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2018 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Helsinki | The Quarterfinal

It is the privilege of the GrandSlam leg in Helsinki, FIN, to mark an important milestone: the start of another Series. Forgotten are all of last year's results: the supremacy of the two dancers who won everything there is to win as well as the couples that were rallying for positions behind them. Dmitry Zharkov and Olga Kulikova, RUS, will return to the floor after a season-opening win at the 2018 European in Copenhagen, DEN, two weeks ago. While it is unlikely that the powers have shifted much since then, this second major Standard competition of the year will be revealing in many respects. Couples we haven't seen dancing in Denmark will join us here, couples that haven't made the final then could make it now. Even though the shifts are bound to be of a subtle nature, there will be shifts. And on top of everything: what you will get to watch as a LIVE webcast and then as a video-on-demand highlight will be the best Standard dancing available anywhere on air or on-line. An 8-camera production in High Definition covering the decisive stages of the GrandSlam Standard Helsinki. With full graphics but without commentary. The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with the finalists, the full-length final and interviews with the medallists. Approximately 90-minutes running time. The quarterfinal will be the bonus feature. Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with the host broadcaster YLE and the Finnish DanceSport Federation.

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2018 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Helsinki | The Quarterfinal

2018 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Helsinki | The Quarterfinal

2018 WDSF European Youth Latin Sochi | RUS

Top-level DanceSport in contrasting disciplines marked the weekend of 24 and 25 February in Sochi, RUS. Fans flocked by the thousands to the Ice Cube, the curling venue of the 2014 Winter Games.  Anastasia Titkova, the International Liaison Officer of the All Russian Federation for DanceSport and Rock 'n' Roll, put it all into perspective, when she posted on Facebook: "Four years ago, at right about this time, the Winter Olympics took place in Sochi! Now we have our own Olympics here. We were all together again. Rock ‘n’ Roll was scheduled on day one. The European Championship Standard Formation and the European Youth Latin ran side-by-side on day two. 50 couples danced in the first round of the 2018 European Youth Latin, with the overall level considered higher than ever before. After every round thereafter, the adjudicators found it increasingly challenging to discard couples from advancing to the next one. That is why the quarterfinal was danced with 25 and the semi-final with 13! In the final, however, it came down to six couples only – and to four going to battle over the medals between them: two representing Moldova and two representing Russia. A 12-camera production with full graphics! © 2018 World DanceSport Federation - WDSF | All Rights Reserved Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with RED SQUARE - Match TV as the host broadcaster and All Russian Federation of DanceSport and Acrobatic Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2018 WDSF European Youth Latin Sochi | RUS

2018 WDSF European Youth Latin Sochi | RUS

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Final

Last year’s GrandSlam Standard Final will forever be remembered as the last duel between the eternal opponents Simone Segatori – Annette Sudol, GER, and Dmitry Zharkov – Olga Kukikova, RUS, where the former ended up on top. From there it was total dominance by the Russians in four GrandSlam legs of the 2017 Series as well as in the World Championship held here in China back in September. Even though they had made the announcement to change to the Professional Division, Simone and Annette have not yet danced any competitions there and, as the #2 in the GrandSlam Ranking, would be entitled to dance in this Standard “Showdown Shanghai.” But they have not entered. Something which allows another German couple to put in its first appearance in this GrandSlam Standard Final: Tomas Fainsil and Violetta Posmetnaya. There are four more newcomers to the most exclusive competition in all of DanceSport: Russians Evgeny Nikitin - Anastasia Miliutina and the Chinese wild card couple Qiu Yuming - Wei Liying. They should do their country proud – here too –  as they did in the World Standard, where they became the first ever semi-finalists from China. To consider the pre-event favourites and dominators Dmitry Zharkov – Olga Kukikova as shoo-in winners today would be justifiable, if it were not for the mishaps that saw a great dancer (almost) tumble on two occasions last year. Here is the all-star line-up for the 2017 GrandSlam Standard Final: Madis Abel - Aleksandra Galkina, EST Tomas Fainsil - Violetta Posmetnaya, GER Francesco Galuppo - Debora Pacini, ITA Alexey Glukhov - Anastasia Glazunova, RUS Vasily Kirin - Ekaterina Prozorova, AUT Vaidotas Lacitis - Veronika Golodneva, LTU Evgeny Moshenin - Dana Spitsyna, RUS Evgeny Nikitin - Anastasia Miliutina, RUS Vadim Shurin - Anastasia Meshkova, LAT Anton Skuratov - Alena Uehlin, GER Evaldas Sodeika - Ieva Zukauskaite, LTU Qiu Yuming - Wei Liying Dmitry Zharkov - Olga Kulikova, RUS An 8-camera production in High Definition covering the decisive stages of the GrandSlam STD Final. With full graphics but without commentary. The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with the finalists, the full-length final and interviews with the medallists. Approximately 90-minutes running time. Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with the host broadcaster and the Chinese DanceSport Federation. Music by casa-musica.de > dancesport.box.com/s/tpk2goj6ky4n12ymtqjhshutf19dr83i

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Final

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Final

2018 WDSF GrandSlam Latin Helsinki _ Promo

The GrandSlam Latin Series 2017 concluded with the “Showdown in Shanghai,” the invitational Final danced at the Luwan Stadium in early December. It was marked by a huge surprise: the absence of the Series’ dominators – Gabriele Goffredo and Anna Matus, MDA. The couple had won every single leg but decided not to contest the last title in play for 2017. Instead, they announced that they would continue their careers in the Professional Division. The GrandSlam Final ended up being a very closely fought battle between the couples considered to be the likely successors to Gabriele and Anna: Armen Tsaturyan - Svetlana Gudyno, RUS, and Marius-Andrei Balan - Khrystyna Moshenska, GER. It was a margin of only two decimal points that made the difference in the end between Marius-Andrei and Khrystyna in first and Armen and Svetlana in second. These two couples face off for the first time this year in the inaugural leg of the GrandSlam Series in Helsinki, FIN. Both come off wins at prestigious World Opens in January and February: the Germans won Pforzheim, GER, and the Russians Copenhagen, DEN, and Lisbon, POR. An 8-camera production in High Definition covering the decisive stages of the GrandSlam Standard Helsinki. With full graphics but without commentary. The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with the finalists, the full-length final and interviews with the medallists. Approximately 90-minutes running time. The quarterfinal will be the bonus feature. Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with the host broadcaster YLE and the Finnish DanceSport Federation. All music in the early rounds by Casa musica > worlddancesport.org/Event/Competition/GrandSlam-Helsinki-21555/Adult-Latin-52127#tabPage=1

