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The GrandSlam Standard Beijing

2013 GrandSlam Standard Beijing © Roland The fourth out of five regular legs of the Series is traditionally a decisive one for all couples wanting to qualify for the Final in Shanghai this December. Participation in minimum three legs is mandatory to be eligible. Then it’s a matter of making it into the top 12 of the GrandSlam Ranking. 

Those who have danced the three GrandSlams to date know where they stand, whether they would qualify at this time. Sometimes dancing in the fourth is adding a margin of safety: a better placing than in the previous ones could already ensure participation after Beijing. For others it’s simply continuing the quest towards perfection and more ranking points in general. And let’s not forget the purse for a select few ...

In any case, the starting list proves that the couples are eager to dance here in Beijing: 15 out of the top 24 couples of the World Ranking list have entered and started dancing at around 2 p.m. local time.

The top 12 couples in the current GrandSlam Series ranking were seeded and didn’t have to dance the first round that started three hours earlier.

As yesterday, Chinese participation in this GrandSlam is exceptionally high: 46 out of the 89 couples are from China. That’s more than in Latin. Why? As in other parts of Asia, Standard is the discipline preferred by a majority. Where else do they get to share the floor with the world # 1, 2 and 3 ...

Sergei Konovaltsev and Olga Konovaltseva, RUS, who finished fourth in Stuttgart, did not have this Grand Slam on their calendar. They had a very busy summer already: The World Games in Cali, COL, in July, Stuttgart in August and they will soon travel to the WDSF World DanceSport Games in Kaohsiung. They take place from 16 to 20 September in the Taiwanese port city and feature all the different dance styles and disciplines: 14 altogether.

Some of the couples dancing in Beijing will go straight to Kaohsiung on Monday or Tuesday.