Ballroom dance championship dazzles city

Video by Lin Songtao

Today is the final day of the 19th World Ballroom Dance Championships, which kicked off July 13 at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center in Futian District. As one of the three most prestigious dance competitions in the Asia-Pacific region, the competition attracted more than 7,000 contestants from 30 countries and regions.

The competition caters to both professional and amateur dancers, and participants’ ages ranged from 3 to 78. The organizing committee invited 30 international judges as well as 120 Chinese judges.

As one of the most influential sporting events of its kind, the championship has been held in Shenzhen every year since 2003. It is also listed on the Shenzhen Culture Menu.

“It’s really an amazing dancing event, and I have witnessed Chinese competitors improve year by year," 82-year-old Robin Short, who is the honorary president of the World Dance Council and has served as a judge for the competition for 19 consecutive years told Shenzhen Daily.

During the opening ceremony July 17, dancers in the competition’s top-tier categories, which included both professional and amateur categories of modern dance and Latin dance, vied for the championship title.

Ultimately, in the professional category of modern dance, Stanislav Zelianin and Irina Cherepanova, from Singapore, secured the championship. Salvo Sinardi and Alexandra Kondrashova, from Italy, claimed the championship in the amateur category of Latin dance.

The teenage section, held July 13 to 15, included dancers from Russia, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China, among others. This section of the competition had a friendly atmosphere that facilitated exchanges between young dancers from around the world.

The competition is supported by China Culture Administration Association, Chinese Cultural Information Association, Publicity Department of the CPC Futian District and the Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Futian Municipality. It was co-hosted by the Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Shenzhen and Shenzhen Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and co-organized by Shenzhen Ballroom Dance Association and Ganglong Dance (GLDC).

Shenzhen Daily photographers Sun Yuchen and Lin Songtao captured some of the competition’s most exciting moments.

Stanislav Zelianin and Irina Cherepanova, from Singapore, secure the championship in the professional category of modern dance. Photos by Sun Yuchen unless otherwise stated

Stanislav Zelianin and Irina Cherepanova, from Singapore, secure the championship in the professional category of modern dance. 

Salvo Sinardi and Alexandra Kondrashova, from Italy, claim the championship in the amateur category of Latin dance.

Salvo Sinardi and Alexandra Kondrashova, from Italy, claim the championship in the amateur category of Latin dance.

Competitors show off their dancing skills in a fierce dance competition.

Dancers perform in a group dance at the opening ceremony. Lin Songtao

Graceful dancers in a competition.

Dancers perform at the opening ceremony of the 19th World Cup Ballroom Dance Championship.

Guests applaud at the opening ceremony of the 19th World Cup Ballroom Dance Championship. Lin Songtao

Dancers perform like no one is watching at the opening ceremony of the 19th World Cup Ballroom Dance Championship.

Competitors show off their dancing skills in a fierce dance competition. Lin Songtao

Dancers compete in an exciting competition. Lin Songtao

Graceful dancers in a competition. Lin Songtao

Dancers compete in an exciting competition.

Dancers compete in an exciting competition. Lin Songtao

Dancers swirl gracefully around the dance floor during the competition.

Dancers compete in an exciting competition. Lin Songtao

Dancers swirl gracefully around the dance floor during the competition. Lin Songtao

Graceful dancers in a competition. Lin Songtao