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2018 WDSF GrandSlam Latin Helsinki _ Promo

2018 WDSF GrandSlam Latin Helsinki _ Promo

2018 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Helsinki _ Promo

It is the privilege of the GrandSlam leg in Helsinki, FIN, to mark an important milestone: the start of another Series. Forgotten are all of last year's results: the supremacy of the two dancers who won everything there is to win as well as the couples that were rallying for positions behind them. Dmitry Zharkov and Olga Kulikova, RUS, will return to the floor after a season-opening win at the 2018 European in Copenhagen, DEN, two weeks ago. While it is unlikely that the powers have shifted much since then, this second major Standard competition of the year will be revealing in many respects. Couples we haven't seen dancing in Denmark will join us here, couples that haven't made the final then could make it now. Even though the shifts are bound to be of a subtle nature, there will be shifts. And on top of everything: what you will get to watch as a LIVE webcast and then as a video-on-demand highlight will be the best Standard dancing available anywhere on air or on-line. An 8-camera production in High Definition covering the decisive stages of the GrandSlam Standard Helsinki. With full graphics but without commentary. The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with the finalists, the full-length final and interviews with the medallists. Approximately 90-minutes running time. The quarterfinal will be the bonus feature. Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with the host broadcaster YLE and the Finnish DanceSport Federation.

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2018 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Helsinki _ Promo

2018 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Helsinki _ Promo

2018 WDSF European Standard | The Quarterfinal

The 2018 edition of the European DanceSport Championship Standard brought 61 couples from 30+ countries to the Tivoli Congress Centre. Dmitry Zharkov and Olga Kulikova continued where they had left off in the last competition they danced in. On 10 December 2017 they made it to the highest echelon of the podium in the GrandSlam Standard Final in Shanghai, CHN. Just nine weeks later they ended up in the same enviable position at the 2018 European Standard. Winning their third consecutive continental title of their career, they swept the numerous audience off their seats for a standing ovation. It was a great championship and the first one streamed live through the new platform DanceSport Total | DST. An eleven-camera production with full graphics plus interviews with the protagonists! The programme is made up of fthree parts: the full-length semi-final, the full-length final and interviews with the medallist couples. The quarterfinal is offered as an extra feature. © 2018 World DanceSport Federation - WDSF | All Rights Reserved Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with the in-house production crew at the Tivoli Congress Centre. All music played during the quarterfinal, semi-final and final of 2018 European STD is available from WDSF Music Partner Casa musica. Access the full playlist!

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2018 WDSF European Standard | The Quarterfinal

2018 WDSF European Standard | The Quarterfinal

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Final Latin

What sets the GrandSlam Latin Final in Shanghai, CHN, apart from the rest of the top-tier competitions on the DanceSport calendar are three factors. It is the most strictly invitational competition there is, with entry reserved to the 12 top couples in the GrandSlam Ranking, couples having danced in minimum four out of the five regular legs in the Series. It is also the shortest and most compact competition. Extending over only three rounds, it starts at 7:30 p.m. with the first and concludes not even three hour later with the last round and the awards presentation. Finally, it is its place in the calendar: for virtually all the participating couples it is the last competition of the year. A fact which brings about a special atmosphere – more relaxed than elsewhere – even though the fight is about the highest prize money awarded in the Series. In addition to the 12 couples from abroad, the organisers get to invite the best couple from China as a wild card, making it a contest between the best Latin dancers of the world’s most populous country against the best of the rest of the world. In the not too distant future, and if current tendencies should prevail, China could eventually keep the upper hand. The defending GrandSlam Champions did not make it to Shanghai. Gabriele Goffredo and Anna Matus , MDA, notified WDSF and the organisers of their decision not to dance the Final this year. Reasons were not given. Nobody among the other finalists knows what could have led them to withdraw. Maybe – after Gabriele’s history-making marriage proposal on the floor at the 2017 World Latin in Vienna, AUT, three weeks ago – they decided to elope. To make their story even more wildly romantic! Who knows? In any case, if they should be on their honeymoon somewhere, we hope they will enjoy it. Their absence opens new perspectives for the other couples here. First for Konstantin Gorodilov and Dominika Bergmannova, EST, who got a last minute-invitation to take the place of Gabriele and Anna in this year’s “Final Showdown in Shanghai.” But then each and every one of the 13 Latin couples could stand to benefit, one way or another, from a shoo-in places available in the semi-final, in the final and on the podium. Here they are – in the alphabetical order of the man’s last name: Anton Aldaev - Natalia Polukhina, RUS Marius-Andrei Balan - Khrystyna Moshenska, GER Umberto Gaudino - Louise Heise, DEN Konstantin Gorodilov - Dominika Bergmannova, EST Andrey Gusev - Vera Bondareva, RUS Timur Imametdinov - Nina Bezzubova, GER Edgar Marcos Borjas - Alina Nowak, POL Paul Moldovan - Cristina Tatar, ROU Charles-Guillaume Schmitt - Elena Salikhova, FRA Andrea Silvestri - Martina Varadi,  Armen Tsaturyan - Svetlana Gudyno, RUS Bangbang Yan - Jing Zhu, CHN Timur Yusupov - Sofia Kharina, RUS An 8-camera production in High Definition covering the decisive stages of the GrandSlam Latin Final. With full graphics but without commentary. The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with the finalists, the full-length final and interviews with the medallists. Approximately 90-minutes running time. Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with the host broadcaster and the Chinese DanceSport Federation. Music by casa-musica.de > dancesport.box.com/s/5qyylxmjot5qcs6o7scdundm98wds4gq

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Final Latin

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Final Latin

2018 WDSF European Championship Standard

The 2018 edition of the European DanceSport Championship Standard brought 61 couples from 30+ countries to the Tivoli Congress Centre. Dmitry Zharkov and Olga Kulikova continued where they had left off in the last competition they danced in. On 10 December 2017 they made it to the highest echelon of the podium in the GrandSlam Standard Final in Shanghai, CHN. Just nine weeks later they ended up in the same enviable position at the 2018 European Standard. Winning their third consecutive continental title of their career, they swept the numerous audience off their seats for a standing ovation. It was a great championship and the first one streamed live through the new platform DanceSport Total | DST. An eleven-camera production with full graphics plus interviews with the protagonists! The programme is made up of fthree parts: the full-length semi-final, the full-length final and interviews with the medallist couples. The quarterfinal is offered as an extra feature. © 2018 World DanceSport Federation - WDSF | All Rights Reserved Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with the in-house production crew at the Tivoli Congress Centre. All music played during the quarterfinal, semi-final and final of 2018 European STD is available from WDSF Music Partner Casa musica. Access the full playlist!

