Slavik still has a chance...if his new partner is Ekaterina Lapaeva

UPDATE: Ekaterina has decided to retire, so Slavik is now out of a partner! 

UPDATE: Thank you very much to the kind readers that have alerted me that indeed Slavik has a new partnership with Ekaterina. 

Few weeks ago, I had said that Slavik Kryklyvvy's dance career was over because the chances of him getting back to competition with Karina Smirnoff were slim. 

However, the only top and single lady left,  Ekaterina Lapaeva ( the former partner of Justinas Duknauskas) is really underrated and luckily very good.

This lady hasn't received that much attention, but just by watching this rumba of her and Justinas, you can see how special she is. She is very dramatic in her expressions like Karina and some of her intricate body movements remind me of Joanna Leunis. She also is very emotional like Melia, but with much better technique.

Stefano di Fillipo and Olga Urumova get into the finals at UK 2011!

Stefano and Olga are back onto the dance floor after his public annoucement to leave the FIDS.

Photo credit: Peter Suba

Stefano and Olga were back on the dance floor yesterday beating many other top couples to make it into the finals.

The pair beat former finalists Markus Homm and Knesia Kasper and also Maurizio Vescovo and Andra Vaidiliate.

Michal Malitowski and Joanna Leunis beat Riccardo Cocchi and Yulia Zagoruitchenko!

Michal and Joanna at the UK Open 2011. They were the champions of the night.

Credit: Peter Suba

Yesterday at the UK Open 2011, Joanna Leunis and Michal Malitowski showed the world that they are the top pair once more.

I am surprised. A bit.

Am I excited? Yes.

Historically, the top Latin pair has stayed at the top...until they retire. Look at Donnie Burns and Gaynor Fairweather and Byran Watson and Carmen Vincelji.

This might make Professional Latin ballroom a little less predictable and a little bit more exciting. Last November, Ricccardo and Yulia were crowned the world champions. So this UK Open was absolutely essential in determining if Michal and Joanna were still at the top.

Riccardo and Yulia giving it their all this year at the UK 2011. They won the title last year.

Credit: Peter Suba

Last year, Riccardo and Yulia won, but Michal and Joanna didn't compete.

I wasn't there at the event, so I don't know how each couple danced, but Joanna and Michal beat them.

I really hope they finally changed their choreography and really added some other more creative elements to take the championship. They have been dancing the same routines for a several years now.

 Congrats to Michal and Joanna. May the best pair win every time.

Stefano di Fillipo will be competing at UK Open this year!

I just received word that Stefano di Fillipo with Olga Urumova will be competing at UK Open 2011. This ends speculation that he had retired. Good luck to him and Olga!

Poker Face and a three-person rumba at Blackpool Congress

I love creative dance routines.

The Blackpool Congress is the last place I would expect to see a cha cha and tango to Poker Face. For a minute, I thought the author had switched the music, but after hearing the applause, I realized it was real.

Here is a Latin couple and another standard couple (who I don't know the name of) dancing the tango.



Another favourite of mine is Bryan Watson, Carmen Vincelj and Hans Galke doing a three-person rumba at the Blackpool Congress in 2007

I love the song and the story of this piece. It was Bryan and Carmen's last year competing at Blackpool, so it was particularly moving.



That wasn't the first three-person dance routine, but I thought it was done particularly well and the choreography I thought was very thoughtful.

Klaus Kongsdal and Katya Virshilas are engaged

The attractive pair, Klaus and Katya

Credit: Hello Magazine

It has been confirmed that Klaus Kongsdal and Strictly Come Dancing's Katya Virshilas are engaged.

The lovely couple was introduced by Klaus's friend Jason Cutler, brother of Mathew Cutler who introduced with at the BBC bar.

Klaus was a former Blackpool finalist with Victoria Franova. He retired soon after he was on Denmark's version of Dancing with the Stars.

Katya was also courted by her 'Strictly' partner Gavin Henson, who had confessed his feelings for her. He had said "I fancy her. I wish she was single."

I think Katya made the right choice by sticking with Klaus. Congrats to this happy couple.