Negrense athletes win in world dancesport match

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A dancesport team from Silay City, Negros Occidental bagged awards in the World Dancesport Federation (WDSF) Cebu Open and 3rd Kind Open 2023 held recently at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu City.

The Kansilay Dancesport Team went home with two bronze and four gold medals from the said competition, which was participated by about 1,000 dancesport athletes from different countries on September 30.

Gold medalists were Darlene Callas and Carl Vincent Besonia, who competed in the teacher category, and Anthony Arbolante and Philip Lui Deocadiz in the 3rd Kind Latin (Male to Male) category.

Deocadiz and Josephine Fuertes, who competed in the Senior 1A category, brought home bronze medals.

Recalling his journey in the competition, 30-year-old Deocadiz said that it was such a wonderful experience competing with the best couples/partners in Asia and the world.

As an advocate of grassroots programs for young dance athletes, it’s interesting that a lot of Filipinos are now engaging in the world of competitive dancing, he added.

Deocadiz, who leads the team as head coach, said that he is hoping to inspire more athletes not just to compete but to practice the true essence of sportsmanship and camaraderie among fellow athletes.

The WDSF, which was founded in 1957, is the world governing body for DanceSport. It started under the name – International Council of Amateur Dancers in Wiesbaden, Germany, and is now a non-governmental international organization constituted under Swiss law.