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In the intense world of dancesport, dancers from Bendixen Dans has once again proven their abilities, this time at the WDSF World Championships U21 Tendance in Mülheim an der Ruhr. However, it was an event that tested both the dancers’ abilities and strength to the limit.
Bendixen Dans’ talented couple, Lucas and Amalie, gave a great performance and made it all the way to the quarter-finals, placing them 27th overall in the competition. With this, the pair have reached the quarter-finals at both the European and World Championships in U21 10-dance this year, an achievement that is crowned as the highlight of their U21 career.
The championship also marked the end of their time in the U21 category. Lucas and Amalie from Bendixen Dans have demonstrated exceptional progress in dancesport throughout their U21 years, consistently reaching the finals of several international WDSF U21 Open World Ranking Tournaments, including an impressive performance in Varna in September where they reached the U21 finals in both Standard and Latin. Their ability to perform at a high level in both Standard and Latin has been a key factor in their success, establishing them as an international 10-dance power couple.
Lucas and Amalie are now looking forward to new challenges in the adult category, where they are already ranked 19th on the WDSF World Ranking List in 10-dance. Their experiences from the Rising Stars category in particular, where they have already achieved several final places, bode well for their future development in the adult ranks. They start their adult career already next weekend, when they have been selected for an closed invitational competition in Northern Germany.
Intense competition and drama in the finals of the World Championships U21 10 dance
At the U21 World Championships 10 dance, Dumitru and Melissa showed great strength and dedication in the final in the fight for medals. Following their silver medals at the European Championships U21 10 Dance earlier this year, the couple were favorites for podium places. But first they had to overcome more than 40 dances in difficult conditions.
The competition venue in Mülheim an der Ruhr is known for its notoriously slippery dance floor from previous years, which is unfortunate for dancesport championships and created challenges for all the couples. Several dancers experienced falls during the competition, adding an unnecessary extra element of unpredictability and tension to the championship. Dumitru also fell and twisted his ankle during the semi-finals. Despite the pain, however, he managed to continue the competition. After the standard final’s quickstep solo dance, the championship announcer had to call for a doctor, who fortunately shortly after was able to give Dumitru the green light to finish the championship.
Several of their family and club mates nervously followed the drama either from the sidelines or from Copenhagen via livesteam. This incident is reminiscent of a similar situation from last weekend, when another dancer from Bendixen Dans broke his foot during the quickstep at the EC Standard in Lithuania. These incidents only underscore the challenges and risks dancers face in high-level competitions and championships.
Great bronze medals to end the U21
Dumitru and Melissa from Bendixen Dans overcame the challenges of the World Championships U21 10 dance and delivered an impressive performance that resulted in third place in the final with wins in several standard dances. This achievement confirms their status as one of the world’s absolute leading U21 couples, with previous triumphs such as gold at the European Championships Standard, silver at the European Championships 10 dance, bronze in the World Championships Latin, and now also at World Championships 10 dance. This championship also marked the end of their impressive career in the U21 category where they have demonstrated exceptional and impressive results. Now they are looking forward to new challenges and opportunities in the adult category, where they will undoubtedly continue their success.
Congratulations to both couples!
Watch this reel of highlights from Dumitru and Melissa’s road to the final.