News from Viva Dance
Congratulations to Dansesport Montreal Winners
Congratulations to all our students and teachers who participated in last weekend's Dansesport Montreal competition for their excellent results. Special mention goes to the following first place Viva Dance couples: Anton and Anna (1st Professional Standard), Serghei and Anastasia (1st Professional Rising Star Standard), Andrei and Natale (1st Professional Latin) Vladimir and Sandra (1st Amateur Adult Latin), Zoran and Maria (1st Pre-Championship Standard), and Clinton and Silvie (1st Silver Senior I Latin).
Salsa Extravaganza a Big Hit
Our special salsa event on June 20th at Viva Dance was a great success; record-breaking number of participants, a most informative and very entertaining salsa workshop, great music by Giovanni Torrez of Los Salsomanos, and outstanding performances by true Salsa Masters Gaby and Christian from Peurto Rico.
Viva Kids Dance Showcase a Great Success
Over seventy kids four to sixteen years old participated in our Kids Dance Showcase on Saturday June 13, 2009. Over 200 family members, friends and other spectators came to cheer the hard working kids as they showcased their talents and achievements. All took home trophies and enjoyed in particular the surprise show by Eugene the Magician. Look for photos and videos from the event on this website soon! congralutonas to Julia and friend Luzas for a great viva dance performance at the szizerio weedding
Viva Dance Team Successful in Blackpool
Congratulations to our Standard professional couples Anton Lebedev and Anna Borshch and Serghei Pogonet and Anastasia Kazmina for their great results at the Blackpool Dance Festival, the most prestigious ballroom dance competition in the world that takes place annually in England.
Both couples consider this year’s experience in Blackpool to have been extremely rewarding; they gained much from the actual competition as well as from the extensive training they did with the world’s top Dancesport pros in England while they were there. Anton, Anna, Serghei, and Anastasia are now eager to share their new knowledge with their students back at Viva Dance.
In the professional Latin category, we congratulate Andre and Natalie Paramonov for placing 17 from 248 couples in the Latin category. They did particularly well in Paso Doble, placing in the top 9 couples.
In the amateur Latin category Viva Dance proudly congratulates Arthur Adamski and Alexandra Plaza (pictured above) for their outstanding results: 15 from 220 couples in the amateur Under-21 Latin category! A top achievment for Canada.
Viva Kids Dance with Blackpool Runners-Up
April 3, 2009: At Cathy Gullo's recent dance Gala at Famee Furlane, featuring world-famous Arunas Bizokas and Katusha Demidova,
David Shmuelov and Alison Lee along with Daniel Perusina and Mia Paudula
performed their competition routines for an appreciative audience. Daniel's older brother Luka Perusina had also been scheduled to perform but his partner could not make it.
Arunas and Katusha, who came a remarkable second place in the Professional Ballrom category at the 2008 Blackpool Dance Festival (from over 200 of the world's top couples), provided a spectacular performance as usual. However, this time there was an added element ... during their show they decided to change partners! Daniel, Mia, David, and Alison bravely took on the challenge of partnering these two top professionals, and Luka found a way to join in on the fun as well! Click here to see pictures of this most unusual showcase.
Viva Dance Student Saves a Life
May 14, 2009: Our student John Choi made a remarkable gift by donating part of his liver to save the life
of a friend suffering from terminal liver disease. John we applaud you and our prayers are with
you for a quick uncomplicated recovery. We look forward to seeing you back on the dance floor by July!
Viva Kids Dance Showcase June 13, 2009
We will be having our bi-annual Junior and Juvenile Dance Competition and Showcase on the day of Saturday June 13, 2009. Come and Support our Future Champions!
Ballroom Boot Camp Going Well
Our recent Ballroom Boot Camp on May 9 was a smashing success. It was very much focused on dance fitness, dance technique, and specifically floor craft. Participants were involved in challenging floorcraft exercises that revealed unique ways to keep your flow, momentum and routine on a crowded competition floor.
Future participants can expect very focused exercises and drills. Whether you are a social dancer or a competitor in the Standard dances, there is much to gain from this Bootcamp. Your dance conditioning, technique, and your prowess on a crowded dance floor will be enhanced. We look forward to seeing you all at the next bootcamp.
Viva Dance Students Perform at Russian Victory Celebration
May 7: Viva Dance students provided entertainment for a Toronto Russian community Victory Day celebration held at the National Restaurant and Banquet Hall in North York honoring Russian solders who fought in the second world war.
