https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId17a866616b
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProIddd57b32908
The winners of the tango Max Sinitsa & Tatiana Seliverstova, managed to take second in the waltz but held to second place overall by the skin of their teeth taking third place in the foxtrot and in the Viennese Waltz. The tango, their strongest dance, they won with “second or better” marks but it was perhaps this dance that saved their second place standing, because Roman Malkhasyan & Galina Detkina placed second in the last two dances. This was a great result for Roman & Galina who were very emotional after the awards and was spotted teary eyed after their award was given.
For us and for America’s dancing this was great news to see that three different couples with three different styles are battling it out is amazing for the industry and for the style. This is made for TV viewership where noone really knows who will be on top next. Congratulations to these three phenomenal couples. Travis & Jaimee Tuft placed fourth in all four dances, Yegor Novikov & Alexandra Smirnova placed fith in all and Srgeiy Samchynskyy & Yuliya Besarab were sixth.
The American Smooth style of dancing exceled in the Showdance portion of the event with couples presenting themes and proper show routines that were entertaining to the viewers. With six hours of dancing each evening it is the least they could do to maintain the crowd’s entertainment and focus. As we mentioned earlier, the night was stolen by Travis and Jaimee Tuft with their “Sharky” routine. You are already probably familiar with it, nearly every other post on social media was about the “Sharky.” We are not much keen on funny routines that have no meaning and hardly any dancing and usually with a message that is personal to the couple, but this one really got us all going. Maybe because all the routines that went before were all about drama, that this caused such a commotion and relief, but we for once were glad the judges awarded them the win on the Smooth Showdance challenge.
Max Sinitsa & Tatiana Seliverstova
Max Sinitsa & Tatiana Seliverstova
Roman Malkhasyan & Galina Detkina
Roman Malkhasyan & Galina Detkina
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId8e506e62d6
Yegor Novikov & Alexandra Smirnova
Yegor Novikov & Alexandra Smirnova
Sergey Samchynsky & Yuliya Besarab
Sergey Samchynsky & Yuliya Besarab
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId918362d129
Open Pro Latin
Open Pro Latin
Mykhailo Bilopukhov & Anastasiia Shchypilina
Mykhailo Bilopukhov & Anastasiia Shchypilina
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId9bbad0b3c0
For us the Professional Latin showdances would go down as the worst of the week, with very little thought or thinking process going to develop them. Couples it is not just good enough for you to do some rumba and cha cha walks, let me tell you if I was casting for a major production you guys might not have made the cut. It is a shame because as you have read for the past days the showdances from all the other styles have been great, making us think, laugh, cry and enjoy, and that is what a show should do!
Sasha Althukov & Cheyenne Murillo
Sasha Althukov & Cheyenne Murillo
Ivan Kudashev & Ksusha Sokolova
Ivan Kudashev & Ksusha Sokolova
Pasha Stepanchuk & Gabriella Sabler
Pasha Stepanchuk & Gabriella Sabler
Kamil Studenny & Anna Kaplii
Kamil Studenny & Anna Kaplii
Artur Tarnavsky & Anastasia Danilova
Artur Tarnavsky & Anastasia Danilova
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProIdf26931afed
The other "scene-stealing" moment came right at the end of this long evening in the Professional Grand Championship. Danas Jaksevicius & Yuki Haraguchi, representing the Rhythm division, were the winners with Danas portraying "the sweet transvestite from transexual Transylvania" of Rocky Horror fame complete with leather shorts, fishnets and full makeup!
Open Amateur Ballroom
Open Amateur Ballroom
Nikita Druzhynin & Virginie Primeau
Nikita Druzhynin & Virginie Primeau
Vladyslav Komelkov & Alexandra Sevastianova
Vladyslav Komelkov & Alexandra Sevastianova
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId77f090c3a8
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId8c8ded6925
David Cook
David Cook
Riccardo & Yulia with backup from Hard Drive Dancers
Riccardo & Yulia with backup from Hard Drive Dancers
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProIdab2160685d
Open Pro Am World Dancesport Series Cabaret
Open Pro Am World Dancesport Series Cabaret
Natasha Namen w/ Craig Smith
Natasha Namen w/ Craig Smith
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId203ebb6872
Don Gingery
Don Gingery
Tommy Radon (being carried)
Tommy Radon (being carried)
Supershag Studio
Supershag Studio
Sheila Tuck
Sheila Tuck
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProIdd05705964a
With this Saturday, finally the Ohio Star Ball came to a finish. Congratulations to the organizing committee it was as always an event very well attended, this year in particularly the kids in Battelle Hall were amazing.
