May_2012-Dance-1 - Toronto Ballroom

2
Arnold
Eli Blyuss and Sharon Brandt
The Arnold Dancesport Classic,
held every year during the Arnold
Shwarznegger Sports Festival in
Columbus, Ohio, was once again a
very successful event for all of Team
Diablo Canada.
The youngest competitors, Alex
Barron and Rumi Dolmaya took
1st place in both the Gold J3
Standard and Latin. Eli Blyuss and
Sharon Brandt competed in the
Pre-Championship J3 Standard and
Latin, and also placed 1st in both
events!
In the J4 3-Dance Standard and
Latin, and the J4 5-Dance Standard
and Latin, Max Barron and
Celeste Bailey dominated, by taking
the gold medal in all four of
these events. They also made the
final in both the "Grand Slam"
Standard and Latin, where they
were up against dancers a couple of
years older than them, taking 4th
place in the standard division.
DANCESPORT
Artemy Kokhanov and
Abigail Xinkas placed 2nd in the
J5 Standard and the "Grand Slam"
Standard, also making them the
top-placed Canadian couple in
both these events, and they made
the final of the "Grand Slam" Latin!
In the J6 Standard, Vladimir
Martintsov and Maria Gladkikh
took 1st place, followed by Shawn
Potapovskai and Kamila Lerner
in 2nd. Both these couples also
made the Under 21 Standard final,
where Patrick Rucinski and Ella
Nusenbaum placed 1st, and
Daniel Studenny and Sarah-
Maude Thibaudeau placed 2nd.
Daniel and Sarah-Maude also competed
in the Under 21 Latin, where
they placed 4th, and the
Shawn Potapovskai and Kamila Lerner
Classic
Alex Barron and Rumi Dolmaya
Invitational Amateur Standard
where they were 4th, and the
Invitational Amateur Latin
where they were 5th.
Several of Team Diablo
Canada's couples also took
part in the Canada vs. USA
Team Match, pushing Canada
towards defending their title
as the Team Match
Champions.
As a result of everyone's
success at this competition,
Team Diablo Canada won the
Top Studio award for the 4th
consecutive year, far ahead of
all of the other competitor studios
in Toronto.
Congratulations to all the
couples, and good luck for
next year! Thank you to Sam
Sodano, for once again organizing
such a successful and
enjoyable event for these
young dancers!

F
From February 9th through February
12th, Montreal was the stage for a competition
known as La Classique du Quebec.
An annual event, this year's edition attracted
competitors as well as spectators to the
Bonaventure Montreal Downtown hotel.
Vladimir Martintsov and Maria Gladkikh
From Juveniles to Professionals, all members
of the dance community were present
and ready to perform. However, there
were a few changes implemented to the
competition. Modern technology was
introduced in the form of an application
for smartphones that streams updates,
heat lists and results up to the minute.
Another was a new layout of the floor plan
in the main ballroom, displaying a new
aesthetic theme that created a raised profile.
Every year, La Classique features a
spectacle of invited couples from all
around the world. Justinas Duknauskas &
Anna Melnikova delivered an exciting
showcase on Thursday evening, starting
the weekend off on an impressive footing.
Representing Team Diablo Canada in
the Junior age group was Artemy
Kokhanov & Abigail Xinkas, placing 3rd
in both the Championship Ballroom and
Globetrotter Latin event out of more than
40 couples! They are a young and upcoming
couple in the junior division who show
great promise in the future. They have a
very clear and calm disposition in Ballroom
La Classique du Quebec
CHAMPIONSHIPS OPEN
and a strong core in the Latin. This posture
gives them a mature look of champions.
Two youth partnerships performed in
the Ballroom, first of which was Shawn
Potapovskai & Kamila Lerner. This is a
recently formed duo who have danced a
few competitions so far, but have already
established themselves in the Youth division.
