"Spring Fling" Competition 2021

The Daza Dance Family is proud of our esteemed Instructor and Studio Manager, Mario Recoba, as well as two of his students, Bill Bennett and Joanna Eljazzar, for their success at the Spring Fling Competition held at the Luminous Westin Hotel in Sarasota Florida on March 14, 2021 by World Promotions Inc.

Once again Anna and Andrew Smart, the competition organizers, made us feel welcome in their community of diversity and encouragement by acknowledging the different cultures represented, remembering special details about everyone participating from our studio, and even doing something special to celebrate Joanna’s birthday.

Anna and Andrew planned everything to the last detail, while adding their personal touch to the whole experience, making us feel like part of the World Promotions Inc. family. This year they had added concerns about keeping everyone as safe as possible due to the pandemic. However, Anna and Andrew, went to great lengths to make sure there were protocols in place such as limiting occupants in the ballroom, altering the meal service to served style rather than self- serve buffets, and having a floor plan that kept everyone socially distant while maintaining the flow of the event.

Also, at Daza Dance, preparations for the competition were handled many weeks in advance including details such as the students dance attire as well as the hair-and-makeup style. The final dance technical touches were made two weeks ahead of the event to help relieve students of the pressure of performing. 

As ususal, Mario took it upon himself to personally ensure that every student was “ready to go”, so the only thing they had to think about was dancing and having fun. His continuous support and encouragement to his students translated to a tremendous success on the dance floor. Mario is a natural teacher and a great communicator. He is able to inspire, motivate, and connect with his students in a way that he always brings the best out of his students, while creating a fun and positive atmosphere.

The Spring Fling was Mario’s first participating competition since the beginning of the Pandemic. He is feeling encouraged by the gradual return to normalcy within the ballroom community and is excited for what he and his students are being able to accomplish together.

Joanna made an impressive debut in her first competition winning 7th overall Amateur Competitor. This feat was especially extraordinary considering she had only been dancing with Mario for a few weeks prior to the competition.  In the past, Joanna has studied other styles of dance, and now as Ballroom Dancer, she is using this medium, conformed by a variety of techniques and styling, to express her love and passion for dance in a different way.

Comparably, Bill has been dancing for four years and the Spring Fling was his fourth competition. This time around he acknowledged he felt more relaxed as he took the dance floor. After his previous competition Bill and Mario focused on perfecting technique. Bill’s commitment paid off as he won 5th overall Amateur Competitor, as well as 1st and 2nd place in the scholarship divisions.

Thank you to everyone who supported and encouraged Joanna in her first competition, as well as those who cheered on Bill for his successful dance journey.

Thank you also to Antonio Daza for his presence and support at this event.  He is the epitome of the American Dream, as he came to this country and built a community of dancers centered around excellence and acceptance for everyone. 

Congratulations Mario, Bill, and Joanna! Let’s continue to reach beyond the stars and putting no limits to our dreams. We are inspired and encouraged by your success!