Holy crap – according to Dance Beat, Riccardo Cocchi and Yulia Zagoruychenko placed first in the worlds in Bonn, Germany a couple days ago. When I first heard, I thought the current world Latin champs, Michael Malitowski and Joanna Leunis, might not have competed for some reason. But they did. They placed first only in Cha Cha. Riccardo and Yulia placed first in all other dances, making them the first American couple ever to be Latin world champs. I never thought they’d overtake Michael and Joanna – just because of the way ballroom competitions are, with the judges scoring couples the same year after year. I’m in shock!
Read more about the worlds, and about the Ohio Star Ball, in Dance Beat’s current issue.
I was there — it was such a beautiful moment! I couldn’t believe it when Samba marks were shown and Michael & Joanna’s came up with 2s, 3s and some 4s! Riccardo & Yulia just danced SO well — the judges would have been mad to have ignored it! And of course, after they knew they’d won Samba, it gave them extra welly to go out and get the other dances. Their Rumba was the most beautiful I’d ever seen it!
A well deserved result, to the best couple on the floor!