On November 2nd and 3rd, The Yangtze River Delta University Open Ballroom Dance Championship 2019/ China Ballroom Dance Federation (CBDF) Shanghai Open was held in SUFE Gymnasium. The competition was co-hosted by China Ballroom Dance Federation (CBDF), Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE), Yinshi Dance (Shanghai) Culture Media Co. Ltd., and GangLong Culture and Sports Co. Ltd. It was exclusively live telecasted by Youku Sports.
The competition began at 10 o’clock on the morning of 2nd Nov. The elimination series of the amateur adult group, specialized institutions group, colleges and universities group and amateur youth group began in sequence. At 7:30 in the evening, the All Star Dance Gala and Opening Ceremony of Shanghai Open started. World-famous stars presented thrilling performances, to the accompaniment of top philharmonic music.
Marcus Hilton, chairman of adjudicators for the Blackpool Dance Festival, and Chang Shanshan, lecturer of the School of Foreign Studies (SUFE) served as host and hostess of the opening ceremony. Yu Liping, a member of the SUFE board and the President of the Alumni Dance Club, Robin Short, Honorary Chairman of the World Dance Council, and Xu Tao, Chairperson of the University Council, delivered speeches respectively, expressing their toasts and expectations for the competition. Next, the ceremony of the Yangtze River Delta University Ballroom Dance Union establishment was held. Members of the union attended the launch ceremony and Mr. Xu announced the opening of the competition and the dance gala.
Accompanied by the beautiful music, Ms. Yu Liping and Mr. Domen Krape performed the dance, The Butterfly Lovers, which signaled the start of the ballroom dance gala. In total, the performances had 5 rounds, and 6 couples of dancers brought fabulous shows. It was indeed a visual feast.
On Nov. 3rd, the Open began with live music. The competition was pretty tense and fierce, bringing excellent performances to the audience.
During the next special session, the match contest among famous universities, students from 7 prestigious universities – namely, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Renmin University of China, Zhejiang University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Shanghai University of Finance and Economics – danced to the music, showing rich dancing talents of modern college students and gaining unforgettable experiences for themselves in their shining youth.
After several rounds of fierce competition, 8 SUFE students from SUFE Law School, the School of Information Management and Engineering, the International Education College and the School of Accountancy, won the third place.
In order to promote ballroom dance on campus, representatives of top universities in the Yangtze River Delta region gathered in SUFE, together initiating the establishment of the Yangtze River Delta University Ballroom Dance Union. The initiators are Fudan University, Tongji University, Donghua University, Zhejiang University, Nanjing University, Southeast University, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei University of Technology and Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, influencing other universities in the Delta region, and promoting the standardization, institutionalization and platform of ballroom dancing in these universities. SUFE was elected as the first rotational president.
At 9:30, Nov. 3rd, the Yangtze River Delta University Ballroom Dance Union Forum was held in the meeting room in the Administration Building. After SUFE Vice President Fanghua’s welcoming speech, several guests delivered brilliant reports. Ms. Yu Liping explained the International Style of Ballroom Dancing and the cultivation of the talents. The Secretary General, Mr. Wang Yonggang analyzed the current situation of ballroom dancing both domestically and abroad. Wang Qi shared the experience of cultivating ballroom dancing talents and Lv Jidong, Director of SUFE Physical Education Department explored the university ballroom dancing competition and the establishment of university unions.
As a modern, top research university, SUFE made great efforts to implement its internationalization strategy, introducing international ballroom dancing competition to the campus, to expose students to the art form, and to prepare for the cultivation of elite-level dance.
The Yangtze River Delta University Ballroom Dance Union will fully perform its leading role, enhancing communication and mutual learning activities among these universities in the Yangtze River Delta region. By doing so, it will not only offer students high standard arts, but also become a sustainable backup force for the art education and art talents cultivation.
This competition was of a high standard and influential as an international meeting. Over 2000 attendees participated in it, including international guests, experienced judges and competitors from different countries and regions, such as Russia, the UK, South Korea, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Indonesia, Malaysia, Latvia and China. Meanwhile, because of the ballroom dance, the competition attracted students to take part from more than 10 universities in the Yangtze River Delta region. The goal was to set this competition as a regular event in the area, providing authoritative and professional competing stages for students.
Translated by Xu Mengdi
Proofread by Dominic Graham
(From Physical Education Department)
