From 17 to 80 years old, thousands of competitors fill the Rosen Centre in Orlando, Florida, each competing for a world championship title. By the end of the competition, five Texas Ballroom members walked away with their own.
Texas Ballroom, an organization sponsored by RecSports, teaches various styles of ballroom dancing for social, competitive and performance dancing. The organization competed at the United Country Western Dance Council’s World Championship, from Dec. 29 to Jan. 5 in Orlando, Florida, and earned 15 medals, including five world championships. Texas Ballroom president Ira Kondap said this competition proves an annual testament to the team’s growth.
“It’s nice, no matter how you place, to see your efforts for the whole year rewarded,” biology senior Kondap said. “It always makes us really proud to be able to send so many people and to have them do so well.”
Texas Ballroom’s head captain and country co-captain Paris Apolinar said 18 members traveled to Florida for the championship, a larger group than in past years. Apolinar said although the competition proves time-consuming she enjoys meeting the other competitors.
“It’s so many people from all over the world,” said Apolinar, a nutritional sciences senior. “So, it’s fun to meet people that you typically wouldn’t see at some of the other competitions we go to, because we usually stay in Texas.”
Apolinar and her partner, Bryan Bowling, won the Couples Open Division III championship title, against 12 couples. Apolinar said the top three winners in this division were all Texas Ballroom members.
“I kind of went in with no expectations, because anything can happen at Worlds,” Apolinar said. “You could be getting first all year and then get to Worlds and something completely different happens. … I was really glad all of our hard work paid off.”
Texas Ballroom instructor Sherry Reynolds said after more than 10 years of teaching at the organization, witnessing her students win a UCWDC world title, just as she once did, remains her greatest reward.
“Imagine whatever activity you enjoy … being the best in the world at, it’s unbelievably awesome,” Reynolds said. “There’s only one thing that’s more awesome than that, and that is helping your students achieve that. … You have to live a lifetime to understand how truly (of) a feeling that is — very, very special.”
Texas Ballroom will host its semesterly “Free Week,” from Jan. 21 to Jan. 23 from 8-10 p.m. in Belmont 628. Kondap said this event provides students with beginner-friendly dance lessons from professional instructors.
“We’ll start with beginner moves like country, social … and traditional ballroom styles — and that’s open (to) anyone across the University who wants to attend,” Kondap said. “You don’t have to bring a partner, you don’t have to bring anything but yourself.”
Apolinar said after attending Texas Ballroom’s “Free Week” her sophomore year, she fell in love with the organization and never stopped showing up. She said the organization offers a great way to meet new people and gain new experiences.
“It’s not just a dance org … it’s a big group of friends,” Apolinar said. “There (are) so many people on the team (who) had zero dance experience that (ended) up becoming either amazing dancers or pivotal parts of our team. … Dancing is just something that’s so fun, it’s a universal language — I think it’s (a) skill that everyone should have.”