Show Dances were “Cooking” at OSB!
Last night in Battelle Hall at the Ohio Star Ball, the professional showdances in both the Professional Rhythm, and Ballroom were great!
And singer David Cook, winner of the 7th season of American Idol and top billboard artist, rocked the scene and complimented our ballroom dancers with his songs! He sang the rumba for the Rhythm final although the format was a little odd. Following the cha cha, the lights went down and the couples stood still on the floor while the singer began. The lights went back up and the couples began their dance. It was a somewhat odd.
In the past we have critiqued the professional competitors for having lame showdances at OSB, we know developing a story and bringing it to an excellent conclusion in under two minutes is quite difficult and requires a bit of time. However, last night nearly all the professionals took their time to make sure their show numbers were not only correct in time, but with great themes and content, each using their own strength to create something sure worth the time to stay and watch and that the audience did last.
Open Pro Ballroom
Open Pro Ballroom
Victor Fung & Anastasia Muravyeva
Victor Fung & Anastasia Muravyeva
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId88b4d75084
Another terrific showdance that we all loved came from Alexander & Veronika Voskalchuk, who placed third overall 3,3,2,3,2 in the Open Ballroom. Alexander & Veronika started in their “Pajamas” flat on the floor and began to snore ZZZZZZ, their dreams came alive and they found themselves in the final of the Open British in Blackpool, England. They then segued from dance to dance and later finished one more time on the floor snoring but Veronika woke to show us her rendition of cha cha in her dream and left, leaving sleepy Alexander to be woken up by the MC, John De Palma. Alexander & Veronika placed second in the showdance.
Rudy Homm & Katya Kanevskaya
Rudy Homm & Katya Kanevskaya
Alexander & Veronica Voskalchuk
Alexander & Veronica Voskalchuk
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId94710cfa9a
Fourth place in the Ballroom competition went to Vladishlav Shakhov & Ekaterina Popova 4,5,4,4,6, who also had a very interesting and sexy cowboy /girl showdance, this theme and dance was good enough to place them ahead of the competition in third place for the showdance.
Vladislav Shakhov & Ekaterina Popova
Vladislav Shakhov & Ekaterina Popova
Sergei Konovaltsev & Anna Demidova
Sergei Konovaltsev & Anna Demidova
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProIdca5f527f91
Andres & Veronika End
Andres & Veronika End
Oskar Wojciechowski & Karolina Holody
Oskar Wojciechowski & Karolina Holody
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId4b3e5f8a20
Open Pro Rhythm
Open Pro Rhythm
Danas Jaksevicius & Yuki Haraguchi
Danas Jaksevicius & Yuki Haraguchi
Shane & Shannon Jensen
Shane & Shannon Jensen
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId78a78854e7
Second in this Rhythm Championship went to Dmitry Nikishkin & Olena Shverts-Nikishkin and they placed second in all dances. In their showdance they chose to do a regional folklore piece, not always our favorite but usually a crowd pleaser that gets most audiences up on their feet and clapping. Unfortunately for Dmitry & Olena, not many of the audience got into it, they got a good reception but few joined on the beat clapping, during or at the end. We are also not sure the folk costumes did much to compliment their look, they both looked like “Nesting Dolls” we believe the translation is a “Matryoshka.” But it totally worked for the judges and that is what is most important they awarded them third place in their Rhythm showdance.
