International Latin American Dance Champions Explained

The International Latin American Dance Championships were created after the Second World War in England by Elsa Wells, and are now organised by Dance News special events. The current full title is the Elsa Wells International Dance Championships, and includes all categories in Standard and Latin American ballroom dance.

The series of Latin American International Championships were started once the initial choreography, teaching and adjudications standards for these dances were stabilised. This occurred in the 1950s, after a period of debate and discussion initiated by Monsieur Pierre and his associates. Although English in origin and organisation, the championships were open to the world, as is the case today for all the major ballroom championships held in England. There are two main series, one for professionals, and another for amateurs, plus various age-limited categories. The division between amateur and professional has persisted in ballroom dance long after it disappeared in most other sports and pastimes.[1]

The final stages for both Amateur and Professional Standard and Latin American titles are always held at the Albert Hall in London. Qualification for these final stages, and the championships for other categories (Juvenile, Under 14, Junior, Under 21, Senior, Pro Rising Stars) are held at a preliminary two-day event before the main finals at Brentwood, Essex.[2] Non-English adjudicators are always included in the adjudication panels. It is one of the largest regular, and genuinely international, events in the ballroom dance world.

This list (and competition) is not the same as the later WDC World Championships. The International Professional Latin and Standard Championships are now part of the World Dance Council's World Super Series.

The dances

The Latin American competition comprises five dances: cha-cha-cha, samba, rumba, paso doble, and jive,[3] conducted in line with British Dance Council (BDC) regulations;[4] the basis of the dances is described in standard texts.[5] Advanced choreography has, however, broken through the traditional limitations of social dancing, and more obviously in the Latin and American dances than in ballroom (Modern or Standard).[6]

Adjudication

The qualifying and lesser events days at Brentwood had, in 2009, three adjudication panels of eight former champions and other significant professionals. Early rounds had one panel of eight, alternating. Semi-finals and finals of lesser events had both panels. At the Albert Hall, there were four panels, each of 19 adjudicators. The semi-finals and finals of the amateur and professional titles were each adjudicated by a separate panel.[7] This may be contrasted favourably with the number of judges used for those Olympic Games events which depend upon adjudication, such as ice dancing and diving. Results and adjudication details (marks for each finalist by each adjudicator) are posted after the event.[8]

2009 entrants

In the Professional Championship there were 150 couples from 34 countries of affiliation (countries of origin not listed). In the Amateur Championship there were 289 couples from 31 countries of affiliation.[9] Countries such as China, Japan, Russia and Italy sent multiple entries to all competitions. The countries listed in the table below are countries of origin, where known.

