Under the bright lights of Bournemouth International Centre in London, surrounded by hundreds of elite dancers from across the globe, Alena Moriakova (9) waltzed onto one of the most prestigious floors in the ballroom world.
On Jan. 23 and 24, Moriakova and her dance partner, Tymur Novytskyi competed at the UK Open Dance Festival, one of the oldest and most respected international ballroom competitions.
For two days, Moriakova and Novytskyi competed against nearly 200 couples across multiple age divisions. In the U-21 category, the pair placed in the top 24 and they advanced to the semifinal round in the U-19 division.
Moriakova specializes in Latin ballroom dancing, a demanding style known for its speed, precision, and expressive performances. Mastery of this style requires exceptional stamina, musicality, and control, as well as the ability to convey confidence on the dance floor.
She said her result in London was a testimony to years of intensive training and dedicated practice.
“I’ve been dancing for about eight years, but really professionally for around four,” she said. “We have other classes like muscle strengthening and stretching for flexibility. We have a coach that guides us throughout our practice. We also have lessons with him 3-4 times a week.”
Moriakova said that London, often considered the home of the ballroom dance, brought a level of intensity unlike anywhere else, with world-class competitors, seasoned judges and an atmosphere that pushed dancers to compete at their highest level.
“The atmosphere and the amount of people, the amount of competitors, and just the amount of judges and everything—it doesn’t really compare to anything else outside of England,” she said.
The pressure hit hardest in the early rounds, Moriakova said. With a massive floor, booming music, and hundreds of audience members, nerves set in quickly.
“For the first couple of rounds, I was definitely really nervous,” she said. “The floor is really big, and there’s a ton of people watching you, and you’re not warmed up yet, and you get really nervous for it, but once you start dancing, it kind of all goes away and you just start being in the moment.”
While Moriakova said she tends to set a high standard for herself, she looks back on her performance in London with pride.
“I always criticize myself a lot, and looking back on it, there are definitely some things that I could have done better,” she said. “But overall I think it was a good dance, and I think I did try my best, and I did the best that I could.”
Moriakova spent the 24-25 school year in Russia training at one of the world’s top ballroom studios, where she first started dancing. According to Moriakova, the years of intense training improved her discipline and technique.
“They [the coaches in Russia] definitely taught me a lot of discipline and how to practice efficiently,” she said. “They taught me a lot of technique and just taught me so much more about dance than anywhere else.”
Moriakova returned to the United States and partnered with Novytskyi, someone she had known for years. Though the partnership officially began in September, Moriakova said their connection was already strong.
“I’m actually best friends with him, so I was really happy because I think we suit each other really well, and we complement each other with our dancing.” she said.
Now, back in the U.S., Moriakova trains six days a week for four to five hours a day after school, balancing her schoolwork with long practices, private lessons, and full dance rounds. Despite her exhaustion, her motivation never fades.
“Even on days when I’m really tired, I still go,” she said. “ It feels like something I have to do. I love it so much and I really can’t imagine my life without it right now.”
