Created: 10/13/2009 5:41:11 PM 
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Ever wonder how the dancers on ABC's Dancing with the Stars look so wonderful in their dresses?
The secret is in the seamstress. In Jacksonville, Robin Akande of Rhinestone Dresses knows all the tricks of the trade. She designs and makes dresses for the local ballroom dancing competitions.
CLICK HERE to visit her website.
Robin says one of the secets is that a ballroom dress is lot like a swimsuit with rhinestones. It's made from similar stretch materials.
"The actual sewing of a gown only takes 5-10 hours, but the stoning work is the real work. Each rhinestone is placed by hand and a decent dress will have at least 3,000 stones on it," explains Robin.
For more information on the dresses, watch the interview on First Coast News at 7:00 p.m. Also, you can contact Robin at rhinestonerobin@gmail.com
And, to see her work in action you should go see the local version of Dancing with the Stars on Nov. 7th, at the Boleros Ballroom. Patty Crosby and Michelle Jacobs will be performing.
For more information on the event to buy tickets CLICK HERE.
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