With the conclusion of the first WDSF GrandSlam of 2019 for the amateur competitors of the World DanceSport Federation, we now welcome the professional competitors to Pieve di Cento, Italy, where we await the upcoming Grand Prix for both the Standard and Latin divisions.

Momentum in the Professional Division

This Saturday, March 23, paves the way for the Latin competitors to take the floor in Italy. Currently, we await 42 couples from 17 countries to take part, 18 of whom are representing the host country. 

Just last year, this same Grand Prix had a total of 34 couples in the Latin division. Eight more couples have signed up for 2019, a great indication of the growth that is taking place within the WDSF Professional Division. As more and more couples begin their transition from competing as amateurs to pros, WDSF PD is gaining momentum. As an example, 2018 led to the transition of both the WDSF Latin and Standard World Champions to the professional arena.

Dancers to Watch

This Saturday, the crowd will be expecting a superb performance by three-time amateur and first-time professional Latin champions, Gabriele Goffredo and Anna Matus of Moldova. They have been conquering every single professional event that they have participated in since having turned pro just last year. Their first World Championship in PD landed them the gold, and now they lead the way as the Latin star couple of the WDSF.

Vincenzo Mariniello and Sara Casini, another Italian pair, will also be in attendance. They have also recently transferred to PD last year and have danced only one event in having changed divisions. In Stuttgart at the German Open Championships last August, Mariniello and Casini took the bronze in the WDSF PD Super Grand Prix and are now back to compete in their second professional event of their careers.

All the way from China, Yao Hou and Ting Zhuang will also be on the dance floor. They are ranked second in the WDSF World Ranking List, right behind Goffredo and Matus. Last year at this very same Grand Prix in Pieve di Cento, they took silver.

We will not be seeing Marts Smolko and Tina Bazykina of Latvia in attendance here in Italy, even though they are one of the top couples of the WDSF Latin Professional Division. They are ranked third in the World Ranking List and are renowned for performing many showdances recently as pros.

One of the Greatest Scale Events

The Star Championship, the hosting competition of these WDSF PD Grands Prix, is also a renowned for hosting WDSF World Open events, which brought in more than 260 couples for the Latin leg, and 230 couples for the Standard leg just last year. This names one of the largest World Opens for the World DanceSport Federation in general, as competitors from all over the world aim to make this event hosted by Olga Cacciari and Simone Canè.

The Grand Hotel Bologna e dei Congressi will be anticipating the flow of competitors to make their entrance soon enough. We invite you all to tune into this Saturday to the first Grand Prix of the Star Championships, here on FloDance!