Philly Festival Results--Some Surprises!

[ChaChaMama]

Professional Standard
1--Linas Koreiva and Ieva Pauksena
2--Garry Gekhman and Rita Gekhman
3--Sergei Bezrodnov and Olga Bezrodnov
4--Lukas Chockuba and Paulina Malinowska (who took a hard hit to the face in the final, but kept going)
5--Dmitry Krasayanakiy and Julia Mincheva
6--Sylvain Trottier and Josee Lapine

Going into this event, I think most people would say that the Gekhmans were the odds on favorite, so it was pretty exciting to see Ieva Pauksena and her relatively new partner win this event!

Amateur Standard
1--Andrey Klinchik and Julia Dzyuba
2--Ronen Zinstein and Kristina
3--Radek Krysztofiak and Paula Nieroda
4--Daniel Vesnovskiy and Anastasia Danilova
5--Genya Bartashevich and Olga Chekhova
6--Eric Shapiro and Natalya Bychkova

This result surprised me too, but I don't follow the amateur standard closely enough to know if this counts as an upset.

Amateur Latin
1--Valentin Chmerkovskiy and Valeriya Kozharinova (Terrific, as expected!)
2--Nikolai Pilipenchuk and Natasha Skorikova (YAY!!!!!)
3--Alex Zaika and Elijah Piker
4--Boris Leukomovich and Nicole Volynets (Probably not happy with this placement.)
5--Maxim Fomin and Alina Litvak
6--Genya Bartashevich and Olga Chekhova

I was so excited for Nikolai and Natasha, one of my favorite couples!!! They have so much charisma and are so fun to watch. Two weeks ago, in the World Class at Regionals, they didn't make the final. Tonight, they blew by Boris/Nicole, who did. Well-deserved result; they were on fire!

I wonder if there was a mistake in the scoring: Artur/Faina didn't even make the semi-final. Could they have withdrawn from the event? That result just seems so improbable. There was no question in my mind that they belonged in the final, and they definitely danced the quarter-final, but that was the last we saw of them.

Pro Latin
1--Max Kozhevnikov and Yulia Zgoruychenko (AMAZING!)
2--Christian Baerens and Kristina Stykova (sp? Not in program)
3--Maxim Kazakov and Tatian Kazakov (Maxim was wearing a pink jacket. Yikes!!!)
4--Roman Nabatov and Giselle Peacock (I was expecting a higher result for this couple)
5--Alexander Senko and Lydia Petrigova
6--Roberto Cavallo and Svetlana Roosiparg

Professional One Dance Show
1--Max Kozhevnikov and Yulia Zgoruychenko (AMAZING! "The Rhythm Section" number they did at Ohio Star Ball)
2--Lucas Jaime and Yanna Samkova (Also amazing, and if they weren't up against Max/Yulia, this would have been the clear winner. Amazing, sensuous number with lots of unbelievable stunts.)
3--Micheal Petr and Harmony Lyris
4--Dmitry Krasayanakiy and Julia Mincheva
5--Georgi Kanev and Adriana Bazmenova

Photos in a couple days!

:) ChaChaMama

[star_gazer]

Mid-level Amateur Standard is getting interesting. Daniel and Anastasia look good and are doing very well.

[swan]

Professional Standard
Amateur Standard
1--Andrey Klinchik and Julia Dzyuba
2--Ronen Zinstein and Kristina
3--Radek Krysztofiak and Paula Nieroda
4--Daniel Vesnovskiy and Anastasia Danilova
5--Genya Bartashevich and Olga Chekhova
6--Eric Shapiro and Natalya Bychkova

This result surprised me too, but I don't follow the amateur standard closely enough to know if this counts as an upset.


I would say this was a surprise to me. Given past results (if I recalled correctly), Ronen/Kristina should have placed higher than Andrey/Julia. Radek/Paula, I haven't seen this new partnership (I think it's really new, like couple of months or perhaps 3 at most?). But Radek was absolutely amazing w/ Paulina (now dancing w/ Lucas as pro). So perhaps given time, this partnership will mature & get Radek ahead of these couples again.

I wasn't surprised that Linas & Ieva had won. Heard great things about this new partnership. I can't wait to see them in person!

[Ithink]

I think that am result is very surprising... Andrei over Ronen and Radek - kinda shocking actually... Although, Radek's new partner (if you mean Paulina Nieroda, not Paula) is really not up to his level. I wonder why he chose to dance with her breaking up a very successful partnership that he used to have with Paulina M.? Andrei and Yulia must have had one heck of a night - they're really moving up fast!!

