Virginia Peninsula Community College’s ballroom dance team has been performing at a high level for years.
“We’re still setting the bar with our program here,” said Pam Roberts, the team’s adviser and a purchasing coordinator at the College.
After the team’s showing at the Fantasy Ball Dancesport Competition at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel on Aug. 8, that bar reached new heights. The Gators won the overall title on the strength of 45 first-place finishes and one second-place finish.
“I knew some of my older couples would probably do OK,” Roberts said. “I wasn’t sure for my newer ones.”
Roberts’ uncertainty was partly due to noticing different judges for this event, and the competition included different categories. Usually, Roberts sees the same judges at each event, and her team members compete in the same disciplines.
“This was totally different. Different judging, different categories,” she said, adding the new judges “all were impressed with the team.”
Veterans Christina Ortiz, one of the team’s co-captains, and J.D. Ellis received the highest score of the competition with a 96.5. In Latin.
“Almost a perfect score,” Roberts said.
Newcomer Julian Parker teamed with Victoria Feliciano to win their division in Rhythm. Caedmon Sixbey, who has been dancing just a few months and was in only his third competition, partnered with Leah Norman to win their division in Latin and place second in Rhythm.
“They killed it,” Roberts said of Sixbey and Norman.
The other team members competing were Lawren Speight and Salome Suarez.
Roberts hopes to have her team compete in the Carnegie Classic at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh on Oct. 10. It’s a USA Dance-sanctioned event. The event in Norfolk was sanctioned by the National Dance Council of America (NDCA) competition. VPCC was the only college in attendance, going up against prestigious private studios and dance schools from across the area. People of all ages competed. The event in Pittsburgh is a step up in competition.
“As the team is progressing, we’re trying to branch out to these bigger events, not going up against just other colleges but everybody.”
After that is the D.C. DanceSport Inferno at the University of Maryland on Nov. 7-8. In January, Roberts has her sights set on the Triangle Open at N.C. State, and in April, there is BAM Jam at the University of Maryland, which they participate in almost every year. She’s also looking for an event in between the Triangle Open and the BAM Jam.
“We’re trying to get our name out there and get exposure to these bigger dance communities,” Roberts said, adding that is how to grow the program. “Our program is really setting us aside from some of these bigger universities. We’re starting to branch out nationally now, more so than just the smaller competitions.”
The team is coached by Simone Spadoni and his wife, Simona. They took over in the spring from Simone’s brother-in-law, Riccardo Pacini, who moved back to Italy for health reasons.
