Wanganui dancers add a bit of salsa to their winning recipe

Wanganui salsa dancers stepped out in style last weekend.

Members of the Star Dance Academy Whanganui were in Christchurch for the third annual New Zealand Salsa Solos Championships.

Competitors, including youth, masters and open ages from around the country descended on the Woolston Club competing for 21 national titles.

Star Dance Academy instructors Ken Hudson and Jordan Paranihi travelled to the championships to compete in two newly formed salsa dance divisions, open Latin teams and salsa duets.

With Stayz Raukawa, formerly from Wanganui, Mr Hudson and Mr Paranihi teamed up to take the national title in the open Latin teams championhips.

They paired up again to compete for the salsa duets division, again coming out on top and being crowned 2014 national champions.

Mr Hudson, Mr Paranihi and Mr Raukawa will be travelling to Australia in November alongside other NZ salsa title-holders to represent New Zealand at the Australian and International Salsa Solos Championships.

Also in Christchurch was Marie-Louise Hudson, the director of Star Dance Academy Whanganui and New Zealand's leading Latin dance judge.

She joined the national and international judging panel for these championships.

"The competitive level of New Zealand salsa has growing substantially over the last five years," she said.

"New Zealand will be travelling to the Australian and International championships defending titles and competing competitively with their Australian counterparts."