Canada, The Final Frontier!
La Classique Du Quebec
Report by: Didio Barrera
With over four thousand entries, the majority of them from Canada, could Canada become the final frontier in North America when it comes to Pro/Am Dancing? It was a bit of a shock and a pleasant surprise to me when I arrive at the Bonaventure Hotel, Montreal for my yearly trip to La Classique Du Quebec and found out that we were starting much earlier than scheduled due to an increase in entries, particularly in the Pro/Am divisions. I was on the floor with the first panel of adjudicators and I was totally amazed to see semis, six to eight couple finals and best of all most of the competitors from within Canada. There were a few US schools present but the core of the entries were most definitely French, English, and Russian Canadians.
Someone I mentioned this to said that, yes there were plenty of Pro/Am entries but that they were all Arthur Murray. This was true, but look at the US Pro/Am movement! It all started with the Arthur and Fred chains. I think this is a wonderful thing. I remember the time when La Classique didn't have any Pro/Am, now US organizers might be looking above the northern frontier to help fill the hundreds of US events. This is a great thing for Canada and its fan base. Without fans, very little can be accomplished, I think the Pro/Am fan base is very important. In Canada it looks to me as if Pro/Am is in a healthy and prosperous mode.
The Pro/Am scene was not the only prosperous event at this weekend of dance. The two qualifying IDSF events, Standard and Latin, were well attended and so were the professional events especially in the Pro International Latin where many countries from around the globe were represented.
Andrei Gavriline and Elena Kryuchkova the reigning US Latin Champions took first place by wining all dances, but it was not an easy task for them. The couple from Russia, Denis Leonidovich Kasper and Ksenia Leonidovna Kasper gave them a run for their money especially in the semifinal round where it was almost clear to all that the Russians looked to be the favorite couple of the night. They were very unique and creative in their choreography and nothing was left to chance. Unfortunately, they were not capable of maintaining the pressure in the final round. Many of their moves became hard and badly timed.
Canada filled the third place spot in this final with the recently crowned national champions, Andre Paramonov and Natalie Paramonov. I thought this to be Andre & Natalie's best performance to date. They are beginning to exhibit the confidence of true champions and it's showing on the floor.
Fourth position went to Germany's Stefan Erdmann and Sarah Latton, a very elegant classy couple. This I thought was a fair position for them since they lacked any edge to their game.
Fifth place went to Oleksii Ivanets and Lisa Bellinger-Ivanets from England, a very talented couple but when it came to appearance, they were lacking. This was a big distraction for the judges who were trying to gain quick impressions with little time to study each couple.
In a surprising move to me, Dimitry Ilyushenov & Milena Kotlarova from Canada were sixth. I have seen this couple dance for quite a while and although they are a very good-looking couple on the floor, I find that he lacks enough of the basic skill in hip action to be placed this highly. Roland & Katerina Michtchenko placed seventh although they were a bit busy for my taste, I still thought that they could have easily occupied the sixth position.
My second favorite event of this year's Classique was the IDSF Amateur Latin were Zoran Plohl & Tatsiana Lahvinovich from Slovenia stole the night with a sharp, fast and energetic performance. They won all dances. Andrius Kandelis & Egle Visockaite-Kan from Lithuania placed second but from an adjudicator's point of view, I must say that I didn't have them in this position. I thought that the man was perhaps the most talented and developed gentleman in this final, but his partner came up a bit short. I placed them third in all dances. Third place was awarded to Jesper Birkehoj & Anna Kravchenko from Germany and once again as a judge I must say that I have seen a lot better from this couple, but nevertheless they were more complete and together as a couple, more so than Andrius & Egle. I awarded them four seconds and a first in jive.
On Saturday night these three couples each did an honor dance and I found Andrius & Egle, who performed a rumba, exqusit. This gentleman is fantastic and the dance was beautiful. Jesper & Anna were consistent in their samba with great quality and in a major turn about Zoran & Tatsiana gave us a horrid performance of a type of jive. Everything was lacking from their outfits to their jive action. It would have been nice to see this couple do another dance, since here at La Classique was the first time that I have truly enjoyed their performance.
Continuing with the Latin IDSF competition, fourth place went to Kamil Studenny & Katerina Trubina from Canada. The lady in this partner ship was fantastic and the gentleman very capable. I think with time they will develop into a power -house. In fifth place was Daniele Gosse & Ylenia Odorico from Italy. This was a sad showing for Italy. Here is a very talented couple but from what it seems with very little experience. I'm sure in the future they will become great contenders but at the moment I'm not sure I would have even had them in the final. Last but not least, it was nice to see Francis Lafreniere & Claudia Primeau from Canada comfortably make this final. They danced particularly well in the first rounds, but once in the final they began to faulter. Later I found out that this was due to the lady's broken toe. I must say that had they not been injured, we might have all be surprised with their result.
In the Standard divisions, the Professional Open was won by Igor Litvinov and Julia Ivleva from the USA. They won by taking the VW, F, Q and placing second in the W, T. The W and T were awarded to Garry and Rita Gekhman who in my opinion from the sidelines were very deserving of these two dances. I'm usually a fan of Igor and Julia but in these first two dances they looked a bit scared to me. Perhaps losing to the Gekhmans at the Northeastern Open in January was not good for their moral. From second place down I thought the standard of dancing was very low. There was a Russian couple, Alexey & Anna Kolodkina, who some of my colleagues thought were great. I thought they had a wonderful top line and posture, but the object in standard dancing is to move and they hardly seemed to be able to get around the floor once, never mind getting out of a contra check.
I found the Amateur IDSF world Qualifying Standard event more exiting. The top four couples made this event great to watch and adjudicate. Anton Lebedev & Anna Borshch from Canada won the comp by placing 2nd in W&F and first in all the other dances. I thought this couple was quite deserving to be in the top three. I placed them first in Q second in T,F and third In VW. W, however, I found totally inconsistent. My overall first place when to Richard Tonizzo & Claire Hansen also from Canada who placed second. I awarded them four firsts and one second. I find this couple not very exciting to watch but overall their work was well executed and consistent at all times, even in the quickstep where almost all couples faltered. Anton Belyayev and Karolina Paliwoda were third. This couple was one of the favorites of the competition and I must say that they are very improved and on their way to a very successful carreer in both the Latin and the Standard. Fourth place went to Herman Lak & Michelle Gleimann form Pays Bas. Fifth was awarded to Sharone Levit & Julia Vokhmina from Canada and the USA came in sixth with Tal Livshits nd his new partner. In this couple the USA has future champions in hand. These two are very talented especially the lady who has a natural awareness of follow and was perhaps the must talented lady of this heat.
As you can see Canada's must prestigious competition, La Classic Du Quebec was a major success but nothing comes wit out growing pains. This year their increase in entries meant each evening session finished in the early hours of the morning - meaning 1:30 to 2:30 AM. This I' sure was not easy for the fans. Many of them left before the final rounds but a good portion of them stayed to the bitter end. As always from the presentation of awards to the decorations and the music, La Classique Du Quebec was first class and totally different from any other event. The venue itself, the Bonaventure Hotel is fantastic. Swimming in their outside pool while the temperature is bellow zero is always a fantastic experience.
I attended La Classique when it was the number one event in North America, and this year we saw the passing of an era with the unexpected retirement of Danny Qulliam and Lyn Jolicoeur, (the last two competitors from those halcyon days of the '80's). I must say that the future looks great for Canada and La Classique. Looking at all aspects of the competition, La Classique Du Quebec is on its way to regaining its place in the world as a premier event and perhaps becoming the final frontier when it comes to North American Pro/Am dancing.