Legends and newcomers do battle on first day of Phygital Dancing
One of phygital sport’s most popular and entertaining disciplines has made a welcome return to the Games of the Future 2026 powered by Samruk-Kazyna.
Phygital Dancing presented by Solidcore Resources got its groove on at the Barys Arena, Astana, with the first round bringing together 16 of the world's leading Just Dance athletes.
Each participant got to dance in two best-of-three match-ups and had to rack up at least one win to get through to tomorrow’s Decider Round. Those who didn’t make the grade would be eliminated. So even on day one, they had to dance like their lives depended on it. Because they did.
The first day saw some Games of the Future legends and Just Dance World Cup winners take on ambitious newcomers on Phygital Dancing’s biggest stage. Here’s how all the routines played out.
Group 1
Lala Gevorgyan v Sogdiana “Sagdi” Abdukhalikova
Phygital Contenders 2026 runner-up Sagdi produced two consistent and accurate routines against professional dancer Lala to take the match in straight rounds. An ideal start that marks her out as one to watch.
Round 1: Lala Gevorgyan 0-1 Sogdiana Abdukhalikova
Round 2: Lala Gevorgyan 0-1 Sogdiana Abdukhalikova
Total: Lala Gevorgyan 0-2 Sogdiana Abdukhalikova
Konstantin Fominykh v Donchess
After edging a close opening match, Konstantin raised his level even further to complete a confident straight-round win against Games of the Future veteran Donchess.
Round 1: Konstantin Fominykh 1-0 Donchess
Round 2: Konstantin Fominykh 1-0 Donchess
Total: Konstantin Fominykh 2-0 Donchess
Ivan Vlasov v Sergio Mayta
Defending Games of the Future champion Ivan Vlasov was pushed all the way by Sergio in one of the closest battles of the day. After each athlete claimed a round, Ivan kept his composure in the deciding routine to secure victory. Still, a shaky start for one of the tournament favorites.
Round 1: Ivan Vlasov 1-0 Sergio Mayta
Round 2: Ivan Vlasov 0-1 Sergio Mayta
Round 3: Ivan Vlasov 1-0 Sergio Mayta
Total: Ivan Vlasov 2-1 Sergio Mayta
Franco Vitali v Ariana Katana
Quick footwork, sharp timing and confident choreography from both players produced a highly entertaining battle that got the crowd cheering. Franco won the first round in a tight contest and held his nerve in a dramatic second – winning by just a single point.
Round 1: Franco Vitali 1-0 Ariana Katana
Round 2: Franco Vitali 1-0 Ariana Katana
Total: Franco Vitali 2-0 Ariana Katana
“I felt much better in the second song. It came down to just one point, which made it really exciting. I'm nervous about the next stage because the song set is more challenging for me, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Being here with friends from all over the world, who all share the same passion for dancing, makes this experience really special.” – Ariana Katana.
Tiago Silva v Susan Huertas
An eagerly anticipated match-up between Tiago, a runner-up at GOTF 2025, and Susan, who finished third at Phygital Contenders 2026. Neither produced their best, to be honest. Tiago struggled in the first round, but the boy from Brazil delivered two better performances to take the final two rounds.
Round 1: Tiago Silva 0-1 Susan Huertas
Round 2: Tiago Silva 1-0 Susan Huertas
Round 3: Tiago Silva 1-0 Susan Huertas
Total: Tiago Silva 2-1 Susan Huertas
Dion Visser v Lina
Montenegro’s Just Dance champion Dion also needed all three rounds to seal his opening victory. Newcomer Lina responded well after losing the opener, but Dion bounced back in the deciding routine to narrowly win another close contest.
Round 1: Dion Visser 1-0 Lina
Round 2: Dion Visser 0-1 Lina
Round 3: Dion Visser 1-0 Lina
Total: Dion Visser 2-1 Lina
Gulnaz Amangali v Andres Guardo
Home favorite Gulnaz enjoyed fantastic support from the Astana crowd and started really strong against reigning Phygital Contenders Astana 2026 champion Andres. However, Andres quickly regained his form and took the next two rounds and the win.
