Local and foreign couples for Dancesport Championship
View(s):All you dance enthusiasts out there, it is that time of the year once again to witness the country’s most anticipated dance championship.
The Footwork International Dancesport Championship 2014, organised by Footwork Events, will come alive at the Hilton Ballroom on Sunday, November 2 from 6.30 p.m.
This year’s Championship will open up the floor to over 70 couples from the local and international scene who would be competing for slots in the Latin and Ballroom categories.
Endorsed by the World Dance Council, Dancesport Championship provides exposure for local dancers as it creates a platform for them to gain recognition and improve their standards by competing at an international level without having to go abroad, says Dharshan Wijesooriya, Head of Footwork Events who has been spearheading this initiative since it was introduced to Sri Lanka in 1996.
The flagship event in the Latin and Ballroom dancing calendar, the Dancesport Championship is gradually gaining recognition as a sporting event in Sri Lanka, similar to other countries in the world where it has developed to World Championships like in other major sports, he says.
This year’s competition will see the participation of international contestants and adjudicators from countries like UK, Italy, Bulgaria, Thailand, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines, India. They will be vying for titles under 20 categories, from Junior, Beginners to Novice, Pre-Amateur, Amateur Rising Star and Amateur categories.
There will also be a performance by the winners of the Five Dance event in both Ballroom and Latin categories.
The Junior Event, which is a popular segment of the Dancesport Championship has over 20 junior couples from the local and foreign dance scene competing for slots in Under 12 and Under 16 categories. In addition to this, the competition will also have a solo dance category in the Latin section.
According to the organisers, the preliminaries of the competition will commence at 4 p.m. and the finals will take place during the main event starting from 6.30.p.m. Tickets are valid for both events.
Dancesport 2014 is sponsored by Entrust Group while Colombo Hilton will be the host venue of contestants and adjudicators during the championship. Sunday Times and Daily Mirror are the official print media sponsors.
Tickets for Dancesport Championship 2014 can be obtained from the Colombo Hilton special events desk. Box plan and event details can be obtained via www.dancepsport.lk or 0717777111.
-(DS)