A selected team from Rhodes University DanceSport took podium positions in their respective sections at the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) Open Championships. The event was hosted for the first time in Africa, in Gaborone, on 16 to 18 May, which saw six countries participating.
This marked the first time that Rhodes University DanceSport sent couples to compete outside the country. The club competed as a team under the banner of Rhodes University and not as individual couples in their own right. Rhodes University was the only university competing.
All couples took podium placings in at least one, if not both, of their divisions. Together the team brought back six gold, six silver and four bronze medals with one couple ranking fifth overall in the Standard Division of the Gaborone WDSF World Open (Championship level).
The Rhodes University team consisted of Christopher Rafael with Candice Ryan (Latin), Andreas Astier with Fiona Drummond (Standard and Latin), Khaka Mpofu with Phuttie Masenya (Standard), Khaka Mpofu with Layla Radosavljevic (Latin), Evan Miles with Layla Radosavljevic (Standard), Evan Miles with Kelsey Scott (Latin) and Damon Hook with Emily Haldane (Standard and Latin).
“Candice and I made the final in the World Latin Championship division against six other countries! It was an amazing feeling. One of my level section couples was invited to compete in the World Open Standard division and came fifth overall. I cried tears of joy - In total we brought back 16 podium position medals,” said an elated Rafael.
In DanceSport you compete in divisions, namely Standard (also called Ballroom) and Latin. In those divisions there are age groups, Rhodes DanceSport compete in the adult age group which means any person in the age range from 16 to 34 can compete in any competition.
Progression in DanceSport is based on points, but points are awarded to the top six couples only. At national competitions in South Africa there are multiple elimination rounds or heats to get to the top six. This is especially true for USSA and SA champs where there are usually 50 to 100 couples in a particular level. In WDSF Open competitions the number becomes 100 to 1000 couples competing, depending on where in the world you compete, but points are only given to the top six couples.
The SA federation falls under the WDSF who govern DanceSport in the world. Their job is to host World Open competitions that count as qualifiers to attend the World WDSF Games which is similar to the Olympics for other sporting codes. This competition allowed the Rhodes DanceSport finalist, in the WDSF Championship Divison, to take part in the “DanceSport Olympics.”
An absolutely superb achievement by DanceSport who have no international coaches and are one of the smaller clubs on campus.