When Jhovver Duarte and Rina Tanaka approached us in late August 2023, they had an ambitious goal: create a Salsa routine and compete at World Salsa Solo in the first weekend of December. Neither had competed before, and the preparation window was about to become even tighter.
Jhovver would also be away for five weeks during September and October. On paper, it was a difficult timeline. In practice, their work ethic made the difference.
From first competition routine to the podium
We probably managed only eight or nine coaching sessions in total. That meant every private lesson had to count. We would work through as much feedback as possible in each hour, and Jhovver and Rina consistently returned to the next lesson having practised and improved what we had covered.
Competition coaching is not simply about remembering choreography. A couple also has to refine Salsa technique, timing, partnering, transitions, presentation and the small details that make a routine look confident on stage. With limited time together, their willingness to apply feedback between lessons became one of their greatest strengths.
A 3rd-place Salsa result at World Salsa Solo
Despite the compressed preparation period and their lack of previous competition experience, Jhovver and Rina made their debut at World Salsa Solo and placed 3rd.
The placing was a fantastic result, but their improvement across the project was just as rewarding to see. Their experience is a great example of what focused coaching, purposeful practice and a strong work ethic can achieve when dancers have a clear performance goal.
Competition coaching at Elite Latin Dance Co.
Elite Latin Dance Co. has worked with dancers on the Gold Coast who want to take their training beyond social dancing and prepare for performance or competition. The exact pathway depends on the dancer, the event and the time available, but targeted private coaching allows each session to focus on the areas that matter most to the routine.
Congratulations again to Jhovver and Rina on a brilliant debut, a well-earned podium result and an enormous amount of progress in a very short period.
This article records a 2023 competition result and is retained as part of our studio history.
