Meet the Dance Camp Instructors
Click on a teacher below to learn more about them!
SLAWEK SOCHACKI & MARZENA STACHURA
Organizers
Slawek and Marzena met in Poland. They began their dance journey in 1995. After a very successful career in Poland, they moved to the US in 2002. In America, they became one of the most achievable couples ever competing in American Smooth. Winning all the most prestigious competitions in the United States including the United States National Championships, World Championships, Ohio Star Ball, Emerald Ball, Embassy Ball, Millennium, and Manhattan Championships. Slawek and Marzena retired from competitive dancing in 2013.
Slawek and Marzena appeared in the TV Show Ballroom Bootcamp, for TLC. They choreographed for numerous TV Shows and Movies Productions.
Currently, they’re Directors and Owners of Dance Vision Mastery Camps Las Vegas. They are also owners and creators of the training platform Americansmooth.net & Co-Owners of The Royal Ball.
Slawek and Marzena are happy parents of two children.
Achievements:
- 4 Time Undefeated US National American Smooth Champions 2010-2013
- 4 Time Undefeated World American Smooth Champions 2010-2013
- Winners of Ohio Star Ball Show-dance
- Winner of American Smooth World Cup
- Polish Professional International Ballroom Runners up
- Polish Professional 10 Dance Champions
- Winners of Dance for Peace in Costa Rica 2010, 2011
- Winners of all major Championships in the USA
- Examiners for Dance Vision
- National Dance Council & World Dance Council Adjudicators
OLEKSIY PIGOTSKYY & ANASTASIIA ZHUCHENKO
- 2x US National Professional 9 Dance Champions
- US National Professional American Smooth bronze medalist
- World Professional American Smooth and American Rhythm finalist
Were born and raised in Ukraine, but we met just in the United States. Both started to dance from the very young age. All childhood we spent into the training, we both have done 10 dances ( Standard/Latin and lots of different styles of dance) and now it’s benefiting our dancing big times. We participated in different TV shows, “Dancing with the Stars” in Ukraine and so on. It’s very challenging to experience new things in dance industry, that’s what drives us and gives an excitement to keep up with our dreams. Currently located in Phoenix, AZ.
Dancing is our passion and we are putting all of us to show to young generation, that everything is possible. Open mind, hard work and dedication always bring you to achieving your goals. And we truly believe that universality is the key.
Nazar Norov
Nazar started to dance at the age of five in Siberia, Russia. They started competing with different partners at the age of six at the various Dance sport Championships in Krasnoyarsk region, throughout Russia and internationally, winning numerous prestigious titles. In 2001 they started dancing together.
Dancing International Latin he has achieved significant results, such as winning titles of North American Rising Star Champions, Grand National Champions, The Ohio Star Ball Rising Star Champions, United States National and Open to The World Rising Star Finalists, He is also United States National Professional 10 Dance Finalists. United Stated National Professional Rising Star Championship. He is a Bronze Medalists of the United States National Open Professional American Rhythm Championship and World American Rhythm Open Professional Championship.
Achievements:
- 2016-2018 Undefeated US National Professional American Rhythm Champion
- 2016-2018 Undefeated World Professional American Rhythm Champion
- Co-creator of American Rhythm syllabus for Dance Vision
Nazar is the proud member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing – the most prestigious and respected dance organization in the World that was established in 1904 in London. Nazar successfully passed his examinations with “highly commended” score and is proud to be the only ISTD member in Naples and just one of few in Southwest Florida
Nazar and Irina are the owners of DanceLife, Florida Dance Center
EDWARD SIMON
Eddie Simon is a former United States ballroom champion, world Showdance and U.S. theatrical finalist. Simon received a North American Dance Award for the “Favorite Couple of the Year”. He also returns to his hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, several times a year to coach and offer workshops at Dance New York’s Iowa studio, as well as officiate at the annual Iowa Dancesport Challenge.
Achievements:
- United States American Ballroom Champion
- World Classic Showdance Finalist
- United States Theatrical Finalist
- 1999 North American Dance Award for “Favorite Couple of the Year”
- Co Organizer of New York Dance Festival
JT Thomas
JT was born and raised in Phoenix, AZ and started dancing ballet, jazz and tap at the age of seven.
She received her BFA in dance from the University of Arizona and later fell in love with partnership dancing. JT started her career with the Fred Astaire dance studio in Phoenix and began to compete in American Rhythm and international Latin for 3 years.
Achievements:
- Rising Star Smooth champion
- Blackpool Invitational Theatrical Exhibition
- 2 x US Open Professional American Smooth Champion (2007 and 2009)
- Ohio Star Ball Show dance Champion
- 2007 to 2009 World American Smooth Champion
TOBY & HARMONY MUNROE
Toby began his dance career in 1990 after being dragged, kicking & screaming to a Country & Western Dance Festival. Since then he has gone on to become one of the most sought after coaches, choreographers & instructors in the World. His extensive background in dance includes Country, Swing, Hustle, Latin, Ballroom and Salsa. He has won countless titles in Swing, Hustle and on the UCWDC circuit. Toby won his first World Championship title in 2002 for ABC Choreography. He has been nominated for 9 Star Awards, taught at Stanford University and has been featured on the TNN and GAC television networks. Toby is also a four time Colorado State Swing Champion and a UCWDC Master Certified Judge.
Harmony Munroe began dancing at the age of 8 and currently co-owns Denver’s premier school for Ballroom and Latin dancing, Colorado Dancesport. She has won numerous titles in American Rhythm, American Smooth, and International Latin dancing.
