Markham breaks out ballroom glitz for DanceSport Grand Prix world championships
DanceSport Grand Prix Canada in October will welcome 62 couples from 19 countries to the Pan Am Centre
Yorkregion.com
Sept. 18, 2019
Heidi Riedner
It may take two to tango, but the entire City of Markham will put its best foot forward when it welcomes 62 couples from 19 countries for the ballroom dancing world championships next month.
“It’s quite a coup,” says former Canadian champion and Richmond Hill-based dance instructor, Larissa Kerbel, organizer of the two-day event with former Ukraine youth champion and fellow instructor, Elena Shvaitser.
The pair is thrilled their bid to host the DanceSport Grand Prix Canada Oct. 5 and 6 at the Pan Am Centre -- in the rapidly growing 45+ age category -- was successful.
Various sponsorships, the City of Markham and specifically the Pan Am Centre were key to that, says Kerbel.
They hope the event will bring excitement to the area and growth to the sport while showcasing the best of Canada to the world.
That includes five-time Canadian Senior 2 Standard Champions and world finalists Horace Hu and Agnes Yuan.
It’s not hard to see why as they display the artistry, athleticism and elegance during a tango demonstration.
“Our favourite is the slow waltz. It gives us the best feeling,” says Hu. “Maybe not the best dancing, but the best feeling,” he laughs. “Tango is good for pictures,” he smiles, deft with more than just his feet.
The husband-and-wife duo have been dancing together competitively since 2006.
“When we dance, we can feel when we are competing against people who have danced their whole lives. It’s very difficult, but we always try our best -- for ourselves, for Canada and for Markham.”
A special honour to compete in front of friends and family, the Markham couple stops short of claiming any home-turf advantage.
“Well, we feel a little pressure because this is our home town,” they both chime in, in sync.
“We are nervous, but about the quality of our dance, not the result,” Hu says, adding “if we dance well, the result will naturally come.”
"Blessed" with two left feet, Mayor Frank Scarpitti quipped that as a politician one or both sometimes end up in your mouth.
While he felt a little like a “fifth wheel” after two flawless dance demonstrations from Hu and Yuan, as well as amateur Vice Champions of Canada Karls Aniscenko and Dayana Nikon, Scarpitti didn’t miss a beat regarding the city’s excitement to host the event and position as a global sports destination.
“The Pan Am Centre is a world-class sport complex offering space and we are proud to be home to many gifted, aspiring and accomplished athletes,” he said.
The Canada DanceSport Association was awarded a 2019 Celebrate Markham grant, a municipal grant program that provides funds to not-for-profit groups and organizations for sport events, festivals and cultural activities held in Markham.
As a not-for-profit event, proceeds of the DanceSport Grand Prix Canada go to support the Smiles in Action, which promotes a healthy lifestyle through DanceSport for kids in schools.
DanceSport has been part of the Olympics since 1997 and the discipline of breaking (break dancing) was recently chosen by the International Olympic Committee as an event for the 2024 Games in Paris.
For more information and tickets, visit dancegrandprixcanada.com.
