The ballroom was full last night for the open professional divisions. In two of them we saw the winners from the Rising Star repeat their success but in the other two there were new winners and I’ll start them.

• Roman Italyankin & Alexandra Bokova Roman Italyankin & Alexandra Bokova
• Open Pro Latin Open Pro Latin
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In the Latin Roman Italyankin & Alexandria Bokova won all dances. Although they had the majority of 1st places in all dances, we were a little surprised with some of the lower scores they received including scores of 7, 7, 5, 3, 5 from judge, Jolan Sniegcocki. To us they were well clear of the field. 2nd in all dances went to the winners of the Rising Star, Ivan Kudashev & Ksusha and again they were clear in all dances. After these two first places the field was much more mixed and the judges’ scores were all over the place. When the chips were down here is how it worked out. 3rd Aleksei Shipilov & Iuliia Buraeva 4,4,3,3,3; 4th Dmitri Chopenko & Valeria Khrapak 3,3,4,4,4; 5th Eyal Gleanz & Amanda Pearl (Can) 5,5,5,5,5; 6th Aleksei & Elena Minaev 7,7,6,6,6; 7th Erik Petrosyan & Margarita Taryan 6,6,7,7,7.

• Open Pro Smooth Open Pro Smooth
• Adrian & Hanna Dydynsky Adrian & Hanna Dydynsky
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The other new winner came in the Smooth and this was Adrian & Hannah Dydynski. As in the Latin, Adrian & Hannah did have the majority of 1st places in all dances, but lost more 1st places than we would have thought, including two 4th places from Jolan Sniegcocki. For us Adrian & Hannah were clear winners with their subtle yet free-moving style. Vladyslav & Brianna Nalyvachuk, the winners of the RS, were 2nd in all dances – again this was an easy decision for us, although some judges felt that they were the winners. They took 1st places in all dances, the most in foxtrot where they received 5 against Adrian & Hannah’s 8. Aleksandar Bonev & Olga Aidasheva were 3rd in all dances. 4th in all went to Gage Clark & Randi Nicole. We felt they were a little underscored by the panel, they have a nice easy style. Kyle Johnson & Cassandra Eden were 5th 5,5,5,5; 6th Staz Dawson & Jacklyn Gonyea 6,6,6,6; 7th J Andy Sternrman & Karen Jacoba 7,7,7,7.

• Open Pro Rhythm Open Pro Rhythm
• Aleksei Shipilov & Iuliia Bureva Aleksei Shipilov & Iuliia Bureva
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In the other two divisions the results mostly followed those in the RS. In the Rhythm and this began with a semifinal, Aleksei Shipilov & Iuliia Bureva were the winners and on this night they won all dances. 2nd in all went to Antonio Nunez & Ksenia Kashkina. In fact all couples finished in the same position in all dances. 3rd Artem & Ginny Ray Shiller; 4th Luis Grijalva & Hadas Fisher; 5th Sean Lyons & Anastasia Gordeeva; 6th Blake Formanek & Sarah Glass.

• Open Pro Ballroom Open Pro Ballroom
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Also the same 2 couples contested the Open Ballroom as the RS with the same result. Aleksei & Elena Minaev won all dances and Sergey Bolotnikov & Catherine Edgar were 2nd.

We want to once again thank the organizers, Carlos & Marielle Pabon, for their hospitality and attention to detail. It was a fun event and good to be back after so many years.

• Jim Ferris Jim Ferris
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PS and in answer to our FaceBook question, the lovely lady was Jim Ferris during a Chicago formation presentation.

Return to the Northcoast!

It has been about 20 years since Dance Beat has been at the Northcoast Classic Ballroom Championships!

• Carlos & Marielle Pabon Carlos & Marielle Pabon
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But we are here this year at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Cleveland, OH. The event has been under the management of Carlos & Marielle Pabon for the last ?? years and they are proving gracious hosts to all attending. Always available in the ballroom and always asking how everything is going.