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2018 WDSF European Championship Standard

2018 WDSF European Championship Standard

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Latin Shangai | The Quarterfinal

What sets the GrandSlam Latin Final in Shanghai, CHN, apart from the rest of the top-tier competitions on the DanceSport calendar are three factors. It is the most strictly invitational competition there is, with entry reserved to the 12 top couples in the GrandSlam Ranking, couples having danced in minimum four out of the five regular legs in the Series. It is also the shortest and most compact competition. Extending over only three rounds, it starts at 7:30 p.m. with the first and concludes not even three hour later with the last round and the awards presentation. Finally, it is its place in the calendar: for virtually all the participating couples it is the last competition of the year. A fact which brings about a special atmosphere – more relaxed than elsewhere – even though the fight is about the highest prize money awarded in the Series. In addition to the 12 couples from abroad, the organisers get to invite the best couple from China as a wild card, making it a contest between the best Latin dancers of the world’s most populous country against the best of the rest of the world. In the not too distant future, and if current tendencies should prevail, China could eventually keep the upper hand. The defending GrandSlam Champions did not make it to Shanghai. Gabriele Goffredo and Anna Matus , MDA, notified WDSF and the organisers of their decision not to dance the Final this year. Reasons were not given. Nobody among the other finalists knows what could have led them to withdraw. Maybe – after Gabriele’s history-making marriage proposal on the floor at the 2017 World Latin in Vienna, AUT, three weeks ago – they decided to elope. To make their story even more wildly romantic! Who knows? In any case, if they should be on their honeymoon somewhere, we hope they will enjoy it. Their absence opens new perspectives for the other couples here. First for Konstantin Gorodilov and Dominika Bergmannova, EST, who got a last minute-invitation to take the place of Gabriele and Anna in this year’s “Final Showdown in Shanghai.” But then each and every one of the 13 Latin couples could stand to benefit, one way or another, from a shoo-in places available in the semi-final, in the final and on the podium. Here they are – in the alphabetical order of the man’s last name: Anton Aldaev - Natalia Polukhina, RUS Marius-Andrei Balan - Khrystyna Moshenska, GER Umberto Gaudino - Louise Heise, DEN Konstantin Gorodilov - Dominika Bergmannova, EST Andrey Gusev - Vera Bondareva, RUS Timur Imametdinov - Nina Bezzubova, GER Edgar Marcos Borjas - Alina Nowak, POL Paul Moldovan - Cristina Tatar, ROU Charles-Guillaume Schmitt - Elena Salikhova, FRA Andrea Silvestri - Martina Varadi,  Armen Tsaturyan - Svetlana Gudyno, RUS Bangbang Yan - Jing Zhu, CHN Timur Yusupov - Sofia Kharina, RUS An 8-camera production in High Definition covering the decisive stages of the GrandSlam Latin Final. With full graphics but without commentary. The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with the finalists, the full-length final and interviews with the medallists. Approximately 90-minutes running time. Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with the host broadcaster and the Chinese DanceSport Federation. Music by casa-musica.de > dancesport.box.com/s/5qyylxmjot5qcs6o7scdundm98wds4gq

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Latin Shangai | The Quarterfinal

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Latin Shangai | The Quarterfinal

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Shanghai | The Quarterfinal

Last year’s GrandSlam Standard Final will forever be remembered as the last duel between the eternal opponents Simone Segatori – Annette Sudol, GER, and Dmitry Zharkov – Olga Kukikova, RUS, where the former ended up on top. From there it was total dominance by the Russians in four GrandSlam legs of the 2017 Series as well as in the World Championship held here in China back in September. Even though they had made the announcement to change to the Professional Division, Simone and Annette have not yet danced any competitions there and, as the #2 in the GrandSlam Ranking, would be entitled to dance in this Standard “Showdown Shanghai.” But they have not entered. Something which allows another German couple to put in its first appearance in this GrandSlam Standard Final: Tomas Fainsil and Violetta Posmetnaya. There are four more newcomers to the most exclusive competition in all of DanceSport: Russians Evgeny Nikitin - Anastasia Miliutina and the Chinese wild card couple Qiu Yuming - Wei Liying. They should do their country proud – here too –  as they did in the World Standard, where they became the first ever semi-finalists from China. To consider the pre-event favourites and dominators Dmitry Zharkov – Olga Kukikova as shoo-in winners today would be justifiable, if it were not for the mishaps that saw a great dancer (almost) tumble on two occasions last year. Here is the all-star line-up for the 2017 GrandSlam Standard Final: Madis Abel - Aleksandra Galkina, EST Tomas Fainsil - Violetta Posmetnaya, GER Francesco Galuppo - Debora Pacini, ITA Alexey Glukhov - Anastasia Glazunova, RUS Vasily Kirin - Ekaterina Prozorova, AUT Vaidotas Lacitis - Veronika Golodneva, LTU Evgeny Moshenin - Dana Spitsyna, RUS Evgeny Nikitin - Anastasia Miliutina, RUS Vadim Shurin - Anastasia Meshkova, LAT Anton Skuratov - Alena Uehlin, GER Evaldas Sodeika - Ieva Zukauskaite, LTU Qiu Yuming - Wei Liying Dmitry Zharkov - Olga Kulikova, RUS An 8-camera production in High Definition covering the decisive stages of the GrandSlam STD Final. With full graphics but without commentary. The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with the finalists, the full-length final and interviews with the medallists. Approximately 90-minutes running time. Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with the host broadcaster and the Chinese DanceSport Federation. Music by casa-musica.de > dancesport.box.com/s/tpk2goj6ky4n12ymtqjhshutf19dr83i

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Shanghai | The Quarterfinal

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Shanghai | The Quarterfinal

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Latin Moscow, RUS | The Quarterfinal

