[email protected]
Coco’s Ballroom Boutique
5510 Lake Howell Rd.
Winter Park, FL 32792
Satin Stitches Ltd.
Deborah Nelson
11894 Round Lake Blvd. NW
Minneapolis, MN 55433
Phone: 763-323-9507
Email: customerservice@satinstitches.
com
Toe to Toe Dance Wear Inc.
Carol Fournier
1159 W. Hill Rd. #C
Flint, MI 48507
Phone: 877-348-4362
great dance party. Proud sponsors of the USA
Dance National DanceSport Championships.
Desert Dance Club
690 E. Warner Rd., Ste 155, Gilbert AZ 85296
www.desertdanceclub.com Private and group
instruction in social, exhibition & competitive
dancing. Employ “Dance Masters” from all
over the country to bring current cutting
edge dance info for staff and students. Host
monthly social dances. Studio available for
private functions and parties.
Elegance in Ballroom & Latin Dance
Studio
Jessica Todero and Bob Gates, 8225 E.
Washington St., Box 8, Chagrin Falls OH
44023, 440-543-1559, www.chagrinballroom.
com Provide students with skills to dance
socially and for showcases and competitions.
Private and group lessons in wide variety of
partner dances. Check out our Northcoast
Ballroom Teachers Academy too.
ExquisiDance Ballroom Studio
3646 E. Ray Road, Phoenix, AZ 85044,
Contact Michael Jewell Phone 480-706-0171
Email: [email protected] Website: www.
ExquisiDance.com Ballroom dance instruction
- Private and Group Classes, Competitions,
Dance Parties, Ballroom Dance Shoes.
MBP Healthy Living Inc., Home of
Ronnie Vinston’s Ballroom Dance
STUDIOS & INSTRUCTORS
Moves 200 Henry St. Suite 106 Belleville Mi
48111 email: [email protected] or
[email protected] Phone: 1-800-743-0929
or 734-347-8537 Group and private lessons Children ages 13 and up welcome.
Ballroom Magic
J & B Dance Center
Katy & Russ Fischer
P O Box 16, Glasser NJ 07837
Phone: 201-663-4646
Ballroom Dance Teacher’s Academy
Where dreams of ballroom dance careers
come true. Blake Carlson - Director, 5210 N.
Market St., P O Box 7523, Spokane WA 99207,
phone 509-710-0215, FAX 508-483-9215,
email: [email protected] website: http://
www.touchdancing.org
BlueBallRoom, Wilmington, DE and the
Delaware Valley.
Contact: Ken Richards, (VP of DanceSport
- USA Dance) [email protected] or 302984-BLUE (2583)
Fun is our main objective and dancing is how
we get there. Learn Salsa, Swing, Ballroom,
Latin, Hustle, Country, Nightclub Slow
Dancing, Argentine Tango and more! Group
classes, personal training, and coaching from
top dance stars available. Visit the website
www.blueballroom.net for pricing and the
calendar of events so you don’t miss the next
46 InStep
Jean Keehan, 734 Broadway, Kingston
NY 12401 - Phone: 914-331-3092 Email:
[email protected]
North Carolina Ballroom Teachers
College, Raleigh, NC
Contact: Jillian Hood ph: 276-614-4595
email: [email protected]
website: www.ncballroomdancecollege.com
The North Carolina Ballroom Teachers
College offers a series of four sessions, each
lasting 4 months that teaches the lead, follow
and teaching method for the American Bronze
DVIDA syllabus: 4 Smooth, 8 Rhythm and
5 Nightclub Dances. The course prepares
candidates for the DVIDA professional
certification exams.
Paso a Paso Ballroom Dance
Provides instruction in all american style
dances with group or private lessons available.
Regular dance parties are offered for students/
public to practice and socialize. Contact
Barbara Putz, 317-696-1656, email: bkayputz@
hotmail.com website: www.tatesdance.com
Queen City Ballroom Dance Studio
Provides instruction in all American styles
Karen Tebeau, 21 Dow St., 2nd fl., Manchester
NH 03101 - Email: [email protected]
Peoria School of Ballroom Dance
Carmen Antonio Giuseppe Peoria
120 Peoria Lane, Youngwood, PA 15697
Phone: 724-925-3884
Specializing in both Am. & Int’l Beg. &
competitive levels
TRAVEL
Compass Speakers & Entertainment
Inc.
The Gentleman Host® Program - Tracy
Robison, 2455 E. Sunrise Blvd. #804, Ft
Lauderdale FL 33304 - Leading supplier
of Gentlemen Dance Hosts ® to the luxury
cruise industry Phone 954-568-3801, Email:
[email protected] website: www.
compassspeakers.com
OTHER
Competition Management Services Inc.
Mark Garber, Atlanta GA On-line registration,
scheduling & payment for dance competitions
- Phone: 770-645-8707 FAX: 770-645-6350
Email: [email protected] Website: http://competitorregister.com/
Show Off Straps
www.showoffstraps.com.
Customized bra straps worth showing off.
Contact Susan Ratcliff.
Phone: 1-888-578-7277.
Email: customerservice@showoffstraps.
com.
SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS
NATIONALS
United States Rock ‘N’ Roll Dance
Federation
USA Dance National Sports Organization
Member - 92 Corporate park, Ste. C-572 Irvine, CA 92606-5106 - Phone: 714-832-1085
Website: www.usdanceteams.org
,'++!#*#* #./
$*')'#/+"$.'#+"/$,.0&#
Second Annual USA DANCE
National Dance Cruise, December 4-11, 2011,
,.",))+"*#.'!7/#)#%+0*/#/0#."*
$,./#2#+"5/,$$1++"+#.)5+,+/0,-"+!#!0'2'0'#/
#-.0'+%$.,*01"#.")#),.'"0&#!.1'/#$#01.#/
#4!'0'+%2'/'0/0,.+"1.(1.(/+"'!,/+1+
1#.0,'!,&')'-/ 1.%0.0#++")$,,+
5&*/+"'+!)1"#/$1))-.,%.*,$ )).,,*
)0'++"!)1 /05)#"+!#!)//#/01%&0 50&#!,1+0.57/0,-
-.,$#//',+)'+/0.1!0,./
Last year’s cruise was a sell out and cabins are limited,
so book NOW!
+!#+!
!+,+-.,80,.%+'60',+'/0&#+0',+)%,2#.+'+% ,"5$,.+!#-,.0'+0&#+'0#"00#/+".#-.#/#+00'2#,.%+'60',+
www.USAdance.ORG
$,./,!')"+!#./!.,//*#.'!3331/"+!#,.%.1'/#,.%+'6#.'/+!#,!')#+.1-/,!')2-1/"+!#,.%
2011 May - June 47
USA DANCE
NATIONALS
Crowning Champions
USA Dance National
DanceSport Championships
Baltimore, MD
March 30 - April 1, 2012
America’s DanceSport Champions
www.usadancenationals.org

May-June 2011 American Dancer

Transcription

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