Young dancers have shared triumphs as they gave their all on a Dubbo stage that's nurtured artistic dreams for decades.
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The 49th City of Dubbo Eisteddfod opened at the weekend offering opportunities for a new generation to shine.
More than 2500 performers from a dozen dance studios from across western NSW, Sydney and Canberra brought routines before adjudicator Natasha Window.
Early years of tuition at Dubbo was where it all started for a number of dancers who have gone on to lead studios in the city and beyond.
The eisteddfod brought about a special reunion at the weekend between them and their former teacher Suzanne Duffy, who is now principal of Colour City Dance at Orange.
National Capital Ballet School co-owner and former Dubbo student Zara Bartley paid tribute to her early influences.
"A huge part of my life growing up was in the dance studio," Ms Bartley said.
"At a very young age in the beautiful teachers here I knew I wanted to go on as either a dancer or a dance teacher, as they all inspired me, especially Miss Suzanne and Miss Jacqui Hoole.
"To give back, like I'd seen here.
"[Suzanne] is a beautiful person, seeing that growing up, I wanted to be part of that."
Ms Duffy, whose studio had more than 100 students competing at the weekend, was modest about her role.
"It makes me really happy if I've played a small part in someone continuing on with their dance training or starting a school, or just being an enthusiastic audience member," she said.
"I just want more people to like dance and be involved with it and it's just such a wonderful thing."
Ms Duffy learnt dance from the legendary Joyce Schneider at Dubbo.
"My first eisteddfod, when I danced, I was about seven, maybe and it was at the PCYC stage, so that's where I started," Ms Duffy said.
The long-time teacher is firmly convinced of the standard in regional centres, saying it was "as high as Sydney or other places".
"This year I went to the Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland and watched the best ballet competition in the world, but there would be some kids at this eisteddfod who could go in that competition and hold their own," Ms Duffy said.
"So that's pretty amazing."
Ms Duffy praised the City of Dubbo Eisteddfod and the "professional" way in which it was organised.
"The volunteers who run it do an amazing job, and that's why we love coming from Orange, because it's just so well run and they make it a wonderful experience for the kids too," she said.
Fourteen-year-old Patrick Cooper started dancing at age 6.
The student of Colour City Dance at Orange was enthusiastic about the eisteddfod.
"I do it [dance] because on the stage I like to perform and I just love making people smile so I dance," he said.