FILE PHOTO– DanceSport athletes Wilbert Aunzo and Pearl Marie Caneda. Photo by Marc Anthony Reyes
MANILA, Philippines–Southeast Asian Games gold medalists Wilbert Aunzo and Pearl Marie Caneda celebrated break dancing’s inclusion in next year’s Tokyo Olympics, even though they excelled in the more traditional Latin dance.
They felt breakdancing will help promote the whole of dancesport where the Philippines picked up 10 gold medals in last December’s SEA Games the Philippines hosted—dominated in record style.
“We are very excited for it. Who knows maybe Latin dance and standard are next,” said Caneda, who is finally together with Aunzo after general community quarantine was imposed in Cebu City.
“It’s big news for us, hopefully the whole world will hear about dancesport,” said Aunzo.
The SEA Games champs in rumba, samba and cha cha, can now train together although their workouts only involve fitness and conditioning for now.
“The public halls are still closed so we can’t practice our routines yet because we would need a big space for that,” added Caneda.
The partners also expressed delight as dancesport is expected to achieve full membership in the Philippine Olympic Committee when its general assembly convenes Aug. 29.
POC chair Steve Hontiveros said its full membership is on account of it being a medal sport in Tokyo.
Aside from dancesport, karatedo will also be full regular members of the POC which will now have 51 national sports associations.