UCSD Dancesport finished off this year’s competition season with a fabulous set of performances at the Mini Beach Ball Competition in Santa Barbara, CA. The team cumulatively brought home over 100 awards, with 19 of them being 1st place awards, 20 being 2nd place awards, and 24 being 3rd place awards.

In the Newcomer division, our dancers gave incredibly strong performances in both the Standard and Latin styles, as well as in American style Waltz, which is a new dance for this team. Greta Davis and Aparajita (Apru) Pranjal wowed the audience with their 1st place Tango and Quickstep, while Yiming (Nathan) Zhao and Jamie Foo captivated the judges with their 1st place Viennese Waltz. Other exceptional dancers include Masashi Ishikawa, Sela Peters, Saul Duarte, Elizabeth Peng, Aaron Ngan, and Alex Tahan, who all placed high in the Standard dances. In the Latin styles, Greta and Apru continued to sweep the floor, placing 1st in Cha Cha, Samba, and Rumba. Masashi and Sela gave some fiery performances of the dances as well, followed by Nathan and Jamie’s beautiful routines.

In the Bronze division, the UCSD Dancesport team continued to have a strong showing. Greta and Apru excelled in the Tango and Quickstep, securing 1st. Alex and Sela showed great Foxtrot and Tango performances, while Nathan and Jamie rocked the Foxtrot, Waltz, Quickstep, and Tango, snatching up 1st, 5th, 3rd, and 5th, respectively. A newcomer to the Standard styles, Lara Derderian danced an impressive Tango with Thunder Bird, winning 4th. In the Latin styles, Greta and Apru continued to deliver some fabulous routines, placing 1st in the Paso Doble and Jive and 2nd in the Cha Cha, Samba, and Rumba. Saul and Elizabeth offered stiff competition, coming right behind in 3rd place for their beautiful Cha Cha, Samba, Rumba, and Jive performances. Masashi and Alexis Gregorie danced a wonderful Rumba, while Aaron and Emily Move showed off their impressive Jive skills.

This year’s newcomers continued to impress in the Rookie/Vet division. Followers Sela and Elizabeth faced stiff competition in one another, with Sela bringing home a 1st place in the Cha Cha and Jive and Elizabeth securing a 1st in the Paso Doble and 2nd in the Cha Cha, Samba, and Rumba. Apru and Emily showed great energy in their dances, winning well-deserved awards in the final rounds of all dances in the Latin division. For the Leaders, Greta swept the floor by securing a 1st place in every single dance, with teammates Saul, Masashi, Sirisha, and Nathan following close behind in all the Latin finals. This year’s newcomers have impressed us all year and continue to make us proud of all their dedication and efforts on the UCSD Dancesport team.

Last but certainly not least, the team showed the true meaning of loving to dance in the Nightclub division. Willard Ford and Kaia Foster scored 2nd for their fun bachata, followed closely by Saul and Elizabeth, Aaron and Sela, and Greta and Apru. The dancers also had a strong salsa performance, with Greta and Apru, Willard and Kaia, Aaron and Sela, and Saul and Elizabeth all making the final round. Aaron and Sela impressed with their Lindy Hop, securing 3rd, and all dancers in the Hustle made us want to get up and dance with them.

In the end, Mini Beach Ball was another competition full of dancing, laughter, and wins for the UCSD Dancesport team — what a way to end the competition season!