Achievements:
Toby
- 2004 & 2005 UCWDC World Champion in the Classic Masters division.
- January 2006 – “Best Male Couple Dance Instructor” at the Star Awards Gala held in Stockholm, Sweden
Harmony
- Representative at the World 10 – Dance Championships and the World South American Showdance Championships
- Finalist at the World Mambo and the World Salsa Championships.
CHRISTY COTÉ
Christy Coté began her career as a Ballroom Dance instructor for Arthur Murray Dance Studios in San Francisco. 18 years later she saw the stage show Forever Tango which changed her dance life forever. She has now been teaching, performing and choreographing Argentine Tango since 1996 and is one of the most respected teachers of Argentine Tango in the United States today. Her teaching method has been published in the Argentine Tango manuals by Dance Vision which are complimented by several series of instructional videos with partners George Garcia, Ney Melo, Eduardo Saucedo and her teaching partner for After Hours Las Vegas 2021, Marcelo Molina.
Christy is one of the featured teachers and performers for CITA, the annual International Tango Congress in Buenos Aires and in 2012 she became the first ever American judge for the Official USA Tango Championships, an annual event sanctioned by the Argentine Government. Christy is also one of the founding members, co-director and choreographer of the all female tango company, Tango Con*Fusion created in 2004. The company has performed across the U.S. and in Buenos Aires to rave reviews. Christy is based in San Francisco where she teaches weekly classes at La Pista and her wildly popular Boot Camps at various locations around the Bay Area.
Yegor & Tatiana Novikov
Achievements:
Yegor
- Professional Rising Star Latin champion of:
Blackpool Dance Festival
U.K. Open Championship,
International Championships. - U.K. Open And Blackpool Professional Latin semifinalist.
- US National and US Open professional Latin Bronze medalist
- Professional Smooth
- National, Blackpool and World finalists.
Tatiana
Started dancing when she was 4. She finished University of Culture and Art in Moscow, where she studied dance disciplines like Ballet, Jazz Modern, Folk and become a professional choreographer.
Tatiana became 3rd in the World in under 21 Latin.
Second in Russian championship in Professional American Smooth.
Third in European Professional American Smooth.
Achievements Together:
2024 Bronze Medalist in US National Professional Smooth
Yuki Haraguchi
- 2023 World Open Exhibition Champion
- 2023 US Grand Nationals Swing dance Cabaret Champions
- 2023 United States National Theater Arts vice Champion
- 2023 United States Open to the world Cabaret vice Champion
- United States National RS Latin vice Champion
- 2 x United States National and World Open Rhythm vice Champion
- Ohio Star Ball RS Latin Champion
- Ohio Star Ball Rhythm Champion
- Winner of the show battle of champions
Eduardo Saucedo
Eduardo Sauced
From Buenos Aires, Argentina, a Master Teacher and Dancer of Argentine Tango (all styles), Choreographer, DJ, MC, and Producer of Tango Shows, Internationally recognized for his love and passion for the dance. Eduardo travels the world sharing his culture and knowledge of tango, bringing his message of Love, Passion, Joy, Life with Respect, and Freedom for Peace in the World. His professionalism, clear communication, and positive energy motivate and inspires everybody. His teaching is creative and practical focusing on subtle details of the movement and body language. His teaching blends reason, logic, emotions, and personality to create a pure and authentic tango embrace. Eduardo has complemented his training with studies in various dance disciplines as well as theatre and acting and is a continuing student of the Performing Arts. He has performed in theatres, appeared on radio and television, and taken part in various International Tango Festivals such as Portland Tangofest and Nora’s Tango Week in San Francisco. As an invited teacher and performer Eduardo has participated for 11 years in CITA, the prestigious International Tango Festival held yearly in Buenos Aires.
Eduardo has taught and performed in the traditional and popular Milongas (Dance Clubs) in Buenos Aires such as Salon Canning and Almagro among others and in El Viejo Correo where he was also a co-host for several years. He taught in the majestic La Confiteria Ideal in Buenos Aires – “La Gran Dame de la Belle Epoque” for 10 years, Eduardo is the creator, director, co-choreographer, and co-producer of the dinner show “Tango Cafe- Una Noche Ideal” presented with much success for three seasons at the legendary Confiteria Ideal. He choreographed and co-produced the Tango Show “Passion & Joy” in 2012 and “Tango-Fusion d’Amor” in 2013 with Tango by the River, Sacramento, CA. In 2014, 2015, and 2016 Eduardo was the MC and lead performer in the Seattle Argentine Tango Showcase produced by Michelle Badion. Eduardo was invited to participate in the National Geographic Documentary Series “Consequences” 2010 and the European Documentary
Andrew Escolme & Asta Sigvaldadottir
Together Asta and Andrew are the current British Open Blackpool Dance Festival Professional Rhythm Champions as well as World and US Professional Rhythm Vice-Champions.
They have been featured lecturers at the British Dance Council’s International Congress held at the Blackpool Dance Festival and were honored to be the first couple to represent American Rhythm in the Middle East, performing at the Pearl Ball in UAE.
Formerly, Asta was the US National Professional Latin Champion, World Professional Latin Finalist and was a Professional Latin Semi-Finalist at the 3 most prestigious competitions in the world, UK Open, International Championships and British Open.
Andrew, prior to dancing with Asta was British National and UK Closed Latin Champion, US Professional Rising Star Rhythm Champion and Runner-Up in the United States Dancesport Series Top Teacher rankings.