We’re back in Moscow for the last regular leg of the 2017 GrandSlam Series. We remember: in 2016, the Latin and Standard competitions deciding over which couples would make it to the “Final Showdown in Shanghai” had to be moved south on the shortest of notice, after the hosts had cancelled them on the shortest of noticd. Luckily, a Spanish organiser took over and staged the GrandSlam Platja d’Aro on the same dates as Moscow was scheduled: the last weekend in October! One year later it is the All Russian Federation of DanceSport and Acrobatic Rock ‘n’ Roll, the new WDSF Member, which acts as the host and organiser for the first time. In a big way! Everything seems a little bigger and brighter when it comes to the setting – the atmosphere. The Crocus Expo, the traditional venue, looks better than ever before in a new fit-out! This seems to inspire the dancers too. In the GrandSlam Latin, we had expected that a number of couples would renounce to dance the Moscow leg as they already had their four results required to qualify for the Shanghai Final. In the end nearly all of them came! Gabriele Goffredo and Anna Matus, MDA, who had four wins to their credit in the 2017 Series, dance in Moscow for the very first time. They knew they have to go up against Armen Tsaturyan and Svetlana Gudyno, RUS, who had won here three consecutive times, if we include last year’s substitute event in Spain too. Timur Imametdinov - Nina Bezzubova, GER, had told us in Stuttgart that they would make it to Moscow. After all, Timur has all of his family and friends here. Maybe it was the absence of the second German couple, Marius-Andrei Balan – Khrystyna Moshenska, that left the small gap for a new couple to make it to the final. But there are six vying for that place, many with final experience already. A 16-camera production with full graphics plus interviews with the protagonists! The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with some of the finalists, the full-length final, interviews with the medallist couples. The full-length quarterfinal is the bonus feature. © 2017 World DanceSport Federation - WDSF | All Rights Reserved Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with RED SQUARE - Match TV as the host broadcaster and All Russian Federation of DanceSport and Acrobatic Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Latin Moscow, RUS | The Quarterfinal

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Latin Moscow, RUS | The Quarterfinal

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Moscow Standard

The Latin dancers, too, were delighted over the return of this fifth regular GrandSlam leg to the location it was originally assigned to: Moscow, RUS. After the one-year hiatus, when they were forced to travel to the Spanish Costa Brava to dance, it seemed so much easier - for almost everybody. Out of 175 couples which had entered the GrandSlam Standard in Moscow, 150 were from Russia. An impressive ratio that reflects perfectly how deep talent runs in Russian DanceSport. When it came to the decisive stages, the percentage of non-Russian couples increased - but only at first glance. Many of the quarter- and semi-finalists from abroad had one partner holding a Russian Federation passport too. In the first BIG final after Simone Segatori and Annette Sudol had announced that they were turning professional, there was supposedly on vacancy up for grabs by those couples making the cut on a less consistent basis. In the end, Alexey Glukhov - Anastasia Glazunova, RUS, claimed it, with Anton Skuratov - Alena Uehlin, GER, and Madis Abel - Aleksandra Galkina, EST. It should only be a matter of time before we will see Madis and Aleksandra dance their first final! Yes, Dmitry Zharkov - Olga Kulikova, RUS, won this GrandSlam too, making it five out of five for the Series. They did so as convincingly as ever, but right behind them - just over three points back - were Evaldas Sodeika - Ieva Zukauskaite, LTU. They had their highest GrandSlam total ever: 193 points! Second runners-up were Francesco Galuppo - Debora Pacini, ITA, ahead of Evgeny Moshenin - Dana Spitsyna, RUS. Vaidotas Lacitis - Veronika Golodneva, LTU, whom we had interviewed prior to the GrandSlam, had to content themselves with 6th place. A 16-camera production with full graphics plus interviews with the protagonists! The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with some of the finalists, the full-length final, interviews with the medallist couples. © 2017 World DanceSport Federation - WDSF | All Rights Reserved Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with RED SQUARE - Match TV as the host broadcaster and the All Russian Federation of DanceSport and Acrobatic Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Moscow Standard

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Moscow Standard

2017 WDSF World Standard _ Promo

Dmitry Zharkov and Olga Kulikova, RUS, have conquered the last two strongholds of Simone Segatori and Annette Sudol, GER, by winning the GrandSlam in Hong Kong and Stuttgart in July and August, respectively. As the scale started to progressively dip in favour of the Russians, there were at least two major competitions where the Germans kept claiming victories. Three consecutive times - until this year! Now Dmitry and Olga stand poised to be crowned World Champions for a third time, something that would put them in a league with four legendary couples: John and Betty Westley, Richard Gleave and Janet Wade, both representing England, or, more recently, Paolo Bosco – Silvia Pitton, ITA, and Benedetto Ferruggia – Claudia Koehler, GER. If, on the other hand, Simone and Annette return to their winning ways here in Chengdu, CHN, it would not only tie them with Dima and Olga at two titles, it would see them match the records of their trainers: William Pino and Alessandra Bucciarelli, ITA, as well as Oliver Wessel-Therhorn, GER, their mentor until his untimely death. Everybody be reminded: Simone and Annette last defeated Dima and Olga in China. That was in the Shanghai GrandSlam Finals not even ten months ago. Obviously, there is a lot at stake for the two favourite couples. But winning or losing, both will put up a good fight and show the incredible level of dancing that they have treated us with time after time over the past three years. Ever since this rivalry started back in 2014, we have seen exceptional dancers pushing each other to greater heights with every competition. Evaldas Sodeika - Ieva Zukauskaite, LTU, who have kept up and even drawn a little closer in the last competitions, could make it their fourth consecutive third-place finish in a World Championship. Or they could stage the surprise? One couple that won’t be in the Chengdu final: Bjorn Bitsch and Ashli Williamson. They announced that they would move on to the next chapter in their career by dancing the 2017 PD World Standard that is scheduled to take place one week after this one in Prague, CZE. A seven-camera production with full graphics plus interviews with the protagonists! The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with some of the finalists, the full-length final, interviews with the medallist couples. The quarterfinal is offered as an extra feature. © 2017 World DanceSport Federation - WDSF | All Rights Reserved Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with the Chengdu host broadcaster and the Chinese DanceSport Federation CDSF. All music played during the semi-final of the 2017 World Standard is available from WDSF Music Partner Casa musica. Access the full playlist!

