by Petron l Published April 14, 2026

The 2026 WDSF GrandSlam Latin Final held at the historic Empress Ballroom in Blackpool was a masterclass in athleticism and artistry, featuring six of the world’s elite dance couples. Representing Spain, the eventual champions Guillem Pascual and Diandra-Aniela Nekula dominated the floor with a near-perfect Cha-Cha-Cha score of 38.9, showcasing a signature mix of high-octane dynamics and flawless partnering. They were pushed throughout the night by the Chinese champions, Yan Bangbang and Du Yujun, who secured the silver medal with exceptional technical quality and a sensual Rumba that earned them a 38.42.

The battle for the final podium spot provided the evening’s greatest drama. While Denmark’s Malthe Brinch Rohde and Sandra Sørensen were the clear crowd favorites, “raising the roof” with their precise movement, they were narrowly overtaken by Romania’s Ionuț Alexandru Miculescu and Andra Păcurar. The Romanian duo delivered a high-energy Jive in the final round to snatch the bronze medal in a “close call” finish. Rounding out the elite field were Estonia’s Konstantin Gorodilov and Polina Figurenko in fifth place, noted for their elegant white outfits and clean rhythm, and the Czech pair Jakub Lipowski and Tereza Kučerová, who finished sixth as the youngest partnership in the final, having only danced together for two and a half years.

Throughout the event, the Empress Orchestra provided the iconic live soundtrack that defines the Blackpool experience. Each couple was evaluated on four key pillars: technical qualities, partnering skills, choreography, and presentation, with the judges facing an incredibly difficult task due to the high level of “action and reaction” displayed by all finalists. The night concluded with a historic medal ceremony, cementing Pascual and Nekula’s status as the premier Latin couple in the world today.

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