The Philippines will host one of the most prestigious dancesports competition in the world. It will be the first time that an event of this significance is held in Asia.
On Dec. 15, champion couples from 24 countries will compete in the World Cup Professional Latin Competition at the Sofitel Hotel. This event is mounted by the World DanceSport Federation Professional Division (WDSF-PD), the governing body of dancesport.
Belinda Adora, president of the Professional DanceSport Association of the Philippines (PDSAP), which is under the governing body, the DanceSport Council of the Philippines (DSCP), made a bid in Luxembourg. The jury will be composed of 10 adjudicators from Europe and four Filipinos.
The whole-day event will include competitions in the juvenile (under 12 years old ), junior (between ages 12 and 15), youth (16-19), senior (over 35), teacher-student, professional and amateur divisions.
There will also be WDSF competition in Latin and Standard. The evening show will climax with the World Cup, which includes opening numbers by Belinda Adora’s Stepkids, composed of streetchildren, and the top couples in local dancesports.
Experience
The event has enlisted 116 couples, including the champions. The Philippine representatives are husband-and-wife team Ronnie Vergara and Charlea Lagaras, bronze medalists in the Asian Championships. Adora explains that sensitivity and synchronicity in partnering are crucial to a couple’s success in ballroom. “They’ve got experience because they compete together a lot,” says Adora.
The other representing team is Rey Richard Obong and Victoria Huyatid. The competition is stiff, since the strong pairs come from Russia, Italy, Ukraine, Denmark and, recently, Turkey, says Adora.
The World Cup winner will bring home 1,500 Euros, while winners of the WDSF Latin and Standard competitions will get 1,200 Euros.
“For so long, the World Cup has been held in Germany and Austria. We’re trying to put the Philippines on the map in the dance world,” says Adora.
The PDSAP president herself holds an unprecedented record in the Philippines. She was the gold medalist, Latin division, in the Sea Games in 2005, Asia-Pacific Champion, and the Philippine champion from 1997 to 2005.
“This is the chance for the Philippines to show the world that we have international-caliber dancesport athletes, who can stand with their peers in the global arena,” says PDSAP chair Cynthia Carrion.
Visit www.worldcuplatinphilippines.com; call tel. 9108030, 8288732, or mobile 0917-8918998, 0917-8938762; fax 6372073. E-mail [email protected].