The first 2 sessions have been about Rhythm. Firstly, last night all the nightclub dances were concluded and the theme for the night was ‘80’s – and we certainly saw some throwback clothing, including judge, Larinda McRaven in her vintage Madonna wear.

We have been very impressed with the size of the heats so far! Many semifinals have been run in the Rhythm single dances and the standard of dance is high. So far the pro-ams have completed their divisions in Rhythm and Ballroom.

Last night the featured events were the Professional Rising Star divisions and all were of an interesting level. The largest, as it often is nowadays, was the Smooth that began with a semifinal.

• Vladyslav & Brianna Nalyvaychuk Vladyslav & Brianna Nalyvaychuk
• Pro RS Smooth Pro RS Smooth
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The winners of this were Vladyslav & Brianna Nalyvaychuk who won all dances and lost only 2 first places in the whole competition. This is a new couple to us and they are very powerful on the floor. 2nd went to Nick Haklin & Sarah Ford who were 2nd in all dances. To us this was a little closer than it appeared on paper as this is also a very proficient team. They received mostly 2nd and 3rd places from the judges but were easily 2nd in all dances. 3rd were Aleksandr Bonev & Olga Aidasheva 3,3,3,3; 4th Gage Clark & Randi Nicole 4,4,4,4; 5th Kyle Johnson & Cassandra Eden 5,6,5,5; 6th Aaron Blizzard & Jenny Lu 6,5,6,6.

• Aleksei Shipilov & Iuliia Buraeva Aleksei Shipilov & Iuliia Buraeva
• Pro RS Rhythm Pro RS Rhythm
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The Rhythm produced a straight final of 6 couples and it was quite a close race, especially at the top. Winners tonight were Aleksei Shipilov & Iuliia Buraeva and they placed 1,1,1,1,2. Runners up were Antonio Nunez & Ksenia Kashkina 2,2,2,2,1. All dances in this competition were won with a majority of 1st places but it was quite close – 7 to 5 in C, R, S; and 8 to 4 in bolero for the winners and 8 to 4 in mambo to the runners-up. There was quite a difference in style between these two couples. Artem & Ginny Rae Shiller were 3rd in all dances. 4th Luis Grijalva & Hadas Fisher 4,4,4,4,4; 5th Blake Formanek & Sarah Glass 5,5,5,5,5; 6th Gil Aromas & Kristin Rummell 6,6,6,6,6.

• Pro RS Ballroom Pro RS Ballroom
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The Ballroom had only 2 couples,but both of high quality. The winners were a tall and elegant pairing, again new to us – Aleksei & Elena Minaev and they won all dances. 2nd were Sergey Bolotnikov & Catherine Edgar.

• Pro RS Latin Pro RS Latin
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Ivan Kudashev & Ksusha made a rush trip from Millennium in New Orleans where they won the Rising Star Latin to compete here where they also won the Rising Star Latin placing 1st in all dances and with perfect scores in rumba and jive. In our view they were well clear. The winners of the Rhythm, Aleksei & Iuliia, took 2nd here and once again in all dances. 3rd in all fell to Eyal Gleanz & Amanda Pearl (Canada) and 4th were the Ballroom winners, Aleksei & Elena.

• Open Pro Cabaret Open Pro Cabaret
• Ivan Kudashev & Ksusha Ivan Kudashev & Ksusha
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The evening concluded with a very entertaining Showdance division. All 4 couples presented very complete and well-rehearsed routines. Ivan & Ksusha were the winners again and they received all 7 first places from the judges. 2nd went to Nick Haklin & Sarah Ford who danced a very clever routine in which Nick portrayed a ventriloquist’s dummy. 3rd were Roman Italyankin & Aleksandra Bokova, who unfortunately had a fall in their rountine, and 4th was Antonio Nunez & Ksenia Kashkina.

Today the pro-ams compete in Smooth and Latin and tonight we have the Open Professional divisions. Stay tuned for more!