The 2024 Swiss Latin Championships will be remembered as an event with plenty of gala ambience. As part of the 70th anniversary ball of the Turniertanzklub Zürich (TTZ), the defending champions Davide Corrodi/Maja Kucharczyk from Zug in the main category and Henri Arpad Hoffmeister/Alina Karpenko, who are licensed for the HDB, were celebrated as Swiss champions in the youth category.
The Dani Felber Orchestra provided the snappy live music for the evening rounds, which was met with enthusiasm by the dancing couples and the audience. In combination with professional show lighting and an audience dressed up for this special evening, an atmosphere was created that had not been experienced at Swiss dance events for a long time.
In the main category, the dance-loving audience witnessed the first-class performance of the currently dominant couple Corrodi / Kucharczyk. With first places in all five dances, they never left any doubt as to who would take gold. The race for silver and bronze was a little more exciting, as a glance at the results shows. The TTZ was represented by four couples in the final six and took the two remaining podium places thanks to Tristan Geiger / Catherine Pisarenko and Flavio Martins de Sà / Angelina Lesniak. Fourth-placed Alessandro Faraco / Charleen Leimer from New Horizon Dance Club, last year's youth champions, were somewhat disappointed. Due to their international results, they could have hoped for a place on the podium, but were placed off the podium by the seven judges.
Hoffmeister/Karpenko did not concede as much in the youth category as Corrodi/Kucharczyk in the main category. Behind the dominant HDB pair, Denis Diachenko/Zlata Yermakova (TTZ) and Arjan Steurer/Aroa Martin (HDB) took the places of honour.
Unico Dance Club with medals for young talents
The Unico Dance Club Zurich, newly founded by former Latin champions Cuoco/Kosareva, won its first medals in the junior and student categories straight away.
David Schäfer/Olivia Kovaal won the gold medal and Henry Strübi/Varvara Trushkina the bronze medal. Silver went to the DUZ pair Marc Soldatenkov/Sofja Novikova. Arsen Fedorenko/Illirika Yermakova (UDC/TTZ) won the junior category ahead of Mihail Novikov/Taisiia Vasileva (DUZ) and Leo Lemmerich/Laura Tomasik from Teen Dance Club Frauenfeld.
14th title for Lodigiani/Patt
The young-at-heart senior II couple Flavio Lodigiani/Patrica Patt from Lucerne is a veritable "perennial favourite". Not only the bright colours of their clothes, but also their dancing style set them apart from the other finalists. They secured their 14th championship title in Wallisellen, which was made even sweeter by the 2nd place of their TSCL teammates Beat Peter/Ruth Zürcher. Frank and Wibke Sudholt (DUZ) won bronze.
In the Senior I category, multiple champions Felix Locher/Silvia Nater had to take a back seat for once. Gold went to Andreas Kiraly/Anna Koplik (DUZ/TSCZ) for the first time, while Pierre-Yves Richoz/Audrey Etter from Geneva confirmed their status as "eternal runners-up".
Text: Martin Zinser / Photos: Roman Schneuwly
Impressions
