3/11/25 - 3/15/25 - US National Championships

UCSD enters the Stage in BYU Nationals

This past weekend, members of our ballroom and Latin dancesport team traveled to Provo, Utah to compete at one of the most prestigious competitions of the year: Nationals at Brigham Young University. And what a weekend it was—filled with fierce competition, countless heats, and unforgettable moments on the floor.

In a field packed with some of the best collegiate dancers in the country, Blanca and Willard delivered a standout performance in the Smooth division. Round after round, they danced with unwavering elegance and control, holding their own against a sea of talent. Each step, each rise and fall, drew them closer to the final rounds—and they earned every second of their spotlight. They made it to the quarter finals, but the competition was fierce, and they were barely beaten out of the round.

Over in Latin, Blanca returned to the floor with alumni Jesse, and the energy shifted. Together, they brought heat, precision, and connection to every cha cha and samba they danced. With over eight heats in the very first round, the competition was nothing short of intense—but Blanca and Jesse didn’t just survive, they thrived. Advancing through multiple rounds, they proved that their partnership was built not just on skill, but on determination as well.

Nationals pushed them to their limits—and proved we belong on that stage. We’ll be back. And next time, we’re aiming for finals.

3/1/25 - UCSD Dance by the Shores

This past weekend, the UCSD Dancesport team hosted the biggest collegiate ballroom competition on the West Coast. With almost 2400 entries, the competition was a grand spectacle of grace and rhythm.

The start of our two day competition started with Standard, where our dancers competed in all levels and Waltzed their way into the finals. For the Newcomer category, we have Lyssa Lashus leading Ebone Tatmon placing third in Foxtrot, fourth in Tango, and sixth in the Waltz. Paul Cretegny leading Sage Beutler placed second in the Waltz and Tango. Michaelangelo Sansano and Julia Svajda swept the board placing first in all dances. In the Bronze category, Michaelangelo and Julia also placed fifth in the Waltz. Cole Spencer and Naomika Nadkarni placed seventh in the Waltz. Mars Bau and Karsten West placed second in the Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot and Quickstep. In Silver, Mars and Karsten also placed third in the Waltz, fourth in Foxtrot and Quickstep, and sixth in Tango. Alexander Tahan and alum Elizabeth Peng placed eighth in the Quickstep. Going into gold, Alex leading President Persephone Ballatore placed sixth in the Quickstep.

After a quick lunch, our dancers glammed up for the events in Latin. Starting with Newcomer, Julia led Lyssa into first place in Samba, Rumba, Jive and Paso Doble, and second place in the Cha Cha. Paul and Sage placed third in Samba and Jive, fourth in Cha Cha and Paso Doble, and fifth in Rumba. Michaelangelo and Hanna Wei placed second in Paso Doble, fourth in Jive and fifth in Cha Cha. Nivedita Kasi and Zeena Bangar placed fifth in the Paso Doble. Moving into Bronze, Julia and Lyssa placed first in Samba, Rumba and Paso Doble, and second in Cha Cha and Jive. Chloe Care leading Ebone placed third in Cha Cha and Samba, fourth in Paso Doble and sixth in Rumba and Jive. Mars and Karsten placed second in Paso Doble, fourth in Jive, and fifth in Cha Cha, Samba, and Rumba. Cole and Cadie Sparks placed sixth in Paso Doble. Going into Silver, Toby Anderson and Marina Kenat placed second in Jive, fourth in Samba, Rumba, fifth in Cha Cha, and sixth in Samba. Mars and Karsten placed third in Samba, fourth in Paso Doble, fifth in Rumba, and sixth in Cha Cha and Jive. Chloe, leading Naomika, placed seventh in Jive. As for the Gold level Gold, Toby and Marina placed third in Rumba, fifth in Jive and sixth in Cha Cha. Alexander and Persephone placed seventh in Paso Doble. A special shoutout is deserved for Brandon Torres and Valeria Corona, who placed first in all of the Silver and Gold Latin dances, except for the Gold Jive, where they tied for second.

