The tandem of Stephanie Sabalo and Michael Angelo Marquez led the Philippine dancesport team to its first gold medal in the 31st Southeast Asian Games at the Nhà thi đấu Long Biên Sports Complex in Hanoi, Vietnam Sunday, May 15.
Sabalo and Marquez ruled the single dance Latin cha-cha-cha event and bested Vietnamese pair Nguyen Trung Kien and Pham Hong Anh (silver) and Thai duo Shinawat Lerson and Preeyanoot Patoomsriwiroje (bronze).
The Filipino pair, who won the gold medal in the five dances Latin and paso doble in 2019, this time clinched silver in the Latin jive and five dances.
The team shuffled its roles as Wilbert Aunzo and Pearl Maria Caneda finished first runner-up in Latin samba and settled for two bronzes in the Latin rumba and Latin paso doble.
The Aunzo-Caneda duo were dancing king and queen of the cha-cha-cha, rumba, and samba when the regional biennial meet was held here in the Philippines.
Dancesport action and more groovy dancing continue Monday, May 16 in the standard category which includes waltz, tango, Viennese waltz, slow foxtrot, and quickstep.