hot dance news (must have a source)

[etp777]

LOVE the paramanovs 

[ZPomeroy]

Jonathan and Hazel have retired! Such a shock...

Dancebeat:
Perhaps any inspiration felt by this couple was due to the idea that it was their ‘swan song’.  Yes, tonight Jonathan and Hazel announced their retirement from competitive dancing.

Zac

[etp777]

Mazen Hamza and Lisa Vogel have decided to call it quits according to dancebeat(at least together).  Leaves a pretty big gulf now between the top (Tomas and JT) and everyone else.  But some great young couples coming up.

pity, as I really enjoyed watching those two dance, though Tomas and JT are my favorite.   

[elisedance]

sorry, don't recognize the names - what style is this?

[etp777]

Smooth.  They were #2 at USDC this year.  Haven't been together long, as Mazen wsa still dancing with his old partner, Magdalena, when I saw them in St Louis in March

[elisedance]

I posted this in the Canada region board but it should go here too:

Maurizio Vescovo to dance with Andra Vaidilaite
(dancesportinfo) http://dancesportinfo.net/Articles/6620.aspx

Maurizio Vescovo won just about everything going in latin as an amateur with Melinda Torokgyorgy and placed 5th in pro latin at Blackpool this year.  This is particularly hot news for me as Andra owns the studio I'm currently taking lessons at

We're just waiting to find out which country they are going to represent - Canada (Andra) or Hungary (Maurizio).

This is interesting too:
Andrej Skufca (Slovenia) & Melinda Torokgyorgy (Hungary) - Maurizio's previous partner has paired up with a neighbour

[elisedance]

Smooth.  They were #2 at USDC this year.  Haven't been together long, as Mazen wsa still dancing with his old partner, Magdalena, when I saw them in St Louis in March

Ah.  I love to watch smooth but must admit to being rather ignorant of its stars... teach me oh great one

[elisedance]

Come to think of it, Smooth/rhythm really needs its own dancesportinfo site don't they?

[elisedance]

I posted this in the Canada region board but it should go here too:

Maurizio Vescovo to dance with Andra Vaidilaite
(dancesportinfo) http://dancesportinfo.net/Articles/6620.aspx

Maurizio Vescovo won just about everything going in latin as an amateur with Melinda Torokgyorgy and placed 5th in pro latin at Blackpool this year.  This is particularly hot news for me as Andra owns the studio I'm currently taking lessons at

We're just waiting to find out which country they are going to represent - Canada (Andra) or Hungary (Maurizio).

This is interesting too:
Andrej Skufca (Slovenia) & Melinda Torokgyorgy (Hungary) - Maurizio's previous partner has paired up with a neighbour

Correction: Maurizio is, of course, Italian. So I assume the choice is between Italy and Canada

[etp777]

Tomas Melnicki and JT Thomas are the top of the game without a doubt right now.

Under them, in rough order, would be Slawek Sochacki with Marzena Stachura, Eric and Michelle Hudson, Peter and Alexandra Perzhu, and Alex Tecza and Katja Lindholm (local couple, studio is not far from here).  Not sure who will move up to #6 now.  Bunch of possibilities there among the current couples, but also several unpartnered dancers out there that could be in finals again with right partnership.

[elisedance]

thanks.  now all I have to do is learn to memorize names   perhaps we should put such in the favorite couples topic...

[etp777]

I think I already mentioned Alex and Katja there.    You saw (though obviously didn't know it at time) both of them dancing with their students at windy city.  Actually, in event you won, second place was Alex and one of his students, and 6th was Katja and one of her students. 

[elisedance]

well, that was teh event I was LEAST likely to see anyone else   OTOH I do have a video of it - I wonder if they have seen that?  Do let their 'students' know if you see them.

[etp777]

I will if I actually talk to them.  Only talked to them once.  Love their dancing and cheer for them, but I don't actually know them.     But that reminds me, yo'uve actually seen them dance together too.   They did the Steam Heat number during showdance, which I love.  The one time I talked to them, at Nevada, was to t ell them how much I liked that number

[elisedance]

I don't think you need to tell the pros - I doubt they would be interested - its their students that are likely to be as everyone is at some point on the video.  Besides, I always like to meet new people, even if indirectly

And the stem heat number was one well named event!