I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Chengdu, China, to judge the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) World Cup Latin, WDSF World Open Standard, and DanceSport Asia (DSA) Asian Championships Standard competitions, September 21-22, 2024.
I was immensely grateful to the World DanceSport Federation for nominating me to judge these prestigious events. From the moment I arrived, I was filled with excitement and anticipation, and the experience exceeded all my expectations.
The event was impeccably organized. Every detail, from the registration process to the final awards ceremony, was handled with precision and care. The venue was beautifully decorated, creating an atmosphere that was both elegant and festive. The attention to detail was evident in every corner, from the stunning floral arrangements to the sophisticated lighting that highlighted the dance floor.
One of the trip’s highlights was meeting fellow judges and dance enthusiasts from around the world. The friendly environment and shared passion for dance created a wonderful sense of community.
Additionally, exploring Chengdu in my free time was a delight. The city’s rich culture, delicious cuisine, and friendly locals made the trip even more memorable. The only thing that made me sad is that I didn’t have a chance to visit the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base to see those adorable creatures up close.
I hope more USA Dance Adjudicators will have similar opportunities to judge such prestigious competitions. Thank you, WDSF and USA Dance, for this incredible honor.
Editor’s Note:
Yelena Vesnovskiy has been teaching and training champions for the past 30 years. In Russia, she studied ballet, character, modern, and contemporary dance from the age of seven. At the age of 12, she discovered Ballroom Dancing, which quickly became her primary style of dance.
Her teaching journey began at the age of 14 in her hometown of Nakhodka, Russia. Yelena attended the Culture and Performing Arts University (NOKKI) in Novosibirsk, Russia, where she graduated with degrees in Choreography and Ballet Mastery. After her studies at the University, Yelena met her final partner in dance and life, Lev Vesnovskiy. Together they developed the curriculum for the first fully Ballroom Dance Department at the University of NOKKI, where they were both head administrators.
In December 2001, Yelena opened Atlantic Ballroom Dance Studio in Brooklyn, New York. There, her primary focus is raising children to be determined and passionate competitors.
The WDSF World Open Standard, September 22, was a new series for WDSF and had a strong international flavor. There were 35 couples from China, Korea, Japan, Italy, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Uzbekistan, Tippee, Thailand, Vienna, Macedonia, and Mongolia. Yelena was the only adjudicator from the Americas, joining fellow judges from Moldova, Romania, France, Germany, China, Japan, Italy, and Poland.
The World Cup Latin event, held September 21, was equally strong internationally. Participation included 23 couples from 23 different countries — Hong Kong, Latvia, Italy, China, Hungary, Poland, Germany, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Croatia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Portugal, Korea, Vienna, Kyrgyzstan, Japan, Austria, Macedonia, Tippee, Malaysia, and Mongolia.
The host federation, the Chinese DanceSport Federation, has 1395 active members, including 237 WDSF Adjudicators, 90 dancers in the Professional Division, and 78 in Breaking.
As of October 2019, DanceSport Asia (DSA) is the official continental body representing WDSF’s DanceSport Federations in Asia. As the sole officially recognized body for DanceSport under the Olympic Committee in Asia, DSA will have opportunities to include DanceSport in a range of Games, including the Asian Youth Games and the Asian Games. Similar to the relationship between WDSF and USA Dance for the United States, WDSF and DSA are committed to working hand in hand to promote and develop DanceSport on the Asian Continent.