As for pro - good for Ieva!!!

And finally - go Nik and Natasha! So exciting that they finally get their due:)

[Standard Dancer]

Very happy for Linas and Ieva ... they are an awesome couple :)

[swan]

I wonder why he chose to dance with her breaking up a very successful partnership that he used to have with Paulina M.?

Radek & Paulina M stopped dancing quite a while back. Paulina N just started dancing w/ Radek.

[Katarzyna]

SO happy for Andy , I wasn't there but given his results in Europe and his tremendour improvement over last months, I think the place is well deserved ..

I wish I saw Radek and Paula, I like her, she's a strong girl, but I don't know how they looked together. This is a relatively new partnership.

[mamboqueen]

Are the results going to be posted online?

[alemana]

oh yay for christian and krystyna! nice.

[Katarzyna]

I am glad for Max and Tania (yes the guy in pink), they are getting better results in the US... about time

[samb2agirl]

Saturday Night, one of the very best in the USA. Standing on top of standing room only. Marks are posted on the site phillyfestival.net, and tons of pictures
of Sundays packed house for the youth heats posted. at.athttp://public.fotki.com/bonfilfoto/philadelfia_festiva/?cmd=slideShowFlash

More pictures to come

[samb2agirl]

More Pictures

http://voytilla.com/joe/gallery/displayimage.php?album=33&pos=0

http://public.fotki.com/bonfilfoto/philadelfia_festiva/?cmd=slideShowFlash

[alemana]

i sort of can't believe that huge photo of the woman with daisies on her boobs that was the background at Philly!

[Merrylegs]

Every year is a different theme. The year I was there it was circus. Lot's of people were dressed as clowns.

I'm guessing this year was Carnivale? Or...... porn meets ballroom.


i sort of can't believe that huge photo of the woman with daisies on her boobs that was the background at Philly!

[alemana]

*snort*

[samb2agirl]

I've heard Carnivale in Brazil described as "exciting, vibrant, thrilling, awsome, breathtaking, astonishing, mind blowing, but never pornographic.
Some of us are more uptight than others.

[Merrylegs]

If you read my post it was answering another person's question.

I never said Carnivale was porno. I'm pretty sure it isn't even close. And, believe me, I'm not uptight.

I commented on another year's theme of circus. Every year, another embarassing theme for people to suffer through.

I'm also pretty sure that the Carnivale theme (if that is indeed what it was) was no where near as exciting as a real Carnivale. In fact, I doubt exciting, vibrant, etc. were words people were thinking of when they walked into the ballroom for the first time.

Unfortunately people had to have a woman peering down at them all weekend long. I admit when I saw the pictures that you posted I thought, well how is the photographer going to sell any of his photos with all that distraction in the background?

The one time I was at this comp there were professional dancers forced to run around dressed as clowns. I found it insulting and demeaning to the professionals in the room. There was also so much confetti thrown on the floor there was a fear dancers would injure themselves. Even the brooms couldn't sweep it all up.

The whole thing is bizarre.

I'll admit I wrote that in a rush and probably should have said more to explain myself. You have to admit that as a first time viewer of those photos/ the ballroom to have no idea what was going on in that room and to see a giant picture of a woman who's only visable covering is a couple of flowers is very weird, indeed.

I've heard Carnivale in Brazil described as "exciting, vibrant, thrilling, awsome, breathtaking, astonishing, mind blowing, but never pornographic.
Some of us are more uptight than others.

[ChaChaMama]

Here are our PHILLY PHOTOS!

http://www.pbase.com/anc/philly06

There are seven pages of thumbnails. Here's a guide, if you are looking for something in particular:

Page 1
Exhibitions including kids, local salsa group, wheelchair dance co, other local dance troupes.
Adriana Chessa with students.
Professional Smooth

Page 2
More Adrianna Chessa and Daniel Knapp
More local dance groups
ProAm Smooth Scholarship B
Professional Rhythm

Page 3
Professional Rhythm (cont.)
Results line-ups for ProAm Smooth Scholarship B and Pro Rhythm
Top student and top studio
Amateur Standard Final
Professional Showdance (Lucas and Yanna, Michael and Harmony, Dmitry and Julia, George and Adriana, Max and Yulia)

