The Ballroom Dancing section of Roses was a five hour extravaganza of sparkly dresses, suave suits, and truly captivating dancing. There were with four points on offer – one each for Beginners Ballroom, Beginners Latin, Non-Beginners Ballroom, and Non-Beginners Latin.
It began with Lancaster and York each doing a walk-on routine; Lancaster’s was upbeat andenergetic, whilst York gave theirs a clear morning theme but their attempt at blending styles was a little disjointed. These dances were not scored, but they were a fun way to build anticipation for the forthcoming competitive routines.
The first half was made up of all the ballroom rounds: Quickstep and Waltz for the Beginners; two open rounds of Viennese Waltz and Tango; then a Waltz, a Foxtrot, and a Quickstep for the more advanced couples. Finally, we finished with Ex-Students Ballroom – which comprised of Waltz, Foxtrot, and Quickstep.
Lancaster took the first point on offer with an overall score of 26 points to York’s 15 in Beginners Ballroom, but York pulled it back with 39 points to 24 in Non-Beginners Ballroom.
After a short lunch break, the couples returned to perform in the Latin section; Cha Cha and Jive for Beginners; open rounds of Rumba and Paso Doble; then the Non-Beginners Cha Cha, Samba, and Jive; the Ex-Students Latin (Cha Cha, Samba, and Jive); and Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Lancaster swept up both Latin categories, winning 27 points to 15 in Beginners, and 38 points to 25 in Non-Beginners.
Before the results for each section were announced announced, there was a charity challenge of “Quickstep statues” and then the “Straight-legged Samba” to raise money for the mental health charity Mind.
As well as an incredible standard of dancing all round, what was mightily impressive was the energy and stamina that the couples had – all the couples performed in multiple styles multiple times to make it to each final, all whilst making it look effortless, and that is the mark of a great dancer!