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF World Standard _ Promo

2017 WDSF World Standard _ Promo

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Latin Moscow _ Promo

We’re back in Moscow for the last regular leg of the 2017 GrandSlam Series. We remember: in 2016, the Latin and Standard competitions deciding over which couples would make it to the “Final Showdown in Shanghai” had to be moved south on the shortest of notice, after the hosts had cancelled them on the shortest of noticd. Luckily, a Spanish organiser took over and staged the GrandSlam Platja d’Aro on the same dates as Moscow was scheduled: the last weekend in October! One year later it is the All Russian Federation of DanceSport and Acrobatic Rock ‘n’ Roll, the new WDSF Member, which acts as the host and organiser for the first time. In a big way! Everything seems a little bigger and brighter when it comes to the setting – the atmosphere. The Crocus Expo, the traditional venue, looks better than ever before in a new fit-out! This seems to inspire the dancers too. In the GrandSlam Latin, we had expected that a number of couples would renounce to dance the Moscow leg as they already had their four results required to qualify for the Shanghai Final. In the end nearly all of them came! Gabriele Goffredo and Anna Matus, MDA, who had four wins to their credit in the 2017 Series, dance in Moscow for the very first time. They knew they have to go up against Armen Tsaturyan and Svetlana Gudyno, RUS, who had won here three consecutive times, if we include last year’s substitute event in Spain too. Timur Imametdinov - Nina Bezzubova, GER, had told us in Stuttgart that they would make it to Moscow. After all, Timur has all of his family and friends here. Maybe it was the absence of the second German couple, Marius-Andrei Balan – Khrystyna Moshenska, that left the small gap for a new couple to make it to the final. But there are six vying for that place, many with final experience already. A 16-camera production with full graphics plus interviews with the protagonists! The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with some of the finalists, the full-length final, interviews with the medallist couples. The full-length quarterfinal is the bonus feature. © 2017 World DanceSport Federation - WDSF | All Rights Reserved Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with RED SQUARE - Match TV as the host broadcaster and All Russian Federation of DanceSport and Acrobatic Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Latin Moscow _ Promo

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Latin Moscow _ Promo

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Moscow Standard _ Promo

The Latin dancers, too, were delighted over the return of this fifth regular GrandSlam leg to the location it was originally assigned to: Moscow, RUS. After the one-year hiatus, when they were forced to travel to the Spanish Costa Brava to dance, it seemed so much easier - for almost everybody. Out of 175 couples which had entered the GrandSlam Standard in Moscow, 150 were from Russia. An impressive ratio that reflects perfectly how deep talent runs in Russian DanceSport. When it came to the decisive stages, the percentage of non-Russian couples increased - but only at first glance. Many of the quarter- and semi-finalists from abroad had one partner holding a Russian Federation passport too. In the first BIG final after Simone Segatori and Annette Sudol had announced that they were turning professional, there was supposedly on vacancy up for grabs by those couples making the cut on a less consistent basis. In the end, Alexey Glukhov - Anastasia Glazunova, RUS, claimed it, with Anton Skuratov - Alena Uehlin, GER, and Madis Abel - Aleksandra Galkina, EST. It should only be a matter of time before we will see Madis and Aleksandra dance their first final! Yes, Dmitry Zharkov - Olga Kulikova, RUS, won this GrandSlam too, making it five out of five for the Series. They did so as convincingly as ever, but right behind them - just over three points back - were Evaldas Sodeika - Ieva Zukauskaite, LTU. They had their highest GrandSlam total ever: 193 points! Second runners-up were Francesco Galuppo - Debora Pacini, ITA, ahead of Evgeny Moshenin - Dana Spitsyna, RUS. Vaidotas Lacitis - Veronika Golodneva, LTU, whom we had interviewed prior to the GrandSlam, had to content themselves with 6th place. A 16-camera production with full graphics plus interviews with the protagonists! The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with some of the finalists, the full-length final, interviews with the medallist couples. © 2017 World DanceSport Federation - WDSF | All Rights Reserved Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with RED SQUARE - Match TV as the host broadcaster and the All Russian Federation of DanceSport and Acrobatic Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Moscow Standard _ Promo

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Moscow Standard _ Promo

2017 WDSF World Standard | The Quarterfinal

Dmitry Zharkov and Olga Kulikova, RUS, have conquered the last two strongholds of Simone Segatori and Annette Sudol, GER, by winning the GrandSlam in Hong Kong and Stuttgart in July and August, respectively. As the scale started to progressively dip in favour of the Russians, there were at least two major competitions where the Germans kept claiming victories. Three consecutive times - until this year! Now Dmitry and Olga stand poised to be crowned World Champions for a third time, something that would put them in a league with four legendary couples: John and Betty Westley, Richard Gleave and Janet Wade, both representing England, or, more recently, Paolo Bosco – Silvia Pitton, ITA, and Benedetto Ferruggia – Claudia Koehler, GER. If, on the other hand, Simone and Annette return to their winning ways here in Chengdu, CHN, it would not only tie them with Dima and Olga at two titles, it would see them match the records of their trainers: William Pino and Alessandra Bucciarelli, ITA, as well as Oliver Wessel-Therhorn, GER, their mentor until his untimely death. Everybody be reminded: Simone and Annette last defeated Dima and Olga in China. That was in the Shanghai GrandSlam Finals not even ten months ago. Obviously, there is a lot at stake for the two favourite couples. But winning or losing, both will put up a good fight and show the incredible level of dancing that they have treated us with time after time over the past three years. Ever since this rivalry started back in 2014, we have seen exceptional dancers pushing each other to greater heights with every competition. Evaldas Sodeika - Ieva Zukauskaite, LTU, who have kept up and even drawn a little closer in the last competitions, could make it their fourth consecutive third-place finish in a World Championship. Or they could stage the surprise? One couple that won’t be in the Chengdu final: Bjorn Bitsch and Ashli Williamson. They announced that they would move on to the next chapter in their career by dancing the 2017 PD World Standard that is scheduled to take place one week after this one in Prague, CZE. A seven-camera production with full graphics plus interviews with the protagonists! The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with some of the finalists, the full-length final, interviews with the medallist couples. The quarterfinal is offered as an extra feature. © 2017 World DanceSport Federation - WDSF | All Rights Reserved Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with the Chengdu host broadcaster and the Chinese DanceSport Federation CDSF. All music played during the semi-final of the 2017 World Standard is available from WDSF Music Partner Casa musica. Access the full playlist!

