DANCE SPORT – BALLROOM AND LATIN DANCING – REPORT FROM EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP IN WARSAW, POLAND

The European Championship took place on the 9-10th of October in Sangate Hotel organized by Agata Koziol from Paso Dance Academy. Designer Magazine had the opportunity to join this event and participant. We had dancers in different disciplines like Caribean, Latin, standard, artistic ballroom from whole Europe and judges from Chech Republic, Poland, France, Greece, Slovakia, and Sweden.  

This championship was under the World Artistic Ballroom Federation which exists since 2013 and is led by president Nils-Håkan Caltzon from Sweden. Nils created his first dance school Nerikes in 1963 and has been President of the International Dance Organization for 9 years and a Vice President in the World Dance Council for 14 years.

Paso Academy put enormous effort to organize this competition, everything was well prepared. We have seen them working at night to get into the schedule to start on time, however, sometimes our dancer’s discipline might be a little bit late on the floor which in the end can delay competition. 

We could watch strong tournaments in different styles. The artistic ballroom is similar to Standard and Latin dancing with the difference of using more upper body and more focus on performance than traditional strict technique focused ballroom dancing. In both one can develop parallel different skills as it happens that some technique-focused dancers don’t dare to show up their authenticity in performance while participating in traditional competition. So both styles are an advantage to develop unique skills and share charisma. 

Another very exciting part was also shows conducted by different age groups, couples, solos.

The variety of possibilities of different age and disciplines categories makes this competition flourish. 

On top of all disciplines, we were very mostly impressed by formations synchronized beautifully choreographed sessions like Paso Academy or Costa Latina and clubs from Russia.

We could watch also dancers from AirDance Academy Warsaw and Tyresö Dance club from Stockholm. It was fascinating to see all united.

The music and atmosphere were amazing and the audience did the most effort, it was such a pleasure to watch this positive and reciprocated connection when the dancer/artist can catch the audience’s full attention and support. This creates special energy and an unforgettable experience. When one leaves this kind of competition realizes how much important are the moments we create in life.

When you dance “Dance your heart out” –Kristina Moshenskaya-World Champion Latin 2021

Article by Diana Kicia.

11.01.2022 Stockholm