This showed great solidarity for this style and a couple that successfully defended their US and World Ballroom title for over 10 years.
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1826-namer19#sigProIdd84e36fc67
Vladislav Shakhov & Ekaterina Popova
Vladislav Shakhov & Ekaterina Popova
Oscar Pedrinelli & Lenka Kovalcikova
Oscar Pedrinelli & Lenka Kovalcikova
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The surprise finish for us was the fourth placement overall of Andres & Veronika End, they placed second in the waltz but in the rest of their dances they did not fare as well 2,5,5,5,4. For us they showed enough innovation as well as skill to place higher but in looking at their marks not all judges would agree, some of their marks went from sixth to even a first in the tango. Fifth in this excellent heat went to Andrii Mykhailov & Olga Gandembul 6,4,4,4,5, and sixth place was awarded to Radu Sterban & Xenia Cletova 5,6,6,6,6. In the marks alone you can read what a difficult heat this was and we have to tip our hats to the judges for getting it done in a minute thirty on each dance.
Another highly ranked couple, Alexander & Veronica Voskalchuk had to withdraw following the quarter-final, for medical reasons.
The American Rhythm Professional category was also quite entertaining even though not as strong as the Ballroom competition. In this heat Kristian Sese & Mae Lozada won all dances, but only four of these with a majority of firsts. In the bolero, with only 5 firsts total in their column they needed “second or better” scores to win this dance. We have to say about their performance that their detail and easy to read material made it easy for some judges to award them first. Sometimes in the Rhythm, couples can get so complicated that it is almost impossible to read, a note to all couples the saying - “Less is Better” it is a good rule to have.
Open Pro Rhythm
Open Pro Rhythm
Kristian Sese & Mae Lozado
Kristian Sese & Mae Lozado
Artem & Ginny Rae Shiller
Artem & Ginny Rae Shiller
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1826-namer19#sigProIdfe612def6b
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1826-namer19#sigProIdc061444132
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North America Comes Together!
It is time again for the North American Imperial Star Ball, and plenty of US and Canadian couples are in attendance.
This is the 3rd year for World Champions Arunas Bizokas & Katusha Demidova as organizers and this year saw a large increase in entries. We arrived a few days ago and the Hilton Chicago / Oak Brook Hills was covered with snow. Today the sun has come out and the snow is fading away and we are able to appreciate the golf course behind the resort. Last night in the Hilton Ballroom there was plenty of competition but the two main featured events were the Open Professional Smooth and Latin and both were excellent in quality as well as quantity.
Open Pro Smooth
Open Pro Smooth
Travis & Jaimee Tuft
Travis & Jaimee Tuft
Nikolai Pilipenchuk & Sarika Hudson
Nikolai Pilipenchuk & Sarika Hudson
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Viacheslav Kostianets & Valeriia Kostianets who placed third overall were the recipient of the other first place mark missing from Travis & Jaimee, but this time from Tomas Atkocevicius in the foxtrot. Igor & Meghan Afonkin took fourth in all dances, Tykhon & Yana Zhyvkov were placed fifth and Mariusz Zakrzewski & Lynnsay Ray were 6th.
Open Pro Latin
Open Pro Latin
Andrei Kazlouski & Asta Sigvaldadottir
Andrei Kazlouski & Asta Sigvaldadottir
Francesco & Sabrina Bertini
Francesco & Sabrina Bertini
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From second place down things got a little more varied. Stanishlab Savich & Nicole Prosser took third overall 4,3,3,4,5. This is another very rhythmical couple, it’s unfortunate that their costumes do not reflect their rhythmical ability, but we are happy that they did not sport the grey covers because at times they look almost like “straight jackets.” Fourth were Jonas Kazlauskas & Kathleen Ilo 5,4,6,3,3; fifth went to Roam Italyankin & Alexandra Bokova 3,6,4,5,6, leaving sixth to Roman Drobotov & Lilya Kazbekova 6,5,5,6,4.
2 couples entered the Pro Cabaret and the win went to Travis & Jaimee. Runners-up were Zachary Pohl & Ariel Freilich.
Professional Cabaret
Professional Cabaret
Pro RS Ballroom
Pro RS Ballroom
Pro RS Rhythm
Pro RS Rhythm
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https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1826-namer19#sigProIde77cbb9c06
With that the second day of competition at the North American Imperial Star Ball.