Page 4
Pro Showdance (cont.) (more Max and Yulia)
Results line-ups for Amateur Standard and Professional Showdance
Social dancing, Valentin and Valeriya warming up
Semi-final Professional Standard
Quarter-final Amateur Latin

Page 5
Quarter-final Amateur Latin (cont.)
Final Pro Standard
Results line-up Professional Standard
Semi-final Amateur Latin
Semi-final Professional Latin

Page 6
Semi-final Professional Latin (cont.)
Final Amateur Latin

Page 7
Final Amateur Latin (cont.)
Final Professional Latin
Results line-ups Amateur Latin and Professional Latin


:) ChaChaMama

[samb2agirl]

If you read my post it was answering another person's question.

I never said Carnivale was porno. I'm pretty sure it isn't even close. And, believe me, I'm not uptight.

I commented on another year's theme of circus. Every year, another embarassing theme for people to suffer through.

I'm also pretty sure that the Carnivale theme (if that is indeed what it was) was no where near as exciting as a real Carnivale. In fact, I doubt exciting, vibrant, etc. were words people were thinking of when they walked into the ballroom for the first time.

Unfortunately people had to have a woman peering down at them all weekend long. I admit when I saw the pictures that you posted I thought, well how is the photographer going to sell any of his photos with all that distraction in the background?

The one time I was at this comp there were professional dancers forced to run around dressed as clowns. I found it insulting and demeaning to the professionals in the room. There was also so much confetti thrown on the floor there was a fear dancers would injure themselves. Even the brooms couldn't sweep it all up.

The whole thing is bizarre.

I'll admit I wrote that in a rush and probably should have said more to explain myself. You have to admit that as a first time viewer of those photos/ the ballroom to have no idea what was going on in that room and to see a giant picture of a woman who's only visable covering is a couple of flowers is very weird, indeed.


By what you posted I feel to definitely have an ax to grind against this comp.

Since you weren't there, you statements mean little. They are filled with
misinformation, innuendo, bias, and are basically clueless. At least this comp seems to try and create a different atmosphere each year. Instead of the same old cookie cutter events. You can't please all of the people all of the time.
Some people like the quite dimly lit room, or a community center that needs a good scrubbing. To each his own.

Since Cha Cha Ma Ma was there, as evidenced by her pictures. She should give her opinion of the atmosphere. Especially on Saturday night.

I heard the room was packed, standing room only, sold out weeks ago
according to the web site, and exteemly loud. So maybe other more informed people that actually attended this event got a different impression than you did.

[Merrylegs]

I have no axe to grind with this competition or any competition or anyone.

I didn't need to be there to have an opinion of the pictures you chose to post on this site, I just needed to click on the link.

What do you mean you *heard* the room was packed? Weren't you there? Didn't you take the pictures you posted? Couldn't I turn this whole business around and ask you if you have an agenda to promote this competition?

I think you need to take a deep breath. Jeesh!

This is starting to be really, really silly.

[ChaChaMama]

Oh, to heck with it, you are BOTH right!

The comp was GREAT. The atmosphere was fantastic. The room was packed, the crowd was enthusiastic, and the amateur latin event was truly superlative!

The Fortunas do some VERY cool things at this comp.
-I like how they give local dance groups an opportunity to perform Friday night. (The salsa dancers were really quite good, I thought!)
-I really like the emphasis on championship amateur dancing! We've gone two years, and they've had great fields in amateur championship latin both times. I think the prize money is good, plus they give this event a prime Saturday evening time slot.
-I like that there is a substantial kids competition on Sunday! (I wish it started and ended a little earlier, but that is a minor quibble.)
-I like the fact that this comp runs on schedule!
-I like the fact that the packages are actually reasonably priced. (This is one of my pet peeves about many NDCA comps; packages should NOT cost more than buying the components a la carte, and they frequently do. The Fortunas seem to understand that package should not mean "rip off.")

That being said, I was not crazy about this year's banner. I liked last year's fireworks-themed banner better. I don't think it's the biggest deal, but it did overwhelm the room a bit.

That in no way changes the fact that Philly Festival is a great comp, and is DEFINITELY on my calendar again for next year, NO QUESTION!

Now no more squabbling, you two, or I'm putting you both in "Time out!" (Yeah, I'm a "Mama" in that sense of the word. And my kid wasn't feeling too good tonight. So everyone else needs to behave!)

