What a night! The Latin Super Grand Prix of the WDSF Professional Division has come to a close here in Stuttgart, Germany. With a few surprises, the audience was kept on their toes all the way throughout the entire event, and it was very clear the hunger that a particular few of the competitors exuberated out on the dance floor. The German Open Championships have officially kicked off.

Gabriele Goffredo and Anna Matus (Moldova)

Gabriele Goffredo and Anna Matus of Moldova became first-time Champions of the German Open as Professionals. Their first year as Professionals has brought them victory after victory, after an extensive career in the WDSF Amateur Division. Previously, they have won the Latin GrandSlam in Stuttgart two years in a row in 2016 and 2017. However, such a victory last night does not necessarily mean that their dancing proved their strongest. Let’s take a look at the final scoring for their dancing last night. 

The score awarded for each dance in the final is a combination of the couple’s scoring on Technical Quality, Movement to Music, Partnership Skills, and Choreography and Presentation. Each quality can be given a maximum of 10 points. If achieving the highest possible 10 points for each quality, the highest score that any one couple can receive for any dance is 40.

It can be seen above that the total points received for Gabriele and Anna’s performance in the final last night was 193.850 out of 200 possible. They previously achieved perfect 40 point scores in previous competitions as Amateurs, but sadly could not do so last night. Let’s give a quick check to their scoring of the final at the WDSF PD World Championship held this previous May.

The couple’s total score is over three points greater at the World Championship, an event that was only three months ago. Each dance was awarded in the 39.000 capacity, while here in Stuttgart, Gabriele and Anna only scored in the 38.000 region. However, nonetheless, these Champions are truly breathtaking and deserve every bit of recognition for what they have brought and keep bringing to this beautiful world of dance.

Marts Smolko and Tina Bazykina (Latvia)

On the other hand, Marts Smolko and Tina Bazykina of Latvia stunned with their performance last night. The hunger was purely visible in their eyes. In the final, they performed an astonishing solo Rumba, where they truly poured out their hearts with their passion for dance. For this Rumba, they received their highest score out of all five dances, a 37.150. Their total for the evening, a 184.650 out of 200, quite far from Gabriele and Anna - almost a ten point difference. No matter the score, Marts and Tina showed their souls last night and the true drive of DanceSport competitors.

Vincenzo Mariniello and Sara Casini (Italy)

Last but not least, let us touch base about the transition of Italian duo Vincenzo Mariniello and Sara Casini into the Pros. This was shocking news that came out only four days ago, three days before this PD event in Stuttgart. As of July, 2018, the couple was ranked 32 in the World Ranking List as Amateurs. Making their debut performance here at the German Open placed them in third as Professionals, with a final score of 182.600 - only about two points below second! What a sight and what a performance they put on! The personalities of Vincenzo and Sara highlighted their dancing and showed the confidence they feel when on the floor. We shall soon see where their career as Professionals shall take them in the following months. 

49 couples total performed last night and the Champions were chosen. We continue tracking live the events happening here in Stuttgart, Germany. Stay tuned for the Standard Grand Prix coming up tomorrow, August 9th, 2018. You won’t want to miss the performances that these WDSF Professionals will show. Stay tuned here on FloDance!