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF World Standard | The Quarterfinal

2017 WDSF World Standard | The Quarterfinal

2017 WDSF World Latin

Moldovans Gabriele Goffredo and Anna Matus are the couple to beat for others aspiring the title in this year's World Latin. After all, they are the defending champions and were defeated only once during 2017: by Armen Tsaturyan and Svetlana Gudyno, RUS, in the European Championship in Cambrils, ESP, in April. It is precisely this circumstance which makes the upcoming World Championship so compelling. Both couples faced off against each other only three weeks ago, in the 2017 GrandSlam Moscow: the Moldovans prevailed - but only by two decimal points. That's nothing! Two German couples should also be considered very serious contenders in this event: Timur Imametdinov - Nina Bezzubova started their year off with a bang by defeating Marius-Andrei Balan - Khrystyna Moshenska in the German Championship. Coming in ahead of Marius-Andrei and Khrystyna in Vienna, AUT, would bring it to a successful conclusion for Timur and Nina, who danced one of their best GrandSlam legs in Moscow, coming very close to the 190 points in the final. Marius-Andrei and Khrystyna have not danced in Moscow and appeared only in three World Opens, where none of the above couples had entered, since their second-place finish to Gabriele and Anna in the GrandSlam Stuttgart. That was in August. If Goffredo - Matus should come in first, they will win the title for a third consecutive time, a feat that was only achieved by two other couples in the sixty years of WDSF history: by Aniello Langella and Khrystyna Moshenska, ITA, and by Franco Formica and Oksana Nikiforova, GER. 6-camera production in High Definition covering the decisive stages of the 2016 World Ten Dance. With full graphics. The programme is made up of six parts: the full-length semi-finals, interviews with the finalists, the full-length finals and interviews with the medallists. All music by casa-musica.de  Download the music cue sheet with direct links to the titles under the following link! dancesport.box.com/s/3ap5fy9c0fgyrcu0w3imobp8l4sn80u1 Produced by the WDSF Communications team and the host broadcaster ORF. All rights reserved © 2016!

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF World Latin

2017 WDSF World Latin

2017 WDSF World Standard

Dmitry Zharkov and Olga Kulikova, RUS, have conquered the last two strongholds of Simone Segatori and Annette Sudol, GER, by winning the GrandSlam in Hong Kong and Stuttgart in July and August, respectively. As the scale started to progressively dip in favour of the Russians, there were at least two major competitions where the Germans kept claiming victories. Three consecutive times - until this year! Now Dmitry and Olga stand poised to be crowned World Champions for a third time, something that would put them in a league with four legendary couples: John and Betty Westley, Richard Gleave and Janet Wade, both representing England, or, more recently, Paolo Bosco – Silvia Pitton, ITA, and Benedetto Ferruggia – Claudia Koehler, GER. If, on the other hand, Simone and Annette return to their winning ways here in Chengdu, CHN, it would not only tie them with Dima and Olga at two titles, it would see them match the records of their trainers: William Pino and Alessandra Bucciarelli, ITA, as well as Oliver Wessel-Therhorn, GER, their mentor until his untimely death. Everybody be reminded: Simone and Annette last defeated Dima and Olga in China. That was in the Shanghai GrandSlam Finals not even ten months ago. Obviously, there is a lot at stake for the two favourite couples. But winning or losing, both will put up a good fight and show the incredible level of dancing that they have treated us with time after time over the past three years. Ever since this rivalry started back in 2014, we have seen exceptional dancers pushing each other to greater heights with every competition. Evaldas Sodeika - Ieva Zukauskaite, LTU, who have kept up and even drawn a little closer in the last competitions, could make it their fourth consecutive third-place finish in a World Championship. Or they could stage the surprise? One couple that won’t be in the Chengdu final: Bjorn Bitsch and Ashli Williamson. They announced that they would move on to the next chapter in their career by dancing the 2017 PD World Standard that is scheduled to take place one week after this one in Prague, CZE. A seven-camera production with full graphics plus interviews with the protagonists! The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with some of the finalists, the full-length final, interviews with the medallist couples. The quarterfinal is offered as an extra feature. © 2017 World DanceSport Federation - WDSF | All Rights Reserved Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with the Chengdu host broadcaster and the Chinese DanceSport Federation CDSF. All music played during the semi-final of the 2017 World Standard is available from WDSF Music Partner Casa musica. Access the full playlist!

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF World Standard

2017 WDSF World Standard

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Final _ Promo

Last year’s GrandSlam Standard Final will forever be remembered as the last duel between the eternal opponents Simone Segatori – Annette Sudol, GER, and Dmitry Zharkov – Olga Kukikova, RUS, where the former ended up on top. From there it was total dominance by the Russians in four GrandSlam legs of the 2017 Series as well as in the World Championship held here in China back in September. Even though they had made the announcement to change to the Professional Division, Simone and Annette have not yet danced any competitions there and, as the #2 in the GrandSlam Ranking, would be entitled to dance in this Standard “Showdown Shanghai.” But they have not entered. Something which allows another German couple to put in its first appearance in this GrandSlam Standard Final: Tomas Fainsil and Violetta Posmetnaya. There are four more newcomers to the most exclusive competition in all of DanceSport: Russians Evgeny Nikitin - Anastasia Miliutina and the Chinese wild card couple Qiu Yuming - Wei Liying. They should do their country proud – here too –  as they did in the World Standard, where they became the first ever semi-finalists from China. To consider the pre-event favourites and dominators Dmitry Zharkov – Olga Kukikova as shoo-in winners today would be justifiable, if it were not for the mishaps that saw a great dancer (almost) tumble on two occasions last year. Here is the all-star line-up for the 2017 GrandSlam Standard Final: Madis Abel - Aleksandra Galkina, EST Tomas Fainsil - Violetta Posmetnaya, GER Francesco Galuppo - Debora Pacini, ITA Alexey Glukhov - Anastasia Glazunova, RUS Vasily Kirin - Ekaterina Prozorova, AUT Vaidotas Lacitis - Veronika Golodneva, LTU Evgeny Moshenin - Dana Spitsyna, RUS Evgeny Nikitin - Anastasia Miliutina, RUS Vadim Shurin - Anastasia Meshkova, LAT Anton Skuratov - Alena Uehlin, GER Evaldas Sodeika - Ieva Zukauskaite, LTU Qiu Yuming - Wei Liying Dmitry Zharkov - Olga Kulikova, RUS An 8-camera production in High Definition covering the decisive stages of the GrandSlam STD Final. With full graphics but without commentary. The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with the finalists, the full-length final and interviews with the medallists. Approximately 90-minutes running time. Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with the host broadcaster and the Chinese DanceSport Federation. Music by casa-musica.de > dancesport.box.com/s/tpk2goj6ky4n12ymtqjhshutf19dr83i

