Carolyn looked at the Amateur Rising Star Latin.
PICK OF THE DAY
What an AMAZING competition. Congratulations to the 3 couple who made both finals of the Under 21 and the Rising Star, for all the round they did in A MOST AMAZING WAY. That was a tough marathon.
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1 Valerio Gerosi and Federica Coronetta from Italy
So bad mannered. They walk right through in the middle of Virgitto at the beginning of Rumba, on the short side. They went into demonstrating the continuation of low quality dancing and education, doing a dèveloppè showing a very bad foot position.
7 Dario Pizzo and Karen D'Albundo from France
Beautiful beginning Rumba, have improved a lot especially Karen. I would like them to present their dancing more openly and surely as they have so much to offer. Sometimes the boy is not projecting enough.
16 Kirill Voronin and Tatyana Kosenko from Russia
White and black dress, girl presenting her legs nicely, uses her body well, happy about them use many basic elements in their Cha Cha. Good floor craft.
21 Chengyu Ge and Zicheng Wu from China
Could not not find them in the Samba third round, but found them in Rumba. Now I would suggest that the girl to keep the hand off the number on the mans back. One because the judges (or me) cannot see the number and principally it is technically wrong. Starting in front of the judges showing great character in Paso, love their beginning, just try to avoid going too far into the corner, you could be missed.
24 Yang Hang and Yan Yan Yanise Choy from China
He has improved but the girl not enough. They have to rethink about their Paso, as they do not go any where with it. It got stuck and did not move really anywhere and it would be impossible for judges to see it that well. She is week and no muscle power.
26 Anton Lam-Viri and Anastasiya Savinskaya from Russia
They attack this competition with motivation and quality. After doing all the rounds in the Under 21 the day before and all the rounds to make the final of the Rising Stars, they only started to have a little less energy in the final which I though was actually better because they softened up their action and I saw even more how good they are. The challenged right to the end.
29 Giovanni Virgitto and Giulia D'Alessandro from Italy
Virgitto looking very good, having an amazing day. Great control and rhythm in open hand rocks with spins in Samba, beautiful swivels from Giulia, also good floor craft. They've done a very good performance the whole day to make that wonderful final.
32 Andrew Escolme and Amy Louise Baker from England
The boy has so much potential which is obviously not being used. The girl has to retying the hair, look and approach, sorry but it looks rather Senior-ish.
34 Vladislav Grigin and Galina Voitenko from Russia
I really only saw them in the 24, well groomed tall couple, a little too vertical for my taste, in the Cha Cha doing walks and locks I find the boy a little stilted, would like them to be a little more flexible in their backs and centre.
38 Alex Pritchard and Chloe Hewitt from England
Good presentation and looking always without stress, and that goes a long way to help to be a winner. Compared to the other couples you would say they were typically British and they are, sound bases, no risking and very conservative, and I cannot go against that, and I think that is why they get great results which I cannot go against. What would be nice is, if they could develop more and explore more by stretching their limits more, They have so much talent and they are already a beautiful looking couple, so jump into the deep end and start swimming (that is positive for me).
39 Sigurdur Thor Sigurdsson and Annalisa Zoanetti from Australia
I have not seen them they whole competition? why? This worries me so because I know Annalisa for many years. I really hope that it was me that was distracted and it was not the case that there performance was not visible.
62 Yang Yang and Jiaxin Yao from China
Eye catching tiny couple, nice zig zag in Samba. The boy is leading in a very mature way. Had problems finding them on the floor in all 4 dances in the earlier rounds. Maybe the presentation is not visible enough.
73 Michal Galek and Klaudia Kedzierska from Poland
Anticipating their timings in Cha Cha locks and walks to get from long side to short side.
89 Nikolai Tarasov and Amanda Herrschaft from USA
They fell in Cha Cha (third round), not very clear approach and looking lost. Need to work on their Basic Essentials as they are not really aware of what they are doing. Not using the standing leg or using inner muscular stretch while doing crusades walks, locks and merengue runs. Lost them totally in Rumba.
97 Chaochen Yan and Liu Yutong from China
I really like this couple, very Latin looking, compact, nicely working together and charming. Find their Paso is weak.
102 Konstantin Kaftan and Antonina Zhukova from Russia
They do a good job, competent dancers but I find that they do not stand out enough. Pity because when you find them they are good. Would work on the presentation.
109 Marc Jimenez Blanch and Valeryia Urymahava from Spain
When I manage to find them on the floor they look great and have improved very much. but my main issue is I find it hard to find them on the floor, knowing already their number and searching. This worries me a lot. Maybe the presentation or positioning on the floor is not optimised.
