Hundreds of students and dancers attended the final competition of the 2003 Sydney Salsa Competition. Everyone was blown away by the talent, the skill and the showmanship of all the finalist couples. It was a battle well fought by all the contestants, with fierce competition squeezing the tightest margin of marks on the judges score sheets between couples.

In the end, the winners were declared. However, the audience cheered for all the finalists. Their talents and their impressive performance have won the respect of everyone in the audience.

The choreography competition was the highlight of the night. Jammy and Nestor opened the stage with "Rain Dance", a refreshingly new dance routine that depicted the rituals of American Indians praying to the sky seeking for rain. It was raw, energetic and dynamic. Becky and Fernando captured the audience by their "Phantom of the Opera" routine, a classic tale of love, horror and revenge. It was an impressive routine with visually stunning moves and was beautifully choreographed. Melissa and Gary's performance mixed humour, comedy and Salsa altogether in their "Austin Powers" routine. With plenty of laughs and ample of impressive acrobatics, they demonstrated that they were not just performers, but also great entertainers.

A panel of nine professional judges, composed of directors of all major Sydney dance schools, marked each finalist on 10 specific criteria. Salsera and Tamambo were special guest judges of the night, both dancers being the European Salsa Competition Champions. Jamie Jesus (Latin Dance Australia) was the chairman of the Judging Panel, ensuring that the whole process of adjudication was fair and properly conducted.

Congratulations to all the contestants. They not only have provided us with much inspiration, but have also set the standard for many to follow, which according to many judges were the highest they have ever seen!

Stay tuned for 2004 Sydney Salsa Competition....

Special thanks to all the judges:
1. Jamie Jesus (Latin Dance Australia)
2. Oren Shoshan (Salsa Vibes)
3. Maggie Llie (Latino Fever School of Dance)
4. Sky Blue (Picante Latin Dance)
5. Sherrylane McLeod (Salsa Republic)
6. Natalie Reis (Latin Motion Dance Academy)
7. Mathew Thompson (Ruedisima)
8. Salsera and Tamambo (London, United Kingdom)

Also special thanks to our organising committees:
1. Vov Dylan
2. Ariana Rosado
3. Eric Maya
4. Isabelle Azrak