So let's go with a less controversial topic:
Page 5, picture 24157 of Nik and Natasha. Is this picture
A) sexy,
B) hot, or
C) smokin' hot?

I've mentioned how much I like this couple before, haven't I? ;)

:) ChaChaMama

[Joe]

samb2agirl, time for you to grow some thicker skin.

[redhead]

Does anyone else think that #2 pro Latin lady's hair is too much? Or does it look better in real life?

[gingerbread]

could someone tell me some background on Ieva's partner? where he comes from, how long he has been here, who is previous partners were, how long he and Ieva have been dancing, and where do they practice/teach?

[Katarzyna]

could someone tell me some background on Ieva's partner? where he comes from, how long he has been here, who is previous partners were, how long he and Ieva have been dancing, and where do they practice/teach?He's from Lithuania same as her, danced with Dorota Makar from Poland in Ams, came to US to dance pro with Franciska (Giampiero's ex), now dancing with Ieva.
They are teaching in numerous places in NY, I'm not the best source for this info. I know she's in BOF and studio 101, not sure about him besides BOF.

[Standard Dancer]

Ieva's from Latvia originally ... and you can probably find info on Linas' previous partners on dancesportinfo .net

[Katarzyna]

Ieva's from Latvia originally ... and you can probably find info on Linas' previous partners on dancesportinfo .netSorry for mixing up the countries:rolleyes:

[alemana]

from the photos it appears that there were only three couples in pro rhythm?

[ChaChaMama]

That is correct, there were only 3 couples in pro rhythm. 6 were listed in the program, but 3 were no-shows.

As you might also be able to tell from the photos, I (photographer's wife) "helpfully" told him that I was pretty sure that Luis Grijalva and Anya were going to win, so he should concentrate on shooting them...and I was wrong! The results were

1--Matthew Hauer and Karen Hauer 2/1/2/1/1
2--Luis Grijalva and Anya 1/2/1/2/2
3--Edwin Torres and Jami Jones 3/3/3/3/3

I was quite surprised that Luis and Anya didn't win the mambo, which I thought was clearly their best dance and clearly the best mambo on the floor. They also had some major crowd-pleasing tricks, including this incredible "pot-stir," where Anya was in a bent knee position and Luis stirred her around really fast a whole bunch of times. It's hard to capture how cool this was in photos, but trust me, it was cool!

I guess I don't know enough about what judges are looking for in rhythm, but in my book, they were first place. I'd be interested in hearing what other people thought.

ChaChaMama

[gingerbread]

thanks for the quick response, which brings me to another question re partnerships. Is Giampiero dancing with Anastasia after all or not? I saw her briefly one day when she returned from Moscow and have not seen her since. What in the world is happening to this great guy's professional career?

[ChaChaMama]

He's from Lithuania same as her, danced with Dorota Makar from Poland in Ams, came to US to dance pro with Franciska (Giampiero's ex), now dancing with Ieva.
They are teaching in numerous places in NY, I'm not the best source for this info. I know she's in BOF and studio 101, not sure about him besides BOF.

Ieva and Linas were listed in the program as being from Owings Mills, MD. This definitely caught my attention, as that's only about 35 minutes from where I live. It's a suburb northwest of Baltimore.

My guess is that this is not necessarily their main, permanent abode. Ieva is dancing Open Gold pro-am with Jim Miller, who is from Owings Mills, so maybe that's why she's listed as being from there.

In an attempt to confirm the Owings Mills bit, I googled them. No confirmation of Owings Mills, but I found out that Linas apparently used to dance with Aira B. around 1999.

ChaChaMama

[Ithink]

Yeah, it'd be NICE if they were from Owings Mills...

[IlyZislin]

Ieva and Linas were listed in the program as being from Owings Mills, MD. This definitely caught my attention, as that's only about 35 minutes from where I live. It's a suburb northwest of Baltimore.

My guess is that this is not necessarily their main, permanent abode. Ieva is dancing Open Gold pro-am with Jim Miller, who is from Owings Mills, so maybe that's why she's listed as being from there.

In an attempt to confirm the Owings Mills bit, I googled them. No confirmation of Owings Mills, but I found out that Linas apparently used to dance with Aira B. around 1999.

ChaChaMama
Shameless plug :) but Ieva is going to be teaching in DC at Indepependence Day Ball dance camp July 1 - 5 (group and privates - check out the website). She said that Linas is most likely coming as well, but not sure if he is going to teach... And I am definitely going to ask her about Owings Mills because that would be great!

