Northville Dance Instructor Leads Winning Team for Celebrity Dance Competition

A Northville dance instructor placed first with his celebrity partner Friday at a Dancing with the Stars-style competition to benefit the American Diabetes Association.

Dwight Davis is an instructor at the in Northville, where he specializes in smooth and rhythm styles of dance.

He and his dance partner, Annette Kelly, 2011 Mrs. Michigan United States, won the charity competition.

Davis joined Macomb County prosecutor Eric Smith,  WJBK Fox 2 reporter Amy Lange and other area celebrities for the competition.

"We worked really hard and I enjoyed this experience very much," Lange, of Farmington Hills, said Friday night after winning second place at the at the .

Lange, Kelly, Smith and five other celebrities were coached by professional dance instructors prior to the competition.

"They are very rough coming in," Anja Walthall, one of this year's dance competition judges, said. "These professionals did an excellent job with the contestants."

Walthall, of Livonia, is a professional dancer and instructor and danced in the 2010 competition with Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano.

"It's hard, hard work, but it's fun," she said.

Other celebrities performing included Emmy Award winning journalist Carol Cain; WJR 760-AM radio personality Donna Barbera; renowned fitness guru Peter Nielsen; recording artist Sean Forbes; and WXYT 97.1-FM radio personality Terry Foster.

Lange, who danced with professional dancer and instructor Fernando Caducio, also won the evening's favorite celebrity award, which was based on the amount of money raised to battle diabetes. She credited Caducio with polishing her dancing style and helping to make the evening a success. How much polishing Lange needed to shine on the dance floor wasn't revealed.

"Let's just say it was fun," Caducio said.