The 2025 United Kingdom Open Dance Festival
The organisers of this prestigious event really deserve the highest praise and congratulations at the most wonderful presentation of this year’s 2025 Uk Championships. So well presented and professionally run, with an unbelievable transformation from last year. Better lighting, bigger wider screens with recalls and numerous advertising information around the room. It’s very clear that this festival is growing every year, with more dancers and competitors as well as many new competitions.Two halls were used for this year, with simultaneous events running constantly over the 4 days. It’s clearly a testament to the dedication and expertise of the organisers that it can run so smoothly in fact very often ahead of the timetable.
We had great recorded music during the day lead by Mr Scott Blant Harwood, and later during the evening we were all blessed to hear the one and only Mr Ross Mitchell,with his band & singers.
Audiences around the world have been privileged and delighted to witness Ross and his singers for many years in fact, for a period of over 40 years at events where he has played. His next performance will be here again in Bournemouth in July at the Summer Festival this year, and with his final appearance in The Royal Albert Hall for The International Championship later in October. Many different categories of dancing are displayed here at the UK Championship, but the highlights of the week are the two Professional Events. Namely the Professional Ballroom Championships, and the Professional Latin Championship.
Here is the Semifinal stage of this years Professional Latin.
Couples are mentioned in numerical order as they were displayed in the program.
Peter Daskalov and Zia James ( Nr 2)
A couple not long being professionals and they have made a remarkable improvement, showing a great future ahead. Always putting the dancing first with hardly any ‘’ tricks’’ or audience pleasing effects.
‘’ Just pure and readable dancing’’ a good sign to follow for others. Very positive with excellent presentation.
Austin Jonson and Lisa Lakovitsky (Nr 51 )
Another relatively new professional couple pushing up through the ranks rapidly. I always see them having a fresh raw approach while performing, always showing good characters and readable timing. Very interesting choreography with many great effects. I am also very drawn to their look which is very stylish and fashionable.Very promising for the future.
Giuseppe Nonnis and Dasha Chesnokova (64)
Regular semi finalist now for some time, and it’s easy to see why. A lot of fundamentals are now in place and with a high quality dancing and strong energetic performances. Many skills of flexibility and a great choice of choreography, making them very strong threat to the remaining finalist.
Great strength from the man who always presents his lady well, as well as a tremendos freedom from his partner even under the most difficult circumstances in their choice of choreography.
Salvo Sinardi and Alexandra Kondrashova (Nr 99)
The newest pro couple in this years competition but for sure NOT a newcomer. After their victory at the International last year, they have already proved many times they are worthy ‘’Champions’’ in their own rights and tonight was no exception. A slick and very well presented all around performance which made them comfortably included in the semi final. Both very experienced competitors and with many good attributes. A clear and again readable timing, a beautiful movement throughout from them both.
Also with a sense of ease of freshness, no pressure, no stress, pure enjoyment.
Darren Hammond and Marin Stesh Hammond (Nr 106)
A very established couple with a great look, and showing a strong masculine and feminine approach. Always producing a great performance with a lot of charisma.They always add extra details giving them their own identity and personality that gives them a very showy style which works well particularly on a bigger floor.
Klemen Prasnikar and Alexandra Averkieva (Nr 138)
An established couple in the pro field, and with many years of experience. It shows in their individual dancing that they are totally in control of their own bodies and their actions, making them very confident as well as 500% committed in all their skills. Rhythmically slick and with a good and clear intensional approach on where they are going. I am sure they will be another couple to look out for in the future.
What also must be mentioned is that from previous semifinals here at the United Kingdom Championship, we witness this year that 4 couples were not recalled. That proves that the standard of the dancing is getting stronger and stronger. I am sure that the judges on this years panel must have had a very hard and difficult task to select ONLY 12 couples. What makes the UK- Championship Finals so special is also the opportunity for the audience to watch and enjoy each and every couple in their solo presentation. It gives a great opportunity to view each couple without being distracted from the remaining finalist, a perfect spot to shine and show their own individual personality.
The newly crowned champions were Dorin Frecautanu and Marina Sergeeva (1,2,,1,1,2)
A couple that most likely must have been both upset and happy at the same time at the fact that Troels and Ina did in fact not compete in this years event.
I am sure that Dorin and Marina changed their approach slightly, which showed a look of much more relaxed and confident approach. I saw them filling their performance with much more determination to really show their individuality quality, and personal skills.
An extreme high level of dancing, which suddenly showed that difficult timing and complicated choreography became such an easy task.
Great presentation and an excellent performance.
Congratulations and well done on your victory
A true reflection of a “CHAMPION”
Into second place were:
Nino Langella and Andra (2.1.2.2.1)
Must have been very happy with their individual marks today. A very strong solid, exciting performance. They both always deliver that look of spontaneity which is a great asset and have many excellent and exciting “ spare of the moment “ skills. Always getting the audience’s attention and leaving them wanting more. Much use of unusual and clever timing which adds a degree of difficulty to their performance .Congratulations on this great achievement.
Into third place were:
Massimo Arcolin and Laura Arcolinova (3,4,3,4,3)
One of the crowd’s favourite.
Always very unpredictable of what will be presented on the night, but one thing you can always guarantee and be sure of with this couple is that they will give it 500% all of the time.
We will be entertained and left excited and thrilled. Their choice of choreography is filled with many effect orientated pieces, that leaves the audience spell bound and always wanting to see more. As a competitor it’s obvious a great skill to be able to capture that moment, and being completely in it.
Always very accurate with the execution of each step and each timing, which leads them to challenge every time for even higher scores.
Dances that stood out today were Cha-Cha-Cha, Rumba ,and Jive.
Into fourth place were:
Kirill Belorukov and Valeria Aidaev’s (4,5,4,3,5)
Regular finalist for many years now, and working strongly to get that push to get right up there. Both excellent dancers and always performing to the highest level. Kirill providing a very dominant look on the floor as well as caring for his partner, whilst Valeria has the freedom to express herself freely at all times. Many excellent shapes especially in Paso Doble which gave a great contrast of power and breathing. Always lifting their performance when encouraged by the audience. Charismatic and powerful dancers and great competitors.
Into fifth place were:
Pasha Zvychaynyy and Polina Teleshova (5,3,6,5,4)
Two very rhythmical and sound based dancers, and it also showed in their individual marks..
Their performance has a touch of class, and always comes over easy.
Very strong masculine male dancer that knows what he wants and also appears to know what he looks like.
That picture that he portrays gives Polina a terrific freedom and a pleasure to watch, with a slinky and yet an effective performance .
Could in my opinion have finished higher, yet another one to look out for in the future.
And completing this years final were:
Andrei Kazlouski and Nino Dzneladze (6,6,5,6,6)
Tonight’s crowd pleaser, what can I say.
A terrific duo that challenged strongly from their first round. They totally found themself being just who they are, NO NONSENE, just pure dancing and believing totally in yourself. It appears to look just easy, a skill that many couples can learn a lot from.
I am very surprised that their marking was not rewarded any higher.
Great silhouette from both, with a very strong and excellent leg action.
A great future ahead.
Finally a big thanks must go out to the organisers and its presenters.
To Robin Short and Christopher Short of Cre8tive Productions Ltd, that during this week did everything in their power to make it even more successful than last year.
A great thank must also go to Rita Short and Ekaterina Short for their support toward the production.
I believe like most people, I would like to wish the United Kingdom Open Dance Festival all the success in the future, and we are looking forward to yet another one in 2026.
Yours Sincerely
Mr Goran Nordin
Image credit: Tomasz Reindl
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