A group ballroom class 
Pix by Waruna Wanniarachchi

Dancesport Championships 2024 Sri Lanka organised by El Latino  Dance Academy will be held on  July 7 at the Golden Rose,  Boralesgamuwa from 6.00 pm onwards

There are 15 varieties of dance under three main categories Standard, Latin and Club Latin or Street Latin

Dancing is an ideal form of exercise to maintain one’s agility, flexibility and physique

What is really needed to improve social and competitive dance in Sri Lanka is the support of the authorities and the public

The seventh Dancesport Championship 2024 Sri Lanka will strive to unite leading dance academies under one umbrella and promote ballroom dance as a sport in the country and in the international arena, renowned dance guru Kevin Nugara opined. 

Organised by one of the leading dance schools in the country, El Latino Dance Academy (ELDA), the Dancesport Championships will be held on Sunday, July 7 at the Golden Rose, Boralesgamuwa from 6.00pm onwards.

In a candid interview with the Daily Mirror, Founder ELDA Kevin Nugara who is an esteemed professional dancer cum dance teacher as well as a choreographer said although Latin and Ballroom dance is recognised as an Olympic sport internationally with numerous competitions worldwide, there is still a long way to go for it to be recognised as a sport by the local authorities and the Ministry of Sports.  

Kevin’s distinguished career as a dancer has seen him represent Sri Lanka at many International Dancesport Championships in Asia and abroad, securing the top spot or being placed among the top finalists at every event.  

Accolades 

Having won most of his accolades in the Amateur Latin category locally and internationally, he moved into competing in the Professional Latin category at the beginning of 2013,and is the only Sri Lankan to have competed and won in the Professional Latin category at the International Dancesport Championships held in October 2013 in Hong Kong. 

With 30 years of professional experience as an instructor, Kevin recalled how he was introduced to dancing as a teenager at Alethea International School. Starting with Hip Hop being the trend at the time and thereafter pursuing Contemporary, Free Style, Ballet and Tap Dancing Kevin’s true calling came with Latin American and Ballroom Dance. 

“Since then, I became qualified as an Associate and Licentiate in Ballroom and Latin Dance through the International Dance Teachers Association (IDTA) – Great Britain, and bestowed the prestigious triple title for Services in the Field of Arts in Sri Lanka. 

Main categories 

There are 15 varieties of dance under three main categorie Standard, Latin and Club Latin or Street Latin. In the Standard category you get Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz and Quick Step. In the Latin category there is Cha Cha Cha, Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble and Jive. In the Club Latin category there is Salsa, Bachata, Argentine Tango, Kizomba and Zouk,” Kevin went on.  

“During my 30-year, career I have trained and groomed hundreds of students in a range of age groups from as young as five years to as old as 85 years. They were trained for competitions at local and international level and many have performed exceptionally bringing glory to the ELDA and Sri Lanka.  

At this year’s Dancesport Championships about sixty of my students and another seventy students of seven other leading dance schools will compete in over 28 events with finesse. The championship will feature couples from the renowned academies of Dance City, El Mambos, Feel the Beat Dance School, Resh Dance Kandy, Sandun Dance Academy, T&A Dance and X-Arena School of Dancing,” he said. 

Budding dancers 

With his passion for dance, Kevin has paved the way for many budding dancers to pursue their dreams and stand as an inspiration to all. Most of his dance students come from different walks of life. Some are studying to become professionals, some are already senior professionals like doctors and lawyers and some have their businesses representing a cross-section of the community. 

“Most of these professionals come here as a stress reliever from their desk jobs and to try something new. Many people think learning to do social dancing is an expensive hobby, which is not. It is actually the costumes and shoes of the competitive dancing that cost a little bit more as they have to be imported. And also self-grooming is important as one should always look nice when they are in the public eye. 

Dancing is an ideal form of exercise to maintain one’s agility, flexibility and physique. Even the obese people can resort to styles like Zumba to maintain a healthier lifestyle,” he said.  

Asked whether it is difficult for a fresher to find a dance partner at a class, Kevin said compared to men women have much enthusiasm in dance. “Males usually are a bit shy when it comes to the learning stage but females, who are double the amount in numbers, are very forward in their dance classes.” In his message to the public, Kevin said what is needed to improve social and competitive dance in Sri Lanka is the support of the authorities and the public. “Even visiting a competition as a spectator would support the industry immensely,” he said.  

Kevin who is also member and adjudicator to the World Dance Council (WDC) had invited three world-renowned adjudicators, Luka Fanni from Italy (Five times World Latin Show Dance Finalist), Prezemek Lowicki from Poland (UK Open Rising Star Champion) and Hristina Semova from Bulgaria (Bulgarian Professional Champion) to judge the Dancesport Championships 2024 Sri Lanka.