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| | Interview with Yulia Bobovik and Mario Pantane | | In Tampa, we had the pleasure of meting with Mario Pantane and Yulia Bobovik. This stunning couple was competing in the prestigious Millennium Dance Sport Championship. They rose to victory as they placed 3rd in the Rising Star Latin competition. We were attracted to Mario & Yulia because of their unique dancing style and personal charm. We couldn"t resist asking them to share about their carriers and conducted the following interview:Yulia & Mario - We know that you are Israeli champions in Latin American Dances and finalists of many international competitions. So tell us when did this all start? Y: I started dancing when I was about seven years old. I was born in the Ukraine, and it was traditional for dancers to start begin with ethnic dances that were common to the region. Then when I was only 15 years old, I began to dance Ballroom & Latin dances.M: I started dancing when I was 11 years old, because of my mom. She always wanted me to be dancer. At that time my passion was soccer, but with time, I realized that dancing was my true calling. How did you meet?Y: When I won Israeli Championship, my partner decided to quit. My coach (a native Italian), mentioned to me that he has a very good boy for me, and that he wanted us to met and try dancing together. So, I flew to Italy and met my future partner. M: I was in desperate need for a new partner. I received a phone call from a friend, and he informed me that an Israeli champion was looking for partner. I was very eager to meet with her, and when we finally did, I knew that we were going to be a good couple. How long have the two of you been practicing together?Y: We started practicing in September of 2001, so about 10 months!M: Yeah, 10 months. Time goes fast!!! [Laughs] We know you practice in Italy, why Italy?M: Well, first of all, I"m Italian, and second, I invested into a big dance studio in Sicily, which I can't leave.Y: Besides that Italy is one of the best countries for ballroom and Latin dancing, they have best teachers, and very amongst the elate during international competitions. Are you a couple, romantically?Y: No, but we are very good and close friends. We noticed that you have your own students in today"s competition, and that they are also winners in their divisions. How long you've been teaching?M: I have been teaching since I was 18. After couple years, I opened my own studio. Y: I was 17 when I started to teach. I realized that I love teaching almost as much as I love dancing. Because Mario has his own studio, we are able to give the kids our complete attention and individual coaching. We are more than happy with today"s results; they reached their goals and are very proud of them. What do you like most about teaching?Y: I love to see the students grow, the improvement in their dancing, and in their self discipline.M: I love to see them happy and give them self confidence not just in dancing but also in their lives. Do you teach just kids or adults also?M: We do teach adults. Social dancing is popular in Italy. How many students do you have?M: Right now we have around 170 students.We know that you are going to Hong Kong to be in a show. Are shows a large component in your carriers?M: Yes, shows are very important. We have been invited to perform as Israeli champions in different countries. They help us get recognition and enhance our carriers.Y: Definitely! We even have special days during the week that we only practice for our shows.What was the largest crowd you have performed in front of?Y: The biggest crowd was around 10,000 people. This was during a celebration of Israel"s Independence Day.M: Yeah, that crowd was enormous! I don't know how Yulia felt, but I was absolutely mortified!When is the next time we will see you in the United States?M: We love to compete in USA. We will come at the end of August to Compete in L.A and Miami. Lastly, what are your plans for the future?M: We are preparing for World Championship in Austria. Besides that, we are going to continue coaching our kids and to make our students better dancers. Y: I see my future in the dance business. Dancing is my passion, and I can definitely picture myself teaching kids, while constantly improving myself. Thank you very much and good luck in your future.July, 2002 |
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