At the premiere of the Swiss Dance Award, the best Swiss dance groups and dance couples from seven different disciplines thrilled the 1800 guests in the sold-out AXA Arena Winterthur. The victory in the Pair Award went to the Rock'n'Roll Vice World Champions Fabien Ropraz/Ioulia Ioudina, the Group Award was won by the tap dance formation of 11-time World Champion Dani Borak, the DanceStudio Borak from Winterthur. The big winner of the evening, however, is the "Swiss dance family", which was united in one event for the first time and won many new enthusiastic fans.
The STSV was allowed to nominate four couples for this premiere. In a top-class show, the current Swiss Standard and Latin champions had to say goodbye after the semi-final, somewhat surprisingly for many. In the Standard, David Büchel/Flavia Landolfi surprised the audience with an original Freddy Mercury choreography. The audience was carried away by their interpretation to Queen earworms. Vova Kasilov/Yulia Dreier also showed their great class, choosing a Ukrainian theme that touched the hearts in a different way.
The SM runners-up Dominik Zimmermann/Mae Hoffmeister also took advantage of the freedom afforded by the rules. Their dramatic Paso Doble went through the heart and soul - it was highly successful storytelling. The world number ten Davide Corrodi/Maja Kucharczyk delivered a strong Latin mix, mixing sport and show. Incidentally, it was not the three jurors Fabio Quattrocchi, Nicole Hansen and Viktor Giacobbo in their bright red armchairs who decided who would go on to the next round, but the audience in the hall by means of a mobile vote.
In the final, four different dance styles clashed for the first time - the 1800 spectators were spoilt for choice. Büchel/Landolfi and Zimmermann/Hoffmeister chose the same theme again, but offered new variations in the second part of the choreography. The rock'n'rollers Fabien Ropraz/Ioulia Ioudina, who opened the finale, came up with a visual surprise. Ioulia used a white ribbon known from gymnastics, which made her somersaults and turns even more striking than in the semi-final. The two vice world champions clearly prevailed, winning the winner's cheque and trophy. Behind them, the other three couples were very close. The Boogie Woogie pair Markus Berghahn/Ines Kyburz took the place of honour ahead of Zimmermann/Hoffmeister and Büchel/Landolfi.
Tap Dance inspires on the big stage
The best Swiss formations all provided visual highlights and were on the dance floor with teams of up to 25 people. In the final of the Group Award, the hip-hoppers from "Rock Da Sh*t Crew", the jazz dance formation from "tanZdas" and the tap dancers from "DanceStudio Borak" clashed with three equally talented groups, all of which were convincing in their own way. In the end, the formation of 11-time world champion Dani Borak came out on top and pulled another new, even bigger number out of the hat for the final.
Second edition on 27 January 2024
The conclusion after the premiere is clear. The new format with the interdisciplinary duels enthuses experts, jurors and audience alike. "It is of course very fulfilling to develop an idea together and then to experience how it is filled by all the dancers and enthusiastically celebrated by a packed hall," Martin Zinser of the IG Swiss Dance Award sums up. The success of the premiere can be built on.
The organisers thank all partners, sponsors and helpers and look ahead. The second round of the Swiss Dance Awards will take place on 27 January 2024.
Cordin Camenzind (text) and Reini Egli (pictures)
Winner Group
Winner Pair
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