After a night of nightclub debauchery and championship events, the dancers were treated to the performance of their lives from the World Amateur Champions in over sixteen dances, Parley Ford and Natalie Jolley. The amazing couple got riotous cheers and ongoing standing ovations, before everyone headed home for the night in preparation for the next day.

Going into day 2, our dancers were definitely exhausted, but that didn’t stop them from competing to the fullest. With American Smooth in the morning, the dancers exploded into the leaderboards. Starting with Newcomer, Michaelangelo and Julia placed first in all dances. Going into bronze, Michaelangelo and Julia also placed first in Waltz and Tango, and sixth in Foxtrot . Cole and Cadie placed first in Foxtrot and Viennese Waltz, and third in Waltz and Tango. Mars and Karsten placed second in the Viennese Waltz. Following this was Silver, where Mars and Karsten placed first in Foxtrot, second in Viennese Waltz, and third in Waltz. Cole and Cadie placed sixth in the Viennese Waltz and Tango. As for Gold, Alexander and Persephone placed third in Waltz and Foxtrot, fifth in the Viennese Waltz, and sixth in Tango. Mars and Karsten placed third in Tango, fourth in Waltz, and fifth in Foxtrot.

With no breaks, our dancers moved straight into American Rhythm. Our resident rhythm dancers, Cadie and Naomika, placed second in Bronze Swing and Bolero, fourth in Cha Cha, fifth in Rumba, and sixth in Mambo.

The UCSD Dancesport competition was truly a weekend to remember, showcasing the incredible talent, dedication, and passion of our dancers. From the elegant movements of Standard to the fiery energy of Latin, and the grace of Smooth to the rhythmic precision of American Rhythm, our team gave it their all, earning top placements across every category. Beyond the competition itself, the event was a celebration of hard work, teamwork, and the vibrant ballroom community. With inspiring performances, unforgettable moments, and countless personal victories, this year’s competition set a new standard for excellence. We couldn’t be prouder of our dancers, and we look forward to even greater success in the future!

2/1/25 - Cal Poly Mustang Ball

With the winter quarter well underway, our dancers visited Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo for their annual Mustang Ball competition. In the first competition of the new year, our dancers made a great showing at all levels!

After a full day of traveling the hills of California, the dancers rose with the sun to get started on competing in Standard on Saturday. In the newcomer category, Michaelangelo Sansano and Julia Svajda placed third in Quickstep, and second in both Tango and Waltz. For our bronze category, Karsten West and Mars Bau placed first in Foxtrot, second in Quickstep, third in Tango, and fifth in Waltz. In the Silver category, Karsten West and Mars Bau also placed sixth in Foxtrot and Tango, and seventh in Quickstep, while Alexander Tahan and Persephone Ballatore tied for fourth place in Quickstep and placed fourth in Viennese Waltz.

Moving onto the Latin category, our team swept the board. Starting with Newcomer, Julia leading Lyssa Lashus placed first in Cha Cha, and second in both Rumba and Samba. In the Bronze category, the pair also placed eighth in Rumba, seventh in Jive, and fifth in Rumba and Samba. Pair Chloe Care and Ebone Brower placed sixth in Jive. Couple Cole Spencer and Cadie Sparks placed fifth in the Paso Doble. Our star Latin couple, Brandon Torres and Yeya Corona, placed first in Cha Cha, Rumba, and Jive, as well as Second in Paso Doble, being beaten only by Karsten West and Mars Bau, who also placed third in Rumba and second is Paso Doble. In the silver Category, Brandon and Yeya placed first in all dances except Paso Doble, where they placed fourth! Alexander and Persephone placed third in Samba, fourth in Rumba, and seventh in Jive. Toby Anderson and Marina Kenat placed fifth in Cha Cha, and sixth in Rumba, Samba, and Jive. Gold couple David Mazzotti and Catalina Larsen placed sixth in the combined Cha Cha and Rumba dances.

