It’s been a tough year for the Metera-Pinco sport dance pair.
First Marc Pinco suffered a back injury in November. At times the killer pain was so intense it prevented him from lifting his partner Victoria Metera.
Then, during the Christmas break, Metera fractured her foot. She was vacationing with family in Maui when a freak skateboarding accident sidelined her. The crack extends from her baby toe along the side of the foot to the arch.
The timing couldn’t be worse. The gold-medal winning pre-champs are slated to compete in the Edmonton’s premiÄŤre ballroom and Latin dance competition.
For Metera and Pinco, the Northern Lights 2013 Classic, hosted this Saturday at Central Lions Senior Recreation Centre, is a step towards national rankings.
“I’m cleared to dance as long as I wear special practice shoes and cut down on my practice time,” said the Metera, who’s wearing a robo-boot to protect her foot.
Despite the potential for future injury, the Grade 11 Bellerose Composite High School student refuses to stop dancing.
“We decided at the middle of the season we wanted to get all the exposure we could before the Canadian Closed Competition in Halifax. And we’re only on the floor for such a short time it’s worth the risk,” Metera said.
The ballroom dancing duo, partners for two years running, train through Elite Ballroon Dance. Competing at the pre-champ level throughout Alberta and British Columbia, they claim top rankings in their category.
“From where it stands, we’re at the top,” Pinco said. “We’ve even beaten those that we thought would have beaten us.”
There are several reasons for their success. Individually, they have nailed the basic technique. As partners they have the right look and body style, and complement each other on the floor.
But Metera’s injury has put them at a slight disadvantage. Choreographers Delphine Romaire, Dominic Lacroix and Benoit Drolet have even revised sections of their dance into simpler moves.
“When you dance, you turn out your foot. But at the moment I find it quite painful. I used to drop into a half split. That had the foot turned out, but we had to replace that whole section,” Metera explained.
Despite any possible disadvantages, Pinco is adamant the pair will be on top of their game.
“We know we have beaten the competition before,” he said. “We are a bit worried because of all the injuries we can’t put in a full effort. But we are extremely confident we can whip it into shape and come home with gold.”
Northern Lights Classic is also hosting special guest appearances from Third Street Beat and Shelley’s Dance Company. For complete information visit www.northernlightsclassic.ca
Tickets are available by calling 780-420-1757 or can be purchased online at www.tixonthesquare.ca
