Spinning and twirling on the floor, ISU dancers waltzed and hustled their way to several top finishes in Illinois on Saturday.

The 22 members of the ISU Ballroom Company competing in the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign’s ballroom dance competition came away with 11 first place titles.

The ISU dancers brought home first-place finishes in the waltz, foxtrot, quick-step, rumba, swing, salsa, hustle, merengue, West Coast swing and Lindy hop. The company also had 11 second- place, eight third-place and 13 fourth-place finishes, says Jill Elgin, ISU Ballroom member and competition coordinator. She likes the event because it is more casual and helpful to first time dancers.

“This competition is beginner-friendly,” says Elgin, graduate student in business administration. “We like it a lot because beginners get more experience.”

Competition among the 80-to-100 dancers is split into dance styles and beginner and advanced levels. Each dance begins with a preliminary heat and judges divide the dancers into A and B classes by dance ability. Then the couples perform again in their designated classes, Elgin says.

Bryan Reynolds, president of ISU Ballroom Company, agrees this is a good event for the start of the school year.

“The competition is really good because it is not as strict as other ones,” says Reynolds, junior in animal science. “It’s a good confidence builder because there is less stress on the dancers than other competitions. It gives a positive atmosphere.”

After the A and B classes dance for the second time, the couples selected by the judges are called back. Finally, the six finishing places are awarded.

“Class A is the higher ability of the two,” says Elgin. “A first-place finish in the class A advanced level means they are the best out of everyone at the competition.”

Iowa State brought home six class A advanced first place finishes.

They began practice and lessons at the beginning of the year to prepare for this competition, meeting two or three times a week, or sometimes more. Couples were chosen by Elgin after members submitted which dance style and partner they preferred, she says.

“I put people together that I think will do best for team results,” she says. “I try to make sure everyone has a partner.”

There is a shortage of male dancers in the company so some women didn’t have partners, but they were still able to compete. This competition doesn’t require that couples represent the same school, Reynolds says.

“You can pick up a partner from another school,” he says. “Everyone is really supportive.”

Ian Liggett, company member and senior in mechanical engineering, likes this aspect of the competition as well.

“You get with people from other schools and have lots of social dancing,” he says. “It’s laid- back and everyone there wants to have a good time.”

The ISU Ballroom Company plans on attending five more competitions this year and hosting its own on Nov. 9.