World's top ballroom dancers to compete in 2nd Philippine Star Ball. The world’s top professional and amateur ballroom dancers will again compete in the 2nd Philippine Star Ball on February 15 at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. During the first Philippine Star Ball last year, the country hosted competitors from the United States, Europe and Asia. This year, enthusiasts can also look forward to special performances by world dance champions. “We have about a hundred couples from all over the world plus 400 couples from the Philippines… the level of competitors coming from all over the world are really top rate. From Blackpool, which is like the Olympics of ballroom dancing, [to] top 5 in the world in standard [to] top 4 in the world in Latin. It’s going to be quite a competition,” said Pinky Puno, head of the organizing committee of the Philippine Star Ball. Standard dances include the slow waltz, tango, foxtrot, Viennese, waltz, and quickstep. Puno and Jojo Cariño, president of Council of United Professional Dance Teachers of the Philippines, said that it is about time that the world recognizes the talent of Filipino ballroom dancers. “We have very, very talented dancers. We just have to work a little harder and [we need] more teachers… we are not lacking in talent, we are just lacking in more tutorials,” Puno said. Cariño, for his part, said ballroom dancing is a sport that needs the support of both public and private sectors. “Ballroom dancing is one of the sports that Filipinos can excel, which needs support for training and for more teachers to come,” he said. The event will have a daytime and evening competition. The daytime event, which starts 10 a.m., will feature local competitors and some foreign dancers. Tickets for the 10 a.m. event are priced at P200. The evening competition, on the other hand, will start at 8 p.m. Mornings@ANC
as of 02/06/2009 2:06 PM