More on Amateur Latin from Carolyn
YOU CAUGHT MY EYE
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157 Sam Shamseili and Frederikke Flyvbjerg Norgaard from Denmark
A very new couple and very interesting to watch. They have the courage to explore and find news ways of doing standard normal choreography, particularly the Paso and the Rumba. These ideas catch my attention very easily. There is always something surprising to the eye. I hope that they continue on the road and on the way put more thought into more technical detail that sometimes is missing. It would complete a beautiful picture and performance.
165 Tal Livshitz and Ilana Keselman from USA
Seeing they are trying a new controlled approach to their dancing, but it has not yet hit home, but is on the right track. Giving off a fake-ish look with the message "this is not me yet, work in progress, but we are getting there". And I am sure it will get there but it needs time. I do admire them taking a different approach from the "too much" before. Also it would be nice if they squinted their eyes less, true expression comes from within. Or you feel or you don't but don't fake it. Looking forward to seeing them the next major competition to see if this "work in progress" is progressing. I am sure they will not let me down.
169 Adrian Dreling and Agata Wawrzusiszyn from Poland
Nice approach. Would like them to have a little bit more light and shade, with their energy and choreography.
174 Mikhail Popov and Veronika Tamarova from Russia
Boy has to be careful when he lifts his arms up too high also his shoulders lifts up. Pity, if they were more controlled the look and the design would look amazing.
177 Michael Hemera and Lauren Mcfarlane-Hemera from England
Love the idea of the dress, great hand movements from the girl. Bob Fosse soft style approach.
184 Joel Lopez and Kristina Bespechnova from Spain
Today was excellent, they were so much relaxed and at home in the amateur open than not the Rising Stars, even though I thought it was a big mistake that they did not get to the final of the Sunday. But that is in the past, they both got their energy together and gave a wonderful performance. So nice to see them BACK HOME where they belong with quality dancers.
188 Kyrylo Dovgalin and Katerina Sahanenko from Ukraine
Eye catching, but would love the girl to be more flexible and softer in the back, without losing the good muscular tone. This would make the overall look lighter.
193 Denys Drozdyuk and Antonina Skobina from USA
I honestly do not understand why these two wonderful dancers are not higher up in the results. So underrated for my liking. I simple adore their approach and wonderful body awareness. You can see they have educated their bodies in the correct way. So refreshing to see. Love their choreography and what they say with it.
195 Aleksandr Andreichev and Kristina Nikiforova from Russia
I really like this couple when I can actually find them on the dance floor. What worries me is that I have to really search for them. I always like them, I feel as though they have a lot to say with their dancing, but I find that they are a little too silent as if afraid to show how good they are (my impression). They should shout a little bit more and maybe they would be seen easier.
203 Damir Haluzan and Anna Mashchyts from Slovenia
Very competent dancers, with very good basic concepts and approach, I classify them as typical British, even though they are from Slovenia, but I would love them to develop and go somewhere with their dancing. I always find them the same, no risking, too classical and not exciting. I would love to see them one day doing something daring like expressing themselves more towards the audience.
207 Jakub Drmota and Marketa Vlckova from Czech Republic
Was not the best performance to date. They have fallen back a bit with their progress compared to what I saw at the UK Open. Having problems with floorcraft, always seeing them in the middle of other couples. Maybe it was just a NO day.
212 Darren Morrissey and Christina Morrissey from England
Nice rolls in Samba. Would like them to work more together as a couple to produce more volume and be more solid and grounded. Would be careful with the choice of outfits, it looked a little in the heavy side.
213 Andrew Escolme and Amy Louise Baker from England
So glad she kept this blue dress on which looks better on her. I would still have a rethink of the hair style. It is too heavy and covers up the face. Why would someone cover up their expression? Also i would like the boy to be more aware of how he uses his arms, which have to create a shape and form, find that it sometimes is a little lost in the idea where they should actually be, but his body is much more connected and active than the last time I saw him.
218 Michal Galek and Klaudia Kedzierska from Poland
Nice energy today.
220 Oleksandr Kravchuk and Olesya Getsko from Ukraine
So highly improved excellently groomed and out so early. What have I missed? Unexplainable for me. She's done the more amazing closure of feet in fan. WOW.
225 Manuel Frighetto and Karin Rooba from Estonia
The new finalists of the open Amateur, and how pleased they were in making this wonderful final and I think they deserved it. They look motivate and hungry during the whole competition, which they do not usually do. I usually like Karen, but at times I feel she misses that small detail to make it look totally classy, this time it was not missing. Also I usually find Manuel not taking everything really serious, this time there was total commitment to everything. Congratulation. I really hope they maintain this hunger and not fall into the trap, like some, of just defending what they have already obtained and not challenging what they still have to get. Time will tell.
226 Andrei Kiselev and Anastasia Kiseleva from Russia
This is a total mystery, what happened to this couple today! One month before they make 2nd in the European at the Winter Gardens and now out in the 96? Spoke to so many people after the competition and we were all baffled. They had an excellent performance the whole night with great basic and technical concepts. Amazing approach, I just hope to think the only problem was that the judge did not see them for some reason. I would have easily had them in the final and certainly not last.
