Blackpool History – Amateur Rising Star Ballroom

2004 witnessed the Blackpool Dance Festival introduce a brand new event for the Amateur competitors, this was partly due to the ever increasing numbers that were attending from all around the world each year. The Amateur Rising Star Ballroom and Latin events were held and Australasia has featured very prominently in these since it’s inception in 2004.

MATTHEW ROOKE & ANNA LONGMORE (VIC)
Runners Up 2007

Our first winners and finalists of this event were in 2007 with former West Australian Ashli Williamson clinching the title with her Danish partner Bjorn Bitsch, Bjorn & Ashli went on to be Amateur Ballroom semi finalists and then leaving the WDC scene, they progressed in to the WDSF body and became the WDSF World Amateur and Professional 10 Dance Champions. That same year of 2007, we see Matthew Rooke & Anna Longmore take out the runners up position, after being placed 9th in the semi final round in 2006.  

CHAMPIONS

  • 2007 – Bjorn Bitsch & Ashli Williamson (Denmark)

RUNNERS UP

  • 2007 – Matthew Rooke & Anna Longmore (VIC)

SEMI FINAL

  • 2005 – Richard Tonizzo & Claire Hansen (Canada) 8th place
  • 2006 – Matthew Rooke & Anna Longmore (VIC) 9th place
  • 2010 – Earle Williamson & Sandra Sorensen (Denmark) 9th place
  • 2011 – Steven Grinbergs & Rachelle Plaass (NSW) 7th place
  • 2012 – Michael Glikman & Milana Deitch (NSW) 9th place
  • 2013 – Steven Grinbergs & Rachelle Plaass (NSW) 9th place

QUARTER FINAL TOP 24

  • 2004 – Matthew Rooke & Anna Longmore (VIC) Equal 14th
  • 2004 – David Semken & Andrea Hale (USA) Equal 16th
  • 2004 – Richard Tonizzo & Claire Hansen (Canada) Equal 20th
  • 2006 – Bjorn Bitsch & Ashli Williamson (Denmark) Equal 18th
  • 2006 – Richard Tonizzo & Claire Hansen (Canada) Equal 18th
  • 2007 – Richard Tonizzo & Claire Hansen (Canada) Equal 17th
  • 2010 – Mario Cicala & Bianca Tonizzo (WA) Equal 19th
  • 2011 – Rhett Salmon & Kristie Simmonds (NSW) Equal 16th
  • 2012 – Steven Grinbergs & Rachelle Plaass (NSW) Equal 16th
  • 2012 – Matthew Potter & Talysa Trevallion (NSW) Equal 21st
  • 2019 – Andrew Nolo & Sarlote Jakse (VIC) 23rd place
  • 2021 – Mihai Cotos & Stephanie Leyden (VIC) 16th place

TOP 48

  • 2004 – Bjorn Bitsch & Ashli Williamson (Denmark) Equal 31st
  • 2005 – Bjorn Bitsch & Ashli Williamson (Denmark) Equal 33rd
  • 2005 – Damien Kolouris & Natasha Manderson (QLD) Equal 46th
  • 2006 – Craig Denham & Tegan Short (WA) Equal 34th
  • 2007 – Maxime Dereymez & Katrina Patchett (France) Equal 39th
  • 2008 – Rhett Salmon & April McMahon (NSW) Equal 44th
  • 2009 – Michael Glikman & Milana Deitch (NSW) Equal 41st
  • 2010 – Michael Glikman & Milana Deitch (NSW) Equal 25th
  • 2010 – Steven Grinbergs & Rachelle Plaass (NSW) Equal 45th
  • 2010 – Matthew Potter & Veronica Rafeiner (NSW) 49th place
  • 2011 – Michael Glikman & Milana Deitch (NSW) Equal 39th
  • 2011 – Matthew Potter & Victoria Rafeiner (NSW) 44th place
  • 2011 – David Klar & Lauren Andlovec (QLD) 47th place
  • 2013 – Matthew Potter & Talysa Trevallion (NSW) Equal 49th
  • 2014 – Steven Grinbergs & Rachelle Plaass (NSW) Equal 35th
  • 2015 – Damiano Soldati & Rae-Li Forrest (UK) Equal 39th
  • 2017 – Alan Tentser & Julia Vitebsky (VIC) Equal 31st
  • 2018 – Mihai Cotos & Stephanie Leyden (VIC) Equal 45th
  • 2018 – Andrew Nolo & Sarlote Jakse (VIC) Equal 45th
  • 2019 – Alan Tentser & Emily Zhang (VIC) Equal 33rd
  • 2019 – Jonathon Kontrobarsky & Talysa Trevallion (NSW) Equal 40th
  • 2019 – Mihai Cotos & Stephanie Leyden (VIC) Equal 43rd
ANDREW NOLO & SARLOTE JAKSE (VIC)
23rd Place 2019