With the first competition of Winter Quarter underway, UCSD Dancesport Team took on even more advanced levels than before, including another win to the Mustang Ball’s team match at San Luis Obispo.

With a flying start on Saturday with Standard, Latin, and Nightclub rounds, Mars Bau and Julia Svajda finished 1st in Silver Waltz, 3rd in Foxtrot, 3rd in Viennese Waltz, and 4th in Tango. Alex Tahan and Cadie Sparks scored 5th in Gold V. Waltz, Tango, and Foxtrot, 2nd in Silver Quickstep, 3rd in Silver Foxtrot, 4th in Tango, and 5th in Waltz. Nivedita Kasi and Caitlyn Smith scored 2nd in Newcomer Foxtrot, 4th in Quickstep, and 7th in Waltz. Michaelangelo Sansano and Yeya Corona placed 4th in Bronze Waltz, Tango, and Foxtrot, and made semi-finals in both Silver Tango and Foxtrot. In Rookie Follow, Alex and Cait scored 3rd in Foxtrot and 6th in Tango and Waltz, while Greg Peregrin and Cadie scored 1st in Rookie Lead Foxtrot and 3rd in Waltz and Tango.

Sweeping the floor in Gold Latin was Toby Anderson and Kenzie Kaku with 1st in Gold Samba, Jive, and Paso, 5th in Cha Cha/Rumba, 5th in Novice Cha Cha, Samba, Rumba, 4th in Novice Jive, and 3rd in Novice Paso. With UCSD’s team taking the lead, Brandon Torres and Yeya Corona finished 1st in Cha Cha and Rumba, 3rd in the Paso Doble, and 5th in Samba and Jive. Brandon and Yeya also placed as semi-finalists in Novice Latin Cha Cha, Samba, and Rumba. Mars and Toby finished 4th in Gold Foxtrot. In Silver Latin, Mars and Julia scored 1st in Samba, 2nd in Rumba and Paso Doble, 3rd in Cha Cha, 4th in Paso, and 6th in Samba. Alex and Cadie placed 2nd in Silver Samba and 4th in Cha Cha, Rumba, Paso, and Jive. Michaelangelo and Rhys Mcintyre scored 2nd in Bronze Cha Cha and Jive, 1st in Paso and 6th in Silver Paso. Cait and Naomika Nadkarni finished 2nd in Bronze Paso Doble, 5th in Samba; Cait and Jenna Gonzalez placed 2nd in Newcomer Latin Cha Cha and Samba, and Cait and Julia placed 1st in Rookie Lead Rumba, Paso, 2nd in Cha Cha, 3rd in Samba, and 5th in Jive.

With a dimming of the lights before dinner, Brandon and Yeya once again scored 1st in all Advanced Latin Nightclub dances (Salsa, Bachata, and Merengue). Naomika and Cadie placed 3rd in Advanced Polka, 4th in Lindy Hop, 6th in Hustle, and 7th in both Bachata and the Blues. Nivedita and Cadie placed 6th in Advanced Argentine Tango, and Toby scored 3rd in Advanced Hustle and 4th in Nightclub 2-step. In Beginner Nightclub, Michaelangelo and Julia also took the lead, placing 1st in Salsa and Bachata and 2nd in Merengue. Kasi and Cait placed 2nd in 2-step and Blues, 5th in Hustle, and 8th in Polka, and Michaelangelo and Rhys placed 1st in Beginner Argentine Tango and Hustle, along with 4th in West Coast Swing.

On Sunday morning of the Mustang Ball, Michaelangelo and Julia won 2nd in all of Gold Smooth and 1st in the entirety of Silver Smooth: Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, and V. Waltz. In Gold Smooth, Alex and Cadie placed 3rd in V. Waltz and Foxtrot and 4th in Waltz and Tango. Kasi and Cait placed 3rd in Newcomer Tango and Foxtrot, and 4th in Waltz. Following this event, Cadie and Naomika finished off the last category of Rhythm with 1st in Silver Bolero, 4th in East Coast Swing and Rumba, 5th in Cha Cha, 3rd in Gold Cha Cha/Rumba, and 4th in Gold Mambo. Cait and Jenna placed 1st in Newcomer Rhythm Cha Cha and Rumba, 2nd in ECS, 4th in Bronze Cha Cha and 5th in Mambo, 7th in ECS. In Rookie Lead, Cait and Naomika scored 1st in Mambo and 2nd in the remaining rhythm styles!