The international dance tournament "Vitebsk Snowflake-2017" was held in Vitebsk (+photos)
As noted at the opening of the tournament by the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Council of Deputies, Vladimir Terentyev, the ballroom dancing festival has become an image event for the Vitebsk region, eagerly awaited by both participants and spectators.
– "Vitebsk Snowflake" is a bright, sparkling spectacle that combines sport and art. Discussions are still ongoing about what category ballroom dancing belongs to, but one thing is indisputable – it is beauty, harmony, and the highest level of skill, – said Vladimir Terentyev, and thanked, first and foremost, the creators and permanent curators of the project – spouses Natalia and Anatoly Tovostashev. Among the organizers are also the regional executive committee, the Vitebsk Culture Center, the Vitebsk Regional Sports Dance Federation, and the Fest Sports Ballroom Dance Club.
By the way, the Vitebsk tournament is the oldest in Belarus; it was first held in 1986 and today has a high international status. The competitions are held under the auspices of the WDSF (World Dance Sport Federation), which means that points earned by couples in Vitebsk are counted towards their world ranking. Therefore, dancers from different countries strive to participate here.
At the opening of the festival, the flags of Belarus, Russia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Italy, Luxembourg, Moldova, Slovenia, Romania, Portugal, Poland, Turkey, Israel, Finland, Spain, Bulgaria, Kyrgyzstan, as well as the Philippines and Switzerland were raised. Representatives from these two countries came to "Vitebsk Snowflake" for the first time.
For two days, couples of different
ages – from five-year-old toddlers to seniors, which include people of retirement age. The intensity of emotions was especially felt during the performance of incendiary Latin American dances: samba, cha-cha-cha, rumba, paso doble, jive. The tone was set by international rating dancers – Rising Stars. All of them were generously rewarded with applause from the audience.Representatives of Vitebsk clubs "Aelita", "Merenga", "Fest", as well as dancers from Polotsk, Orsha, and Vitebsk, repeatedly ascended the podium. In particular, in the "Juniors-2" age group, Ulyana Dukhnovskaya and Nazar Dikanov from the regional center won first place among Latin American dance performers. Olga Tochilo and Alexander Bayrashevsky from the Polotsk club "Fortuna" received the highest scores among seniors. Our young dancers won many medals, some of them performing on the big dance floor for the first time.
"Vitebsk Snowflake", according to ballroom dance fans, provides a charge of vivid emotions and great aesthetic pleasure. Guests from different countries who come to the tournament note the special warmth and love that warmed them during these January days in the northern capital of Belarus.
Tatyana Pasternak. Photos by Anton Stepanishchev, Dmitry Osipov. "Vitebskiye Vesti".