A dozen local dancers recently competed in the Triangle Open Ballroom Competition held at N.C State University in Raleigh.
The dancers are part of a group taught by championship competitors John and Penny DeFino at Rivertowne Ballroom in New Bern.
Nine of the dancers took the competition floor for the first time.
The local dancers included Bernie Mallon, Ania LeRoy, Mark and Kandy Caccio, Paul Hager, Gayle Watson, Calvin and Ruth Long, Joy Carawan, Candace Grove and Lynette Pearsall.
�They had outstanding results in two days of competition while dancing waltz, foxtrot, tango, quickstep, Viennese waltz, Cha Cha, rumba and swing,� said Joyce Price of Rivertowne Ballroom.
The students were part of a new competition program at Rivertowne.
The DeFinos, the instructors, were divisional second place winners in the 2012 national championships.
Rivertowne Ballroom first opened its doors in downtown New Bern in 2002 and provides ballroom dance lessons to students from the beginner to advanced levels.
The ballroom is home to Stanly Hall, the historic 3,600-square-foot ballroom located in the upstairs space over the dance studio.
The dancers are now preparing for the Carolina Fall Classic competition, a national qualifying event to be held in Charlotte in October.