IT WAS quite an inaugural performance.
The Ateneo Dance Sport Club showcased their wares and brought home numerous awards in the first University of the Philippines (UP) Oblation Interschool Dance Sport Competition held in the Ylanan Hall of the College of Human Kinetics Gymnasium last February 28.
Five Atenean pairs
Hosted by the UP Dance Sport Society, the event saw five Atenean pairs competing in three events, which consisted of Intercollegiate Three-Dance Intercollegiate Latin Syllabus, Three-Dance UAAP Latin Syllabus, and Four-Dance UAAP Latin Syllabus.
Ateneo, however, was unable to send any representatives for the fourth event, UAAP Open Dance, due to time constraints to create new routines.
Two of the five pairs danced their way to a podium finish. Mark Lacsamana (II BS CTM) and Ma. Danella Renee Publico (III AB MEco) wound up as the best pair in all three events.
Close second
The pair of Diego Ibañez (II AB Eco) and Tara Alessandra Abrina (II AB Eco) came in at a close second in both the Four-Dance and Three-Dance UAAP Latin Syllabus, completing a combination of a Cha Cha, Rumba, and Jive.
They also took third place in the Three-Dance Intercollegiate Latin Syllabus Event, which was composed of the same routine.
Other dancers who showed up for this initial offering were all sophomores, comprised of Kevin Go (II AB DS), Jamaica Obeso (II BS LM), Aila Alcantara (II BS Psy), Jame Say (II BS Eco), Miguel Ignacio (II AB Psy), and Pia Del Carmen (II BS CTM).
The flow of events coincided with one another, leaving little room for rest for the competitors. The dancers would stay on the floor for was long as six or seven rounds of continuous dancing in order to stay within the timetable of the event.
Coach Belinda Adora trained the team throughout their practices.
Editor’s note: The original version of the “Dance Sport” article inaccurately reported that Coach Belinda Adora was not able to attend the competition. The GUIDON apologizes for this error.
uhm correction Mam Bel was there but had to leave early for a flight to hong kong. “Cha Cha, a Spanish Arm Jive, Samba Spot turns, and a Rolling the Arm Samba Presentation.” most of these are figures not actual dances and a normal latin dancesport competition would always have a cha cha cha, rumba a samba and a jive (in 4-dance categories) and cha cha cha rumba and jive (in 3 dance categories).
and “presentation” is not a figure, its what you call the bowing competitors do after every dance and when being called for rankings
Coach Belinda Adora was able to attend the event. She just left right before the awarding to head for Hong Kong.
Our coach, Belinda Adora, was there during the event; she was asked to be one of the 5 judges that day.