Dance Legends in New York this weekend!

Hello dance lovers,

Just wanted to let you folks know that Dance Legends will be in New York this weekend!

If you are in New York or close by it should be a good show as there will be so many well-known dancers there, such as Yulia and Riccardo. I see it as kind of a Japan World Super Stars Dance Festival but in North American! 

If anyone ends up coming let me know how it goes! I think it's pretty exciting retired couple Mirko Gozzoli & Edita Daniute will be there. I heard they were going to perform last year, but couldn't make it after they broke up.

Here are the photos from last year's event:

Edita Daniute retires from competitive dancing!

Edita Daniute

Credit: OptimusMorton

Edita Daniute, former amateur ballroom champion and partner of  Mirko Gozzoli has announced that she will be retiring from competitive dancing!

I am not that surprised she has retired as she does have a very young daughter and a husband who is a lawyer. I having a competitive dance career must have been difficult for her family. I think it is hard in general for a woman with a family and children to have a competitive dance career.

This is a portion from her interview with Dancesportinfo in 2010 on competing and having a family.

Edita:  No, it is complicated and difficult I must admit I miss my family and I miss my daughter very much and it is hard but I am getting something that will stay with me for all my life. I have my career and there is a choice. In the 2 years I stayed with my family I missed that very much and I regret that I lost my career. I could be getting old and sitting and crying I could have been this or I could be that but I did not do it or, instead, I can do what is right for my own satisfaction...There is nothing worse in life than someone who is not satisfied with their career. There are people who do not care about their career they even do not want a career and they concentrate on the family but I think for most dancers this is not the case. We are sportsmen, we are competitors and dreams which have not been fulfilled leave us angry and even change your character and therefore I decided to give it a go. It is not easy but I try to spend one week in every month with my family.

She is very beautiful and talented and I loved seeing her dance with her hair down! Wish her best in the future and I hope Mirko finds someone and continues to compete!

Alessia Betti has retired!

After a long and fruitful career, Alessia Betti, former world, Blackpool and UK Open champion has retired! She was the best-known for successful partnership with Mirko Gozzoli that led to undefeated world championships from 2004 to 2009.

According to this Dancesportinfo article, she intends to start a family with her husband and former dance partner, Angelo Madonia. 


The youtube video in which she has used to say goodbye, shows that although her partnership with Mirko was successful, she had to make many sacrifices in her personal life to achieve success. Here is the video: