The way they were: The couples I miss the most from the dance floor!

Back after a long hiatus! Publishing some new posts :)


I know that all ballroom dance fanatics such as I have couples that they miss the most! I get very nostalgic trolling on Youtube and I thought I would share with you some of the most iconic couples that have broken up, yet have undoubtedly left a mark in the world of ballroom dancing!

1. Slavik Kryklyvyy and Karina Smirnff

They were young. They were hot. They were so talented!
Slavik and Karina were also in a private relationship while they danced together for four years.I remember reading in an interview that he had kissed her randomly when she was having a phone conversation and that was how their relationship began. The couple was known for their explosive dancing...and their rumoured explosive fights! I believe that their professional partnership was over when they broke up as romantic partners.

For me, their dancing was absolute perfection. Their chemistry, their technique....it just came across as very geniune and real!

I know Slavik has tried to find a partnership that could finally allow him to become the World Champion, but he has never been able to finding a partnership that lasted as long as his with Karina's

From watching the clips of Ballroom Dancer, it appears he is very much a perfectionist and this probably drove his former partners away.

Also with the release of Ballroom Dancer, we now know for certain that Slavik has retired. It is funny that if they had lasted another few years and continued to dance together after the retirement of Bryan Watson and Carmen Vincelji, they would have surely won Blackpool and become the World Champions.

Isn't this video cute? I have also posted their reunion videos. PLEASE continue to dance together, so I can make it to you show next near at Dance Legends!





2. Stefano di Fillipo and Anna Melnikova

This couple was smoulderingly hot! Stefano was a beast on the dance floor...and Anna was so gorgeous! They both still are amazing, but personally, I think they were the best together.

Like Slavik and Karina, Stefano and Anna entered into this partnership as a private couple. However, they soon broke up afterwards and Anna started to date Slavik. However, Stefano and Anna continued to partner each other and together they won the Amateur World Championships and Blackpool.

This couple just complemented each other so well. Stefano might not have the perfect refinement of Slavik, but he brings sheer masculinity and FUN to his dancing. At that point, I thought that Anna brought out the best of her herself. She was the most confident, sexy and dynamic in this partnership!

Although Stefano had a very successful partnership with Olga Urumova, their chemistry wasn't as natural. He is very solid at the moment with his wife Daria, but I miss the boldness he had as an amateur. I felt that Anna became less bold during her partnership with Slavik. With Justinas Duknauskas, she has really toned it down and become a more subtle dancer in my opinion. I think a lot of it has to do with the amount of energy she gets to feed on and also how comfortable she is in that partnership.

Stefano and Daria at the Internationals

So the debut of the new partnership between Stefano di Filippo and Daria Chesnokova is finally on Youtube!

I think they look great together! A lot of people commented that Daria kind of dances like a combination of Anna Melnikova and Olga Urumova. I think Stefano always brings out the sexiness in his ladies ;)

Here is it for your viewing pleasure! What do you think?

Huge surprise....Stefano di Fillipo and Olga Urumova split up!

Wow....just when this super pair was getting so good. I just found out that Stefano di Fillipo and Olga Urumova split up! I am very sad about  this news, but happy to hear that Stefano will be returning onto the dance floor.

Stefano di Fillipo and Olga Urmova at International Championships 2011

Photo credit: Volgyi Attila

The pair was ranked number 5 at Blackpool in 2011. I noticed that although they have technically been dancing for 2 1/2 years, they weren't a pair that consistently competed in every competition, which was probably due to Stefano's hectic dance schedule on the Italian version of Dancing with the Stars, Ballando con le stelle. 

When someone splits up with their partner, it becomes more difficult to move up the ranks in dance competitions. Judges generally mark more established partnerships such as Bryan Watson and Carmen or Joanna Leunis and Michal higher than new couples. It makes sense on one level, as their partnership is not as strong yet, but I think sometimes some newer couples are marked lower because of political reasons.

I wish them both success in their future dance careers. I was truly moved by their performance at the World Superstars Dance, so I will post that again.

