Phygital Dancing – three eliminated on first day of Phygital Contenders 2026

Phygital Dancing opened at Phygital Contenders Astana 2026 today (10 June) with everything on the line. Eleven athletes stepped onto the floor for the Qualifying Round, each chasing one of eight places in the next stage – and a shot at Games of the Future 2026.

In the Qualifying Round, athletes were split into pairs according to their position in WPC Tournament Ranking of Clubs 2025/2026 season:

Due to the odd number of participants, the ranking leader Susan Huertas performed solo. The rest were matched up as follows:

Sergio Mayta and Sagdi
Ada Petrovic and Rebecca Kone
Viagonce and Melina Frixou
Lala Gevorgyan and Atakan Eren
Andres Guardo and Luis Carlos Soto

Each athlete completed three mandatory tracks in strict order, with a maximum 13,333 points available per track – 40,000 in total. The eight highest scorers advance to the next round.

How it all played out

Sergio Mayta made an early statement with a confident performance, combining sharp timing with strong movement quality. Another standout came from Viagonce, whose routine impressed with energy and digital accuracy. Their results put both dancers firmly in the conversation ahead of the next stage.

However, the competition remained tight throughout the whole Qualifying Round, with Atakan Eren, Andres Guardo and Ada Petrovic also delivering strong performances and keeping the race for the final wide open.

Atakan Eren from Turkey said, "This event feels unreal for me. It's my first time traveling abroad, so everything has been very exciting. Of course, there is some stress and nervousness because it's a competition, but I'm trying to enjoy every moment and do my best. The level of competition here is very strong and the other dancers are really good, which makes it even more special."

By the end of the Qualifying Round, Ada Petrovic, Melina Frixou and Rebecca Kone had been eliminated due to a lower total score, meaning the last eight now looks like this:

• Susan Huertas (39,401)
• Sergio Mayta (39,199)
• Andres Guardo (39,126)
• Sagdi (38,974)
• Viagonce (38,930)
• Luis Carlos Soto (38,545)
• Atakan Eren (38,394)
• Lala Gevorgyan (37,040)

With the finalists now confirmed, the stage is set for a decisive showdown tomorrow (June 11) when the playoffs will determine which six athletes will earn a spot at the Games of the Future 2026.

Follow the results and stay tuned for more updates from Phygital Contenders Astana 2026 on our platform.