Dancesport championship features Filipino dancers

Filipino Dance Enthusiasts with Dance Champions from L to R - Albert Dimarucut, Oliver Pineda, Aric Yegudkin, Ofelia Kasilag, Michael Glikman, Neria Soliman, Arlene Howe

Since last year, the Darling Harbour Convention Centre, Bayside Auditorium, Sydney became the new home of the South Pacific Dancesport Championship. This year’s event, the championship’s 64th year, which took place last 10-11 October highlighted the selection for the 2010 IDSF Junior and Youth Ten Dance World Championship on behalf of DanceSport Australia.

The 2-day dancesport championship yet again saw the participation of dance enthusiasts and competitors including Filipinos who showcased their dancing prowess.

The undefeatable Gerry Garcia and his long time Malaysian partner, Shirley Law once again garnered 1st in the Master 1 Latin American Open in all the 5 categories, Samba, Rumba, cha cha cha, Paso Doble and Jive.

Multi-talented Brian Lorenz Babon who has brought pride to the Filipino community with his singing awards was 1st place in Adult Latin American Level 3 with his partner Michelle Geale. This winning elevated them to Level 4. The vibrant and promising young Filipino dancers, Angelique Aguas, Glen Gaspi and Samantha Cruz all got into the Final Rounds in the Junior category competitions.

Mr Craig Wilson, CEO of the Federal Association and Producer of the event, was proud to mention in his welcome message that the entries for this year surpassed the recent years and saw an increase of over 140 dances taking the entries to more than 800 dancers from every state of Australia and from countries as far as Japan, New Zealand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, China and the United States of America.

FATD President Ms Penny de Kauwe in her message also uplifted the image of the association by mentioning the Federal Association as the longest established dance teachers association in the Southern Hemisphere, having been established in 1931 and has a long history of excellence. The yearly South Pacific Championships is an important part of the tradition.

The evening showtime intermission featured the ‘String of Fires’, consisting of violinist Trio and a Fire Magician.

As a journalist covering this yearly event, I noticed the ‘face lift’ in the evening proceeding which started a year ago is now part of the formality which enhanced the grandioseness of the event. The entire cast of competitors who made it to the finals paraded in the stage to the welcoming applause of the audience. As well, the prestigious adjudicators from all parts of Australia were proudly and decorously introduced. Friends of the Neria and Ofelia’s Danz Gig, Neale Byrnes, one of the office bearers of the FATD as Councillor and wife Nicole, and Alex Schembri, Paul Green, Margaret Reeve, Julie Shembri, Ian and Melinda Hayes and Tony Gauci were adjudicators along with Mark Wilson, Leeane Bampton and Helen Richey of the TV Dancing with the Stars in the 2-day dance tournament. Robert Steele, the well loved advisory consultant of the association, presented the awards to the event’s top winners.

At the end of the show, l took time to interview the 1st place winner of the Master 11 Standard Ballroom Level 4 who came all the way from Shianghai China, Jack Xin Yu Wang and Cora Shuckuji Hayashi. Cora who is actually a Japanese but resides in China due to her business was proud to mention that she and dance partner Jack have been competing worldwide, Canada, USA, Korea, Taipei and Manila.

The coming events of the FATD are as follows:

Sydney Olympic Park Dancesport Fiesta – 6 December 2009 and 27 November 2010

Atutumn Festival – 11 April 2010 at Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush Bay

National Capital Dancesport Championship – 25-27 June 2010 at AIS Canberra

Crown Championship – 18 April 2010 at Crown Casino Melbourne

Winter Festival – 18TH July 2010 at Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush Bay

South Pacific Dancesport Championship – 2-3 Ocotber 2010 Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre Darling Harbour.

*** Neria N. Soliman JP CMC is a community leader and a regular contributor of The Filipino Australian.

FATD Official and Adjudicators with the Media Team – L to R - Craig Wilson, Neria Soliman, Mark Wilson, Ofelia Kasilag, Neale Byrnes

Adult Latin Level 3 Winner Brian Lorenz Babon with coach, Neale Byrnes, and partner, Michelle Geale

Masters 1 Latin Champions - Gerry Garcia and Shirley Law

Junior Filipino Dancers - Samantha Cruz with partner, Josh O’Grady, and Angelique Aguas with Glenn Gaspi

Neria Soliman, Bob Steele, Ofelia Kasilag

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Posted by Neria N Soliman on Oct 19 2009. Filed under Dancing, Sydney. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry