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!

New Slavik Kryklyvyy and Anna Melnikova Documentary called Ballroom Dancer! (Although we already know the ending)

I think everyone obsessed with latin dancing will find the new documentary called Ballroom Dancer an interesting examination of why the partnership of Slavik Kryklyvyy and Anna Melnikova failed.

Slavik and Anna were in a private relationship a few years before their partnership, and many speculated that this was the partnership that was going to bring Slavik back onto the top. However, as we all know, Slavik is now dating Daria  Chesnokova and Anna is dancing with her husband, Justinas Duknauskas.

Slavik and Anna are undeniably one of the most popular dancesport dancers and watching the clips, you can see the intensity in their fights and their raw emotions.

Here is the movie trailer:


It looks so good! They were such a promising partnership! I will definitely watch it when it comes out. What do you think?

I feel like no matter, what Slavik and Anna would never have been first place within a year.

I almost feel sorry for Slavik in the documentary, as I have written before, I am afraid that Anna was Slavik's last hope for success and I think is professional career is over. In the film, it mentions that it was his last chance, so I am fairly sure we won't see Slavik on the dance floor anytime soon. The DVD for Ballroom Dancer will be available worldwide in the Spring.

Last dance of Franco Formica and Oxana Lebedew

Some World Superstars of Dance videos are up and they are enjoyable to watch, even if they are in poor quality.

I was particular touched by the rumba of Franco Formica and Oxana Lebedew, as you can visibly see Franco crying at the end of the routine. I hope Franco returns to the dance floor, because I think he has the best samba, and his dancing is so brilliant!

I think that based on his age, him and Slavik might be headed to retirement, rather than return to the floor with new dance partners? What do you think?

Here is the rumba:

Brand new chacha routine: 


Nobody knows exactly why the pair broke up, but Oxana did recently get married to Ilia Russo, another Latin dancer, who also split up with his partner. Maybe Oxana will end up dancing with her husband?

Hope to see Franco or Oxana on the dance floor soon, they are both brilliant dancers, and I thank them for the five years of excellent dancing!

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:

Valentin Chmerkovskiy is also a rap artist

Maybe I have been living under a rock, but I had no idea that Valentin Chmerkovskiy AKA ValC was a rap artist.

I think him being on DWTS will definitely help him break into the music scene.

Here is his latest music video. What do you think of this song?

Valentin Chmerkovskiy retires, joins Dancing with the Stars

Photo credit: Thomas Morton

The recent news that high level dancer, Valentin Chmerkovskiy at 25 has prematurely ended his competitive career has sent shockwaves throughout the ballroom dance community.

Like when Stefano Di Fillippo decided to switch from IDSF to WDC, Valentin issued a letter that explainned his reasons, which were primarily due to the politics in dancesport competitions today.

Valentin was dancing with Daria Chesnokova (girlfriend of Slavik Kryklyvyy) and at Blackpool 2011 he placed third. He was first the US and 9th in the world in the Amateur division.

He will be joining his brother Maksim Chmerkovskiy and be a pro on the 13 season of Dancing with the Stars. I think of all the male pros, he is probably the most talented.

He joins other high-level dancers such as Alexei Silde and Anna Firstova (who really did not get to reach their potential as professionals) in retirement. He was a truly great dancer who could have made the finals as a professional. Maybe he will one day decide to compete again (like Maxim Kozhevnikov), but that is rarely the case when a dancer joins DWTS.

To speculate, I think that Slavik might take Daria has his next partner. She is a very elegant dancer and high level who I think could hold her own against Slavik. If he does, let's hope that it lasts longer than his last partnership with Anna Melnikova.

UPDATE: I think Slavik isn't going to return to competition. Daria is on Dancing with the Stars with Val, so a partnership between them would be unlikely. In the upcoming documentary, I hear he has severe hip pain. Sad!

Here is a piece of Valentin and Daria's beautiful rumba

Alexei Silde & Anna Firstova retire from competitive dancing!

What a sad day in ballroom!

 Alexei Silde and Anna Firstova

 Photo credit: Jure Makovec 

Long time dance couple, Alexei Silde & Anna Firstova has retired from competitive ballroom!

I was pretty surprised to hear the news because it was only three months ago when they turned pro. At their last dance competition, "Vivat, Russia!" in Sochi, the pair won first placed and announced their retirement. The joy that Alexei and Anna brings on the dance floor is magical. Sad to see this pair leave after competing together for more than 10 years. I always felt that they had the potential to place in the top 6 couples in the Professionals.

Wish the couple best of luck in their retirement