The United States Amateur National Championships for 2024 just took place in Provo, UT and WOW did Team Aria have an amazing turnout! It was a highly competitive weekend, with some events pulling the largest numbers of competitors this competition has ever seen. Aria Ballroom Principal Kora Stoynova was there all weekend to support and cheer on the 11 couples from Team Aria who attended. She was joined halfway through the week by her co-principal Simeon Stoynov, and Team Aria instructors Marat Kazarov and Misha Vorobiev. With 11 couples across 25 different events, we definitely needed a team of coaches there to make sure everyone got the attention and coaching they deserved! Without further ado, here are some of the highlights from the event.
Isaac Eugenio and Sarah Wilcox
Isaac and Sara competed in 2 different styles across 6 different events. It’s safe to say they did a lot of dancing! These two dancing wonderfully, putting out there the best dancing they have done on the competition floor to date. Their events were highly competitive, so unfortunately they did not make any finals.
They competed in three Latin events. Their best Latin result was making the Quarter-Final, which is the top 24, in the Adult Novice Latin, which started out with over 100 couples! The Adult Novice Latin was such a busy floor, with intense competition round after round. Making the top 24 couples was amazing!
They also competed in three Standard events. Their best Standard result was in the Adult Novice Standard, where they competed against 85 couples. Round after round, they put their best dancing on the floor. They kept up their energy all the way through, and fought their way into the Semi-Final, which is the top 12 couples. We are so proud of their achievements!
Landon Heal and Mercedes Mechum
Landon and Mercedes also competed in a wide variety of events. Their styles of choice are the International Latin and the American Smooth, and across these two styles they competed in 6 different categories as well. This is their last year competing in the Junior 2 (under 16) age category, so they were determined not just to push as hard as possible in their Junior 2 events, but also to make a name for themselves competing up into the Youth (under 18) category. And boy did they ever!
In the Latin events, their best result was in the Youth Latin Pre-Championship, where they made the Semi-Final (top 12) out of more than 50 couples! They also fought hard in the Junior Pre-Championship Latin and in the Junior 2 Championship Latin. Both of those events were heavily contested, with the Junior 2 Pre-Championship falling at the end of a very long and exhausting day for those two and the Junior 2 Championship Latin as one of the more heavily contested events of the week. They placed in the Quarter-Final of both events.
Their American Smooth events finished with incredible placements. Like the International Latin, they competed in three highly competitive events and demonstrated to the country that Washington State is STRONG when it comes to American Smooth! They made the finals and secured podium placements in all three of their American Smooth events. First, in the Youth (under 18) Pre-Championship Smooth, they finished 3rd. In their Junior 2 (under 16) Pre-Championship Smooth they placed 2nd. But their greatest result was in their Junior 2 Championship Smooth, where they danced strongly from the first round and stood out as one of the best couples on the floor. Obviously the judges agreed. They finished 1st in all dances, securing the title of United States Junior 2 American Smooth National Champions. Congratulations Landon and Mercedes!
Lucas Leonard and Kate Dickson
Lucas and Kate competed in the International Standard and the American Smooth divisions, for the last time in the Youth (under 18) age category. They are graduating High School this year and will be off to University next fall so they were really hoping to make a massive impression in their last year competing against the Under 18s. And they did great! They put their best dancing on the floor and danced with more energy and consistency and maturity than they’ve ever managed before! And that’s with competing in 6 different events across all four days of competition.
In their Smooth events, they competed against a massive number of couples. Their best result was in the Youth Pre-Championship Smooth, where they finished in the Semi-Finals (top 12). In their other two American Smooth events, the Adult Pre-Championship Smooth and the Youth Championship Smooth, they made it into the Quarter-Finals.
Just like in the American Smooth, Lucas and Kate also competed in three different International Standard categories. In the Youth Championship Standard they were just out of the Quarter-Finals, but they fought their ways into the Quarter-Finals in the Youth Pre-Championship Standard and even made the Semi-Finals of the Adult Pre-Championship Standard! Up next for this talented couple is a very exciting trip to the Blackpool Dance Festival in May, where they will be competing on the most revered dance floor in the world.
Vicky Lin and Partner
Vicky Lin and her partner competed in the Junior 2 and Youth Championship events in two styles, the International Latin and the International Standard. As mentioned above, the Junior 2 Championship Latin was a heavily contested event, as was the Youth Championship Latin and the two Championship Standard events. Vicky and her partner danced beautifully, however, showing up strongly on the dance floor. In the Junior 2 Championship Standard, they made it to the Quarter-Finals (top 24), and made the Quarter-Finals in the Junior 2 Championship Latin as well.