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Final _ Promo

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Final _ Promo

2017 WDSF World Ten Dance _ Promo

It is the 42nd edition of a World Championship in DanceSport's decathlon that gets contested in Marseille FRA. The first edition was held back in 1959, but there were a few hiatuses when none was held. For the records, Bjorn Bitsch and Ashli Williamson are the World Champions with most titles to their names: four and won consecutively between 2010 and 2013 ... They just got their fifth world title in Professional Ten Dance last night, after turning pro not even a full month ago. Of all the 36 couples that have entered this year there is none with a title to their credit. Last year's World Champions Jaak Vainomaa – Taina Savikurki, FIN, separated immediately following their win in Vienna, AUT. There is a couple with a recent (2017) European title - Dumitru Doga - Sarah Ertmer, GER - as well as European Champions (2016) who did not even make it to Marseille: Konstantin Gorodilov - Dominika Bergmannova. And then we have a few couples that have been on or near the podium for a number of years already. Seniority in this category have Daniil Ulanov - Kateryna Isakovych, CYP, and Winson Tam - Anastasia Novikova, CAN, are the juniors. So here you have it, we dropped a few names of dancers who could be ending up on the highest echelon and who could be crowned as the 43rd WDSF World Champions in what is - without a doubt - DanceSport's most physically taxing event. Whoever makes it to the top will have danced 40 times . They will have changed between Standard and Latin attires four times ... 7-camera production in High Definition covering the decisive stages of the 2017 World Ten Dance. With full graphics. The programme is made up of six parts: the full-length semi-finals, interviews with the finalists, the full-length finals and interviews with the medallists. All music by casa-musica.de dancesport.box.com/s/vucw7qhjm70cjd1s4ylvgqufsu119lwr Produced by the WDSF Communications team and the organisers of the World Ten Dance and the Fédération Française de Danse. All rights reserved © 2016!

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF World Ten Dance _ Promo

2017 WDSF World Ten Dance _ Promo

2017 WDSF World Latin | The Quarterfinal

Moldovans Gabriele Goffredo and Anna Matus are the couple to beat for others aspiring the title in this year's World Latin. After all, they are the defending champions and were defeated only once during 2017: by Armen Tsaturyan and Svetlana Gudyno, RUS, in the European Championship in Cambrils, ESP, in April. It is precisely this circumstance which makes the upcoming World Championship so compelling. Both couples faced off against each other only three weeks ago, in the 2017 GrandSlam Moscow: the Moldovans prevailed - but only by two decimal points. That's nothing! Two German couples should also be considered very serious contenders in this event: Timur Imametdinov - Nina Bezzubova started their year off with a bang by defeating Marius-Andrei Balan - Khrystyna Moshenska in the German Championship. Coming in ahead of Marius-Andrei and Khrystyna in Vienna, AUT, would bring it to a successful conclusion for Timur and Nina, who danced one of their best GrandSlam legs in Moscow, coming very close to the 190 points in the final. Marius-Andrei and Khrystyna have not danced in Moscow and appeared only in three World Opens, where none of the above couples had entered, since their second-place finish to Gabriele and Anna in the GrandSlam Stuttgart. That was in August. If Goffredo - Matus should come in first, they will win the title for a third consecutive time, a feat that was only achieved by two other couples in the sixty years of WDSF history: by Aniello Langella and Khrystyna Moshenska, ITA, and by Franco Formica and Oksana Nikiforova, GER. 6-camera production in High Definition covering the decisive stages of the 2016 World Ten Dance. With full graphics. The programme is made up of six parts: the full-length semi-finals, interviews with the finalists, the full-length finals and interviews with the medallists. All music by casa-musica.de  Download the music cue sheet with direct links to the titles under the following link! dancesport.box.com/s/3ap5fy9c0fgyrcu0w3imobp8l4sn80u1 Produced by the WDSF Communications team and the host broadcaster ORF. All rights reserved © 2016!

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF World Latin | The Quarterfinal

2017 WDSF World Latin | The Quarterfinal

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Final Latin _ Promo

What sets the GrandSlam Latin Final in Shanghai, CHN, apart from the rest of the top-tier competitions on the DanceSport calendar are three factors. It is the most strictly invitational competition there is, with entry reserved to the 12 top couples in the GrandSlam Ranking, couples having danced in minimum four out of the five regular legs in the Series. It is also the shortest and most compact competition. Extending over only three rounds, it starts at 7:30 p.m. with the first and concludes not even three hour later with the last round and the awards presentation. Finally, it is its place in the calendar: for virtually all the participating couples it is the last competition of the year. A fact which brings about a special atmosphere – more relaxed than elsewhere – even though the fight is about the highest prize money awarded in the Series. In addition to the 12 couples from abroad, the organisers get to invite the best couple from China as a wild card, making it a contest between the best Latin dancers of the world’s most populous country against the best of the rest of the world. In the not too distant future, and if current tendencies should prevail, China could eventually keep the upper hand. The defending GrandSlam Champions did not make it to Shanghai. Gabriele Goffredo and Anna Matus , MDA, notified WDSF and the organisers of their decision not to dance the Final this year. Reasons were not given. Nobody among the other finalists knows what could have led them to withdraw. Maybe – after Gabriele’s history-making marriage proposal on the floor at the 2017 World Latin in Vienna, AUT, three weeks ago – they decided to elope. To make their story even more wildly romantic! Who knows? In any case, if they should be on their honeymoon somewhere, we hope they will enjoy it. Their absence opens new perspectives for the other couples here. First for Konstantin Gorodilov and Dominika Bergmannova, EST, who got a last minute-invitation to take the place of Gabriele and Anna in this year’s “Final Showdown in Shanghai.” But then each and every one of the 13 Latin couples could stand to benefit, one way or another, from a shoo-in places available in the semi-final, in the final and on the podium. Here they are – in the alphabetical order of the man’s last name: Anton Aldaev - Natalia Polukhina, RUS Marius-Andrei Balan - Khrystyna Moshenska, GER Umberto Gaudino - Louise Heise, DEN Konstantin Gorodilov - Dominika Bergmannova, EST Andrey Gusev - Vera Bondareva, RUS Timur Imametdinov - Nina Bezzubova, GER Edgar Marcos Borjas - Alina Nowak, POL Paul Moldovan - Cristina Tatar, ROU Charles-Guillaume Schmitt - Elena Salikhova, FRA Andrea Silvestri - Martina Varadi,  Armen Tsaturyan - Svetlana Gudyno, RUS Bangbang Yan - Jing Zhu, CHN Timur Yusupov - Sofia Kharina, RUS An 8-camera production in High Definition covering the decisive stages of the GrandSlam Latin Final. With full graphics but without commentary. The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with the finalists, the full-length final and interviews with the medallists. Approximately 90-minutes running time. Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with the host broadcaster and the Chinese DanceSport Federation. Music by casa-musica.de > dancesport.box.com/s/5qyylxmjot5qcs6o7scdundm98wds4gq

