Two young dancers from Ross-on-Wye dance school, Dance Your Way, competed for the first time in the 2019 IDTA Nationwide Medallist of the Year Ballroom and Latin Finals, which took place on April 6th and 7th.

The event took place at the prestigious Empress Ballroom of the Winter Gardens, in Blackpool. Seven-year-old Willow Taylor and ten-year-old Isabella Long qualified back in June, 2018 by making it through the South West Area regional heats. Since then, both dancers have worked extremely hard, learning six dances between them with unrelenting determination: Cha Cha Cha, Waltz, Paso Doble and Quickstep, Tango and Foxtrot.

On their respective days, they both danced beautifully and made their teacher, Miss Miranda de Barra, their families and their friends incredibly proud. They were expertly partnered by Dance Your Way senior students, Angharad and Rhodri Stemp, for whom dancing on such a national stage was also a new experience.

Angharad and Rhodri led their partners with poise and confidence, allowing the girls to focus on dancing their personal bests. They also managed to visit the world famous Tower Ballroom to dance on the floor where Strictly Come Dancing films the Blackpool special. The school is looking forward to more competitions and students will parade in Ross Carnival.