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World Super Stars Australia 2005
The Full House Signs Go Up On Both Nights
Report by Peter & Rosalyn Smith
Photos by Ballroom Rhythms
For those who may not know the Gold Coast of Queensland is Australia's skyscraper capital with more high rise buildings here than in any other city in Australia. Micky & Momo Kezuka with the assistance of Robert (Bob) Steele as Championship Administrative Director, who in turn was assisted by wife Leigh, have indeed lived up to the "Reach for the Sky Theme" of this city when presenting the 2005 version of their World Super Stars event over the weekend of the 20th & 21st August on the Gold Coast. Whilst this event is still in its infancy it is already setting a benchmark for others to attain.
In the second of their rejuvenated World Super Stars events in Australia, the success of last year's event seems like a blur in the memory bank for all those who were lucky enough to witness this year's event. With the Paradise Ballroom in the Conrad Jupiters Casino packed to the rafters and people begging for last minute tickets the scene was set for a great event.
In support of this gala extravaganza was the Gold Coast Championships with a large programme of events for competitors in all the various Amateur divisions of DanceSport as presented here in Australia as well as several Pro-Am events so popular in other parts of the World. If this weekend's participation was any guide they are rapidly growing in popularity here also. As well as all these events two IDSF Open events were included in the programme for the first time. This combination of events brought DanceSport enthusiasts from every State of Australia, all over New Zealand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, The Philippines, Singapore and Japan for this wonderful event.
This year's Super Stars were both couples who are domiciled in the U.S.A., namely Jonathan Wilkins and Katusha Demidova in the Ballroom Section and presenting the Latin dances Slavik Kryklyvyy and Karina Smirnoff. The reputation both these couples brought to Australia, as neither of them had been here before, was enormous and the air of expectation that filled the ballroom as Bob Steele in his role as Master of Ceremonies for the evening sessions instructed the audience to prepare for "Showtime" was electric to say the least!
As with last years events the couples were to mix and match their dances and first out onto the floor with a great version of the Quickstep were Jonathan and Katusha. They warmed this very receptive audience up no end. However what was to follow had the ballroom at almost boiling point! Out of the shadows of the darkened ballroom appeared Slavik solo, with his shirt open to the waist and the follow spotlights picking him up and following him. He produced an interpretation of the flamenco rhythms for what seemed an eternity, his presence leaving the audience completely spellbound and in the process many, many female hearts fluttering all around the ballroom. You could have heard a pin drop such was his command of this audience. To have the ability to mesmerise an audience like this is indeed a unique talent. He was out their on his own for a considerable period of time before out of the back left hand corner of the ballroom appeared Karina (in what we must say was one of the most magnificent dance gowns we have ever seen). She joined him in the presentation of the flamenco rhythms and still no music!!! Then all of a sudden as if they were electronically connected to the music controls the ballroom filled to flamenco music which eventually broke into a pulsating version of Gypsy Kings and these Super Stars of Latin dancing presented a Samba that was just exhilarating.
We both looked up to see if the roof was still intact, such was the thunderous reception these two were receiving. We had so far only witnessed two dances from our visitors and with eight more to come we were in dancer's heaven surely!
As Showtime progressed swapping from the elegant free flowing style of Jonathan and Katusha to the fiery brilliance of Slavik and Karina, standing ovations at the end of each dance became the norm. For purists the Slow Foxtrot and finale Waltz of Jonathan and Katusha were a spine tingling experience and one that clearly informed everyone lucky to be in attendance why this couple is so highly regarded in the world of dance. However it must be said that the Rumba as presented by Slavik and Karina was a show stopper. Again the audience was mesmerised and many a tear was running down the faces of members of the audience all over the ballroom, as they were entwined in this faultless, emotional interpretation of this dance.
For all in attendance this Super Stars event was an experience not to be forgotten, and one that will no doubt send messages to DanceSport lovers everywhere not to miss next year's event, as we had just witnessed one of the best presentations of the Standard and Latin DanceSport dances ever seen in Australia. Next year's event will be held in the same venue but earlier in August (4th, 5th & 6th) and this time will feature not just two Super Star couples but four!
