By Nathalie Cole, Sirach Gabriela Del Fierro, & Vienne Santillan |
Picture this: pairs dressed in their best attire, walking hand in hand with their partner, ready for a classical ballroom dance. Until the dancers' steps quicken, the mood becomes tense, and the music starts to get drowned with cheers and yells from the audience.
That is what happened last February 23, 2023, at the Ateneo de Davao - Senior High School (AdDU-SHS) gymnasium—dancers from the eight clusters danced to the rhythm of roars, banging drums, and beating hearts as they competed to be the last pair standing. Montserrat's twists and suave steps let them win the Dance Sports Competition, followed by the Paris Cluster bagging the first runner-up spot and Barcelona Cluster as second runner-up.
With heads held high in their blazing costumes, the eight pairs were introduced one by one; showing raging confidence and being ready to take on the dance floor. Everyone showed their winning streak, swaying, dancing, and exhibiting their skills through bold movements and fascinating facial expressions.
The dancers competed in three categories: Cha-cha-cha, Rumba, and Jive. Each category had three rounds consisting of a derby round where everyone dances at once and four heat rounds for every pair of the team.
The ballroom battlefield didn't have room for all these dancers. At the end of all of those rounds, only three clusters remained standing—Jerusalem, Paris, and Montserrat—whose steps enchanted the audience and the judges giving them another chance to dance at the finals.
Following the same category for the three rounds, the remaining clusters once again set foot on the ballroom battlefield.
"Despite everyone's best efforts, I came out on top because I had yet to consider it a competition. I tried hard not to be competitive, knowing I always strive for excellence in almost everything. At the time, I was just concerned about becoming better than the day before. I was just enjoying every second of it, knowing that no matter how things turned out, I was already a winner the moment I believed in myself, stood my ground, and showed everyone my vulnerabilities. I also avoided putting pressure on myself since it would disrupt my headspace," Yestin Ira Formentera, one of Montserrat's dancesport representatives, confidently exclaimed.
The music stops, the performers start puffing, and the audience roars as the dancers take a bow. Smiles were beamed, and tears were shed—all on the ballroom battlefield.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The article has been updated due to typographical errors. The publication apologizes for the oversight.
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