The 2009 RPI Ballroom Dance Competition was held Saturday, April 11 at 9:30 am in the ’87 Gym. Fifteen schools came together to compete in four styles: International Standard, American Smooth, International Latin, and American Rhythm. RPI was fortunate enough to send many of its dancers home with ribbons that evening.
One of the judges for the competition was RPI Ballroom Dance Club instructor Jennifer Girard ’98. This was Girard’s third year with the ballroom club, and she has enjoyed working with the team each week, watching their skills and talents progress.
“Over the last couple years, I have had the privilege of working with the team. I have had the chance of seeing every single one of them grow over the course of the semester. And, right now, I have about five to six students who are taking my breath away from where I saw them begin.”
The competition started off with the bronze-level Standard dances, opening with waltz, tango, and quickstep. In waltz, beautiful performances were given by Josh Menke ’10 and Rebecca Boerigter ’12, who placed sixth; Nihar Shah ’11 and Kim Mohs ’11, who took fifth; and John Brucker ’11 and Allison Keefe ’11, who took third.
Menke and Boerigter particularly drew the attention of the judges, earning ribbons in both the newcomer and bronze levels. After only a year on the team, they placed second in bronze Standard quickstep, fifth in tango, and second in both newcomer tango and waltz.
Brucker and Keefe also did well and not only walked away with first, third, and fourth place ribbons in bronze Standard tango, waltz, and quickstep, respectively, but also received a $75 scholarship on behalf of the Ron Curry Foundation, a charity in support of ballroom dancing among youth. The scholarship goes to the overall best competitors at the bronze level, with a separate scholarship for each of the four styles. Brucker and Keefe received theirs for overall best in Standard.
“I feel like I did well,” Brucker said. “The competition was tough, [but] I would like to have done better in a couple dances.”
Gold competitors Michael Moebius ’09 and Monica Louie ’09 took overall first in Standard.
At the newcomer level, Jordan Earle ’12 and Kathryn Celentano ’12 placed third in Standard tango and waltz, while Menke and Boerigter took second in both. First place went to Chandler Guptill and Lauren Wetzel of Hartwick College.
In American Smooth, Menke and Boerigter once again placed first in newcomer waltz and foxtrot. Two RPI couples, graduate student Jonathan Botts with Catherine Chou ’10 in silver and Zachary Germain ’08 with Ali Kennicutt ’09 in gold, each placed overall first in their respective levels. Botts and Chou were commended by International style ballroom coach Gerard Uffelman, who said that both have demonstrated exceptional technique and motivation throughout the time he has known them.
For the Latin and American Rhythm portions, gold competitors Jennifer Crown ’10 and Germain placed overall second in samba, Paso Doble, cha cha, and rumba. Jennifer Lippens from Russell Sage College, competing for RPI, also performed an impressive International jive with exceptional energy and precision.
Throughout the day, time was also made for three “fun dances,” which incorporated more social dance styles such as the hustle, swing, salsa, and polka. There was even a “Paso Don’t” competition, where everyone—including those with no dance experience— was welcome to compete in a pseudo-Paso Doble. Some notable performances were given by RPI ballroom coaches Blaise Hartley ’93 and Sage alum Sabrina Barry in their fierce rendition of the Paso Don’t. For more information on the results of the Fun Dance competition (as well as the real one) visit: http://www.dance.zsconcepts.com/results/
The competition was a success, and the beautiful dances, outfits, fun events, and song choices—a quickstep to “Spider-Man” by Michael Bublé and cha cha to Rihanna’s “Disturbia”—made it a day well spent. The next competition will definitely be worth attending to see the RPI Ballroom Team progress even further.