Moving into the next category, many of our dancers enjoyed themselves in the Nightclub. Julia Svajda and Lyssa Lashus placed fifth in 2-step, third in beginner Salsa, West Coast Swing, Bachata and Merengue, and sixth in beginner Hustle. Chloe and Karsten placed third in beginner Merengue, fifth in Hustle, and fourth in beginner Salsa, followed by Rodrigo Tortoledo with Hanna Wei in fifth in Salsa and sixth in Bachata. Cadie leading Hanna placed fourth in West Coast swing and eighth in beginner Hustle. Mars leading Naomika Nadkarni placed second in beginner Hustle and fifth in Lindy Hop. Naomika and Cadie placed first in Blues, fourth in 2-step, and fifth in Bachata. Toby and Cadie placed first in the Polka. Brandon and Yeya placed first in Merengue, second in advanced Salsa, and second in Advanced Bachata.

At the end of the night, we had several dancers compete in the Open events. Jesse Ren and Blanca Martin placed first in the Novice Latin category, and Catalina and David placed first in the Novice Paso Doble.

After a good night's rest, our dancers prepared for the Smooth category. In the newcomer division, Michaelangelo and Julia placed first in Foxtrot, second in Tango, and third in Waltz. Moving onto the Bronze category, Karsten and Mars placed second in Tango and V. Waltz. Cole and Cadie placed fifth in Foxtrot and V. Waltz. Michaelangelo and Julia placed seventh in V. Waltz. Onto silver, Cole, and Cadie placed sixth in V. Waltz. Karsten and Mars placed eighth in V. Waltz and third in Tango. Alexander and Persephone placed second in Foxtrot and sixth in Waltz. Moving into gold, Alexander and Persephone placed sixth in both the Tango and V. Waltz, as well as seventh in the combined Foxtrot and Waltz.

At the end of the second day, and the competition, Rhythm was a challenge, but our dancers faced it without fear. Cadie leading Naomika, our resident Rhythm dancers, placed third in Bolero and Cha Cha, and fourth in Mambo, Rumba, and Swing in the Bronze category. They placed fifth in Bolero and Sixth in Mambo silver.

The two-day competition was a long one, but the rewards were reaped from the long hours our dancers put into honing their craft!

11/17/24 - Vegas Scarlet Signature

UCSD Dancesport had an extremely strong showing at the 2024 Vegas Scarlett Showcase hosted by the University of Las Vegas. In the third competition of the year, UCSD dancers came out strong in all four syllabus styles as well as Nightclub, as well as introducing many new dancers to the floor.

Waking up early for Syllabus American Smooth, UCSD Dancesport swept the competition in Newcomer and Bronze and placed extremely well in Silver. Couple Chloe Care and Ebone Brower placed first in Newcomer Smooth Waltz and Tango, while couple Cole Spencer and Julia Svajda placed first in Newcomer Smooth Viennese Waltz. Couple Mars Bau and Karsten West placed first in Bronze Smooth Waltz Foxtrot as well as Tango, while couple Cole Spencer and Cadie Sparks placed fifth in Bronze Smooth Waltz Foxtrot, Tango, and Viennese Waltz. In the silver category, couple Alexander Tahan and Persephone Ballatore placed fourth in all dances, while couple Mars Bau and Karsten West finaled in Silver Smooth Waltz Foxtrot.

In the second style, Syllabus International Standard, the Vegas Scarlett Showcase demonstrated its talent, bringing out the most number of competitors in a competition this year. Still, UCSD dancers finaled in many categories, demonstrating the school’s abilities. In Newcomer, couple Cole Spencer and Julia Svajda placed fourth in Newcomer Standard Viennese Waltz. Couple Mars Bau and Karsten West placed fifth in Bronze Standard Waltz Quickstep as well as Tango, while couple Cole Spencer and Cadie Sparks placed in Bronze Viennese Waltz. For silver, couple Alexander Tahan and Persephone Ballatore placed fifth in Silver Standard Foxtrot Tango, and in gold, couple Alexander Tahan and Marina Kenat placed sixth in WTFQ.

After a quick lunch break, a few UCSD couples quickly head back to the dance floor to compete in Syllabus American Rhythm. Couple Cadie Sparks and Hanna Wei placed sixth in Bronze Rhythm Swing and couple Brandon Torres and Valeria Corona placed fifth in Bronze Rhythm Mambo.

