PROVO — A Utah County ballroom dancer has added to his shelf of trophies.
Jared Murillo, of Mapleton, and his partner, Lacey Schwimmer of Redlands, Calif., won the National Youth Latin Ballroom award at the United States DanceSport Championships held recently at Brigham Young University. Both are 17.
Murillo is the son of Alex and Robin Murillo of Mapleton, who are part-owners of Center Stage Performing Arts Studios in Orem.
It is the first time that a Utahn has won this particular event, said Sharla McCarthy, spokeswoman for Center Stage.
Murillo, who has been dancing since he was 6, now holds multiple titles as the current world and United States swing champion, she said.
Murillo and Schwimmer have been dancing together for more than three years. They met at a BYU dance competition where she and another partner were competing, Murillo said. A few days later he learned she was looking for a new partner, so he stepped forward. They have been dancing and winning together ever since.
Having partners who connect well "makes a big difference. You know how they move and dance," Murillo said. "It's been a lot of long hours and hard work, but worth every minute."
He and Schwimmer train up to four hours a day in addition to competing nearly every other weekend at events around the country. In addition to Latin dancing, the pair train and show in hip-hop, tap and other dance forms.
They also compete in Europe and will culminate those efforts with the British Open Championships in Blackpool, England, May 24.
Their placement at that competition will determine their world ranking, Murillo said.
He has six siblings, several of whom are involved in the arts. His oldest sister, Brandy Murillo, is vocal director at Center Stage Performing Arts Studios, and another sister, Natalie, graduates from Southern Virginia University this spring where she recently won the top cheerleader award for the eastern part of the United States, McCarthy said.
His older brother, Joshua, dances with partner Chelsea Hightowner on the Latin ballroom stage, while his younger siblings take classes and perform in vocal and dance with Center Stage.
Jared Murillo recently completed a role as a principal dancer in the recently released Disney movie, "High School Musical," and plans on being in the sequel, which is currently being written, McCarthy said.
E-mail: rodger@desnews.com