70-year-old Augusta woman trades cane for conga

AUGUSTA - Three years ago, Anneliese Goodman walked into the Shall We Dance studio using a cane to steady her five-foot-eleven-inch frame. <br> <br> But Tuesday the 70-year-old glides across the floor almost effortlessly to the music of Frank Sinatra. She can waltz, tango and even salsa well enough to compete in ballroom dance competition across the country. <br> <br> While catching her breath between songs, Goodman told the Morris News Service, ``I don&#39;t care how tired I am, if I can dance I&#39;m ready to go.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> At a competition in Las Vegas, she and her partner, dancing instructor John Chester, placed first in 99 out of 101 dance heats. They also placed second for competing in the most rounds. <br> <br> Chester said his pupil has come a long way since she first walked through the doors of the dance studio. <br> <br> He said, ``The only dance she could really do was the rumba. But I saw in her then, the same thing I see in her now. She puts 200 percent into everything she does.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Goodman takes dance lessons three times a week, learning the subtle cues for when to sway, pivot or dip in a variety of dance styles. But it was never easy for Goodman to let her partner lead. <br> <br> She said, ``It was a lot of work because I&#39;m not a follower.&#39;&#39;