Dance is a vast, varied art form.
What do you think of dancing? When you think of dancing, what styles do you imagine?
Some think of the Lindy Hop, others think of line dancing, while some may think of reggaeton, merengue, or salsa.
Like other art forms, there are a variety of different styles to dabble in and adore.
So with that said…
Welcome to the Fred Astaire Cup in Paris, France.
It’s an international dance competition for the ages!
This isn’t your normal dance competition. No, not at all. The range of styles is unparalleled.
Are you a fan of ZZ Top? Good.
The opening strums and paced clicks of ZZ Top’s famous “La Grange” exit the ballroom speakers.
Our contestants pair off. Riccardo Cocchi and Yulia Zagoruychenko of the United States get ready to rumble.
After some humorous pleasantries, they take hands.
And they’re off!
Hand in hand, they weave their way through other couples, dazzling the audience with every perfect step.
ZZ Top’s playful lyrics layer atop the instrumentals.
“Rumor spreadin’ ’round in that Texas town
About that shack outside La Grange
And you know what I’m talkin’ about”
“La Grange” is known for its paced, syncopated guitar rhythm and tongue-in-cheek lyricism.
I’ve never seen professionals dance to it. I always foolishly assumed it wasn’t a very danceable song.
Well, I’ve certainly been wrong before.
“Just let me know if you wanna go
To that home out on the range
They gotta lotta nice girls”
Riccardo and Yulia continue their fiery footsteps.
The electric guitar kicks in, ushering in a new wave of thunderous choreography.
“Well, I hear it’s fine if you got the time
And the ten to get yourself in
A hmm, hmm”
The audience loves every single moment.
They have some sublime seats for these fantastic feet.
ZZ Top’s “La Grange” continues at a rapid pace.
“And I hear it’s tight most every night
But now I might be mistaken
Hmm, hmm, hmm
Have mercy”
Don’t try this at home!
They wind up, letting out a tantalizing twirl.
Their hands flair as they stick the landing.
They’re just having fun with it!
The smiles on their faces say everything.
They’re dancing to win, sure, but there’s nothing more fun than winning!
The rock tune continues amid a ballroom of bodacious dancers.
The dynamic duo continues, integrating more advanced choreography.
“La Grange” begins to wind down, signaling the end of this leg of the competition.
They hold absolutely nothing back for the grand finale!
Perfection!
Her smile says it all.
So how’d Riccardo and Yulia fare in the competition?
Does it even need to be said!? They came in first, of course!
The YouTube video description lists the other fleet-footed finalists. As evident in the video, they’re all exceptional.
1st – 32 | Riccardo Cocchi and Yulia Zagoruychenko (USA)
2nd – 19 | Dorin Frecautanu and Marina Sergeeva (MDA)
3rd – 36 | Troels Bager and Ina Jeliazkova (USA)
4th – 22 | Kirill Belorukov and Polina Teleshova (RUS)
5th – 33 | Sarunas Greblikas and Viktoria Horeva (CHN)
6th – 41 | Vladimir Litvinov and Olga Nikolaeva (RUS)
So what do you think of this dynamic dancing duo? Did you enjoy their performance to ZZ Top’s “La Grange”?
Don’t you just want to get up and dance? I sure do!
Obviously getting to their level takes practice and dedication, but if you put in the hours, you can get there, too!
Don’t forget to watch the entirety of their killer performance in the video player below!
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