Ballroom dance teams from the United States, China, England, Mongolia, and the Czech Republic competed at the famed British Championships held in Blackpool, England. The BYU Ballroom Dance Company presented their new Latin competition medley, “Carmen.” The crowd enthusiastically clapped along during the routine and gave the dancers a rousing ovation. The team’s greatest competition came from the Beijing Dance Academy from China, who presented a technically challenging and disciplined routine. In the end, the crowd favorite was also the judges’ choice: BYU took first place.
The following evening, the BYU group performed their competition ballroom medley to songs selected from The Sound of Music. This time the results reversed, with Beijing Dance Academy taking the majority of first-place marks. Chair of the judges and former world champion Marcus Hilton later remarked that BYU does not disappoint and always presents their work with great sophistication and heart with a marked excellence in technique.
The BYU company has begun travels to perform their full showcase in cities across France, Switzerland, Belgium, and Spain. Two highlights will be dancing at the famed Cirque d’hiver Bouglione in Paris, France, and for members of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium.