Round 1: Gulnaz Amangali 1-0 Andres Guardo
Round 2: Gulnaz Amangali 0-1 Andres Guardo
Round 3: Gulnaz Amangali 0-1 Andres Guardo
Total: Gulnaz Amangali 1-2 Andres Guardo
Angelo Mokonenyane v Umutcan Tutuncu
Three-time Just Dance World Cup winner Umutcan is obviously one of the favorites to win the tournament, so expectations were high when he took to the stage for his Games of the Future debut. He didn’t disappoint. A performance that was a masterclass in confidence and precision gave him the win in straight rounds.
Round 1: Angelo Mokonenyane 0-1 Umutcan Tutuncu
Round 2: Angelo Mokonenyane 0-1 Umutcan Tutuncu
Total: Angelo Mokonenyane 0-2 Umutcan Tutuncu
Group 2
Lala Gevorgyan v Donchess
Donchess carried his starting momentum into the second round, producing another composed performance to defeat Lala in straight rounds and strengthen his position in the standings. For Lala, that’s her Games of the Future journey over.
Round 1: Lala Gevorgyan 0-1 Donchess
Round 2: Lala Gevorgyan 0-1 Donchess
Total: Lala Gevorgyan 0-2 Donchess
"I wasn't nervous at all. I came here to have fun, enjoy my performance, and that's exactly what I did. I love the stage, and the organization has been incredible. They made us feel so comfortable, and everything has been perfect. I've been dancing for years, but I only started playing the game a few months ago, so this experience has been really special." – Lala Gevorgyan.
Sergio Mayta v Ariana Katana
Sergio, who gave reigning champ Ivan Vlasov a scare in the opening round, dropped his first match-up in the second. He recovered to complete an impressive comeback, and newcomer Ariana’s journey is over. Kudos to her for pushing more experienced players to their limits, though.
Round 1: Sergio Mayta 0-1 Ariana Katana
Round 2: Sergio Mayta 1-0 Ariana Katana
Round 3: Sergio Mayta 1-0 Ariana Katana
Total: Sergio Mayta 2-1 Ariana Katana
"Sagdi” v Konstantin Fominykh
Both winners in the first round, this was always going to be a close call. Sagdi had to dig deep after falling behind and losing the first match. But she found an answer and produced one of the day's biggest comeback victories.
Round 1: Sogdiana Abdukhalikova 0-1 Konstantin Fominykh
Round 2: Sogdiana Abdukhalikova 1-0 Konstantin Fominykh
Round 3: Sogdiana Abdukhalikova 1-0 Konstantin Fominykh
Total: Sogdiana Abdukhalikova 2-1 Konstantin Fominykh
Ivan Vlasov v Franco Vitali
After strong opening performances by both players, the crowd was eager for a hard-fought battle between these tournament favorites – and they got it. Franco edged out Ivan in the opening routine by just three points, but Ivan found his way back and confidently secured the next two.
Round 1: Ivan Vlasov 0-1 Franco Vitali
Round 2: Ivan Vlasov 1-0 Franco Vitali
Round 3: Ivan Vlasov 1-0 Franco Vitali
Total: Ivan Vlasov 2-1 Franco Vitali
As today's Phygital Dancing presented by Solidcore Resources competition program extended beyond the scheduled session, the final four matches in the second round will now take place tomorrow (7 August), with play resuming at 08:00 local time (+5 UTC).
Key Takeaways
It was a day of surprises, shock defeats and incredible performances which proved that even favorites have to battle for victory and can take nothing for granted. For now, both Lala Gevorgyan and Ariana Katana are out and everyone else is still in with a chance at dancing glory.
It's finals day tomorrow. The action starts with the remaining Group 2 matches (see above), followed by the Decider Round, the quarterfinals, the semifinals and, of course, the grand finale dance-off.
Tune in to watch it live on Phygital+, the official streaming channel for Games of the Future Astana 2026. You can also catch today’s highlights and behind-the-scenes footage.
Where to watch
Alongside Phygital+, the Games of the Future 2026 is being broadcast by leading media partners across the globe, including Fox Sports Mexico (Mexico), StarTimes (Africa), BIGG TV (France/Worldwide), ESR TV (USA/Worldwide), Play TV (Brazil), Unbeaten (Australia) and QazSport (Kazakhstan), ensuring fans around the world can follow the action as it unfolds.