No surprise here... Ilia Russo and and his wife Oxana Lebedew will dance together!

Looks like we finally may have an idea of as to why former top pair Franco Formica and Oxana Lebedew split up. The rumor is that they had conflict over their 4th place finish at the World Championships in 2011.

Oxana Lebedew will be dancing with her husband, Ilia Russo, who also split with his partner around the same time. I wish the pair good luck in the future.

Ilia and Oxana Russo

I truly hope that Franco, one of my all-time favorite dancers returns to the dance floor. The man is so talented and I adore his dancing.

Someone finally posted some of the good quality videos of World Superstars Dance Festival 2011 on youtube.

Franco looks like he's dancing at WSD like it might be his last time performing there...especially during the samba at the end!

Another memorable performance was Stefano di Fillipo and Olga Urumova's very emotional rumba with Mikee Intron's wondeful live vocals to "Ma Che Ne So"! He sounded amazing live.


What a show! Hopefully one day I will get a chance to see it in person.

Happy New Year everyone!

Stefano Di Filippo is a time-management genius!

Okay for most professional dancers, a stint on Dancing with the Stars means career-suicide.
But for Stefano Di Filippo, currently ranked sixth in the world (with his partner Olga Urumova), he can train for dance competitions AND do the Italian version of DWTS, Ballando con le Stelle.  

Here is the clip from the show with Stefano di Filippo:



I love Stefano even more for remaining in competition even while doing the show! I wish other dancers like Karina Smirnoff could do the same!

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.

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!

Stefano di Fillipo is leaving the Italian dance federation (FIDS) to protest against competition restrictions

Photo credit: Valentin Behringer

  

Stefano di Fillipo, former Amateur World Champion is leaving the Italian dance federation, F.I.D.S. ( Federazione Italiana Danza Sportiva) to protest against competition restrictions.

The F.I.D.S. has banned it's dancers from competing in most elite Professional competitions in the world to accomodate Olympic entries for Dancesport. This means, no U.K, British and International Championships. Those competitions are under the World Dance Council.

The point is, the Stefano wants to be able to compete with the very best in the world, which would undoubtedly help him grow as a dancer.

His press release is here. Some of the points he makes are:

Recently I have been pressured not to dance in U.K. Competitions, and when on one occasion Olga and I were allowed to dance in England from our Federation, we found we have to suffer financial consequences after dancing !!??!!

It is with a heavy heart I find myself out of F.I.D.S. and i will not return back until my freedom and the general goodwill and fairness returns to the Italian dance system. This is not just about me, I believe in a fair open system which is for all of us, in every country and every federation!

I want to thank a reader who had commented on a previous post writing that Stefano is likely unable to compete with elite competitors, like Anna and Justinas due to restrictions on dancers imposed by F.I.D.S.

I also want to thank Donovan, who let me know that Stefano did not specify in press release that he was retiring. His press release also didn't say explicitly whether he would be dancing with the WDC. 

Hopefully we will see him on the dance floor soon.

I have met him and he is brilliant and way too young to retire.

Here is Stefano after winning his first Amateur Championship with Anna Melnikova in 2008. I think this honour dance is one of the best showcases of his talent.

It's Official: Anna Melnikova and Justinas Duknauskas will dance together!

Although Dancesportinfo.net has not reported of their partnership yet, acccording to her facebook photos, we can see that she did a show with Justinas Duknauskas. According to her status they are also now engaged.

Looking at how incredibly beautiful she is and how insanely talented she is, it is no surprise how quickly she moved on from Slavik Kryklyvyy.

Anna and Justinas during a show

Credits: Mindaugas Vaiciulis

Anna and Justinas during a photo shoot

Credits: Anna Melnikova

How high do you think this new pair will rank in the standings? Do you think this pair will beat Stefano di Fillipo and Olga Urumova or Maurizio Vescovo and Andra Vaidiliate in the finals? 

Knowing dancesport politics, I will say the pair might not beat those pairs initially, but can get  be a force to reckon with in the future.

I can't wait to see some Youtube videos of their dancing!

Update: Here is the video of their rumba.