They placed 3rd in the Youth
Championship Ballroom as well as 5th in
the Rising Star, dancing both events with
solid consistency. They are a technically
sound couple with natural movement,
features sure to bring many similar successful
results.
Competing alongside them were
Vladimir Martintsov & Maria Gladkikh
who impressively won the Youth and
Rising Star categories. They also placed
5th in the Amateur Ballroom, dancing an
exciting weekend filled with outstanding
results. Vladimir & Maria create a very
smooth and fluid quality to their program,
this is a refreshing vision of calm and wellexecuted
dancing that does not look
forced or overdone.
Continuing with the Amateur results,
Daniel Studenny & Sarah-Maude
Thibaudeau received 4th place in the
Ballroom. Daniel & Sarah are a couple that
improves greatly from competition to
competition. They have a very strong
frame with minimal distortion, coupled
with an excellent ability to shift across the
floor. These two only dance better and
better and there seems to be no stop to
their charismatic improvement.
Lastly in the Amateur, Patrick
Rucinski & Ella Nusenbaum were the
top-ranked Canadian couple, securing 3rd
position. They boasted a solid performance,
showcasing their unique style on the
floor. Patrick & Ella were previous youth
Canadian champions, now making large
waves in the Amateur division. With their
dancing being a superb overall package,
their future is one to keep close track of.
In conclusion, this was one of the most
successful La Classique Du Quebec competitions
in recent Team Diablo Canada
history. Multiple couples placed in the
upper echelon of each of their respective
age groups and levels. Every couple also
danced at their personal best which made
this a memorable year. The only thing
remaining is to acknowledge the dancers
and our supporters for taking part in the
competition. A big thank you to the
organizing team for making such an
amazing event!
Amateur Standard Lineup
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4
Moscow Worlds
Dancesport Championships
Artemy Kokhanov and Abigail Xinkas
On March 24 and 25 , the Junior Standard World Championships were held in the
snowy Moscow, Russia.
Even though spring this year started in Moscow with a snow storm, inside the huge
convention center in one of the most prestigious areas of this megapolis, the atmosphere
was heated by hundreds of dancers of all ages, coming to compete at the
Academy Cup.
From 7 in the morning, kids, no older than 7-8, were already all dressed up, with
their perfectly sleek hair, warming up for their competitions, which started with more
than 100 couples in some categories.
This year the Junior World Standard
Championships were held during this
competition, which attracted many couples
from all over the world. One of the
Canadian representatives were Artemy
Kokhanov and Abigail Xinkas. This was
their first time in such a large and important
competition in the Junior II category,
and they represented their country with a
lot of energy, enthusiasm and great pride.
The competition was fierce and many
couples on the floor were already in their
last year of Junior, but Artemy and Abigail
stood out of the crowd with their polished
look, strong lines and beautiful dynamic
presentation. It seemed like they soaked
up the energy of the atmosphere around
them, because they were dancing better
and better from round to round. They
made the quarter-final of this 60 couple
event of the best juniors from around the
world, finishing in an impressive 17th position.
This gave them the privilege to dance
in the evening to a very full and excited
audience.
The next day after the World's, the
Open Junior II Standard Championship
took place, in which 109 couples took part!
Having danced the World Championship
the day before, Artemy and Abigail started
the next day at 9 am, and after dancing
through 5 rounds made the semi-final,
placing 11th! A very impressive achievement
for this very young and talented
couple. They were extremely proud when
the semi-finalists were presented one by
one to hear "Canada" being called among
the other countries in that semi-final.
This was a fantastic result for Artemy
and Abigail and we are looking forward to
see even more great achievements from
these young dancers!
Congratulations!

Ontario Closed
CHAMPIONSHIPS
Every year the Ontario Closed Dancesport
Championships are held at the end of
February, portraying some of Ontario's best
couples and serving as the qualifier for the
upcoming Canadian Closed Championship.
