Team Aria Kicks Off 2026 at the California Open
Representing Aria Ballroom, four talented adult Pro/Am students: Sara, Tatiana, Rumi, and Becky—launched the 2026 competitive season at the California Open DanceSport Championship this past weekend. Dancing alongside Coach Misha, they shared the floor with some of the strongest competitors in the country, performing with heart, determination, and joy.
Day 1 Highlights
The weekend began with Sara competing in American Rhythm. She delivered a beautiful, high-energy performance and earned an impressive 2nd Place in the Silver Scholarship Best of the Best.
Later that evening, Misha took on the rare challenge of competing in both Rhythm and International Standard on the same day—an unusual and demanding schedule. Thanks to his consistent training and top physical conditioning, he rose to the occasion seamlessly.
Tatiana danced powerfully in the International Standard events, finishing 7th in the Open Scholarship—an outstanding result in an exceptionally competitive category. She also captured 1st Place in the 3-Dance Challenge.
Becky followed with a phenomenal 1st Place in the Full Gold Scholarship Standard. An especially remarkable achievement considering she began learning her Gold choreography only in December!
Rumi delivered a superb performance, finishing 7th in a highly competitive Senior 1 Open Ballroom Scholarship Final—no small feat at this level.
Day 2 Success
On the second day, Misha returned to the floor with Sara and Tatiana in American Smooth.
Tatiana earned 7th Place in the Scholarship C American Smooth Final and an impressive 5th Place in the American Smooth Championship DanceSport Series event.
Sara continued to shine in Smooth, a style that is quickly becoming one of her strongest. She secured 2nd Place in the Silver Scholarship, adding another major accomplishment to her weekend.
Day 3 Finale
The final day featured Becky and Rumi in International Latin.
Becky claimed 1st Place in the Full Silver Latin Scholarship (A Division), rounding out a truly exceptional weekend.
Rumi competed in the Open Senior Latin category, finishing 6th in the Open Final from a very competitive semifinal. She also completed her 10-Dance event—where she is recognized as one of the strongest competitors in the U.S.—and earned 1st Place overall. An incredible achievement!
We are so proud of all our students who represented Aria Ballroom at the California Open this year. Their dedication, resilience, and love of dance continue to inspire us.
If you would like to see them perform locally, join us on April 18th at the Aria Ballroom Anniversary Showcase. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!