2010 Best of the Best Event

A REVIEW OF BEST OF THE BEST 2010!

Best of the Best is a yearly event that Nuroc Dance company runs.  It has West Coast Swing Workshops & Competitions as well as Modern Jive Workshops & an Open Dance Competition.

A picture tells a thousand words so here's just some of the best photos!

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THE EVENT-  Every year the Best of the Best event has featured Jordan Frisbee & Tatiana Mollmann who are the USA’s No. 1 Classic Couple however unfortunately 5 weeks before our event we received some devastating news that Jordan Frisbee (who was one of our scheduled guest teachers/performers) had gone into hospital for an emergency knee operation, and while in the operation, the doctors discovered a much worse scenario than they expected. Basically Jordan was advised he was having a minor knee operation, which he would recover from, in 2 weeks, and therefore still be able to attend our Best of the Best event to teach and perform. When he woke up from the operation it was a totally different situation. The doctors had found his knee was much worse than anticipated, and they performed an emergency procedure which would take 3 months to recover from. Without the emergency operation the doctors advised Jordan that he may never dance again, as he would permanently damage his knee if he had danced for much longer on it. You can imagine Jordan's devastation receiving this news...... He was therefore unable to attend the event.

As Jordan couldn’t make it he organised Benji Schwimmer & his dance partner Kellese Key who are the Current US No. 1 Open Showcase Winners, to come to Australia for the event. Nuroc were proud to bring Benji Schwimmer & Kellese Key to Australia for the first time ever - this was their Exclusive Australian Debut Performance.

You will recognise Benji Schwimmer I'm sure if you watch the TV Dancing Shows - he was the Winner of the US Dance show "So you Think you Can Dance" - he was America's best and favourite dancer! He's also made several guest appearances on the show since winning too! Benji has also featured in the Candyman filmclip with Christina Aguilera where he was the lead Dancer and Choreographer.

Benji currently works in the entertainment industry as a choreographer, actor, dancer and writer. He is the creative director for Paula Abdul and is currently producing and starring in the film " Debonair ", due for release in late 2010. Benji also will be co-starring in the comedy " Leading Ladies " for a 2010 release. He was also featured in the Movie 'Love n Dancing' which also featured Jordan & Tatiana.

His achievements to date are honestly just way too long to list here - If you'd like to read more about Benji then I'd suggest clicking here - he is a very impressive young man! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benji_Schwimmer

Kellese is also a very impressive lady! Here's a little (well big) write up we found on one of the major West Coast Swing websites about her:

Champion of Champions!

Kellese Key makes Swing dance history - again!

Anyone who has danced on the Swing Circuit knows that it takes an ENORMOUS amount of talent to win a Championship in the elite Showcase or Classic divisions. Only the BEST have achieved that elusive goal. It is a very exclusive club.

OK, suppose you work very hard and are able to pull it off. Now try winning BOTH titles.

Then try doing it at one of the two most prestigious competition events in the country - the US OPEN or the USA Grand Nationals.

Now really impress us by winning these individual titles at BOTH of these events.

Then try doing it with 4 separate partners.

And just to make your achievement even MORE astounding, try doing it over an amazing span of 15 years.

Only ONE person in America has done that. Just ONE. Her name is Kellese Key. She is a Swing dance SUPERSTAR. Or, as the judges say on "So You Think You Can Dance" - she is DA BOMB, RIDICULOUS and OFF THE HOOK.

Kellese has talent, she has technique, she has style, she has charm. Most of all - she has VERSATILITY. And, oh, that fabulous smile. It's sweet icing atop a magnificent layer cake of talent.

Kellese won her first US OPEN Showcase title with Barry Jones way back in 1994. She later won US OPEN Classic titles with her husband, Brent, in 1998, 2000 and 2003. Then again with Michael Norris in 2007.

She also won the Showcase Division at the USA Grand Nationals in 1996 with Barry Jones. She followed that by winning the Classic Division with Brent, in 1997, 1998, 2000, and 2003. She won it once again in 2007 with Michael Norris. And in 2008 and 2009 she won back-to-back Showcase Division titles with Benji Schwimmer. Each time with less than two weeks of rehearsal. You heard right.

Four partners, 14 major titles, 15 years, hundred hours of practice, thousands of intricate movements, innumerable competition memories.

They are an amazing couple and they always impress!

To see Benji & Kellese dance watch here!

