Written by: Katie Scott
Anton Skaskiv is well-known in international ballroom dancing circles. As a professional in Latin Dance, Anton and his wife Polina were multiple award winners in their over 15-year partnership. Such accolades as a fifth-place finish in the Imperial Championship, the Fred Astaire Cup in France, winning the Dutch Open, and numerous placements in European and Global competitions made them highly sought after as coaches.
Key to the Skaskiv’s remarkable success has been a curriculum they’ve dubbed the Skaskiv Method. More than just a way to learn technique, this unique, innovative method blends the precision needed for the highest levels of dance with the freedom of artistic expression, allowing each dancer to cultivate their unique style.
Emphasizing not only competing in tournaments but also growing a lifelong love of ballroom dance, Anton has created a method that incorporates physical conditioning similar to what pro athletes are familiar with while blending in rhythmic training and an abiding respect for the art of dance. According to his colleagues and experts, these components of the Skaskiv Method have brought victory to Anton and his students.
Physical
As any dancer knows, the main focus of any teaching is choreography. By learning complex and controlled routines, dancers develop grace and balance while strengthening the core and stabilizing the muscles needed for excelling in the ballroom. Dancers using the Skaskiv Method also build cardiovascular strength and endurance so they can easily perform high-intensity routines that win awards.
Every dancer must also develop a sixth sense of rhythm, especially when competing in styles like Latin or Quickstep, which require detailed footwork. This doesn’t mean there’s no room for improvisation either– once the rhythmic sense is finely tuned, dancers can add expression and innovation to their choreography.
Most importantly, Anton stresses the need for thorough and regular stretching. Making flexibility the priority allows dancers to maintain limber muscles, avoid injury, and accelerate recovery time after training.
Creative
Like a dance partner, creativity needs to move with the physical in order to achieve greatness. Anton uses his legendary success to show that conveying emotion and narrative through movements takes a dance routine to the next level–and the awards table.
Focusing on skills such as expressive acting, spatial awareness, and a deep understanding of their partner’s technique reveals fluidity and harmony in the performance. This is especially important when doing group dances and requires enormous practice and patience.
Anton insists dancers broaden their horizons by trying diverse dance styles rather than sticking to just one. Immersing themselves in different dance genres builds resilience, coordination, and creativity that comes with having a more bottomless well to draw from, along with growth as a dancer and a person. This could even include such styles as rhythmic gymnastics, with equipment such as balls, sticks, and ribbons to add spice to the routine and improve the dancer’s motion mechanics.
Integration
Merging physical stamina with bright creativity made Anton and Polina Skaskiv a prolific and well-respected ballroom dance pair. They continue to take on new students in their own studio, Respect Dance Hall, in Kharkiv, Ukraine. They teach the latest generation (including their son Matviy) a beautiful way to express and engage with the art they love. Moreover, they share the method with their colleagues, who have also underlined its positive impact on their students’ growth.
