TIFFANI LYNCH did Barbados proud at the World Dance Council Amateur League contest when she copped the title of world champion in two categories at Disneyland in Paris earlier this month.
Lynch, 14 at the time, brought home gold in solo Latin and solo ballroom. She also copped gold in the professional-amateur single dances: waltz, foxtrot, quickstep, tango, rumba, samba, and cha cha partnered by professional dancer Glenfield Greaves.
Lynch was also a finalist in open world salsa, Disneyland amateur salsa, medallist in junior ballroom and medallist in junior Latin.
The other Barbadians competing in the junior and juvenile categories, which attracted dancers from across the world were Kyle Brathwaite, Tiffani’s partner; and duo Alexander Price-Greaves and Danielle-Celeste Jones.
Price-Greaves got silver in solo ballroom and solo Latin and was a finalist in the open world salsa, Disneyland amateur salsa and medallist in juvenile ballroom and juvenile Latin.
Brathwaite got bronze in solo ballroom and in solo Latin; medallist in junior ballroom and junior Latin and was also finalist in the open world salsa Disney and amateur salsa.
Jones was a finalist in solo ballroom and solo Latin, open world salsa Disneyland amateur salsa and medallist in juvenile ballroom.
Doing solo meant the dancers had to literally dance with themselves, quite unlike what they were accustomed to at other dance events.
“When I got there and I saw people practising, I realised I was not only looking at them, but they were looking at me.
“The experience was just unbelievable,” said Tiffani, who had the honour of hearing the Barbados National Anthem played twice for her accomplishment.
The next day when Tiffani, who is now 15, went to school, the principal, Dr David Browne, had the students line the driveway to cheer for her.
Danielle-Celeste, 9, who goes to Cuthbert Moore Primary, said her trip to Paris was good although she had to dance against adults.
Eleven-year-old Lodge School student Price-Greaves said Paris was a lot harder than Blackpool where he performed before.
“I was very nervous. A lot of strange things went on in Paris. What we would have normally done in Barbados and Blackpool; solos are [done] by couples, but in Paris we had to dance by ourselves,” he said.
The adults who accompanied the children to France were their coach Betty Alleyne, Deborah Waithe-Jones, mother of Danielle-Celeste; Joy Knight-Lynch, mother of Tiffani; and Glenfield Greaves, father of Price-Greaves. (JS)
