Salsa school scoops pool
By LUCY VICKERS - North Shore Times
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A North Shore dance school dominated this yearâs New Zealand salsa nationals.
Dancers from Latinissimo in Glenfield won the open, team and amateur divisions, as well as the people’s choice award for each of these categories.
Latinissimo co-founder and instructor Giancarlo Johansson and his partner Masha were champions in the open division, and Alyx Ty and his partner Tania Mason won the amateur division.
Team Latinissimo, consisting of eight dancers, took home the team trophy.
Earlier this year Mr Ty and Ms Mason came first in the amateur division of the Asian salsa oppen championships in Hong Kong. Mr and Mrs Johansson came second place in the pro division at this competition, and Team Latinissimo came second in the team division.
Mr Johansson says he is thrilled with the results at the nationals.
"We pretty much brought the house down.
"People were saying: ‘Latinissimo was in a class of its own and it was worth coming just to see you guys’," he says.
TVNZ’s Tamati Coffey, winner of this year’s Dancing with the Stars, was guest MC at the nationals.
Guest judge was Carol-Ann Hickmore, Dancing with the Stars winner in 2005, and judge on the show 2006 and 2007.