Both the Ontario Closed and Open
Championships are held at the Rameses Shrine
Hall, a venue that in itself holds countless years
worth of Ontario's own competitive dancing
history.
Some of our youngest competitors, Daniel
Rito and Eliana Barbuzzi competed in the
Silver and Gold junior categories in Standard
and Latin, making finals their first time out in
Gold, with a very solid and strong performance.
Alex Barron and Rumi Dolmaya represented
Team Diablo in the junior category for
the first time as well in Gold level and they
showed very strong and charismatic dancing in
both styles, entertaining the audience and also
making it into final rounds. Gregory
Tretiakov and Nicole Perel showed great
improvement, also making the finals in the
Gold Junior Standard and Latin. Eli Blyuss and
Sharon Brandt danced the Juvenile Pre-
Champ category for the 1st time at the Ontario
Closed Championships giving everyone a great
show. They were the youngest participants in
the evening session of the competition.
In both the Junior Standard and Latin categories,
TDC had two of Canada's strongest
couples participating in this fierce and unparalleled
competition. In the Latin category,
Youth Championship Standard Lineup
Gregory Tretiakov and Nicole Perel
Maxim Barron & Celeste Bailey finished in
second position, marginally preceding Artemy
Kokhanov & Abigail Xinkas who placed
third. Both couples have different outstanding
qualities and depict different personalities on
the dance floor. This
aspect defines the
uniqueness of each couple
and, as a whole, magnifies
and enriches the competitive
dancesport industry
within Canada. In the
Standard division, Artemy
and Abigail managed to
swap places with their
teammates, Maxim and
Celeste, coming into second
position.
Moving up one age
category into the Youth
Standard division,
Vladimir Martintsov &
Maria Gladkikh easily
won the event, being by far
the most mature couple in
the final. They are definitely
setting the bar very high
at the upcoming Nationals
in a couple of weeks.
Shawn Potapovskai &
Kamila Lerner finished
into second position that
night, having a more cleaner
top line and a freed
dynamic body than before.
Maxim Barron & Celeste Bailey
The Amateur Standard was one of the
highlights of the evening, consisting of a
strong semifinal. Arthur and Avital
Yakoubov danced with a lot of energy and
power. This brother and sister duo has climbed
up the dancing ranks tremendously lately. The
youngest duo, Vladimir Martintsov & Maria
Gladkikh placed 5th. Even though being the
youngsters in the final, they didn't show any
holding back or intimidation from the others.
They are already establishing themselves highly
in the amateur rank, dancing more refined,
improving at every competition. Daniel
Studenny & Sarah Maude Thibaudeau
placed fourth.
They had a very good performance that
night, dancing more controlled and together,
emulating a more solid and effortless look.
Moving further up onto the podium position
were none other than Patrick Rucinski & Ella
Nusenbaum. They always give a solid performance
and that night wasn't any different.
This talented couple has gone a long way, and
has already managed to establish themselves
as a highly ranked international couple. Their
prominent international results, backed up by
their good quality of dance serve as proof of
this couple's well-deserved success. They are
constantly striving to improve their own quality
of dancing and are always such a pleasure to
watch. These three couples are by far the
youngest talents competing already in the final
of the Amateur division.
We would like to thank the entire Ontario
Dancesport committee for their tremendous
effort in running such a marvelous and well
structured competition. Good Luck for everyone
at the upcoming Canadian Closed
Championships! Go TEAM Go!
5

6
Canadian Closed
CHAMPIONSHIPS
This year Canadian Closed Dancesport Championships
took place in Vancouver, one of the most beautiful cities
in Canada. Competitors from all over Canada came to try
their strength and compete for the National title as well
as a chance to go to the World Championships.
Team Diablo Canada came very strongly prepared at
this event as usual. Team Diablo Canada has held the
Junior Standard trophy for the past 5 consecutive years
and this year was no exception. The couple that really
stood out, Artemy Kokhanov and Abigail Xinkas won
this title for Team Diablo Canada for the sixth consecutive
time! They danced very well to win that night. Last year
they were third and this year they improved dramatically
and it showed a lot on the floor. This couple improved not
only in Standard but also in their Latin-American program.