Our students Nikita Ivanchenko and Nicole Gynga, and Daniel and Stephanie Gofeld performed a beautiful Viennese Waltz interpretation of the Victory Waltz. Nikita and Nicole also performed a Rumba, Cha-Cha, and Paso medley to the romantic Russian traditional song "Koni" ("Horses") by composer Vladimir Visotski.
Congratulations to our students for receiving a standing ovation from the appreciative audience!
Anton and Anna en Route to Blackpool Dance Festival
May 7, 2009: Viva Dance instructors Anna Borshch and Anton Lebedev are working hard to prepare for the 2009 Blackpool Dance Festival that will take place May 21 to 29, 2009 in Blackpool, England.
Anton and Anna will be representing Canada in the Professional Standard division. Read more about Anton and Anna's preparations for Blackpool.
Anastasia and Stanislav Delight Audience
May 4, 2009: Our instructor Anastasia Florin and her partner Stanislav Kochergin received much praise for their performance on the weekend. "They were enthusiastic, professional, and incredible ballroom experts, " we were told. "Their performance ... brought tons of excitement to the room when they danced." Read More.
Patrick and Ella Participate in B.C. Island Fantasy Ball
May, 2009: Viva Dance Students Patrick Rucinski and Ella Nusenbaum received an official invitation to participate and perform at the Island Fantasy Ball in Nanaimo, BC. They were happy with results: second in the Youth Latin category, fourth in Adult Latin (from semi-finals) and fourth (from quarter finals) in Adult Standard (Youth Standard had been cancelled). Their show went very well and was greatly appreciated.
Patrick and Ella are 2009 Canadian Youth Standard Champions
April, 2009: Viva Dance Students Patrick Rucinski and Ella Nusenbaum placed first in Youth Championship Standard in the recent Canadian Closed Competition that took place in Montreal on April 10 and 11, 2009. They also placed second in the Youth 10-Dance competition and third in the Youth Latin competition (from quarter-finals!) and made it to the semi-finals in Adult Championship Standard. Read More.
Ballroom Boot Camp Every Month
Viva Dance is running a monthly Saturday night Ballroom Boot Camp with workshop/seminars conducted by world renowned Dancesport grandmaster Denis Tremblay. See Events for the date of the next Boot Camp.
Competitor Focus Group
Viva Dance is running a weekly intense Focus Group workshop for competitors every Saturday morning (unless there is a competition that Saturday).
Salsa Socials with Giovanni Every Month
Vida Dance is hosting a monthly Salsa Social party with Giovanni Torrez, Toronto’s leading Salsa choreographer/instructor, and Toronto’s number one Salsa DJ. See Events for the date of the next Social.
Anastasia Florin New Competition Partner
March 2009: Our instructor Anastasia Florin is now competing in Professional Ten-Dance with Stanislav Kochergin, an instructor from Toronto.
Serghei Pogonet New Competition Partner
February 2009: Our instructor Serghei Pogonet is now competing in Professional Standard with Anastasia Kazmina, an instructor in the USA. They plan to meet and compete at various competitions in North America and Europe.Viva Dance Students Win Dancing with the Stars Kids Challenge
January 2009: The popular Dancing With the Stars TV program auditioned local children for their "Dancing with the Stars Kid's Challenge" while on tour in Toronto. We are proud that several of our students were selected to be among the couples to perform on stage in front of a sold-out audience at the Air Canada Centre on January 12, 2009. They were:
- Daniel Cazes & Nicole Vujanic
- David Shmuelov & Alison Lee &
- Luka Milacic-Perusina & Anna Tchkhartchvili
- Jonatan Kamenetsky & Abigail Xinkas
Watch this City TV Breakfast Television clip which included a demonstration and interviews of these talented kids:
Saturday Night @ Viva is Back!
Our Saturday Night Dance @ Viva returns to the normal format as of January 10, 2009.
Every Saturday there will be a one hour Group Class by rotating instructors followed by General
Dancing (both Latin and Standard). The group class is from 8pm to 9pm and we will start
with a standard lesson by Stephen Murgatroyd on January 10, 2009. Jackie Kuo will teach Latin
on alternating Saturdays. General dancing (strict tempo) follows from 9pm to midnight.
Admission is $10.00 per person (the group class included so don't miss it!).
Viva Dance Instructors Top Pros in Canada
Our instructors Sharone Levit and Julia Zavadska became Professional in the 2008 World Medallist Championships that took place in Montreal on Friday, September 26, 2008. They placed second in the Canadian Closed Latin category just behind our instructors Natalie and Andre Paramonov, who are also World Showdance Champions. Anton Lebedev and Anna Borshch also did well, placing second in Closed Professional Standard.
