BEHIND THE SCENES:
BEVERLY HILLS BALLROOM
Eddie Farcon
Jhailyn and Joshua dancing
Stil, Jhailyn does appreciate the support. "If you're nervous on the floor and your family is watching you and cheering you on, you feel like they're with you on the floor," she says.
COMPETING
Joshua and Jhailyn stand in line until their dance heat is called to perform. They then find a spot on the floor as their families yell out their dancer number,: "Let's go 127!" Then, the music starts and they're off, powering through dance after dance. They make it to the semifinals, and then the finalists' names show up on a screen. "Get ready to see some kids cry," says Armie Farcon. Jhailyn and Joshua are on the list, but they get a warning, because they danced an illegal move. They'll have to do a back-up routine. They quickly review with their coaches, get some water, and dance again. "People say ballroom dancing is not a sport. And that's not right. If anyone can go and dance a minute of jive nonstop and say it's not a sport, then that's fine with me, but I don't think that's possible," says Joshua's dad, who is taking video of the performance.
Special thanks to Leonid Proskurov and Samantha Safir of Beverly Hills Ballroom for working closely with Lev, Natalina, USA Dance and the Ovation network to make possible an exceptional story about ballroom dance kids.
BEHIND THE SCENES:
LA COUNTY CHAPTER 4031 The Los Angeles County Chapter worked closely with National PR to create an opportunity for Lev and Natalina to perform for the Ovation network in the LA area. On April 20, the chapter was already hosting a “theme dance” at the Culver City Veteran’s Auditorium. Lev and Natalina, working with their coach Leonid Proskurov of Beverly Hills Ballroom, were invited to be the star performers and performed five dances, both Latin and Standard, for the audience. The parents were among the audience for the show. Along the sidelines and behind the scenes filming unobtrusively were the television crews. LA County Chapter President Jerry Hernandez and District Director Herb McGurk, who worked with the production company for several weeks, were interviewed as USA Dance spokespersons and were key to the event’s successful filming.
RESULTS
After their dances are done and the judges deliberate, Joshua and Jhailyn stand with the other finalists and wait for their names to be called. "Come on, come on, do this thing!" says Joshua. Jhailyn tries to tell herself it's OK if she doesn't do well. "I'm proud of myself and I think I've done my best. There's always next time," she says. Their names are announced: third place overall. They hug and grab their medals. "There is a lot of discipline in this sport. Everybody's got to be upright and proper. But they're still kids. When they get off the floor, they're back to regular kids," says Eddie Farcon. 36
American Dancer | www.americandancer.org
District Director Herb McGurk ALL PHOTOS BY: Jerry Hernandez