Ballroom Students Waltzed Away Winners Yet Again!

From all over the Northern United States, 77 amateur dancers from 38 different studios took to the dance floor June 23rd to compete in the "Northcoast Ballroom Championships." The energy from Rhythm & Grace Ballroom Dance Studio students was tremendous as they took to the dance floor dancing over 270 dances!

Lakewood local, Connie Smith, competed with her instructor Angel Criado for the first time ever, and to no one’s surprise but her own, took home all first place ribbons! Another Lakewood local, Mary Wank, competed in 20 dances, placing in every dance. Adding to all her ribbons, Mary also brought back the Top Newcomer trophy, a title well earned!

Also competing, Gail DeFrance, Debbie Olson, and Dr. Carmen Hansford danced a combined 141 dances, with over 115 of them resulting in first places! Gail won the Bronze "Dance Vision" Scholarships in both Smooth and Rhythm, the Bronze Closed Smooth Scholarship, the Bronze American Rhythm Challenge, and the Bronze Closed 3 Dance Championship!

Dr. Hansford placed first in the Bronze Closed Latin 3 Dance Championship, the Bronze Closed Challenge in both Latin and Standard, and the Bronze Closed Latin Scholarship. She also brings home 2 Champion titles: Silver Closed Smooth 3 Dance Champion and Silver Closed 3 Dance Rhythm Champion! Debbie Olson not only danced with her instructor Angel Criado receiving 34 first place ribbons, but she also danced with her amateur partner, Ron Muhic. Together, they won the Rhythm Championship and the Smooth Championship!

As if that wasn’t enough, they beat out every other amateur couple and received Top Amateur Couple at the competition! New to the Rhythm & Grace family, Mike Mallory with his instructor Jessica Todero, danced over 30 dances and brought home the first place trophy in the Men’s Silver Closed Smooth Championship, as well as the second place trophies in the Silver Closed Smooth Scholarship and in the Silver Closed Smooth Championship!

For the second year in a row at this competition, Angel Criado received 1st place Top Teacher, beating out 56 other professionals, and the wonderful dancing executed by all of the students allowed Rhythm & Grace to win TOP LARGE STUDIO!

“We are so lucky to have such talented and hardworking students represent Rhythm & Grace. Every time they take the floor, they exceed our expectations and dance to their fullest! We are thankful to have these students as part of the Rhythm &Grace family!”

Please stop by the studio on Madison Ave. in Uptown Lakewood and help us congratulate everyone.

Cree Criado

Angel and Cree Criado are the owners of Rhythm & Grace Ballroom Dance Studio located on Madison Avenue in Uptown Lakewood Ohio.

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Volume 12, Issue 15, Posted 4:38 PM, 07.19.2016