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Final Latin _ Promo

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Final Latin _ Promo

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Latin Moscow

We’re back in Moscow for the last regular leg of the 2017 GrandSlam Series. We remember: in 2016, the Latin and Standard competitions deciding over which couples would make it to the “Final Showdown in Shanghai” had to be moved south on the shortest of notice, after the hosts had cancelled them on the shortest of noticd. Luckily, a Spanish organiser took over and staged the GrandSlam Platja d’Aro on the same dates as Moscow was scheduled: the last weekend in October! One year later it is the All Russian Federation of DanceSport and Acrobatic Rock ‘n’ Roll, the new WDSF Member, which acts as the host and organiser for the first time. In a big way! Everything seems a little bigger and brighter when it comes to the setting – the atmosphere. The Crocus Expo, the traditional venue, looks better than ever before in a new fit-out! This seems to inspire the dancers too. In the GrandSlam Latin, we had expected that a number of couples would renounce to dance the Moscow leg as they already had their four results required to qualify for the Shanghai Final. In the end nearly all of them came! Gabriele Goffredo and Anna Matus, MDA, who had four wins to their credit in the 2017 Series, dance in Moscow for the very first time. They knew they have to go up against Armen Tsaturyan and Svetlana Gudyno, RUS, who had won here three consecutive times, if we include last year’s substitute event in Spain too. Timur Imametdinov - Nina Bezzubova, GER, had told us in Stuttgart that they would make it to Moscow. After all, Timur has all of his family and friends here. Maybe it was the absence of the second German couple, Marius-Andrei Balan – Khrystyna Moshenska, that left the small gap for a new couple to make it to the final. But there are six vying for that place, many with final experience already. A 16-camera production with full graphics plus interviews with the protagonists! The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with some of the finalists, the full-length final, interviews with the medallist couples. The full-length quarterfinal is the bonus feature. © 2017 World DanceSport Federation - WDSF | All Rights Reserved Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with RED SQUARE - Match TV as the host broadcaster and All Russian Federation of DanceSport and Acrobatic Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Latin Moscow

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Latin Moscow

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Hong Kong | Quarterfinal

The 2017 GrandSlam Series Standard reaches its halfway point with the third regular leg held in Hong Kong on 9 July. The two earlier legs in Helsinki, FIN, and in Wuhan, CHN, produced an identic outcome in as far as the winners as well as the runners-up were concerned. In Finland, Dmitry Zharkov - Olga Kulikova, RUS, prevailed in a hotly contested final over Simone Segatori - Annette Sudol, GER, with a total score of 193.17 to 191.91. That’s a winning margin of very little over one point! One month later in China, the Russians claimed their second victory, but this time the margin separating the two couples was all of 0.05. It was produced either by freaky math or by the system’s insistence that a winner had to be declared – even if it all looked very much like a tie on the floor. In any case, everybody was eagerly awaiting the next encounter between the two dominant Standard couples of the past three years. It was supposed to happen on 19 May in Olomouc, CZE, during the 2017 European. But as they did the year before, Simone and Annette decided against dancing it. Not unexpectedly, the championship’s narrative was that of another crown conquered by Dmitry and Olga, who made it their fourth consecutive championship title since the 2015 World Standard in Vilnius, LTU. They did so with a personal best of 195.79 points. Runners-up were – as in the 2016 European in Wroclaw, POL - Evaldas Sodeika - Ieva Zukauskaite, LTU, who were very happy with their total of 191 points too. That brings us to Hong Kong and the GrandSlam Standard that is the highlight on Sunday 9 July. Of course, we can only hope that all the top couples will be there and ready to dance it. But all dancers love this bustling world city and are eager to show their best stuff in what must be one of the most perfect venues for DanceSport: Queen Elizabeth Stadium (QE II). If we look back at last year’s GrandSlam Standard, it proved to be the turning point in a Series that had developed precisely as this one did. After coming in runners-up in Finland and in China, Simone and Annette struck back – at the MacPherson Stadium because of a scheduling conflict at the QE II – and held Dmitry and Olga at bay with 194.93 to 193.59. The story continues at QE II and the WDSF Communications team will provide you with a front row seat to all the action. Together with the host broadcaster TVB, the team members will bring you the best Standard dancing there is in full HD. 6-camera production with full graphics, a few behind-the-scene pieces plus interviews with the protagonists! The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with the finalists, the full-length final, the interviews with the medallist couples. © 2017 World DanceSport Federation - WDSF | All Rights Reserved Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with host broadcaster TVB and the Hong Kong DanceSport Association Music by Casa musica | Music Cue Sheet dancesport.box.com/s/gtm04o15scsx4nj8ufezykn8xhiv7ldn

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Hong Kong | Quarterfinal

2017 WDSF GrandSlam Standard Hong Kong | Quarterfinal

2017 WDSF European Championship Standard _ Promo

The situation in Olomouc, CZE, is comparable to the one that presented itself one year ago, when the European Standard title was contested in Wroclaw, POL. Not all of the favourites enter this championship either. In 2016 we wrote: "To everyone looking forward to another taste of the drama in the dance-by-dance battle for points that was decided by the whim of four decimals separating the Russians from the Germans in the Wuhan final: it won't happen in this European! Simone and Annette are not among the starters, having withdrawn at the very last moment." Whatever the reason for them to stay away in 2017 too, we must learn to accept such a decision. It is their career and only theirs. Even if their absence preempts us from enjoying another tight race between the #1 and the #2 in the WDSF World Ranking. Just to remind ourselves, last time Dmitry Zharkov - Olga Kulikova, RUS, and Simone Segatori - Annette Sudol danced against each other in the final of the 2017 GrandSlam Wuhan, the margin separating first from second place was nothing - well, it was 0.04. That is not even half of a decimal point. Third place in 2017 Wuhan, CHN, went to Evaldas Sodeika - Ieva Zukauskaite, LTU, who were five points back. They told us after the awards presentation that they would probably train more and compete less this year. Who knows, this approach could allow them to close the gap to the two top-ranked couples. They were the runners-up in Wroclaw last year, seven points behind Dmitry and Olga. But that was with the Judging System 2.1. Let's see how they fare with 3.0. The 6-camera production in High Definition covers the decisive stages of the 2017 European Standard, with full graphics but without commentary. The programme is made up of four parts: the full-length semi-final, interviews with the finalists, the full-length final and interviews with the medallists. Produced by the WDSF Communications team in collaboration with the host broadcaster CESKA TV and the organisers, T.T.Trade Vitkovice and the Czech DanceSport Federation. All rights reserved © 2017! Music by Casa musica!

Sep 17, 2018, Pro

2017 WDSF European Championship Standard _ Promo

2017 WDSF European Championship Standard _ Promo