In Latin they were 2nd , which means they are
going to represent Canada at the WDSF World
Championship in Hungary later this year. Their confidence
and presence in both styles were obvious.
Another great Junior couple, Maxim Barron and
Celeste Bailey. This new partnership made an enormous
progress in the last few months. This was their first
Nationals together but they already captured a lot of
attention of the audiences and the judges. Their Latin is
very natural and their standard has a very dynamic
approach. They came third in both styles which is a great
start for this young duet.
Another title that Team Diablo Canada brought back
home for the fourth year in a row was Amateur Youth
Standard. Vladimir Martintsov and Maria Gladkikh
were the new Canadian Youth Standard Champions, the
Junior Standard Lineup
Patrick Rucinski & Ella Nusenbaum
and Vladimir Martintsov & Maria Gladkikh

new successor in this very competitive category. They looked strong
and they danced up to the level to win the title. Their dancing is not only
elegant and musical, but at the same time powerful and energetic.
Another partnership that is up and coming is Shawn Potapovskai and
Kamila Lerner. These two are very strong competitors. They are quick
and elegant, energetic and musical. These qualities are the intrinsic part
of their performance. They came third this time, taking 2nd in Vienese
Waltz, but have a very good chance of being in the top two if they continue
to develop their dancing quality.
In the Amateur Latin, Daniel Studenny and Sarah-Maude
Thibaudeau danced strong and were a few recalls from the final. They
improved a lot in the past year having developed their style together
with increased speed and control. This couple proved to be very good
not only in ballroom but also in Latin American dancing where they
continue to show their progress with every competition.
Amateur Standard final was a very strong event . It was dominated
by our team with half the final consisting of our couples, and it showed
a different kind of quality that is beginning to show with these young
and up and coming competitors. Patrick Rucinski and Ella
Nusenbaum, 3 times Canadian Youth Champions and 2 times World
Youth finalists, created a strong competition for the first two places in
the Amateur this year. They danced with passion and great emotions
that audience could not take their eyes off. This couple was able to
focus and produce a really unforgettable performance that many people
who came that night will remember. Daniel and Sarah were another
hard to miss couple that had a great night in Vancouver. Their standard
became more mature, they were able to show more contrast and
entertain all the audience and the judges in the ballroom. They came
fourth this time, which is already a great progress from last year's sixth
place. Vladimir and Maria also competed in the Amateur event where
they showed even better performance that night. After winning Youth,
they had a great spirit and were able to relax more and just follow their
instincts, which really showed in their dancing.
Good Luck to all competitors in their dancing development for next
year, when they will meet one more time to prove who could be the
best one, but this time in Halifax.
Alexandre & Julia Chalkevitch and Larissa Kerbel with Team Diablo Canada
Maxim Barron and Celeste Bailey
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8
Old T homas
Tallinn TROPHY
WDSF International OPEN
On April 20th - 22nd, the Old Thomas
Tallinn Trophy, organized by Ivo Kappet,
was held in the heart of Tallinn, Estonia.
This competition featured some of the
world's top class dancers including current
European Amateur Standard and Latin
champions, and many competitors had
traveled from all around the world to take
part in this event. Team Diablo Canada's
Patrick Rucinski and Ella Nusenbaum
competed in the WDSF Rising Stars
Standard on April 20th, and took 1st place.
Two days later, they also competed in the
WDSF International Open Standard
where, out of 50 couples, they made the
final. 1st place went to Benedetto
Ferruggia and Claudia Kohler from
Germany, 2nd place to Nikolay Darin and
Natalia Seredina from Moldova, and in 3rd
place were Latvia's Andrejs Rogovenko
and Anna Voroncuka. Patrick and Ella finished
4th, with 3rd place in the Tango and
Quickstep, making them just one point
away from being on the podium in third.