Dmitry Nikishkin & Olena Shvets-Nikishkin
Dmitry Nikishkin & Olena Shvets-Nikishkin
Ilya Velednitskiy & Mariya Ilchenko
Ilya Velednitskiy & Mariya Ilchenko
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId119b85173c
Toshko Kondov & Kristin Dobson
Toshko Kondov & Kristin Dobson
Alberto Cortes & Jessa Mae Briones
Alberto Cortes & Jessa Mae Briones
Andrew Escolme & Amy Baker
Andrew Escolme & Amy Baker
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId024475389e
We must point out that Andre & Natalie Paramonov were not in attendance for the Rhythm Competition due to a previous engagement. Also in the Open Ballroom, Iaroslav & Liliia Bieliei were not present duet to the fact that they are at the moment representing the USA in the World Professional Championship.
Professional Cabaret
Professional Cabaret
Alyenendrov & Maria Tsorokean
Alyenendrov & Maria Tsorokean
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId61a4069d4f
For us the Amateur International Latin Championship might have been a good warmup act for the professional competitions but for us who normally look to a terrific Amateur Latin event, it was a little disappointing. Few if any of the competitors were energetic enough to get us going. Even Tall Livshitz & Ilana Keselman who won all dances with perfect scores from all judges did little to appease our hunger for good Latin dancing, but to their defense they could not do it alone on that floor.
Open Amateur Latin
Open Amateur Latin
Tal Livshitz & Ilana Keselman
Tal Livshitz & Ilana Keselman
Andrei & Amanda Besyedin
Andrei & Amanda Besyedin
Nikita Vasilenko & Olivia Agranovich
Nikita Vasilenko & Olivia Agranovich
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId2d4695f19a
Open A Latin World Dancesport Series
Open A Latin World Dancesport Series
Angelina Evseeva w/ Aleksandr Skarlato
Angelina Evseeva w/ Aleksandr Skarlato
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProIdce384e847d
Open B Latin World Dancesport Series
Open B Latin World Dancesport Series
Missy White w/ Genya Bartashevitch
Missy White w/ Genya Bartashevitch
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId0c6620cbf7
Open C Latin World Dancesport Series
Open C Latin World Dancesport Series
Lynn Magnesen w/ Tykhon Zhyvkov
Lynn Magnesen w/ Tykhon Zhyvkov
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProIdf9c669648f
Open S1 Latin World Dancesport Series
Open S1 Latin World Dancesport Series
Joan Goddard w/ Andrew Escolme
Joan Goddard w/ Andrew Escolme
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId4bab42f919
Open S2 Latin World Dancesport Series
Open S2 Latin World Dancesport Series
Nora Fox w/ Plamen Danailov
Nora Fox w/ Plamen Danailov
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProIde0dc04373f
It was a terrific day and night of Ballroom dancing totally worth the trip and we look forward to the finale of the Ohio Star Ball in Battelle Hall tonight.
The Best of the Best for 2019!
The Best of the Best from every competition traveled to the Ohio Star Ball for the culmination of the of the Best of the Best competitions, all ready with about a minute thirty routines and all prepared to take on the country’s best.
In last night’s program we also saw the finale of the Pro/Am World Dancesport Series in the Open Smooth categories and we have to say that all were also excellent in quality and in quantity with many of them taking quarters and first rounds in the afternoon.
We have lots to say about the Smooth Scholarships but first to the Best of the Best solos. As we mentioned previously, most routines were around a minute thirty, but when we say around it’s because the majority always try to sneak a second or three and a number went up to 3 minutes and counting. We believe a bunch of them got disqualified or told or reprimanded. However, the routines were, for the most part, very entertaining, many had themes and many of the showcase divisions even had a cast (a few people in them) and you will see from the lineups and some of the costumes the people really came prepared and wanted to “solo dance.”
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId5a266f43b8
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId7d1a464b5e
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId25b13c7d50
Maya Deng w/ Pasha Stepanchuk
Maya Deng w/ Pasha Stepanchuk
BOB Gold Showcase
BOB Gold Showcase
BOB Silver Showcase
BOB Silver Showcase
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId1f46799c25
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProIdbd3300274f
Open A Smooth World Dancesport Series
Open A Smooth World Dancesport Series
Natasha Namen w/ Misha Vlasov
Natasha Namen w/ Misha Vlasov
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId608f49d73b
Third place was awarded to Ani Mkrtchyan w/ Max Sinitsa 3,4,3,3. Maria Fuentes w/ Peter Walker took fourth 5,3,4,6 as you can see from the marks, third place and below the judges were sweating this one out. Marko Namen w/ Marina Vlasova was fifth 4,6,5,5; Liang Ying w/ Yegor Novikov was sixth 6,5,6,4; Olivia Zettengren w/ Mazen Hamza took seventh place 8,7,7,7, and Elyse Smith w/ Eddie Stutts placed eighth 7,8,8,8.