In the last Syllabus style of the night, Syllabus International Latin, UCSD couples were known across the board. In Newcomer, couple Chloe Care and Ebone Brower placed fifth in Newcomer Latin Samba and third in Jive. Couple Cole Spencer and Julia Svajda placed fifth in Newcomer Latin ChaCha and fifth in Rumba, while couple Paul Cretegny and Sage Beutler placed sixth in Newcomer Latin Rumba as well. In Bronze, couple Brandon Torres and Valeria Corona placed second in Bronze Latin Samba, third in ChaCha Rumba and Paso Doble, and fourth in Jive. Couple Mars Bau and Karsten West placed fourth in Bronze Latin ChaCha Rumba, and fifth in Jive. In Silver, couple Brandon Torres and Valeria Corona placed fifth in Silver Latin Samba Jive, seventh in ChaCha Rumba, and sixth in Paso Doble. Couple Alexander Tahan and Persephone Ballatore placed eighth in Silver Latin ChaCha Rumba while couple Mars Bau and Karsten West placed Seventh in Silver Latin Samba Jive and fifth in Paso Doble. In Gold, couple David Mazzotti and Catalina Larsen placed third in CSRJ and second in Paso Doble.

In Nightclub, which was scattered throughout the Open events, UCSD Dancesport showed off their greatest moves (and props!). Couple Rodrigo Tortoledo and Julia Svajda placed second in Beginner Bachata, first in Merengue, and third in Salsa. Couple Chloe Care and Karsten West placed third in Beginner Bachata, fourth in Merengue, and fourth in Salsa. Couple Cadie Sparks and Sage Beutler placed fourth in Beginner Bachata, and second in Salsa. Finally, for Beginners, couple Cadie Sparks and Hanna Wei placed third in Beginner Merengue and sixth in West Coast Swing. In Advanced, couple Brandon Torres and Valeria Corona destroyed the competition, placing first in Bachata, Merengue, and Salsa.

For their first time performing Open International Latin, couple David Mazzotti and Catalina Larsen left everyone star-struck, placing third in Novice Latin CSR with newly debuted routines. It was an excellent way to end a long competition and a testament to UCSD Dancesport’s talent and hard work.

UCSD Dancesport Team Shines at 2024 CCBDC

This past weekend, the UCSD Dancesport Team brought their energy and talent to The Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company (CCBDC) Intercollegiate Showdown! From first-timers stepping onto the competition floor to seasoned dancers representing UCSD at advanced levels, it was a day packed with excitement, impressive performances, and fantastic results. Here’s a breakdown of the action and our team’s achievements:

The day started early with Syllabus Smooth, moving through the levels from Newcomer to Gold. Alex, paired with alumni Elizabeth, brought home top placements (1st and 2nd) in Silver Smooth Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, and Viennese Waltz, nearly sweeping the entire event. Their hard work these past few weeks clearly paid off. Then our newcomers made their debut in the Standard style. Paul and Julia, who’ve only been dancing for four weeks, clinched 1st in Newcomer Waltz and Tango—an amazing feat for their first time on the floor!

As events progressed, Cadie took a bold step into the leader’s role for the first time, tackling the challenge with ease as she competed in multiple Rhythm and Latin categories. She and Naomika finished in every bronze Rhythm dance and won 1st in newcomer Swing. Meanwhile, Toby, a recent graduate of CCBDC and now PhD student at UCSD, was back on familiar turf. Competing alongside their former teammates, Toby finished in every Rhythm event at the Gold (and Silver) level–the most competitive syllabus division. Cadie and Naomika continued their dominance into Latin where they finished in every Bronze and newcomer Latin dance including 4th place in Bronze Cha-cha out of over 50 couples narrowed down through an hour of nearly continuous dancing. Not to be outdone Toby, Alex, and Elizabeth all performed excellently in the Silver Latin level including 6th place finishes in all dances for Alex and Elizabeth.