5th place went to Russia's Denis Molkov
and Natalia Osyko, and in 6th were Alari
Liiv and Baile Orb from Estonia. Although
this competition has only been running for
two years, it has already attracted a large
crowd. The organization was superb,
treating the audience and the dancers to a
wonderful weekend of dancing!
WDSF Amateur Standard Lineup

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Falls Premier Ball
Dancesport Championships
The Falls Premier Ball, which takes place in
January, marks the commencement of a new
dancesport season for all of our competitive
dancers. The competition is held at the
Marriott Gateway, situated in the heart of the
Fallsview Boulevard tourist district, minutes away
from numerous area attractions. This three-day
competition featured some of the most elite
dancers from both the Amateur and Professional
fields.
The first day of the competition brought forth
all of the scholarships events, as well as the
friendly team match, where dancers of all levels
were able to excel in their performance and
demonstrate their skills while assuming a competitive
edge. In the Amateur Standard Scholarship
event, Patrick Rucinski and Ella Nusenbaum
easily won all five dances, showing a more mature
and elegant approach. Setting off a new fresh
start in the Amateur division, they show no holding
back and a promising future ahead of them.
That very evening they also performed their show
dance number: "I Need A Doctor" which received
great feedback and offered a warm diverting
atmosphere for the spectators.
The next day included all age categories, from
the youngster juvenile competitors to the more
experienced and older professional dancers. In
the Junior Standard championships, Artemy
Kohanov and Abigail Xinkas placed first
amongst a straight final. They are constantly
Patrick Rucinski and Ella Nusenbaum
La Coup du Defi
Dancesport Championships
La Coupe du Defi took place on
January 28 in Ste Julie, Quebec. For organizers
Aldor and Andree Grenier, this was
the twentieth anniversary of La Coupe. It
was also the last year of the competition, a
special commemoration for an event that
has been supported and well loved by
locals and dancers alike for it's unique
hometown energy. To culminate a full day
of competition, it was fitting that a show
was performed by an invited couple wellknown
by most in the dance community:
Michael Malitowksi & Joanna Leunis,
Professional World Latin Champions. They
delivered a spectacular performance that
completed not only a great night, but also
a great event.
For Team Diablo Canada couples,
Vladimir Martintsov & Maria Gladkikh
competed in both the Youth Ballroom as
well as Amateur Ballroom. This is a mature
Youth duo that has grown together and
improved their dancing dramatically. They
striving to improve not only their quality
of dancing but also their showmanship
and performance. Continuing their success
in the Junior Latin championships,
they likewise managed to secure first
place. This couple is overall showing a
much more cleaner yet dynamic style of
dancing, enabling them to express each
action to its fullest potential which, in
turn, enhances their interpretation of
the steps and movements within their
choreography. Moving up into the youth
category, winning all five dances were
TDC dancers: Shawn Potapovskai and
Kamila Lerner. This couple has tremendously
improved over a short period of
time. Their movement was more fluid
and refined, leading to a more softer
and composed look.
One of the highlights of the evening
was the International Amateur Standard
Open event. Once again placing clearly
first was none other than Patrick
Rucinski and Ella Nusenbaum. Placing
3rd in that final were their teammates,
Shawn Potapovskai and Kamila
Lerner. That evening, the organizer provided
the audience with a special surprise
and treated the crowd with a performance
by the top dancers from last
year's season of "So You Think You Can
Dance Canada ". The performances were
fantastic and truly captivating.
Special mention goes out to the
organizer of the competition, Jolan
Sniegocki, for being able to make this
event as successful as it was!
match very well physically and have
increased their movement across the floor
during recent competitions. Vladimir &
Maria placed 1st in the Youth and 2nd in
the Amateur.
