Countries represented were:

Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Canada, Chech Republic, China, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan. Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Macau, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, USA, Wales.

As usual the organisation of this event was exemplary, fabulous music from Paul (time he replaced the tired, same old Ross Mitchell Orchestra – in my opinion) enjoyed by Amateur and professional dancers from around the world dancing to compete for these prestigious tiltles.

I was particularly impressed with the amateur dancers this year, the standard was very high. Good to see some readable choreography, particularly from the latin amateurs, sliding doors, checks (New Yorks to you and I), walks, underarm turns, fan, hockey stick etc.

If you haven’t been to this event before well worth the money.

Results of the UK Championships as follows:

Prefessional Latin
1. Michael Malitowski & Joanna Leunis – England
2. Riccardo Cocchi & Yulia Zagoruychenko – USA
3. Sergey Surkov & Melia – Russia
4. Andrej Skufca & Melinda – Slovenia
5. Maurizio Vescovo & Andra Vaidilaitte – Canada
5. Anton Karpov & Ekaterina Lapaeva – Russia

Professional Ballroom
1. Arunas Bizokas & Katusha Demidova – USA
2. Mirko Gozzoli & Edita Daniute – Italy
3. Victor Fung & Anastasia Muravyeva – OSA
4. Andrea Ghigiarelli & Sara Andracchio – England
5. Domen Krapez & Monica Nigro – Slovenia
6. Valerio Colantoni & Spesivtseva – Russia

Amateur Latin
1. Neil Jones & Ekerterina Sokolova – England
2. Kirill Belorukov & Elvira Skrylnikova – Russia
3. Troels Bager & Ina Jeliazkova – Denmark
4. Ferdinando Iannaccone & Yulia Musikhina – Italy
5. Mirco Risi & Ermachkova – Italy
Nikita Brovko & Anastasia Melnikova – Russia

Amateur Ballroom
1. Chao Yang & Yi Ling Tan – China
2. Marek Kosaty & Paulina Glazik – Poland
3. Chong He & Jing – China
4. Lukasz Tomczak & Aleksandra Jurczak – Poland
5. Stanislav Portanenko & Nataliya Koliada – Ukraine
6. Sergiu Rusu & Dorotota Makar – Poland

Congratulations to China, I believe that this is their first UK Championship title since the Championships began in 1959?

Classes are a great way to learn to dance along with other like minded couples, who want to test themselves against the rhythms of the Latin dance music, the sophistification of the romantic Waltz, the lively quickstep and jive rhythms and the aggresive Tango music.

Classes are very informal and we try to move at a pace to suit everybody and we try to make the learning process a fun experience.

Ballroom dancing is two people dancing together, so you will need a partner, unfortunately we are not able to provide partners for you.

If you want more details contact us through the contacts page on the web site or call us, alternatively just turn up on the day and give it a try!

Classes commence of Friday the 27th of January 2012 at 6.45 pm until 07.40 – £6.00 per person, at Heene Community Centre, Heene Road, Worthing BN11 4PL (car park and entrance round the corner in Winchester Road).

Having played through the cd’s, if you like classical music then you will love these cd’s, many of the tracks are from well known pieces of classical music such as ‘Dance of the Knights’ from Romeo & Juliet, ‘Overture to Orpheus in the Underworld’ and many others.

From a dancers point of view, many of the tracks are only suitable for the Vienesse Walt or a Polka, ‘Libertango’ by Astor Piazzolla you will be familiar with as a Tango or Argentine Tango, some of the tracks are not suitable for strict tempo dancing as we know it in Ballroom dancing.

However the double cd is good value if this is your kind of music.

We have 2 copies of the cd which we will be giving away as prizes at our dance on Saturday the 19th of march 2011, so brush up on your dancing knowledge to win one of these.

The press release from Classic FM is reproduced below:

PRESS RELEASE

Waltzing Classics
released 7th March 2011

Relive your dancing days with Classic FM’s new album

While the UK’s younger generation are living for the weekend, frequenting nightclubs with packed dancefloors, the older generation are also dancing the night away, reliving their youth with an entirely different form of dance music – the waltz. The latest cultural phenomenon to grip the nation is waltzing, and to celebrate the renaissance of this dance, Classic FM is releasing the brand new album, Waltzing Classics, on 7th March. With reality TV shows that involve dances such as the Waltz achieving TV audiences of over 10 million, ‘Partner Dancing’ has never been more popular in the UK, and 1.8 million people aged 45-64 regularly participate in amateur or professional dancing, according to an Arts Council report.

According to Lyndon Wainwright, former Honorary Secretary of the British Dance Council’s Teachers Committee, half an hour of ballroom dancing can burn between 100 and 250 calories. Saga, who provide lifestyle services for the over 50’s, also suggest that it can benefit the body in many ways, from protecting against Osteoporosis and cardiovascular problems, through the release of endorphins to relieve depression, and by increasing immunity to common illnesses through increased blood flow and lung capacity. Recent studies by the University of Missouri found improved levels of balance and posture in older participants that danced regularly. This older audience are finding dancing to be not only an enjoyable hobby, but a great way to stay healthy.

Waltzing Classics is the ultimate collection of your favourite waltzes, including Khachaturian’s ‘Waltz from Masquerade Suite’, Strauss’ ‘The Blue Danube’, other famous dances such as Piazzolla’s fiery ‘Libertango’, Ziehrer’s elegant ‘Losslassen’ Polka, and beautiful favourites from the world of ballet including Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Nutcracker’ and ‘Swan Lake’. Whether you’re a seasoned professional, or someone who just likes to waltz around the kitchen, traditional dance music has the ability to transport you to another place and time, reliving the magic and romance of the waltz. For the launch of Waltzing Classics, Classic FM is creating the ultimate online destination for fans of the waltz, with downloadable dance step guides, competitions to win tickets for the UK’s biggest dance events, and information on the history of these famous dances. To find out more visit www.classicfm.com/waltz

Join Darren Bennett & Lilia Kopylova form BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing as they go on an exhilarating journey into the vibrant world of Latin American Dance.

Darren & Lilia are the most successful dance partnership on Strictly Come Dancing, winning 5 trophies between them. They have each partnered an impressive array of celebreties from Jill Halfpenny, Emma Bunton. Lititia Dean and Gloria Hunniford to Darren Gough, Aled Jones, Matt Dawson & Don Warrington.

In Latin Fever, Darren & Lilia are joined by four leading Latin American dancing duos for their breathtaking voyage taking them from the streets of Brazil to the buildings of Spain by way of a mix of dance styles including the Rumba, the Cha Cha Cha and the Argentine Tango.

Dates & locations for Latin Fever visit their web site at www.darrenandlilia.com