DanceSport Team Cebu City (DTCC) are sending four couples to compete and represent the Philippines in three international competitions in the United States of America.

The couples include Jojie and Jonah del Rosario, Lowell Bernados and Jeanen Bergado, Jimmy Noel and Karla Fornolles with Genice Marquez and Charlea Lagaras. They are accompanied by DTCC organizers Edward and Eleanor Hayco and Ricca Alix, principal coach and director Loloi Rendon and member Renante Saldua. Also joining the group are Cebu City Government officials like Vice Mayor Mike Rama and Councilors Sylvan Jakosalem, Raul Alcoseba and Joy Pesquera.

The three competitions include the 38th International Grand Ball Championships, a National Dance Council of America (NDCA) recognized event to be held in San Francisco, California from July 28 to 30; the Empire State Dancesport Championship in Manhattan, an annual event from August 10 to 14 that gathers athletes from around the globe, and the Nevada Star Ball Dancesport Championship from August 17 to 20.

A week before the first competition, the DTCC delegation will perform in Latin Night Show by the Bay on July 22 to showcase Cebu’s talents to the American audience at the same time to promote the tourism options in Cebu City to American tourists. The roadshow will continue in Los Angeles with a show at the Dance Village on August 4 and another show on August 5 will be held in Las Vegas. The delegation will then proceed to New York to join the second competition. They will return to Las Vegas to join the third competition.

DTCC organizer Ricca Alix said, “Joining these competitions in the US have two major advantages. First, it promotes Filipino DanceSport athletes in that part of the globe and enable them to pit their skills with their foreign counterparts. Second, it enables the athletes to serve as ambassadors of goodwill by establishing relations with the American community and linking ties with the Filipino community there in the general aim of promoting Filipino and Cebuano tourism.”

Alix disclosed that, “The Cebu City government took care of our airfare, while the Filipino communities from different cities in the United States helped in accommodation and food. We would also like to thank Cebu City Sports Commision Chairman Michel Lhullier through Ms. Margot Osmeña for Lhullier’s financial assistance for the costumes.”

The delegation has been practicing rigorously for the past couple of months for the competitions and shows. They flew to the US last July 15 and are due to be back August 20.(PR from April Tutud-Ramos)