2 'Dancing' pros have ties to Utah college

OREM — Two of the professional dancers paired with celebrities for the "Dancing With The Stars" ABC network show have ties to Utah County.

Ashly DelGrosso, 22, is from Highland and has done choreography for the Utah Valley State College ballroom dance team. (Her sister Autumn is currently on that award-winning team.)

Her dancing coach, Louis van Amstel, is also one of the professional dancers on the show, and has lived in the Orem area. The 32-year-old Dutch dancer has attended the University of the Arts in Amsterdam and produced dance shows in Salt Lake City (Latin Revolution).

He recommended DelGrosso after he landed a job on the show.

"We were talking one day. He got a call and he just handed me the phone. We talked (the producers and I), and I flew in and had an interview. I guess they liked my bubbly personality," quipped DelGrosso. "I'm different from everyone else on the show."

DelGrosso was paired with Joey Mcintyre of New Kids on the Block in the show which became a surprise hit this summer, attracting over 15 million viewers. She and Mcintyre made it to the fifth round of competition.

They also won the hearts of viewers.

"We were disappointed in the judges because we worked so hard," DelGrosso said. "We got America's vote, though."

DelGrosso and Mcintyre have become fast friends. She's looking forward to the fall when the show resumes. She doesn't mind the rigorous training and rehearsal schedule and enjoys the rush that comes from the publicity.

She's home in Utah for now but plans to move to Los Angeles by summer's end.

Van Amstel danced with Trista Sutter of Bacherlorette fame. They were voted off by expert judges and viewers in the second week.

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