'Dancing For Toyotas Contest' Finale Saturday 2PM

Four Toyotas to be awarded to top dancers, online voter

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 -- After three nights of swing, salsa and tango sweeping the 45-foot dance floor at The Washington Auto Show, the winners of three dance competitions will be announced Saturday afternoon, hosted by Monique Coleman of "High School Musical."

The winners in each category, defined by age group, were determined entirely by online votes on The Washington Auto Show website ( www.washingtonautoshow.com ), which featured profiles and audition videos of each of the 15 contestants, amateur dancers from the D.C. area who were paired with instructors from contest co-sponsor Arthur Murray Dance Studios.

A brand-new Toyota Prius, Camry and Camry Hybrid will be awarded.

Celebrity commentators reviewed each performance of the bedazzled dancers before a thrilled audience, who hurried to participate by casting a vote online, automatically entering themselves into a drawing for a Toyota Yaris.

Kicking off the finale is the celebrity dance duo and husband-and-wife team, Joe and Leisa Howard, the four-time Arthur Murray national 9 dance champions and runner-up in the U.S. national 9 dance championships who have wowed the crowd with high-octane performances throughout the competition.

The contestants hail from a variety of backgrounds and professions from the medical field to the government.

In the 18 to 24 age category, dancing the sultry salsa, were: Rachel Hoult of Rockville, Megan Riggs of Gaithersburg, Jacob Ricker of Gaithersburg, Rachel Patrick of Silver Spring, and Monique Lyons of Alexandria. In the 25-50 age category, showing off tricks and flips with the swing, were: David Yan of Alexandria, Bryan Smith of Annandale, Kimberly Hynes of Reston, Greta Ebert of Alexandria, and Janet Valdivia of Laytonsville, Md. Performing the romantic Tango on Friday night, the 50+ category includes: Alex Gamble of Springfield, Va., Chris Pilarcik of Berryville, Va.; Jamie Plockmeyer of Alexandria; Peggy Potts of Alexandria; and Teresita Bantug of Temple Hills, Md.

The 2008 Washington Auto Show: "Engineered for the Future," runs through Sunday, bringing more than 700 new from over 42 manufacturers to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

For more information, call WANADA at 1-866-WASH-AUTO or visit The Washington Auto Show online at www.washingtonautoshow.com .

  For more info:
  Barbara Pomerance
  202-249-5060
  404-557-7200 cell