Later, the dance floor transitioned into lively Nightclub Events—social dances that bring a playful and more relaxed atmosphere. Greta brought energy and style to the Advanced Salsa and Hustle alongside Willard. Her enthusiasm and smooth execution won them 2nd and 3rd places respectively. Cadie and Naomika once again dominated the competition in the nightclub section, medaling in every single Beginner nightclub dance. Even more impressive, they swapped who led and who followed between seemingly every dance and still killed it! Toby, already well known in the collegiate circuit for their nightclub skill, performed excellently in the Advanced including medaling in nearly every dance. Their Polka was a true standout—packed with technical precision and energy that made it the most captivating performance on the floor. Despite a well-deserved first-place effort, they were awarded 4th, leaving the team with no doubt that the judges missed a winning performance!

Finally, the competition shifted to the Open Events, where dancers at the highest level bring out their best routines and most elaborate costumes, UCSD’s presence remained strong. Blanca and her brand new partner Jessie displayed a fierce and fiery style that won over the judges, taking second place in the Novice Latin category. Willard and Blanca delivered an outstanding performance in Open Smooth that captured the judges' attention. Their practice was evident on the dance floor, earning them a unanimous first place from the judges.

Throughout the day, the UCSD Dancesport Team showcased the athleticism, artistry, and camaraderie that make ballroom dance so captivating. The excitement of seeing Paul and Julia perform in their first competition, watching Cadie confidently step into a new role, and cheering for Toby on their former home floor were just a few of the memorable moments that brought the team closer together. Each of our dancers made UCSD proud, not just with their results but with the passion and support they shared with each other. We can’t wait to do it all again at UNLV in a few weeks!

10/26/24 - ASU Solar Flare 2024: The Little Ones that Could

In UCSD Dancesport’s first competition of the year, a small group of students attended the Solar Flare Dancesport Competition hosted by Arizona State University. For the first time the team has shown at Solar Flare, they made quite an impression at the American-focused competition.

In the International Standard events, UCSD dancers placed first or second in nearly all styles for Newcomers. Notably, couple Cole Spencer and Karsten West placed first in Newcomer Waltz, Tango and Quickstep, while Mars Bau and Ning Kuo placed second in Newcomer Waltz and Tango and first in Newcomer Viennese Waltz. In Bronze, UCSD also dominated the scoreboard with couple Cole Spencer and Ning Kuo placing as finalists in Bronze Waltz, Tango and Quickstep; and couple Mars Bau and Karsten West placing second in Bronze Waltz, Tango, and Foxtrot.

In the American Smooth events, UCSD dancers faced stiff competition from the American-focused ASU dancers. In a first round of Bronze Smooth Waltz, all twenty-four couples were asked to take the stage, resulting in extremely crowded conditions and several collisions. Despite the competition though, Chloe Care and Karsten West placed first place in Newcomer Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, and Viennese Waltz. Cole Spencer and Ning Kuo placed as finalists in Newcomer Waltz, Tango and Viennese Waltz for a strong showing. Ribbons continued to flow in Bronze with Cole Spencer and Ning Kuo placing as finalists in Bronze Viennese Waltz and Tango while Mars Bau and Karsten West placing first in Bronze Smooth Waltz, Tango, and Foxtrot.

In the International Latin events, UCSD dancers continued to challenge their competitors. In Newcomer, UCSD continued to hold the first two places with couple Chloe Care and Karsten West placing first in Bronze Latin Newcomer Cha Cha, Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble, and Jive. Couple Mars Bau and Ning Kuo held second in those same dances and tied for first in Rumba. In Bronze, UCSD also did extremely well, with couple Chloe Care and Ning Kuo earning first in Bronze Latin Paso Doble and couple Mars Bau and Karsten West earning second in Bronze Latin Rumba and Paso Double as well as first in Bronze Latin Cha Cha.

After a quick dinner, UCSD competitors came back to compete in a final Nightclub round. Couple Chloe Care and Karsten West took the floor, and finished out the competition strong with Finalist places in Merengue, Bachata, and Nightclub 2-Step. All in all, UCSD Dancesport swept their competing categories and had an extremely strong showing at the first competition of the year.