Columbia VA Nurse and Wife Waltz Their Way to Top Amateur Title

The couple entered 28 contested heats and won 27 first-place solo heats. They also placed first in the three-dance combo challenge with a waltz, tango and foxtrot. At the end of the event, they were named Top Amateur Couple of the competition.

“It was surreal to stand on stage and hear our names called,” Turner said. “We weren’t even sure we were ready for a competition, but we worked hard together and did it as a team.”

A Journey from Date Night to Dance Floor

The Turners’ journey began several years ago when they signed up for $15 ballroom classes as a date-night idea. Brian admitted he “was an absolutely horrible dancer” at first, but with encouragement from instructors and Meagan’s patience, the couple continued.

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down group lessons, they took private sessions with longtime Columbia instructor Paul Lagatore. They stuck with dancing through showcases, which later inspired them to enter competitions. Lagatore, who died of pancreatic cancer, had a lasting influence on the local dance community. Today, the Turners train under Eric Robles at Showtime Ballroom Dancing.

“Ballroom has strengthened our relationship in so many ways,” Turner said. “You have to communicate, practice together, and sometimes be patient with each other. It’s been the best thing we could have done for our marriage.”

A Weekend of Firsts

The Augusta Dance Challenge was a two-day event filled with nerves, long hours and countless routines.

The couple opened with a solo performance to Flo Rida’s “Do Si Do,” followed by multiple heats in smooth dances the next day. Foxtrot proved the most difficult for Turner, who said he practiced daily in his front yard leading up to the competition.

“There’s a strange feeling looking out at the judges and seeing a five-time national champion who has coached you before,” Turner said. “Hearing compliments from professionals we’ve admired for years left me speechless—and I’m never speechless.”

The weekend ended with nearly 400 heats, an awards dinner and an emotional moment as the Turners were named Top Amateur Couple. Their instructor also received recognition as Top Instructor of the event.

Looking Ahead

The couple now plans to continue competing, setting their sights on a larger regional competition in 2026 that will include both smooth and rhythm categories. They also agreed to perform an exhibition at Dorn VA in October as part of the lead-up to the facility’s Employee Talent Show.

Turner hopes their journey encourages other Veterans and couples to step outside their comfort zones.

“Don’t hesitate to try something new,” he said. “Have a sense of humor, a little humility, and just enjoy the process. The real competition is with yourself.”

Turner and his wife will be performing at the Dorn VAMC in October as a past of our Employee Recognition Summer Series. 

For more information about what’s going on at the Veterans medical center, clinic locations, and other services available to Veterans in and around Columbia, visit the website https://www.va.gov/columbia-south-carolina-health-care/ and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, keyword: VAColumbiaSC.

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About the Columbia VAHCS:

The Columbia VAHCS comprises the Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center and seven community-based outpatient clinics located throughout South Carolina in Anderson, Florence, Greenville, Orangeburg, Rock Hill, Spartanburg, and Sumter; serving more than 90,000 Veterans annually in 36 of 46 counties in South Carolina. The Columbia VA is a level 1b teaching hospital, providing a full range of patient care services, with state-of-the-art technology, education, and research. Comprehensive health care is provided through primary care, tertiary care and long-term care in areas of medicine, surgery, psychiatry, physical medicine, and rehabilitation.