The Miramar duo, who conquered the New Zealand Latin dance scene, are now targeting England's prestigious Blackpool Dance Festival, according to The Dominion Post.

Armenian-born Margarita Taryan and Erik Petrosyan placed first out of the New Zealand contestants at last year's New Zealand Open. Next month they fly to Blackpool to compete against 3000 dancers from 60 countries.

Taryan said they felt a responsibility to represent New Zealand when they danced abroad.

They have been training at least four hours a day. "The more you dance the better you get - it's an elite sport," The Dominion Post quoted her as saying.

Taryan moved to New Zealand six years ago with her family.

She had met Petrosyan while competing against him in Armenia, and a year ago she persuaded him to move here. She said they wanted to establish themselves as a professional dance couple and had worked hard to fine- tune their dancing relationship.

"We have fights, but in the end it always comes back to dance."

She said her love of dance was instilled at an early age by her mother and she felt like dancing was in her blood. "If I wasn't a dancer, I don't know what I would be. It's my dream," she said.

Along with rehearsals, the couple teach dance lessons every week.