117 Jia Ni Cheng and Yong Kun Long from China
Eye catcher, mainly because of the dress, bright red and ostrich feather boa on her shoulders, boy with red trousers and black shirt.Very elegant, attractive Rumba and nice foot work from the girl. Using interesting changes of directions and time in their Rumba
122 Anton Sergeev and Valeriya Verstova from Russia
Anticipating timing in Samba.
123 Jun Luo and Ting Song from China
Nice beginning to their Rumba.
125 Alessio Manni and Giulia Antonelli from Italy
Thought they were tired from the day before, losing their frame. They had a magnificent competition in the Under 21.
130 Ruslan Khisamutdinov and Elena Rabinovich from Russia
They look untidy today, hair a mess. Her arms are too high. Twist turns in Paso his shoulders come up, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt that it is his waistcoat, hope so. When they changed for the final they completely changed their approach to a higher level. This is what I would have expected from them on the first round today. I am a great fan of them but I was rather disappoint in general today even though they were sure finalist any way.
132 Michael Johnson and Sally Rose Beardall from England
Lovely dress with gold decoration, just be careful with the openings in the sides, from the front it looks amazing but when she turns round it make her hips look bigger. She has a nice neat approach to her dancing but I would like if the movements and feet action could be completed to the end. Doing some nice drop voltas in Samba. The boy has a lot of energy but I think is used in the wrong moment, hence looking a little heavy and he should tense up. Also should be finishing of all movements, they start well and never get to the end. But I think they have a lot of potential. My impression is they want to go but get stuck somehow. But they have so much talent.
143 Aleksandr Porozov and Arina Sokolova from Russia
Neat and tidy, but the girl has to check her back locks as she puts her heal down on the first step going back, that automatically changes her body weight and the communication between them.
147 Richard Lifshitz and Korina Travis from England
I find him an excellent boy, but found him not as confident as usual. Every time I see him, I always get the impression of seeing Riccardo Cocchi as a young boy, same approach and body structure. The girl is competent and very sufficient but I always feel something is missing, never has a strong image or personality, where the boy has it all, his well educated body talks in a very clear way. Now I am a complete fanatic on SHOES, love high fashion, the choice of using the LOUBOUTIN concept of a colour sole is great, but depending on the colour and the way out doing it. The blue under the shoe made the feet look heavy and dull. I have this concept that is if a girl has amazing feet then they can decorate the shoes to be noticed, but ONLY if they have amazing feet, this is not the case, too many time I saw the girl using outside edge of the feet. Maybe if you had used gold stones instead it would have been better. Sometimes I do not like their choice of positioning themselves on the floor, seamed to get a crown around them, not leaving space to enjoy their dancing, particularly in Rumba third round
156 Andrey Patrushev and Viktoriya Kachalko from Russia
This is one of the example I was complaining about hair and make up. The boy could apply his make up on better, the make up was not of the best and the hair is so lacquered back that it looks plastic. Would like them to be more aware of their basic foot work and actions on corta jaca and stationary Samba walks, a bit untidy.
170 Yi Wang Pei and Wu Qian from China
Eye catcher, has a very big spray of feathers on her right shoulder and wrist, a little too much for a competition as it really does distract from the dancing. Or maybe it was done to not see some defects? The use the floor well and have a nice sizzling energy.
187 Aleksandr Zevelev and Elizaveta Pertsova from Russia
In the 24 saw a very nice Rumba, well choreographed together, she looks a good girl,done a nice spiral cross but would have been better if she corrected her foot position at the end, having nice control and well connected a partnership.The boy a little stiff or limited in his back.
197 Austin Joson and Nino Dzneladze from USA
They should have won also the Youth last night. They also done an amazing job and keeping the energy high the whole day. They kept the same high quality as they did the day before. Glad he went back to the black outfit, but the girl is still in red in the earlier rounds. Very pleased for them.
207 Vito Ottomano and Alessia Altieri from Italy
Lots of energy but not smooth enough through the movements , Would like them to be more earthy. They do not finish the movements at all, if they put more thought into what they are doing it could make a big improvement. Great rhythm but sometime a little too exaggerate. Why does the boy look already exhausted and stressed at the beginning of the Rumba? Already blowing air into his cheeks? Horrible habit from the men. Nice spiral action at the beginning of Rumba.
214 Petur Fannar Gunnarsson and Hanna Cresswell-Melstrom from England
In the Youth they had the most strange outfits in gold and white, now today is a totally different story, amazingly beautiful and classy. Tthank god they changed. Nice batucada and rhythm changing in Samba. They look unsure when dancing into some of the figures, particularly the lounges. The lady has to cut down the space she uses when dancing the swivels in Rumba, there were huge steps and went outside the necessary space to communicate well with her partner. If she kept her base smaller she would not be doing double actions on he feet and would be become more solid. In Paso they have a lot of energy but no shape, they are too vertical.