2009 - US Open Performance - Benji & Kellese - Winning them 1st Place in the Showcase Section -



This was our biggest event yet with even more people attending than previous years!   The whole event went as smoothly as could be expected, with the challenges we faced, and I sincerely thank all those people who wrote to us with lovely encouraging emails thanking us for all the effort and work we did with the event!   Benji & Kellese have returned safely to the USA but they are keen to come back for Nuroc Dance Company so stay tuned for a date of when they will be back! We sincerely thank both BENJI & KELLESE for clearing their schedule and 'saving our event'!  They are both wonderful people who we look forward to welcoming back to Australia!

COMPETITION RESULTS FROM BEST OF THE BEST III!

Here's the results of the Competitions held at Best of the Best III - we congratulate everyone who participated - even if you didn't win or place you are still a winner just for competing!!!!

West Coast Swing Jack 'n'Jill Competitions

Novice

1. Michael Smith (NZ) & Amber Pauley (NSW)

2. Kristopher Rettke (WA) & Kristey McKinney (NZ)

3. Justin Zadro (QLD) & Kate Mackay (NSW)

 

Intermediate/Advanced

1. Austin Dsilva (QLD) & Kate Foster (NSW)

2. Michael Mencias (NSW) & Marijana Rados (VIC)

3. Stephen Knell (QLD) & Emily Howard (VIC)

 

Teachers/Demonstrators

1. Brady Stanton (SA) & Holly Skinner (QLD)

2. Shannon Coxall-Jones (NZ) & Bianca Faber (VIC)

3. Scott Stuart (VIC) & Amanda Metcalf (WA)

 

WCS Teams

1. Raw Connections (QLD)

2. Juan Rando Academy (WA)

3. Melbourne WCS (VIC)

 

West Coast Swing Choreographed Couples 

1. Scott Stuart (VIC) & Katrina Ostrenski (QLD)

2. Chris Hanratty (WA) & Amanda Metcalf (WA)

3. Tedd Poulos (NSW) & Leanne Landels (NSW)

 

West Coast Swing Strictly Swing 

Students

1. Steve Mason (VIC) & Clea Alexander (VIC)

2. Stephen Knell (QLD) & Rachel Cureton (QLD)

3. Isaac Insoll (QLD) & Laura Hay (QLD)

 

West Coast Swing Strictly Swing

Teachers/Demonstrators

1. Scott Stuart (VIC) & Bianca Faber (VIC)

2. Clinton Glasgow (NSW) & Emma Willis (QLD)

3. Allan Skinner (QLD) & Holly Skinner (QLD)

 

Open Dance Competition

1. Scott Stuart (QLD) & Katrina Ostrenski (QLD)

2. Clinton Glasgow (NSW) & Emma Willis (QLD)

3. Sean Kavanagh (NSW) & Charlie Cowie (NSW)

Audience Choice Winner

Sean Kavanagh (NSW) & Charlie Cowie (NSW)

 

Spin to Win

 1. Allan Skinner with Holly Skinner (now known as Holly Spinner!!!) from Raw Connection QLD

 

DJ Throwdown

1. Allan Skinner from Raw Connection QLD

2. Fiona (NSW)

3. Jasper (VIC) 

 

We thank all of our judges for participating in the Nuroc Best of the Best III Competitions!

We also thank all the dance companies who supported our event especially those who promoted the event and brought their students along!  Having the interstate and overseas students and teachers is really what makes our event really special! The following studios were represented at the Best of the Best III event! 

West Coast Swing Melbourne, Ceroc Melbourne, Raw Connection (QLD), Le-Step Modern Jive (QLD), Juan Rando Dance Academy (WA), Brisbane West Coast Swing, West Coast Swing Australia, Third Foot Adelaide, Swing FX from New Zealand, Blue Suede Shoes from the Central Coast, DanceVibe from Newcastle, Nuroc Dance Company (Sydney), Viva Latino (New Zealand),  EZ Dance - Taiwan, West Coast Swing New Zealand

Some of the crew from Melbourne!

Some of the crew from Queensland!

Some of the Crew from Western Australia

We thank our official photographer of the event: Kim Mengall  -

Photo’s can be obtained directly from Kim!

Sponsors at the Best of the Best Event:

Imation, Just Cuts Westfield Miranda, Red Fragrance Flowers, Swing Dance Downunder, Niki (our massage lady) from Melbourne

We hope you can all make it again in 2011 with Jordan & Tatiana for Best of the Best IV!