San Pablo, CA --- Semester Showcase hosted by dance professor Natasha Clarke on Sunday at her Vallejo dance studio.

Ballroom dance students from Contra Costa College, Solano Community College and Santa Rosa Junior College joined together for the annual performance, which consisted of the showcase, a buffet style dinner, dance lessons and open dancing.

"Each semester just keeps getting better and better," Clarke said.

CCC and Solano students opened the night with an elegant Vienna waltz to Johann Strauss' "Blue Danube."

Santa Rosa students joined in for other mixers, including tango, swing, rumba, samba, salsa, cha-cha and merengue performances.

Not only were college students the stars of the show, but also, for the first time, a group of children showed off their skills dancing swing and the cha-cha.

"It was wonderful," Marina Salzar, a mother of one of the CCC dancers, said. "I liked the children. I've come for two years and it was the first time (Clarke) had children."

Students from all three schools practiced throughout the semester, learning the various dances and techniques.

"(Clarke) teaches you a simple dance and then you just build on it," SCC student Casey Wheeler said.

The Spring Showcase is only one of Clarke's various performances held throughout the year. It is, however, the only show in which all three of the colleges come together to perform.

The only rehearsals that occur to help the students prepare and become familiar with one another happen two hours before the actual show.

"It isn't too awkward dancing with someone you don't know," SCC student Alicia LaRowe said. "It's just fun because it is the one where everyone gets to come together."

Wheeler said dancing with a stranger was only awkward if there was no talking.

Both SCC students said their favorite dance was swing. The swing dancing was one of the highlights of the show as the students kicked and jived to the fast-paced songs.

After dinner, Clarke opened the floor to dancing and offered free dance to interested guests.

"When I first came to Contra Costa two years ago, they told me that it was not a 'dance college'," Clarke said. "I told them to give me a few semesters and they'd see."

Clarke's three classes quickly jumped to five and next semester she is hoping to be able to teach seven.

"Right now, I have 75 people in my Ballroom Dance class," she said.

The colorful costumes for the event were both provided by Clarke and brought by students.

Clarke encourages anyone, student or not, to take her classes.

"I can teach anyone to dance," she said.