224 Li Di and Zhao Lei from China
In the 24 losing too much balance, nearly falling over, maybe that is what he is not active enough in his hips. If he was more grounded and more in connection with his body it would be easier to control the actions and choreography.
230 Volodymyr Sharapov and Ewelina Mikolajewska from Poland
They were my eye catcher. Compact, strong, mature and powerful dancing. Excellent floorcraft. Thank god there are couples out there who know it and I am sure they have a great teacher behind them to give this information and education. Why change the dress during a competition when you are not known, that is risking it. The judges have an idea in their head which the couple does not know about, by changing the dress could change the judges mind! Love the beginning of their Samba, cool changing of directions with the maximum of control
234 Cristian Priori and Eleonora Riccardi from Italy
Eleonora and Cristian had amazing outfits, the BEST ON THE FLOOR. Great horse and cart from them in Rumba. They are really motivated today, constantly dancing from round to round with such a positive attitude. Great beginning of Paso.
246 Joel Lopez and Kristina Bespechnova from Spain
Excellent quality, they are one of my finalists. Was very surprised they did not make the semi because I would have easily put them in the final. Fantastic Rumba walks from the girl. One of the best Paso’s on the floor, great shape, intensity and character. In the 24 I saw a great roll action, also fantastic changes of directions and rhythms from them both, so mature with healthy concepts about dancing. I would like them to be a bit less serious and enjoy themselves more.
247 Li Mingyang and Jun Lin Liu from China
I liked them in the Youth and I still like them in the Rising Stars. The boy is so sure of what he is doing that it gives off a very professional performance. Lovely designing in a back bend roll, the fluidity of the lady and the great leading and manipulation from the boy.
286 Roman Oligov and Darya Kravchuk from Ukraine
Very classy and elegant, but I would like them to be a bit more rough, as the dancing can get boring to watch after a while. I am waiting on the excitement that never arrives unfortunately. Please one day shock me. The boy makes too many unnecessary facial expressions in Paso making him looked stressed in the 24.
295 Pavel Stepanchuk and Gabriella Sabler from USA
In white and black. They have improved immensely. They have cleaned up their image in a beautiful white and black outfit, gorgeous. Have matured so much in the past year. More grounded, better posture from the boy. Looking a little tired in Paso in the 48 and do not have full control. Still think they will be finalist. I found it really strange that they did not get a good result, even though they did sometime lose that coolness and quality they had a the beginning, but I though it could be enough any way to get them through.
296 Aleksander Holod and Magdalena Kogut from Poland
Beautiful Rumba, but has to be careful that when he is looking up that he does not let his head sink into his shoulders as it loses the frame and the posture.
297 Benjamin Jones and Amy Dowden from England
Very manly approach, nice shaping at the beginning of Rumba. So much potential but not being used to the maximum. They have a sound base, sometimes being too casual. They go through the top layer of the movements and the emotions but do not dig enough deep inside to explore more. It would be great to see more intensity
298 Pavel Tischenko and Anastasiya Samuylova from Russia
Very attractive couple, so much talent that has still to be discovered and worked on. Had an excellent day today.
306 Daniils Kutuzovs and Maria Shalvarova from Canada
Good dancing but it is a distraction of the bad presentation. The boy's make up looks too untidy and dirty. Once I get away from the face, it is nice to see the nice basic action they have. Great rhythmical Samba, but the boy could avoid the “UUUUU'S” “AAAAA’S” and “EEEEEEE’S”. we want to see a happy relaxed face and a clean one too.
321 Hao Jiang and Guo Yang from China
Slipped in Samba in front of the judges, but I will defend the boy as in the other heats many couples slipped in the same place, so there must be a problem with the floor in that area. Lost them in Rumba
323 Kyrylo Dovgalin and Katerina Sahanenko from Ukraine
Another couple in the 24 anticipating the music in Cha Cha, The boy has a wrong attitude when bumping or passing another couple, as if the other couple should have not been near him. Instead of making a face, keep concentrating on your own dancing and find space.
336 Nurlan Gallyamov and Celeste Bailey from Canada
Nice approach. Wish the lady could just stay a little longer on the standing leg, it would make her more solid and womanly. The boy looks really cool and I think he is aware of it. Could use it to a better advantage. Sometimes he lets himself go too much and lose body tone. Pity. I considered them as finalist but as the come went on they lost something, and they have so much potential to be a top Amateur couple in the future.
GENERAL THOUGHTS AND NOTES
BUMPING AND PUSHING FLOOR CRAFT AND MAKE UP I WILL BE ATTACKING IT VERY SOON.
Happy dancing
Carolyn Smith
The views and opinions expressed above are those of Carolyn Smith and do not necessarily reflect the views of dancesportinfo
