Dance athletes compete for spot at Argentina festival

Twelve dance athletes are set to compete for the opportunity to represent Trinidad and Tobago at a three-day international dance festival in Argentina.

At the official launch—held under the Dancesport banner of Empowering Via Performing (EVP) Dance Academy at the Tradewinds Hotel and Conference Centre in San Fernando—six men and six women from the dance alliance showcased a variety of routines.

President of the National Dance Association of Trinidad and Tobago, Alette Liz Williams, underscored the importance of dance as a holistic discipline, emphasising the respect that dance “athletes” deserve at the professional level.

She said, “To every athlete in the spotlight tonight, I want you to hear this clearly: the discipline you have chosen demands more than physical skill. It requires mastery of self, the ability to manage pressure, perform under scrutiny, and carry the identity of a nation through your posture, your footwork and your presence. That is no small feat.”

The competition mirrors the format of the television series Dancing with the Stars, combining technique, technical skill and audience appeal across SBK genres—Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba and Rhumba.

Williams said the association’s mandate is to protect, develop and elevate the dance community across all disciplines, regions and generations.

She noted that initiatives like EVP create pathways for local art forms and for artistes who are also athletes, advocating for resources, standards and recognition, while ensuring that the country’s talent has credible platforms on which to compete.

“It is also a declaration that the Caribbean is not a footnote in the global dancesport conversation—we are a chapter, and with the work, we can become a defining one,” Williams said.

She added that the association envisions a future where every child in Trinidad and Tobago can aspire to compete on the world stage with confidence.

EVP president Delano Manganoo said he is optimistic the academy will help educate the public about the athleticism required in competitive dance, while providing young performers with an international platform to test and refine their skills.

He also stressed the importance of blending popular social dances with technically demanding ballroom styles, noting that dance athleticism is designed to engage younger generations and preserve the discipline of the art form.