The second couple from TDC was none
other than Daniel Studenny & Sarah-
Maude Thibaudeau who placed 1st in the
Amateur Ballroom. Daniel & Sarah are veterans
in their event, having danced and
competed together for just over four
years. The two have built up their dancing
with one another into a great competitive
program that won them their event at La
Coupe.
A big congratulations goes out to all of
our couples who participated in the last
installment of La Coupe du Defi. As well, a
thank you to the organizers for their dedication
as well as to the spectators and participants
that made it a memorable experience
for all who attended. Best of luck in
all your future endeavors!

Danse Elite
Danse Elite took place on March 24, in Ville St-Laurent, Quebec.
Danse Elite is a growing competition that is a showcase of the local competitors
inside of Quebec. Every year, the best and brightest dancers that
Montreal and the surrounding cities have to offer gather to compete
and test their mettle. This annual installment was no different and it only
improves with each and every addition.
Our young competitors did fantastic at this competition. Daniel Rito
Rimini Open is one of
the biggest and most
notable competitions not
only in Italy but around the
world. Who could imagine
that such a small city could
bring forth some of the
worlds best dancers from
several international
DanceSport nations such as:
Russia, Denmark, Moldova
and Germany, and of
course Canada.
The first day was comprised
of both the WDSF
Rising Star Standard and the
WDSF International Open
Latin. The Rising Star
Standard started bright and
early in the morning, being
one of the first events of
the competition. Out of a
strong 48 couple rivalry,
Patrick Rucinski & Ella
Nusenbaum managed to
easily secure the gold medal
Dancesport Championships
Daniel Studenny & Sarah-Maude Thibaudeau
Rimini Open
Dancesport Championships
for Canada. They danced
each and every round as the
clear champions, with sheer
WDSF Rising Star Standard Lineup
and Eliana Barbuzzi won 1st places in
Junior Silver Standard and Latin in all 5
dances! Gregory Tretiakov and
Nicole Perel took 1st place in the special
under 15 silver and gold categories.
And in the same under 15 Latin division,
Alex Barron and Rumi Dolmaya took
the 1st place. In the Juvenile Pre-Champ
and Champ Standard and Latin, Eli
Blyuss and Sharon Brandt got all top
honors.
Max Barron & Celeste Bailey
competed in both the Junior Ballroom
and Latin events. This is a couple that
has only been dancing together for a
few months. However, they are already
establishing themselves in the junior
division in both disciplines, showing
great promise and strong performance
ability. They placed 1st in the Ballroom
and 2nd in the Latin.
In the Amateur Ballroom, placing
first in their event were Daniel
Studenny & Sarah-Maude
Thibaudeau. They are great competitors
and are well-known dancers. They
were the crowd favourites at this competition
and performed like true champions.
They did not only showed an
impressive program, they did so with
confidence and pure class.
The next day consisted
of the main standard event,
the WDSF Adult
International Open, with 79
couples registered. Having
10 star couples dancing this
event, some of them that
consecutively make the
World final, it is not such an
easy task making the final,
not mentioning actually
winning the competition.
Daniel Rito and Eliana Barbuzzi
10
great charisma and zeal, feeding off
of the crowd's energy and using that
energy in a reinvigorating effort.
All in all, this was another successful
year of Danse Elite, showcasing
some of Canada's best talent
from Quebec and Ontario.
Congratulations to all the participants
and many thanks to all the
supporters and participants. See you
next year!
Patrick & Ella gave it their all
and finished into 14th position
that night, only a few
recalls short from breaking
into the semi-final. Well
done guys!
A special mention goes
out to Giancaorlo and Luisa
Barbieri for organizing such
a wonderful event.

Toronto Ballroom
(905) 264-6070
A Chance to Dance
(647) 298-7876
Victory Dance
(905) 508-2926
info@teamdiablo.ca
www.teamdiablo.ca
www.chrisanne.com
Photo materials generously provided by:
Image 4U
Dance Plus Inc
www.danceplus.com
(416) 251-5998