Vicky works so hard and we are so proud of all of her improvement. She is not only an incredibly beautiful dancer, but she is so dedicated to her dancing, a fearless competitor, and a wonderful role model to have in the studio for our younger students. Congratulations, Vicky!
Leo Liu and Nicky Lin
Leo and Nicky also compete in two styles: the International Latin and the International Standard. This was their last year competing in the Junior 1 (under 14) age category, so they were hoping for some really good results in those two events. Unfortunately it was not to be. Their level and age categories are some of the most competitive events in the entire competition, with the level of dancing extremely high. Couples who dance in the Junior 2, Youth, and Adult Latin are literally some of the best in the world, so it’s a tall order to fight through the rounds.
That being said, Leo and Nicky danced extremely well and really stood out on the dance floor. In their Junior 1 Championship Standard, they made Semi-Finals but unfortunately did not make it through to the finals, which was a disappointing result for them. They did, however, manage to make it into the finals in the Junior 2 Championship Standard, paradoxically a more difficult category, even beating out some of the couples who had beaten them in the Junior 1! They danced beautifully in the Junior 2 Championship Standard Final and finished 6th overall.
The Junior 1 and Junior 2 Championship Latin events were tough! They danced hard in all rounds, showing up beautifully on the dance floor and not letting the intensity of the competition get to them. But, as mentioned above, they are fighting against some of the best dancers in the world. They finished in the Quarter-Finals of the both the Junior 1 Championship Latin and, like Landon and Mercedes, the Junior 2 Championship Latin.
Kai Matthew and Vlada Denysovets
Kai and Vlada turned over a brand new leaf this year, competing for the first time in some of the hardest age categories for their styles, the International Latin and the International Standard. For the first time at National Championships, they competed in the Youth (under 18) and the Under 21 Championship Latin and Standard. It was tough!
In the Youth Championship Latin they did not quite make the Quarter-Final, while in the Under 21 Championship Latin they managed to fight their way into the Quarter-Final. That was such a difficult competition. In fact, the winner of the Youth Championship Latin also finished in the Semi-Finals (top 12) of the Adult Championship Latin, so that should give you an idea of how highly competitive their events were.
The Youth Championship and Under 21 Championship Standard events were no different, in terms of the high level of dancing. The competitors for the Youth and Under 21 events were almost the same, and in fact half of the final for Kai and Vlada’s events even made it to the finals of the Adult Championship Standard, so again, the high quality of dancing at this age category cannot be understated! Still, Kai and Vlada danced beautifully and held their own against these power-houses, managing to make the Top 12 in both events!
Blake Mechum and Katelyn Maner
This was the final competition for Blake and Katelyn, as they are both finished up with High School this year and preparing for University in the fall. Blake and Katelyn only competed in one style at National Championships this year, but they danced the best we’ve seen from them! They competed in three different categories: the Adult Pre-Championship American Smooth, the Youth Pre-Championship American Smooth, and the Youth Championship American Smooth. In all three events they finished in the Quarter-Finals (top 24).
Adrian Secchia and Gabrielle Smith
This was the second year attending Nationals Championships for Adrian Secchia and Gabrielle Smith, and they competed in three different categories: the Adult Novice Latin, the Adult Pre-Championship Latin, and the Adult Championship Cabaret. With over 100 couples entered in the two Latin events, a record breaking number for those two categories, it was naturally going to be a tall order to fight through to the final rounds. But where Adrian and Gabrielle really shined was the Adult Championship Cabaret.
Adrian and Gabrielle were the only Cabaret couple from Washington State, competing in a category that is dominated by couples from Utah and Idaho. This year the Adult Championship Cabaret had a record 17 couples entered, with only 7 getting called back to the finals. Adrian and Gabrielle made it through to the finals and performed their famous “Minions” Cabaret routine to a packed house during the main session on Saturday night. Their routine garnered a standing ovation from the crowd and even some of the judges. It must have left a lasting impression with the judges, because they finished 2nd! Congratulations, guys!
Beckham Wei and Hermione Shen
Beckham and Hermione competed in the Closed Syllabus events in two styles and two age categories. The Closed Syllabus events are tough because it’s only one dance and one chance to gather enough marks to make it into the next round. In the Junior High School Syllabus Latin, the High School Syllabus Latin, and the High School Syllabus Standard, Beckham and Hermione made it to the Quarter-Finals. But in the Junior High School Syllabus Standard, they made it all the way to the Finals and finished 4th. Great job, Beckham and Hermione!
The United States National Championships is always a huge competition full of excitement, energy, disappointments and victories. This year was no different, with four couples from Aria Ballroom finishing in the top 6, 3 podium winners and 1 National Champion. We are so proud of all the hard work and effort that these amazing couples put into their dancing all year round, and we can’t wait to see what the next year has in store for them. Congratulations, everyone!
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