Japan is almost always in the mix for medals at the Dance Worlds; however, on Day 1 at the 2019 event, something truly special took place: the top three spots heading out of Prelims are occupied by Japanese teams.

They faced some fierce competition, but today, there was little doubt about who ruled the floor. There was a level of precision that spoke volumes, and it clearly spoke to the judges. If they can maintain placement tomorrow, it will be a very rare clean sweep for a single country in an Open division. 

Planets took the top spot out of Prelims—they chose poms that contrasted drastically from the rest of the uniform, but it paid off big-time. When the poms stand out so much, any minor errors are amplified; however, with this team, we truly couldn’t find any errors. The level of perfection from start to finish was unbelievable, and on a breathtaking level. Every leap and turn was absolutely stunning. When they were finished, it was a mixture of stunned silence, and roars from the crowd that got to witness such a masterpiece. 

2018’s silver medalists, Wing Dance Promotion Silver Wings – Silver Wings, find themselves in the second spot once again after Prelims. They were consistent with their expected levels of excellence. There was no weakness to their routine, and they displayed genuinely beautiful, strong dancing throughout. 

Also currently finding themselves in the top three is Planets West. They used innovative flipping transitions and strong levels of execution to secure their spot in Finals. 

Last year’s champions, Energizers, had a terrific game show theme and used memorable moments to securely place themselves in a great position to go after a podium spot tomorrow. 

South Coast Freestyle had an incredibly energetic routine, combined with a very visually pleasing uniform/pom color combo, to notch the fifth spot looking towards tomorrow’s Finals. Teams from The USA, Scotland, Australia, and Wales, as well as the aforementioned teams, will throw down in the fight for the medals tomorrow. 

One other main highlight to make note of was from Starz Dance Academy – Elite. We have never witnessed so many pom tosses and exchanges. It is a routine that will have you on the edge of your seat and screaming out loud. Make sure it is on your “must watch” list for the medal round. 

Open Pom is one of the most hotly contested divisions, and the battle is far from over. The scores are relatively tight in the top 10, and anything can happen tomorrow. It will be one of the largest divisions, and there will be jaw-dropping performances at every turn. Grab a seat, and grab your popcorn: this one’s gonna be good!

By Thomas Parrott

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