[skwiggy]

I would LOVE it if Ieva spent more time in MD. I've had a couple of lessons with her and they were really fabulous!

[contracheck]

He's from Lithuania same as her, danced with Dorota Makar from Poland in Ams, came to US to dance pro with Franciska (Giampiero's ex), now dancing with Ieva.
They are teaching in numerous places in NY, I'm not the best source for this info. I know she's in BOF and studio 101, not sure about him besides BOF.

In case you want to take lesson from this superb dancer, Ieva teaches primarily at Gary/Diana MacDonald's Rogers studio. Her flat is NJ near Licoln tunnel she can hop over to NYC to teach at BOF.

[Nik]

Oh, to heck with it, you are BOTH right!

The comp was GREAT. The atmosphere was fantastic. The room was packed, the crowd was enthusiastic, and the amateur latin event was truly superlative!

The Fortunas do some VERY cool things at this comp.
-I like how they give local dance groups an opportunity to perform Friday night. (The salsa dancers were really quite good, I thought!)
-I really like the emphasis on championship amateur dancing! We've gone two years, and they've had great fields in amateur championship latin both times. I think the prize money is good, plus they give this event a prime Saturday evening time slot.
-I like that there is a substantial kids competition on Sunday! (I wish it started and ended a little earlier, but that is a minor quibble.)
-I like the fact that this comp runs on schedule!
-I like the fact that the packages are actually reasonably priced. (This is one of my pet peeves about many NDCA comps; packages should NOT cost more than buying the components a la carte, and they frequently do. The Fortunas seem to understand that package should not mean "rip off.")

That being said, I was not crazy about this year's banner. I liked last year's fireworks-themed banner better. I don't think it's the biggest deal, but it did overwhelm the room a bit.

That in no way changes the fact that Philly Festival is a great comp, and is DEFINITELY on my calendar again for next year, NO QUESTION!

Now no more squabbling, you two, or I'm putting you both in "Time out!" (Yeah, I'm a "Mama" in that sense of the word. And my kid wasn't feeling too good tonight. So everyone else needs to behave!)

So let's go with a less controversial topic:
Page 5, picture 24157 of Nik and Natasha. Is this picture
A) sexy,
B) hot, or
C) smokin' hot?

I've mentioned how much I like this couple before, haven't I? ;)

:) ChaChaMama


I like 24387 much better. I think I am going to enlarge this picture and hang it up somewhere.



I'm kind of late on the other topic but all the pros and people that know about Latin dancing will tell you that dancing is sex. Right, you don't need to draw pictures of semi naked women but you also can't get upset when something like that happens.

[alemana]

nobody was upset. we were more like amused inside observers pointing out something we found rather odd. most of the people on this forum are ballroom dancers themselves with day-to-day contact with the dancesport world.

i am the most sex-positive person you will ever meet, and i don't have any issues with public nudity or suggestive costumes. i do, however, know bad taste when i see it. this particular execution of bad taste was wearing daisies on its nipples. that's all. maybe next year the theme will be "scandanavian holiday" and they'll have a 20-foot-square photo of a naked blonde man with icicles on his groin. that'd be cool.

[alemana]

get it ? cool? ha.

[Nik]

haha, i agree with a few other that the Sandra Fortuna's ideas are sometimes off the wall but thats what she likes and at least its different, and they don't just invite a top couple to do their show that everyone has already seen a bunch of times.

[alemana]

i hear that. it gets tiring.

(oh god i'm so jaded!!)

[dancesportgirl21]

i am the most sex-positive person you will ever meet, and i don't have any issues with public nudity or suggestive costumes. i do, however, know bad taste when i see it. this particular execution of bad taste was wearing daisies on its nipples. that's all. maybe next year the theme will be "scandanavian holiday" and they'll have a 20-foot-square photo of a naked blonde man with icicles on his groin. that'd be cool.

LOL!

[alemana]

(i bet a lot of ppl would change their tune about the massive graphic if it were a similarly suggestive photo of a man. just sayin'.)

[mamboqueen]

not me.

[alemana]

you would too change it, and the new tune would be BRING IT BRING IT BRING IT!

[mamboqueen]

more like "turn around" *LOL*

[alemana]

*loud embarassing snort*

i love you mamboqueen.

[mamboqueen]

:kissme: