David Trueman reports on the Professional Rising Star Ballroom at the Blackpool Dance Festival 2023
Monday 29th May Rising Star Professional
There was an excellent starting line up for Professional Rising Star Ballroom and as always one can see so many couples who in time will offer a sustained challenge to the very best. The Rising Star events are a wonderful concept and have been in place for many years and it provides so much to the up and coming performers.
Last nights competition did exactly what is says on the tin, culminating in a really great final round. The semi final was of the very highest level and congratulations to the judges in finding the eventual six couples.
Tonight the winners, with first place in all dances, were the recently turned Professional couple Michal Le and Sandra Jablonska. They need no introduction having already being incredibly successful as Amateurs and they are of course the reigning Amateur Champions. Michael and Sandra went about their task this evening with the usual release of speed and physicality input but with that added touch of relaxation that comes from great knowledge and technical expertise.
Runners up Ilya Golovchenko and Kristina Bogolovskaya they were second in the Waltz and Foxtrot, Fifth in the Tango and third in Quickstep. Such beautiful flight in movement and the poise and stance created from them both offers so much to the onlooker. One can easily sit and enjoy their dancing as so many the fundamentals have been so well adhered to and the overall dance structure is well cemented.
3rd with a final analysis of 3,3,2,4, were Roman Sukholmlynand and Olga Gandembul. This was a wonderful display of dance quality and as the analysis shows they were challenging very strongly indeed. Their effortless levels of movement all through the competition was certainly heading them towards a final round of absolute dance clarity. The Tango is especially good a present with all the modern flare and style and yet still has those all important authentic touches.
4th Aleksandr Riabtsev and Mariia Oblakova 4,4,3,5, very smooth in delivery and powerful in execution. During the competition their spacial awareness was of the very highest order and although some dancers can at times appear a little chaotic as they move around the floor, this couple never lost sight of their directional control. The partnering skills they both possess are quite delightful to see.
5th David Cockram and Rosie Ward they were placed 6,6,4,2, since joining the Professional field they have without doubt made great strides to add a look of stillness in the body line. Tonight it all came together so well for them and they were clearly enjoying the whole event as there was hardly any appearance of the stress that is sometimes visible when competing at this level of competition, which maybe why they achieved second place in the Quickstep.
6th Oliver Hand and Anastasia Lysytsyna 5,5,6,6, newly turned Professional and what an event to begin the next stage on your dance journey. They were literally flying in this final and challenged strongly. There was a calmness about their style tonight which allowed their considerable knowledge of dance action and technique to be fully appreciated. As already mentioned this wonderful dance world is a journey and indeed a life of many experiences.
This has been yet another fabulous evening of quality performances.
Today is the continuation of the British Amateur Latin qualification stages, which will culminate later this evening with a magical final for sure. The evening will have the very exiting Under 21 Ballroom Championship.
As the festival moves along one it is just getting better and better.
Stay connected everyone so you don't miss a moment of these great Championships
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