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!