Upcoming bets shine in national dancesport

Battle-tested and upcoming dance athletes shared the spotlight in the highly successful second National Dancesport Quarterly Ranking and Competition-Alaxan Cup held recently at the jampacked George Dewey Theater in Subic Bay.

Veteran internationalists Belinda Adora and Michael Mendoza lived up to their lofty billing by winning the amateur Latin championship, while John Errolle Melencio and Krystel Dame Tadeo, who will turn 18 four years from now, won the junior Latin category. The other winners were Edgar Borromeo and Ana Dulce Yango, amateur Standard; Melvin de la Serna and Shirley Basan, pre-Am Latin; Noel Reyes and Megumi Utsumi, pre-Am Standard; Juanito Mahinay and Marilyn Oliva, pro-Am Latin; Marvin Marquez and Rebecca Jose, pro-Am Standard; and the Russel Naval-Rizal Mae Valdez dance couple, juvenile Latin.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chair Felicito Payumo and his wife Daisy awarded the trophies to the winners. They were assisted by tournament organizers led by Dancesport Council of the Philippines president Becky Garcia and DSCP board members Jun Herrera, lawyers Jo Saliva and Andy Fonacier, Glo Alcala and dancesport friends Jocelyn Poon, Marvie Cojuangco Yulo, Emma Nieto and Nanette Mendoza. Also gracing the spectacular affair were Shirley Boey of Legenda Hotel, international adjudicators Scott Todd, Allan Yeh and Sky Cai while Italian couple Miko and Marika Selli, UK professional Rising Stars champions, performed a special number during the out-of-town event. The next dancesport tournament will be held on July 12-14 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, with licensed coach and dancesport champion Wolfgang Opitz serving as one of the world-class adjudicators.