I actually called it right last week - this was for showcasing his ability to adapt to the situation haha. I'm really glad the author went for this outcome, rather than making it all depressing due to some bad luck.
I guess Sashko's 'thing' will be how much he imitates Blanco, rather than doing his own thing? Though from the previous dances I got the impression that he was supposed to be quite wild and creative so I'm not sure what angle the author is going with here.