International Professional Champions

Professional Champions[10]
1953Jack Orton-Smith & Norma Noble England
1954Leonard Patrick & Doreen Key England
1955England
1956James Arnell & Jillian La Valette England
1957James Arnell & Jillian La Valette England
1958James Arnell & Jillian La Valette England
1959James Arnell & Jillian La Valette England
1960Walter Laird & Lorraine Reynolds England/Sweden
1961Jimmy Hulbert & Carol Dourof England
1962Walter Laird & Lorraine Reynolds England/Sweden
1963Walter Laird & Lorraine Reynolds England/Sweden
1964Robert & Marguerite O'Hara England
1965James Arnell & Jillian La Valette England
1966Robert & Marguerite O'Hara England
1967Robert & Marguerite O'Hara England
1968Robert & Marguerite O'Hara England
1969Robert & Marguerite O'Hara England
1970Michael Stylianos & Lorna Lee England
1971Michael Stylianos & Lorna Lee England
1972Michael Stylianos & Lorna Lee England
1973Michael Stylianos & Lorna Lee England
1974Michael Stylianos & Lorna Lee England
1975Alan & Hazel Fletcher England
1976Alan & Hazel Fletcher England
1977Alan & Hazel Fletcher England
1978Peter Maxwell & Lynn Harman England
1979Alan & Hazel Fletcher England
1980Alan & Hazel Fletcher England
1981Espen & Kirsten Salberg Norway
1982Espen & Kirsten Salberg Norway
1983Sammy & Shirley Stopford England
1984Scotland/England
1985Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather Scotland/England
1986Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather Scotland/England
1987Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather Scotland/England
1988Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather Scotland/England
1989Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather Scotland/England
1990Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather Scotland/England
1991Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather Scotland/England
1992Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather Scotland/England
1993Sammy Stopford & Barbara McColl England
1994Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather Scotland/England
1995U.S.A./England
1996Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather Scotland/England
1997Finland
1998South Africa/England
1999Jukka Haapalainen & Sirpa Suutari Finland
2000South Africa/Germany
2001Bryan Watson & Carmen Vincelj South Africa/Germany
2002Bryan Watson & Carmen Vincelj South Africa/Germany
2003Bryan Watson & Carmen Vincelj South Africa/Germany
2004Bryan Watson & Carmen Vincelj South Africa/Germany
2005Bryan Watson & Carmen Vincelj South Africa/Germany
2006Bryan Watson & Carmen Vincelj South Africa/Germany
2007Bryan Watson & Carmen Vincelj South Africa/Germany
2008Poland/Belgium
2009Michael Malitowski & Joanna Leunis Poland/Belgium
2010Michael Malitowski & Joanna Leunis England
2011Michael Malitowski & Joanna Leunis England
2012Riccardo Cocchi & Yulia Zagoruychenko U.S.A.
2013Michael Malitowski & Joanna Leunis England
2014Michael Malitowski & Joanna Leunis England
2015Riccardo Cocchi & Yulia Zagoruychenko U.S.A.
2016Riccardo Cocchi & Yulia Zagoruychenko U.S.A.
2017Riccardo Cocchi & Yulia Zagoruychenko[11] U.S.A.
2018Riccardo Cocchi & Yulia Zagoruychenko U.S.A.
2019Riccardo Cocchi & Yulia Zagoruychenko U.S.A.
2020
2021Troels Bager & Ina Ivanova-Jeliazkova U.S.A.
2022Troels Bager & Ina Ivanova-Jeliazkova U.S.A.
2023Troels Bager & Ina Ivanova-Jeliazkova U.S.A.

International Amateur Champions

Amateur Champions
1953James Arnell & Estrella Pescador England/Spain
1954tie: Derek & Rose Bassi and Teddie Atkinson & Audrey Tessier England
1955Derek & Rose Bassi England
1956James Hayes & Eileen Pollard England
1957James Hayes & Eileen Pollard England
1958James Hayes & Eileen Pollard England
1959Robert O'Hara & Margaret Nuthall England
1960Ronald Smith & Jill Stevens England
1961Ronald Smith & Jill Stevens England
1962Alan Shaw & Ann Tinkley England
1963John Brogan & Valerie Ritter England
1964Barnie Conway & Evelyn Hislop Scotland
1965Barnie Conway & Evelyn Hislop Scotland
1966Barnie Conway & Evelyn Hislop Scotland
1967David Douglass and Janice Barb
1968David Douglass and Janice Barb
1969Alan & Hazel Fletcher England
1970Keith Brewer & Shirley Wardman England
1971Alan & Hazel Fletcher England
1972Alan & Hazel Fletcher England
1973Peter Maxwell & Lynn Harman England
1974Ian & Ruth Walker England
1975Espen & Kirsten Salberg Norway
1976see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1977see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1978see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1979see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1980see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1981see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1982see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1983see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1984see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1985see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1986see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1987see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1988see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1989see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1990see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1991see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1992see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1993see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1994see http://www.dancesportinfo.net -
1995Louis Van Amstel & Julie Fryer Netherlands
1996Ralf Müller & Olga Müller-Omeltchenko Germany
1997Michael Wentink & Beata Onefater South Africa
1998Michael Wentink & Beata Onefater South Africa
1999Matthew Cutler & Nicole Cutler England
2000Slavik Kryklyvyy & Joanna Leunis Belgium
2001Andrej Škufca & Katarina Venturini Slovenia
2002Franco Formica & Oksana Nikiforova[12] Germany
2003Franco Formica & Oksana Nikiforova[13] Germany
2004Riccardo Cocchi & Joanne Wilkinson USA
2005Riccardo Cocchi & Joanne Wilkinson[14] Italy
2006Peter Stokkebroe & Kristina Stokkebroe[15] Denmark
2007Maurizio Vescovo & Melinda Törökgyörgy[16] Hungary
2008Stefano Di Filippo & Anna Melnikova[17] Italy
2009Alexei Silde & Anna Firstova[18] Russia
2010Zoran Plohl & Tatsiana Lahvinovich Croatia
2011Neil Jones & Ekaterina Sokolova England
2012Neil Jones & Ekaterina Sokolova England
2013Troels Bager & Ina Jeliazkova Denmark
2014Troels Bager & Ina Jeliazkova Denmark
2015Nikita Brovko & Olga Urumova Russia
2016Morten Lowe & Roselina Doneva Denmark
2017Ferdinando Iannaconne & Yulia Musikhina-Iannaconne Italy
2018Ferdinando Iannaconne & Yulia Musikhina-Iannaconne Italy
2019Ferdinando Iannaconne & Yulia Musikhina-Iannaconne Italy
2020
2021Klemen Presnikar & Alexandra Averkieva Slovenia
2022Petar Daskalov & Zia James England
2023Petar Daskalov & Zia James England

