Carolyn looked at the first round of Under21 Latin.
PICK OF THE DAY
The very first round I had great difficulty finding any couple I liked or disliked... Reason being I had left my glasses in the hotel and I only realised how much I need them for long distance. Must be old age and not enough sleep! Thanks to Tino my husband who quickly went to the hotel and get the glasses for me. So I lost the most of Cha Cha.
So who picked the number this time... little old me and it was a disaster. I had to change them so many times because I could not find all the numbers... a true nightmare!!!
36 43 77 90 107 109 133 135 140 144 151 172 183 188 190 195 196 199
36 Arturs Voicehovics and Albina Gorbachevskaya from Canada
Wow! How many stones are on the waist coat. Do not know how I managed to miss them in Cha Cha and Samba, but now I have found them and they are very pleasing to the eye, nice spinning. The boy has to pay attention to his posture which is too far back. Both lacking intensity in Paso making it look weaker than the other dances.
43 Jing Dong Shang and Wang Yuan from China
I really like these two, but not always completely on their feet at the beginning of Samba. This couple is really growing on me. They have so much potential to become brilliant. Very good at floor craft and very dominant the man, leading well his lady in Paso.
77 Sander Daamen and Mélissa Manders from Netherlands
Handling the Samba rolls quite well, they do not appear to be very experienced couple. Have a few basic priorities to work on as soon as possible. The boy is too loose on his top line and the shadow botofogo is missing volume within the body.
90 Ren Yi and Hou Yongna from China
I looked at the amazing dress the girl had on and then I realised it was the dress that Dasha (Stefano Di Filippo) and I had designed for the UK Open last year. I can imagine who the boys idol is... Stefano Di Filippo! Copying does not make you be a champion. Have some nice changes of direction in Rumba with basic elements which is refreshing to see from a young couples.
107 Davide Fabbrico and Alessia Turrini from Italy
Wow!, it is hard not to see this yellow dress, plain, simple and great. She has a very good fundamental technique in her feet, always beautiful and in control. I like the energy of the boy but some times I find them too individual and unbalanced together. They do not always connect themselves through the choreography but the choreography keeps them together. Needs attention.
109 Wanlin Sun and Yu Jing Ye from China
All in black. The boy has a very nice hip movement, but tends to be on the heavy side. Moments of brilliance and moments of unsureness, a bit confusing. The girl does most things sufficiently but does nothing extra to be different. Made a mistake to position themselves beside so many couples, that they cannot complete their choreography in Rumba. Boy has to correct his feet in lunge as he shows a broken ankle position. When the lady closes her feet in fan position she also has to close her knees, it makes it more beautiful. In Paso the boy is too staccato in his movements and is not smooth or solid enough.
133 Dong Soo Kim and Seo Yeon Kim from South Korea
.... what on earth did they think when they pick this mans outfit to wear?? His shirt had a draped piece of material around the neck and all the way though the first round the material fell to his back and actual covered the number. Is that intelligent or not? How are the judges supposed to mark if they cannot see the number?! No more comment necessary.
135 Alessio Manni and Giulia Antonelli from Italy
They are looking very positive today and vey motivated. They mean business to aim for that semi or final.
140 Andrey Khripkov and Maria Nurkova from Russia
Could not find this couple on the floor.
144 Lu Yubin and Fu Jia from China
Nice stationary Samba walks. The boy over posturised, far too pitched far back and his head too far up in to the air. Would like them to connect better together, there are times he does not look at his partner. The girl has potential.
151 Shao Wei Tian and You Yi Cai from China
Could not find this couple on the floor.
172 Vadim Shvidanenko and Valentina Yakimenko from Ukraine
Could not find this couple on the floor.
183 Courtney Nicholl and Chantal Mitchell from South Africa
Attention, they done a lift in the Paso, like a jump cartwheel. The are not allowed and they can be dangerous for others.
188 Zhao Haichen and Miao Yamin from China
Very classy girl, nice body, legs and feet. Has the basic feature to become an excellent dancer. The boy has to strengthen up when he is supporting the girl in a backbend rotation, he lost his balance a little.
190 Zhou Chun and Yang Shiyu from China
Try to control the over flexible twist turn in Paso. The girl has to pay attention when closing her feet, she has to close her feet together.
195 Yun Zhe Li and Ye Xin Yuan from China
Both in white with butterflies on the skirt, very original. Could keep their batucada a little smaller, the boy takes too big steps. Saw a little of Anna Melnikova style on the girl. Would like to see them more earthy in Paso and the boy has to pay more attention to his high shoulders, keep them down.
196 Seongjin Hwang and Soo Jin Jeong from South Korea
Some problems with the timing in Samba.
199 Hao Jiang and Guo Yang from China
Very attractive couple in black, good positive energy in Cha Cha, nice timing and change of rhythm, oops... they just lost their place in the choreography.
YOU CAUGHT MY EYE
32 40 96 126 156 179 185 204
32 Michal Bartkiewicz and Natalia Glebocka from Poland.
Very compact and mature couple. Excellent girl, good boy, but has to strengthen up through the muscular resistance to be able to lead better the lady. Expecting good things from them.
40 Evgeniy Sveridonov and Angelina Barkova from Russia
You cannot lose them on the floor with this dress, black and pink feather skirt. Looking strong and positive, sometimes a little their posture closing and not opening out enough. Good strong character in Paso with a nice frame. I am sure they do also Ballroom.
96 Yip Lai Man and Sun Yu Zhuo from China
Nice approach, lady has to close her legs more when passing from one step to another in the traveling zig zag in Samba. Both attractively active. The girl shows a very good action in Rumba walks The boy loses too many times his balance in Paso when helping the lady doing her lines, or he is weak and the lady is too heavy, has to be checked out.
126 Pirayut Saharifa and Sutatip Bunvilai from Thailand
Girl is quite flexible and nice. The boy using a little too much energy and exaggerating too much in Paso, just needs to calm dow a little, but are very talented.
156 Anton Lam-Viri and Anastasiya Savinskaya from Russia
Sure finalist right from the first round. I adore her dresses, by Vesa. Simply amazing. In the first round was not really agreeable where they positioned themselves, but luckily they did have the quality to be seen anyway.
179 Austin Joson and Nino Dzneladze from USA
For me could be the possible winner competing against number 156, but this is still the first round and the couples with the exemption has still to come into the competition. They have made a very positive impression on me.
185 Dan Malov and Julia Granath from England
Very elegant girl. The boy is OK but has to become more flexible in the back, tends to be stiff or stuck. Maybe because of this he is not grounded and powerful enough for the lady. It would help if the lady could keep the hands off the number on the mans back then the judges will find the number more easily to mark you.
204 Gabriele Crocicchia and Simona Danese from Italy
Striking outfits, both in ruby red. High energy and good for first rounds. Very positive attitude, but would like to also see more quality dancing through feet and body discipline.
GENERAL THOUGHTS AND NOTES
When putting on a dress it is not a simple matter, it should be thought about very carefully. They should be designed,constructed and decorated to enhance your body and dance style. Cover up what HAS to be covered up and show something that flatters the body and not just to show a body part.
The best way to get an applause from the audience is falling on the floor.
SO MANY COUPLES CRAMPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLOOR. THE COUPLES ARE BLIND TO NOT BE ABLE TO SEE SPACE!!!. Please use more space, the judges with then see you more easily.
Level of the first round is not of the best. I have seen better in past years, so I was really not impressed. Hopefully the next rounds will bring my attention back.
Happy dancing
Carolyn Smith
The views and opinions expressed above are those of Carolyn Smith and do not necessarily reflect the views of dancesportinfo
