On the evening of December 1st, the 2018 All Star Dance Gala, sponsored by SUFE Education Development Foundation and the Chinese Music World (CMW), organized by SUFE Alumni Dance Club and Yinshi Dance (Shanghai) Cultural Media Co., Ltd. was held in SUFE Gymnasium. Xu Tao, Chairperson of the University Council, Vice President Fang Hua, Zhu Mingxiong, Chairperson of the University Council, Vice President and Secretary-General of the China International Standard Dance Federation Wang Yonggang, Deputy Secretary-General Cao Xiaoming and President of Ballroom Dancers’ Federation Kenny Welsh, directors from departments, alumni and donors, and those who are concerned about SUFE's development attended the gala. An audience of 2000, including teachers and students, jointly enjoyed the high-level and high-standard audio-visual cultural feast.
The gala opened as the President of Rothschild Greater China, a member of the SUFE board, the President of SUFE Alumni Dance Club,an alumni of the class of 1983 Yu Liping and his dance partner Shi Peiyang brought a wonderful opening dance. With warm lights and beautiful music, the graceful dance ignited the atmosphere.
All Star dancers included Arunas Bizokas and Katusha Demidova, as a couple they have won the 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 Professional World Ballroom Dance Championships in the Standard Ballroom catagory, also Domen Krapez & Natascha Karabey, 1st in the WDC Professional Ballroom Showdance (World Championship of Dance Professionals in Germany - Bonn 2018), Stefano Di Filippo and Daria Chesnokova, in the Professional Latin category they are currently 2nd in the world and 2nd in the USA, Ferdinando Iannaccone and Yulia Musikhina, in the Amateur Latin category they are at 2nd in the world and 1st in USA, Travis and Jaimee Tuft, two time US Amateur American Smooth Champions,Nazar Norov and Irina Kudryashova, 2016 & 2017 World Professional American Rhythm Champions and Yu Liping and her partner Stefano Soldati. Each of the couples brought five different sets of national standard dances.
Tony Dokman, 1st in the Professional Standard, Universal Championships 2006 and the international referee from Britain and Yuan Yisi, the bilingual host of CBDF Competition of the China International Standard Dance Federation, introduced the performers and dancing styles of each group of dances, informed the audience of the nuances of the national standard dance. The gala was broadcast live all over the world through Youku Sports and campus network.
Top dancers took turns freaturing in the middle of the dance floor, bringing wonderful performances. Lighting, music and dancers were perfectly integrated. Whether it was a gorgeous and elegant waltz, a romantic and lyrical rumba, a light and stretching fox-trot or a light and agile fast-paced dance, or even an enthusiastic and unrestrained cha-cha, passionate samba or cheerful jumping cowboy dance, each group of dancers used their exquisite dancing skills to show the rise and fall of their steps with aestheticism and passion. Dancing creates a world full of artistic romance for the audience. At the end of each dance, thunderous applause erupted throughout the show, and the audience took out their mobile phones and cameras to shoot moving moments.
In the middle of the five groups of performances, the children from the dance studio presented a lovely group performance of the international standard dance.
After more than two hours of dancing, all the dancers and performers who participated in the gala came to the stage for the curtain call. The audiences were immersed in the romantic atmosphere created by the aesthetic dances. They were reluctant to leave and applauded for a long time. Guests also went to the stage to take pictures with the dancers. SUFE leaders took pictures with volunteers and security guards who worked hard to ensure that the performance went smoothly.
