Orono eighth grader Mishe Long is set to compete at the Emerald Ball Dancesport Championships on Sunday, May 5th in Los Angeles, California. Mishe is an elite Junior 1 and 2 ballroom dancer who has been dancing since he was 6 years old. The Emerald Ball is a major ballroom dance contest that brings dancers from all across the nation together to compete against each other.

“I can’t wait to see all my friends that live across the country,” Mishe said.

Mishe has a grueling practice regimen. He practices for 2-3 hours Monday-Wednesday, and flies down to Chicago, Illinois on Thursday-Sunday where he dances for 7 hours each day!

“I will go in the studio and get ready and I will work on the basics for 3 hours. After that, I will go and do my own routines,” Mishe said.

This onerous training regimen and Mishe’s passion for dancing is sure to give him a competitive edge at the Emerald Ball.

Mishe participates in partner dancing with Capri Johnson, a 7th grade student who attends Rondout school in Lake Forest, Illinois. They will take part in 2 different events: the first being a 3-dance event where they will do the cha-cha, samba, and jive dances; and the second being a 5-dance event where they will do the previous 3 dances and the rumba and pasodoble dances. All 5 dances are types of ballroom dancing.

Mishe and Capri are in the top 12 couples of their age bracket and expect to be moved to the top 6 following the Emerald Ball.

“I can’t wait to see my placement,” said Mishe.

As the competition nears, Mishe is sure to dazzle at the Emerald Ball and continue his rise in Junior 1 and 2 ballroom dancing.