The WDC AL European Championships & Junior Blackpool – the results are in!

DSI Elite Performers were on triumphant form on the Empress Ballroom’s fabulous floor during the WDC AL European Championships in Blackpool on 15-16 April. Our rising stars Igor Reznik and Mariia Polishchuk came second in the WDC AL European Amateur Ballroom Championship – a fantastic achievement for somebody so young, and they are set for great things.

Dynamic young dancers Lloyd Perry and Rebecca Scott were runners-up in the WDC AL European Under 21 Latin Championship, while DSI Elite Performer Oliver Beardmore, with his partner Lydia Hall, also made the final in the same competition, as well as the WDC AL European Under 19 Latin Championship.

It was also a successful weekend for DSI Elite Performer Gunnar Gunnarsson who came second in the DPA Professional Latin Championship with his partner Marika Doshoris. The inexhaustible pair also danced in the WDC Open European Professional Latin Championship in Moscow the same weekend, where they made the semi-final.

Last, but by no means least, Max Draper and Olivia King, two of DSI London’s youngest Elite Performers, made the top 24 in both Juvenile Ballroom and Latin events at the WDC AL European Championships.

Our warm congratulations go to them and to all our Elite Performers.

Amazing April for Glenn and Caroly

Enjoying a wonderful winning streak this month, DSI Elite Performers Glenn Richard Boyce and Caroly Jänes triumphed as champions in the WDC AL European Junior Ballroom on 15 April. The multi-talented duo also made the final in the WDC AL European Junior Latin the following day.

Glenn and Caroly went on to win the British Open Junior Ballroom Championship, which took place later in the week on 19 April. The victorious pair came first in every single one of the four dances. “Simply overwhelmed to have won the British Open for the second year in a row together,” Glenn wrote on Facebook. “So many feelings throughout this wonderful event.”

The unstoppable two also came second in the British Open Junior Latin Championship. Their incredible success at Blackpool followed swiftly on the heels of their victory at the Youth Ten-Dance World Championship, as well as the Junior Ten-Dance World Championship earlier this month.

Dressing the dream teams

This year was a very special one for the Junior Blackpool Dance Festival, which celebrated its 70th birthday. The weeklong festival opened on Easter Monday, offering a wide range of competitions for Juveniles and Juniors in ballroom, Latin American and sequence dance, with 29 events in total, including formation competitions and team matches.

As is traditional, DSI London was proud to lend its support to the British Junior team by dressing the Latin dancers. With the British team the Latin girls were dressed mainly in our scarlet and stoned using light siam stones. The boys were dressed in our black crepe using one of our new shirt designs from the upcoming 17/18 catalogue. Not only that but the four Juvenile dresses for the Icelandic team – a ocean blue that matched Iceland’s flag – were made here in our London headquarters.

Plus, our very own DSI Elite Performers Eric Kashkevych and Daria Andreyev (above) danced for Team USA, with Daria showcasing DSI’s white striped leotard and Zeta skirt with the top layer of our skirt in our striped fabric to match the team’s patriotic colour scheme.