Viva Dance Instructors Featured on "Made"
February, 2008: Viva Dance instructors Valentin Mirosh, Andrei Paramonov and Natale Paramonov trained Oakville teen Joana Cardoso at Viva Dance for the MTV reality series "Made", a show about making dreams come true. In just four weeks Joana Cardoso was "Made" into a ballroom dancer by Valentin Mirosh.
On February 11, Joana discovered she was getting a surprise lesson by World Showdance Champions, Andrei and Natale Paramonov.
Told by MTV crew members to be strict and unforgiving, Andrei and Natale grilled poor Joana on her inadequate practice, her lack of passion, her sloppy outfit, and her bad feet. They even told her to watch her diet and eat less! After nearly bringing her to tears, they comforted her after the shoot with big hugs and smiles, as in real life they are actually very nice people. 
Viva Dance instructor Anna Borshch also played a part in this show as Valentin's highly critical dance partner, adding even more stress to poor Joana's training.
This episode of "Made" aired on MTV on Thursday May 22 at 10pm. During past seasons, each episode of MADE followed one willing candidate as they embarked on a mission to transform their life. Whether it was becoming a varsity football player, the homecoming queen or a cheerleader, each teenager dreamed of breaking out of their shell and finding out what they were really made of and what they could achieve when given the tools and training.
Viva Couples on America's Ballroom Challenge
The 2007 Ohio Star Ball aired as "America's Ballroom Challenge" January and February 2008 on PBS. Winson and Anna performed a demonstration in this TV presentation and Andre and Natale Paramonov were featured in the Pro Latin and the Showdance competitions. View the Paramonovs (couple 319) dancing here:
Read about the America's Ballroom Challenge on PBS website
Paramonovs Win World Championships
December 1, 2007: Viva Dance's Andre & Natalie Paramonov have won the 2007 World Latin American Showdance Competition in the Netherlands. They are now the 2007 World Latin/American Showdance Champions. This feat was achieved in a competition field of 28 of the world's best showdance couples!
Anton and Anna Turn Professional
Viva Dance instructors Anton Lebedev and Anna Borshch have decided to conclude their Amateur careers and become Professional. We congratulate them for their fantastic result in their very first Professional competition at the Ohio Star Ball on November 16, 2007, where they placed 4th in the Professional Rising Star Standard competition.
Viva Dance Excels at Maple Leaf Classic
November 2007: Viva Dance instructors Andrei and Natale Paramonov win the Professional Latin category of the Maple Leaf Classic 2007 competition, placing first in all five dances. Watch their winning Jive here.
Junior couples Winson and Anna place first in both Latin and Standard. Watch them dance the foxtrot here!
Viva Dance Students to Perform in America's Ballroom Challenge
Winson Tam and Anna Kus will be performing in the 30th Anniversary of the Ohio Star Ball, parts of which will be televised as the American's Ballroom Challenge. See their performance from last year below!
Aigars Stolcers Joins Viva Dance Team
October 2007: We are proud to announce that Aigars Stolcers from Latvia has joined the Viva Dance team. Aigars has been ranked 12th in the World! Read his profile here. His lovely wife Agita is to accompany him soon.
Viva Dance Competitors Win in NJ Summer Sizzler
Anton Lebedev and Anna Borshch take first place in the Amateur Standard division at the New Jersey Dancesport Classic in July.
Viva Dance instructors Win in Minneapolis
Andrei and Natale Paramonov take first place in the Professional Latin division at the Twin Cities Open 2007.
Viva Dance Celebrates Arrival of new Baby Daniil
March, 2007: Viva Dance congratulates Konstantin and Oksana Antonov on the recent birth of their son, Daniil. Click here to get a close-up view of Daniil when he is only two days old!
Viva Dance Instructors in America's Ballroom Challenge
Viva Dance instructors Andrei and Natale Paramonov participated in the fourth episode of the American's Ballroom Challenge 2007. They placed an amazing third place out of hundreds of couples in both the Professional Latin Division and the Professional Showdance Division!
Audience Loves Young Viva Dance Competitors
Viva Dance competitors 11 year old Winson Tam and 12 year old Anna Kus were selected to perform a samba presentation in the first episode of the America's Ballroom Challenge, 2007. Says Anna "I was a little scared because there were all these judges around me and people that are my idols," ... but "Winson calmed me down and we went out and got a standing ovation". Watch their presentation below!
Winson and Anna on Rogers TV
Winson Tam and Anna Kus, just days after receiving a standing ovation for their outstanding performance at the Canada Dancesport in Kingston, were interviewed by Rogers Television on September 27, 2005. To watch the interview which includes an exciting Rumba demonstration, click here.