230 Benjamin Jones and Amy Dowden from England
I really like this couple but sometimes I feel they are totally into what they are doing then the next moment they are a little absent. If they could just keep up the first it would be amazing.
231 Konstantin Kaftan and Antonina Zhukova from Russia
Boy does nice leading but the girl does not always follow or fill up the space the boy gives. They are a very attractive couple when I find them.
235 Arkady Bakenov and Rosa Filippello from England
Amazing dress, great idea, must have weight a ton.
241 Atanas Gendov and Anna Lisova from Italy
Have improved in the partnering, but I find sometimes they are not always fully committed to one another to produce the man-woman role. Sometimes the girls leg action could be quicker and lighter.
242 Kiril Kulish and Orsolya Horvath from USA
Really great performance today. I have to admit that Orsolya has totally changed 360 degrees in positive. Congratulations.
245 Wu Liu Fu and Yu Jun Du from China
This used to be one of my favorite couple from the Junior/Youth and the beginning of the Amateur, now if feel as though they are stuck and not moving forward in any direction. This does not mean to say they are not good, they are, but I expect to see something more and not just a confirmation of what they have already produced.
248 Dario Pizzo and Karen D'Albundo from France
Another couple completely changing approach of the performance from the Rising Stars to the Open Latin, the second being much better and also a better result. Would like more freeness from the boy and less looking down, it does not always give a positive look.
250 Maciej Walczak and Anna Piaseczna from Poland
Good energy to day and have learned how to get round the floor.
255 Igor Wilczynski and Anna Kapliy from Poland
Nice attractive couple, the girl has good legs and feet, but would like if sometime she would be more soft in some places to show light and shade.
260 Andrzej Suchocki and Natalia Piecewicz from Poland
Always a very attractive couple and good principals, but it was not the best performance I have seen. But was out of the competition far too early for their quality.
266 Pavel Stepanchuk and Gabriella Sabler from USA
If they had done in the Rising Stars as what they had done today they would have been easily in the final of the Rising Stars. Excellent approach all the way through the competition with great control.
268 Giovanni Virgitto and Giulia D'Alessandro from Italy
Continued energy from the final of the Rising Stars. Always a positive approach in all dances.
271 Marc Jimenez Blanch and Valeryia Urymahava from Spain
Have improved in the past year. Much more togetherness and positivity. I would still like the boy to take more responsibility within the couple and the girl to listen a little more. This would help make the couple look much more solid. Also I would rethink about the choice of dress. Anyhow I think the were out of the competition far too early.
272 Klemen Prasnikar and Alexandra Averkieva from Slovenia
Fab colour of dress in the earlier rounds. They have greatly improved in the past year and I really appreciate the great change they made. Today I found them still good, but with a question mark right from the beginning. I felt that they were defending what they had which slightly blocked them from challenging to take a higher position, which they could have easily done with their normal performance. I am sure they will show this at the next major competition.
275 Nurlan Gallyamov and Celeste Bailey from Canada
I find the an attractive couple and very easy to find on the floor. I would like the boy to be more powerful in taking more responsibility in leading lady more through his centre and less physically through the arms. I find this couple with a lot of talent and potential still to be developed.
279 Gleb Chernyavsky and Maryna Steshenko from Ukraine
Always different from the other couples which I admire a lot. The approach and the look being unique. On this occasion I think they made their first mistake with the outfits. They did not compliment their body hence their dancing. The material actually covered up the very good movement they have. That was such a pity, they have so much to offer.
291 Ferdinando Iannaccone and Yulia Musikhina from USA
I am sure they were disappointed with the result. I found them on two occasions where they were struggling with the other couples in the earlier rounds, one where a couple unfortunately bumped into them and Yulia literally bounced of them and fell but quickly recovered. The second when they had to walk down to the other side of the hall, I think in Cha Cha to find space where they could dance peacefully. This could have disturbed their concentration, hence not being always totally IN the dance. I am sure the next time hopefully it will be better.
298 Vjaceslavs Visnakovs and Tereza Kizlo from Latvia
Dancing well but it is not always constant from round to round or from competition to competition. They have positive moments which are brilliant and other moments where it is good but maybe under toned. This is such a shame as this couple with the talent and ability should already be in the final, at the worst, in semi. Would back track a little to when the results were more constant and positive. The answer must be there.
303 Salvatore Sinardi and Viktoriya Kharchenko from Italy
Relatively new couple together and looking good. Nice combination man woman. Would like Viktoriya to allow herself more freedom within the couple, not alway being in Salvo's power. Salvo has improved his connection beween the dance mechanics and the technical side of his dancing and makes ho, look more powerful. Thought they could have made the semi.
GENERAL COMMENTS
So finally I have finished my comments. I am sure many will be pleased with them and some people less pleased. These are only my views on what I saw during the competition. You have a choice to accept them or not. If you do, use them in a positive constructive way. This is one of my priorities. There is nothing negative, just many lessons to get better.
Carolyn Smith
The views and opinions expressed above are those of Carolyn Smith and do not necessarily reflect the views of dancesportinfo
