Dance athletes hone up for 2005 SEA Games.

(From Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Byline: Manolo R. Inigo

BECAUSE dancesport, the newest addition to the 2005 SEA Games calendar, is a rich source of medals in the biennial meet which the country is hosting, the Dancesport Council of the Philippines is leaving nothing to chance. It is conducting local competitions and sending top dance athletes to various international tournaments this year.

On March 20, the council will conduct at the Philsports Arena the DSCP First Quarter Ranking and Competitions-Petron Cup, the opening leg of a series of local dancesport competitions for 2004. International stints awaiting Filipino dance champions are world-class tournaments in Tokyo (March 7 and 14), Bangkok (April 4), Yakustuk, Russia (Children of Asian Games, July 25-29), Hong Kong (Aug. 1), Singapore (Aug. 7-8), Gold Coast, Australia (Aug. 22), Seoul (Sept. 19), Barcelona (Oct. 9), Taipei (Oct. 23-24), Shanghai (Nov. 7) Christchurch, New Zealand (Nov. 20), and Melbourne (Dec. 12).

"It will entail a lot of money to send our teams abroad," said DSCP president Becky Garcia, "but our youthful dance athletes need the international participation mainly because, in terms of international exposure, our local athletes pale in comparison to their foreign rivals who have too much experience, skill and talent."

Still, despite the limited resources, Garcia proudly said, "The Philippines performed extraordinarily well in recent international competitions, stepping away with several gold, silver and bronze medals.'' For instance, in last December's IDSF (International Dance Sports Federation) Asian Championships in Macau, veteran internationalists Johan Erolle Melencio and Dearlie Gerodias won the silver in the Youth Latin event while Luis Miguel III and Luzviminda Artuz copped the bronze in the amateur Latin category.

Last November at the Philsports Arena, young sensations and PSA awardee Reynato Rener Mercado, 14, and Judith Anne Melencio, 12, won three gold medals in the junior Latin events of the Manila IDSF Open and 7th National Championships-Alaxan FR Cup, sharing stellar billing with another pair of young athletes, Brian Joseph and Karla Ocana, who also won three golds.