Kicking Things Off At The Dance Worlds In Style
Kicking Things Off At The Dance Worlds In Style
The Open Kick Semi-Finals set the stage for an exciting and entertaining Finals round at The Dance Worlds 2022.
The Open Kick division at The Dance Worlds always brings the crowd to their feet with a Rockettes-style performance customized with thematic touches to make each routine unique.
As the name of the division promises, there are more than a few kicks that occur throughout the routines. Teams do a variety of kicks in small groups, large groups, or even at times as a full team. While the kicks are the primary feature in the division, the themed concepts and theatricality brought by all seven competing teams truly helped them to stand out as individual moments today. Every team kicked through the roof, performed from their hearts, and brought the house down one after another in the Coronado Ballroom.
After placing 2nd at The Dance Worlds in 2021, the Energizers are back again with a commanding lead after the Semi-Finals. The performance, dubbed “Eye Of The Tiger”, lived up to both the program name, as well as the performance name. The energy that the Energizers brought to the stage was unmatched, and they used every ounce of it to their advantage to claim the top spot out of the qualifying round. Dressed in tiger-themed costumes, the team didn’t shy away from embodying cats on the prowl. There was never a dull moment as the Energizers set the bar and let the competition know that they will be tough to beat.
Energizers - Eye Of The Tiger
Semi-Finals Score: 90
The 2021 bronze medalists revived a fan-favorite 90’s movie-based theme to earn the second-highest qualifying score. Foursis Dance Academy Dazzlers took us to church with a Sister Act-themed routine that featured dazzling kick lines, incredible acro elements, and great use of the stage. Complimented by some well-disguised mid-routine costume changes, the Dazzlers set themselves up nicely for another moment on the podium at The Dance Worlds.
Foursis Dance Academy - Dazzlers
Semi-Finals Score: 85.1
After just finishing off the podium in 2021, Starz Dance Academy returned with a Middle Eastern vibe that put the audience in a trance from the beginning to the end. The incorporation of Bollywood-style movements into the Kick routine brought a freshness and excitement that kept everyone guessing what was coming next at any given moment.
Starz Dance Academy - Elite All Starz
Semi-Finals Score: 81.5
Snatching up the 4th and final spot to qualify for Finals, the 2021 World Champions did what they needed to do to compete for the Globe once more. Power of Dance opened the division performances with a routine aptly named “Belly Dance”, complimented with movements centered around traditional Belly Dancing. Incorporating Belly Dancing into the slew of required kicks throughout the routine was no problem for the reigning World Champions, and they took care of business to earn another shot at the podium in Finals.
Power of Dance - Belly Dancer
Semi-Finals Score: 78.5
The teams from Dance United, Wildfire Dance Studio, and Miss Edie’s Dancing Feet all put up exhilarating performances to be proud of. There were no weak links in the fan-favorite Open Kick division, and the teams that weren’t quite able to reach Finals were all within striking distance and will have a lot to build off of for the future.
Although the Energizers have a dominant lead heading into Finals, Open Kick is all about precision, and the top four teams are all extremely strong and experienced. The fight for the podium will be fascinating, and any of the teams can claim their medal with a maxed-out performance. The entertainment value in each of the Finalist routines cannot be overstated, and this is definitely a division to watch for dance newbies, lovers of dance, and everyone between. Be sure to catch the Finals showdown, where you’re guaranteed to get a “kick” out of it.
Written by: Thomas Parrott