Ballroom Club Couple Wins Newcomer Awards at National Competition
Sara Ping, Amy Richter, coach Brandy Gillam Bangs, Laurelyn Ramoly and Emily Claire O'Neal at Ohio Star Ball.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The ten members of the University of Arkansas Ballroom and Latin Dance club returned from their first national collegiate competition with great memories, valuable competitive experience, and two prizes – Tom Shinn and Sara Ping were named the newcomer international champions in both the waltz and the tango.
The club members made their first appearance at the Ohio Star Ball in Columbus, Ohio – the nation’s top collegiate ballroom dancing competition – Nov. 17 and 18. All of the couples advanced past the first round of competition, with Amy Richter and Laurelyn Ramoly reaching the quarter finals in the standard dance competition. Two couples, Ethan Glaees and Amy Richter and Emily Claire O'Neal and Chris Deal reached the quarterfinals in the Latin dance category.
“The person who really made this happen was Brandy Gillam Bangs, our coach and instructor,” said club president Laurelyn Ramoly. “She suggested that we go to the competition and helped prepare us. She put in a lot of unpaid volunteer time, including going with us to the competition, doing professional ballroom hair and makeup for all the girls, helping us with registration, and so much more. We really can’t thank her enough.”
Club members who competed at the Ohio Star Ball were Laurelyn Ramoly, Tom Shinn, Sara Ping, Amy Richter, Ethan Glaess, Rachael Chase, Ricky Nolen, Donna Freeman, Emily Claire O'Neal and Chris Deal.
Contacts
Laurelyn Ramoly, president
Intramural Ballroom Dance Club
479-236-1700,
lramoly@email.uark.edu
Steve Voorhies, manager of media relations
University Relations
479-575-3583,
voorhies@uark.edu