Last weekend, Shiplake’s own dance sensation Sunny Pong waltzed away from the NATD’s Midlands Qualifier with two second place awards and a third place.
On Sunday, Sunny travelled to Daventry with dance instructor Sharon Vickers and colleagues from The Dance Studio Reading to compete in the Midlands regional qualifiers. Once there, he took part in three Ballroom competitions: solo waltz, couple waltz and cha-cha.
In the solo waltz, Sunny danced with a partner but was judged as an individual. His performance impressed the audience and judges alike, as he came away with second place. In his couple’s waltz, he danced with a fellow pupil from the same dance school, and between them, achieved 3rd place.
Sunny also competed in the solo cha-cha and came away with second place! As he placed in the top 12 in the Midlands region, he has qualified as a semi-finalist to compete in Blackpool in September to determine the country’s best Ballroom and Latin dancers.
Sunny said: “I felt a bit stressed when I was doing the solo because I wasn’t with my regular dance partner. In the couples I felt a lot better because I practice regularly with my partner in that dance, so we understand each other and communicate well.”
Sunny started dancing when he was invited to take part in a trial lesson at Queen Anne’s School in Year 11. He is now in Year 13 and according to dance instructor Sharon Vickers: “Not only is he a great young man to work with, he is also a great ambassador for Shiplake College. His dancing has improved and he’s come on leaps and bounds. What’s so nice about him is that he’s always well-presented and he’s never a bad loser!”
Sunny will compete next in London, where he will compete in Latin dance, before the UK final in Blackpool in September.