Notes and References

  1. Spencer, Frank and Peggy 1968. Come dancing. Allen, London; which was also the initial source for the list.
  2. Dance News #2138, August 27th 2009.
  3. In that order in each round; and Jive is only danced in the semi-finals and finals.
  4. The British Dance Council Rulebook summarises the points,
  5. Laird, Walter 2003. The Laird technique of Latin dancing. International Dance Publications Ltd.
  6. McMains, Juliet 2006. Glamour addiction: inside the American ballroom dance industry. Wesleyan University Press, Middletown CT.
  7. Programme of the 2009 International Championships
  8. Web site: Welcome to Dance News Online - www.dance-news.co.uk . 2009-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091124052556/http://www.dance-news.co.uk/news_detail.php?news_id=61 . 2009-11-24 . dead .
  9. For comaparison, there are 51 countries listed as full members by the WDC, of which some political units are listed more than once. China is represented not only by the People's Republic, but also by Hong Kong (which was listed long before China) and Taiwan; the UK is represented by two listings: Great Britain (effectively, England), and Scotland. Also, individual dancers may change affiliation during their careers.
  10. Programme of 2009 57th International Championships gives complete lists for all events.
  11. Web site: Former WDC World Champions – World Dance Council.
  12. Web site: Ranking of the IDSF Latin Adult in Vienna - Austria on 16 November 2002 World DanceSport Federation at worlddancesport.org. www.worlddancesport.org. 2018-03-22.
  13. Web site: Ranking of the IDSF Latin Adult in St Petersburg - Russia on 20 September 2003 World DanceSport Federation at worlddancesport.org. www.worlddancesport.org. 2018-03-22.
  14. Web site: Ranking of the IDSF Latin Adult in Ostrava - Czech Republic on 08 October 2005 World DanceSport Federation at worlddancesport.org. www.worlddancesport.org. 2018-03-22.
  15. Web site: Ranking of the IDSF Latin Adult in Karlsruhe - Germany on 30 September 2006 World DanceSport Federation at worlddancesport.org. www.worlddancesport.org. 2018-03-22.
  16. Web site: Ranking of the IDSF Latin Adult in Vilnius - Lithuania on 08 December 2007 World DanceSport Federation at worlddancesport.org. www.worlddancesport.org. 2018-03-22.
  17. Web site: Ranking of the IDSF Latin Adult in Melbourne - Australia on 14 December 2008 World DanceSport Federation at worlddancesport.org. www.worlddancesport.org. 2018-03-22.
  18. Web site: Ranking of the IDSF Latin Adult in Maribor - Slovenia on 07 November 2009 World DanceSport Federation at worlddancesport.org. www.worlddancesport.org. 2018-03-22.