Before moving on to the Gold Coast Championships and the I.D.S.F. Open events and the excellent couples who competed in them, mention should be made of the support from within the DanceSport fraternity in Queensland for this event. An event of this magnitude could not be staged without this support and the team involved, headed by the Executive members of the Board of DanceSport Queensland, can be very proud of their efforts. Special mention must be made of Musical Director, Michael Gunaserkera who travelled all the way from Canberra to fulfill this role and what a mammoth role it was. Firstly working with our visiting Super Stars to ensure their music was presented precisely as they wanted it and then to provide a wide range of excellent music over the two days and nights of competition. We believe there was not one track presented that could be criticised.
Also it would be most remiss of us not to mention, the very people who have in essence made this event happen, Micky & Momo Kezuka. Thank you for the confidence you have had in the people of Australia to support you, in return your contribution to DanceSport here in Australia is immeasurable and appreciated by all.
Before covering the major events at the Gold Coast DanceSport Championships, we noted the following couples who for one reason or another caught our attention. Starting with the youngest of the competitors, both the Juvenile and Junior events were dominated by up and coming champions from Western Australia. The Morrissey family, were successful in the Juvenile section with Darren and his delightful young partner Joanne De Jaeger, winning all the Juvenile events however they were closely followed by Darren's young sister Christina and her partner Errol Williamson who in turn took out the runners up spot in all of these events. Juniors Earle Williamson & Kallyanne Brown dominated all the events they contested and can be well pleased with their first excursion to these championships.
At the other end of the spectrum Masters 1 competitor Robert Rowe was impressive. Double winning the Masters Level 1 Standard Championship in fine style, with his regular partner Doreen Hamilton and also winning the Pro-Am Open Standard event with the ever elegant Cherrie Kissitch who has lost none of her class as a performer since retiring from the regular Professional competitive circuit. Other Pro-Am teams to impress were the effervescent Paul Green with Ivy Wu of Hong Kong in the Masters 1 Latin Division, Paul Cruddus with Jenny Zhu in the Masters 1 Standard Division and Neal Byrnes with Skye Wilson in the Open Latin Division.
If the quality of couples who competed here from New Zealand is anything to go by, then the depth of talent and the level of development of that talent has shown a rapid increase in recent times. Amongst those to impress were firstly Cameron Candy & Suzanna Petrchtcheva who had a great weekend of consistent excellent dancing. Also from N.Z. we especially liked D'Artagnon Kennedy & Rebecca Nicholson, Christopher Chambers & Anna McDermott, Kiel De Buisson & Amber Dryden. Also in the frame was the youngsters Mathew Nicholson & Julie Wilson. There were also a number of competitors in the various Masters events, especially in the grades from the Land of the Long White Cloud who well and truly made their presence felt over this weekend. Keep up the good work!
The Victorian based Youth partnership of Antonio Micheli & Bianca Tonizzo were successful in the Standard & Latin Sections of this division with Queenslanders Damian Garozzo & Taryn Montgomery winning the New Vogue Championship. Amongst the other youth competitors we especially liked Russell White & Shynea Clarke, these three couples were more than dominant in this section and all have potential to go on and do bigger and better things in the future.
Masters Competitors Tony Nardella & Maree Wood quite comfortably won the Open Latin section in this division, however a more relaxed shoulder and neck line in Rumba from Maree would enhance their look it looks somewhat strained on occasions in this dance. The Japanese contingent also featured quite successfully in the graded events in both the Adult and Masters Divisions with Yutaka Sakata & Kiyoko Sakata and Shouichi Kashi & Mikie Matsumoto the most impressive.
Footnote: We note that at the time of writing the sad news has filtered through that Slavik & Karina have terminated their partnership, since their appearance in Australia. May we on behalf of Dance lovers everywhere wish them both the best for the future and we look forward to watching them again sometime in the future all be it with other partners. In the meantime "Thanks for the Memories!!!"