Open B Smooth World Dancesport Series
Open B Smooth World Dancesport Series
Olivia Whiteside w/ Sergey Barsukov
Olivia Whiteside w/ Sergey Barsukov
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProIde5e256e2bc
Open C Smooth World Dancesport Series
Open C Smooth World Dancesport Series
Lynn Shanahan w/ Darius Mosteika
Lynn Shanahan w/ Darius Mosteika
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId3540858468
Open S1 Smooth World Dancesport Series
Open S1 Smooth World Dancesport Series
Linda Gill w/ Roman Malkhasyan
Linda Gill w/ Roman Malkhasyan
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId0fb325b3f1
Open A 9-Dance World Dancesport Series
Open A 9-Dance World Dancesport Series
Open B 9-Dance World Dancesport Series
Open B 9-Dance World Dancesport Series
Nichelle Kennedy w/ Aleks Nashev
Nichelle Kennedy w/ Aleks Nashev
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId57086016ab
Congratulations to all the winners! The competition was intense but excellent to watch!
It’s a Man Thing!
The Open World Dancesport Series Pro/Am Scholarships began last night with the Open Pro/Am Rhythm divisions.
Marko Namen w/ Marina Vlasova
Marko Namen w/ Marina Vlasova
Giovanni Fortezza w/ Jolanta Mosteika
Giovanni Fortezza w/ Jolanta Mosteika
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId281d1f0f70
All the divisions were well attended with many of the divisions having quarterfinal rounds and even some first rounds and the quality of the dancing in all was of a very high standard. The “A” division and “B” divisions were perhaps so difficult to judge both with more than six couples into the final. In the “A” division 7 couples were called back, but in the end Marko Namen, an energetic amateur dancer with clear movements and footwork, took the lead winning all dances. You can tell it was not an easy task for the judges when looking at the marks, Marko only managed to win two out of the five dances with a majority of firsts, the bolero and mambo, in the other three dances he had to rely on second or better marks to get the win.
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProIda66614e10e
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId47ed511eb1
From third place down things got a lot murkier in the “B” division. Mariana Lvoff dancing with Vladimir Kosarev placed fourth overall 4,3,4,4,4. We have to say that we were slightly disappointed with her performance that seemed a little quieter than her usual self, perhaps the white outfit she wore also got her a little washed out on this lighted floor, but we are sure to see her wonderful smile strike up again on the next contest. Fifth place went to Kelly Lakas w/ Evgenii Grytsak 6,5,5,5,5; Mytia McNeal w/ Damir Karaman took sixth position 5,6,6,6,6; Mag Retelewski w/ Aaron DeSoto was seventh in all dances and Andi Wolf w/ John Holzworth was eighth in all.
Open C Rhythm World Dancesport Series
Open C Rhythm World Dancesport Series
Lynn Magnesen w/ Tykhon Zhyvkov
Lynn Magnesen w/ Tykhon Zhyvkov
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId4f77e5d097
From third place down things really got heated. Fourth place went to Marguerite Pinard w/ Shandor Shtefil 3,5,5,4,4; Michelle Loeb w/ Aleko Khutsidze was fifth 4,4,4,5,5 and sixth in all dances went to Ana Capo w/ Luis Lopez.
Open S1 Rhythm World Dancesport Series
Open S1 Rhythm World Dancesport Series
Joan Goddard w/ Andrew Escolme
Joan Goddard w/ Andrew Escolme
https://dancebeat.com/m-blogs-en/item/1828-osb2019#sigProId9df0756ca3
As you can see the American Style Rhythm has come a long way and it now stands head to head with all styles, with great quality dancing. We congratulate all finalists and even in the closed categories over the last two days it was amazing to see so many excellent dancers taking part and making our American Style come to a great level in quality and quantity.