The UCSD Dancesport Team found much success at our 26th annual Dance by the Shores, one of the largest dancesport competitions on the West Coast. With our DBTS coordinators Alise Bruevich and Lara Derderian taking the lead in organizing our home competition and our team’s support and hard work, UCSD Dancesport welcomed collegiate ballroom teams from all over California, as well as Nevada and Arizona. 

At the first event of the day in American Smooth, Alex Tahan and Elizabeth Peng placed 1st in Bronze Waltz. In the Silver category, Blanca Martin placed 1st, Thunder Bird and Alise Bruevich placed 2nd, and Danny Torres and Kokila Shankar placed 3rd in Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, and Foxtrot. At the Gold level, Blanca placed 1st in Tango, Viennese Waltz, and Foxtrot and 2nd in Waltz, while Thunder and Alise placed 1st in Waltz and 2nd in Tango, Viennese Waltz, and Foxtrot. Additionally, Danny and Kokila placed 3rd in Tango and Foxtrot. In the Rookie Follower category, Persephone Ballatore placed 2nd in Viennese Waltz with Thunder, while Apru Pranjal placed 1st in Waltz and 3rd in Viennese Waltz. 

In International Standard, our team did extremely well at all levels. At the Newcomer level, David Mazzotti placed 2nd in Waltz and Viennese Waltz with Jessie Huang, placed 1st in Foxtrot and 2nd in Tango with Persephone, and also placed 1st in Quickstep with Catalina Larsen. At their first competition, Lorraine Lian and Julie Ngan took 1st in Newcomer and Bronze Tango and placed 2nd in Newcomer and Bronze Quickstep! Also in the Bronze category, Greta Davis and Apru placed 1st in Waltz, Viennese Waltz, and Quickstep and 2nd in Tango and Foxtrot. David and Jessie placed 3rd in Bronze Waltz, while Alex and Elizabeth placed 3rd in Bronze Tango. UCSD continued consistently winning 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places at the Silver and Gold levels. In Silver, Thunder and Alise took 1st in Tango and Viennese Waltz and 2nd in Waltz, Foxtrot, and Quickstep. Blanca placed 1st in Waltz, Foxtrot, and Quickstep and 2nd in Tango and Viennese Waltz, while Danny and Alexis Wascher placed 3rd in Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, and Quickstep. At the Gold level, our 2021-2022 president Matthew Panelo and Kokila took 1st in all dances, with Thunder, Alise, and Blanca taking 2nd and 3rd places. In the Rookie Follower category, Persephone, Catalina, and Julie placed in the top three in many dances. 

During their second time competing in American Rhythm, Danny and Blanca placed 1st in Silver Cha Cha, Rumba, and Bolero, 2nd in Silver Swing, and 1st in Gold Cha Cha, Rumba, Swing, and Bolero. 

In International Latin, our dancers continued to display impressive energy and technique. In the Newcomer category, Lorraine and Julie placed 1st in Samba and Rumba and 2nd in Cha Cha and Jive, while David placed 1st in Jive and 2nd in Rumba with Catalina and placed 3rd in Cha Cha with Persephone. These first-year dancesport members also did extremely well in Bronze: Lorraine and Julie placed 1st in Cha Cha and 3rd in Rumba, while David and Catalina placed 1st in Samba and 2nd in Cha Cha. Greta and Apru placed 1st in Bronze Rumba, 2nd in Jive and Paso Doble, and 3rd in Cha Cha and Samba, while Alex and Elizabeth placed 1st in Paso Doble. At the Silver level, Bryan Cheng and Lili Olah placed 1st in Samba, Rumba, and Jive and tied for 1st in Cha Cha with Danny and Greta. Thunder and Alise placed 1st in Silver Paso Doble and 3rd in Samba and Jive, while Kate Luitjens and Sela Peters placed 3rd in Paso Doble. In Gold, Blanca placed 1st in Cha Cha, Rumba, Paso Doble, and Jive and 2nd in Samba, while Lara placed 1st in Samba and 2nd in Rumba and Jive. Thunder and Alise placed 2nd in Gold Paso Doble and 3rd in Cha Cha and Samba, Mo Cruz and Kokila placed 3rd in Paso Doble, and Bryan and Lili placed 3rd in Jive. And in the Rookie-Vet dances, Catalina, Persephone, and David consistently placed in the top three. 

After strong performances during the daytime events, UCSD Dancesport continued to dominate in the evening session. In Nightclub, Danny placed 1st in Salsa and Bachata with Blanca and also placed 2nd in Argentine Tango with Alexis. Greta and Sela placed 3rd in Lindy Hop, Nightclub Two-Step, Merengue, and Hustle, while Apru placed 2nd in Blues. 

During the Open level events, it was a pleasure to watch and to cheer for our dancers who wowed the audience with their exceptional skills and enthusiasm. Matthew and Kokila gave impressive performances and exuded grace and elegance in Novice Standard, placing 2nd in Tango and Viennese Waltz and 3rd in Waltz, Foxtrot, and Quickstep. In Novice Latin, Lara showed incredible performance energy, sass, and beauty, placing 4th in Jive and 5th in Cha Cha, Samba, and Rumba. We ended the night by watching professional dancers give breathtaking performances and winning 1st in the team match! 

Congratulations to all of our dancers who have worked so hard to not only put together and hold Dance by the Shores but also to improve and have fun on the dance floor! Our first-year and returning members have made unbelievable progress this year, and it has been a remarkable experience to see how far they have come from the beginning of the year to our third competition of winter quarter.  It was a Shores to remember, and we look forward to hosting again next year!