12.11.08
At the Ohio Star Ball: Top Dancers on Practice Wear
It’s the créme de la crème for American ballroom dancers. To many, ‘Ohio’ is ‘the real national championships,’ where dancers at all ages and levels, and from all over the world, come to compete for six days every November. What began as a one-day event 31 years ago is now The Ohio Star Ball, the nation’s largest ballroom dance competition, an enormous event that fills the Greater Columbus Convention Center and hosts thousands of competitive entries in American Smooth and Rhythm and International Standard and Latin divisions.
There are 70 judges, three chairmen, three MCs, 7 scrutineers, 2 DJs, 9 Deck Captains, and a 300+ page program, all coordinating competitive heats that run on a meticulous time schedule. OSB hosts the U.S. National Collegiate Championships, with competitors from 47 different colleges and universities, and the World *Pro/Am Championships in all four ballroom styles, as the largest Pro/Am competition in the world today. When you aren’t watching the competition, visit one of the dance camps with top coaches and industry professionals. Or enjoy the shopping - over 40 vendors of costumes, shoes, music, and other tricks-of-the-trade items fill the second floor.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it’s ‘The Big One.’
Top dancers come to the Ohio Star Ball for a friendly and festive atmosphere, a week of great performances, and fierce competition. So, what do they prefer in practice wear? I asked them.
This year’s 2008 World Pro-Am International Ten Dance Champion was Tina Bletnitsky (with partner Nikolay Czarnecki). To win such a prestigious title, one must master the five International Standard styles, and also the five International Latin styles. This requires hours of practice, so this ten-dance competitor must know what she’s talking about when she says: “In practice wear, I think it’s really important for it to feel comfortable, so it’s fitted on your body, it’s not interfering with your practice choreography.” She also prefers “sheer skirts for standard, sheer so you can see your footwork and your legs.” World Pro-Am Youth Latin Champion Michelle Andronov similarly said: “I like to practice wearing dance pants or capris because you can see your footwork.”
Looking for sheer? we would suggest our Diagonal Sheer Striped Pant or our Sheer Striped Gaucho Pants.
Looking for pants and Capri pant styles? Check out the Classic Flare Pant, or the Slit Cuff Capri Pant, made with stretch for ideal comfort and fit.
Emily Takhatarov, World Pro-Am Teen Latin Champion, said she needs “something that stretches, that doesn’t ride up.” And Karen Hauer, Professional American Rhythm Finalist with partner/husband Matt Hauer, has the body to wear just about anything, so it’s no surprise that in addition to “stretch,” she likes a fitted look. “I like tight to the body, everything fit to the body. I like seeing the silhouette of my body,” she said.
Pictured above: Pro Rhythm finalists Matt & Karen Hauer (left), Professional Rising Star Latin Finalists Yuliya Zubovay and Andrei Svirydzendka (right).
Yuliya Zubovay, a Professional **Rising Star Latin Finalist with her partner Andrei Svirydzenka, concurred: “I would say black, and I like to practice in pants.” And Juliya Zavadska, also a Professional Rising Star Finalist (with partner Sharone Levit), added: “It’s really important for me, something that will show me, my personality.”
They all have their preferences on style and fit, but almost all of these dancers said “comfortable” first, when asked what was important in practice wear. At e.K. Clothing, we use fabrics with 6% - 8% stretch, for a comfortable and attractive fit. Check out our affordable variety of practice styles at www.ekclothing.com, where you’re sure to find something comfortable and suited to your style personality.
* Pro/Am is an abbreviation for Professional/Amateur, as in students (the amateurs) competing with their teachers (the professionals).
** Rising Star is a division for up-and-coming professional competitors.
-Photo of Zubovay/Svirydzenka by Tony Eng/DecaDance Photography
Coming next week: What do top dancers prefer in social dance wear?
e.K. Clothing » Five Ways to Make it Through a Long Rehearsal said,
March 12, 2009 at 3:18 am
[...] more information on what makes good practice wear, check out our previous blog article, ”At the Ohio Star Ball: Top Dancers on Practice Wear.“ Make it through those long rehearsals with proper nutrition and hydration, adequate warm-up [...]