Harvard Gazette: Ballroom Team shows national flair

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November 29, 2001

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HARVARD GAZETTE ARCHIVES

Ballroom Team shows national flair

Twelve members of the student-run Harvard Ballroom Dance Team made an impressive showing at the National Collegiate Dancesport Championships held over the weekend of Nov. 17-18 in Columbus, Ohio. With more than 40 U.S. colleges participating, the Harvard team placed second in both the American and International Style team match events.

Individually, seniors Nick Lau and Yuni Kim, neither of whom had dance training prior to entering Harvard, took second place in the Open Pre-champ International Latin competition, in which dancers can create their own choreography. This is the highest level that Harvard competes at, and theirs was the best individual placing for the team.

Team president Emily Wilcox '03 and Eric Price '05 captured first place for the Gold International Latin competition, while former team president Heather Rigby '02 and graduate student Scott Schnee won first place in the Gold American Rhythm and Smooth competition. Gold is the highest level of "syllabus" dancing, wherein dancers must follow a strict standardized set of rules and steps.

A group of professional coaches and dancers judged the event, closely inspecting each performer's technique, poise, musicality, connection, and stamina.

Other team members who attended the competition are Derek Greenfield '02, David Gude '04, Gokhan Kutlu, Rebecca Mitchell '03, Abby Sugahara '03, and Mildred Yuan '04.