About Us

A Stardust Dance Event

A Stardust dance program combines the luxury of a top resort, the excitement of opening night, the glamor of an evening on the town and the romance of a classic movie in which you are the star! It is a meticulously planned production that offers continuous dance music, classes, exhibitions, contests and professional dance entertainment - in essence, a dance extravaganza that gets rave reviews from amateur and professional dancers alike.

Once a date has been chosen, a staff of experts is consulted and the foremost musicians, specialty vendors, entertainers and instructors are engaged. Recognizing the unique needs of the beginner, intermediate and advanced dancer, an intricate schedule of over 50 workshops is set. (Private instruction is also available.) After over 20 successful years of promoting ballroom dance weekends, Stardust strives to top each event. We've added more vendors, more dance hosts, more dance showcases. Dancing is available in four separate rooms dedicated to Ballroom, Argentine Tango, Latin, and Hustle/West Coast Swing, and the best is yet to come!

From start to end the music plays - the melodic strains of ballroom fill one room, a Latin beat reverberates in another - virtually around the clock thanks to four DJ's and our great band. Even lunch and dinner become dance venues with wood floors in the dining room. Each magical day an ordinary place becomes extraordinary - every gentleman is Fred Astaire, every lady Ginger Rogers and everyone looks forward to yet another stellar dance experience where you really "could have danced all night" and probably will.

Our Staff

Len Moss (President) Although admittedly not a dancer himself, he nevertheless admires and appreciates the art of dancing. As a former executive with some of the finest resorts in the East Coast, he observed that hotels often fail to provide dance groups with the facilities, music and services they require. Recognizing the growing popularity of social dancing, Mr. Moss determined that this market should be afforded the utmost attention and professionalism. In 1988, he took the plunge and founded Stardust Dance Productions, Ltd. Today, it is the largest dance organization of its kind hosting ballroom dance programs at top resorts throughout the U.S. and luxury cruise ships around the world.

Linda Gilberg (CEO) Len’s newest partner who will be coordinating all aspects of each resort weekend, including reservations, dining room seating, and programming. Linda has been in the hospitality business for over 33 years. Her background includes Reservations Manager at Kutsher’s Country Club, Sales Manager at Tavern On The Green, one of Manhattan’s most spectacular catering facility and restaurant, and Purchasing Agent at Terrace On The Park, one of the city's most elaborate catering halls. Linda’s passion has always been to be a dancer, but many tries at it in NYC didn’t pan out, so she is now throwing herself into making your vacation dance event a memorable one.

Fran Chesleigh (Program/Faculty Director) Fran is also the emcee for Stardust and a most popular dance instructor. He currently teaches at Dance Manhattan in NYC. He has authored a book on Palladium mambo and co-produced the AMC television ballroom documentary, "Gotta Dance."

Donna DeSimone (Entertainment Director) Has been a dance teacher for 32 years and entertainment director for Stardust programs for 15 years.  Although a master instructor in all forms of ballroom dancing, she is best known in the world of hustle where she has won numerous championships.  Donna has been on the staff of World Hustle, New York Hustle Congress, International Hustle & Salsa competition in Miami and New Orleans where she judged competitions, taught workshops, and performed.

DJ’s Michelle & Bob Friedman have been part of the ballroom dance word for the past 15 years. As avid dancers they started with Ballroom Dance Lessons, and for the past 7 years as professional DJs – specializing in Ballroom Music.  In 2001 they even won Top Couple in a Good Morning America 25 hour dance marathon. They have a comprehensive music library of over 20,000 tracks spanning the decades, which includes all types of Ballroom, Latin, Hustle, West Coast Swing & Argentine Tango. They are northeast coast DJ favorites spanning NY, CT, NJ, PA, & DE areas, and are regulars at the world famous Stardust Dance Weekends.  They are equally at home playing their music for Ballroom Socials, Showcases, Competitions, and professional performances for some of the world’s most famous ballroom couples.  While preferences in music certainly vary from person to person, what they use as their criteria when choosing music to play is really very simple - does it make dancers feel like they just have to get up and move, or doesn’t it? They get great satisfaction when they watch dancers who were heading for their seats at the end of a song turn around and pull each other back out to the dance floor time and again as a new piece begins.

DJ Mark Sakowski has been a regular DJ at the Stardust dance weekends for over 10 years and has also worked on three of the Stardust dance cruises. Most well known for DJ'ing the late night swing & hustle parties for many years at Stardust, Mark is now the DJ in the Buenos Aires style tango salon.  He brings over 15 years experience spinning tunes for dancers across the country and is fortunate to have worked the largest swing and hustle competitions in the nation and all fours venues {ballroom, Latin room, swing-hustle room & Argentine tango salon} at Stardust. Some of these national events include: Disco America in Philadelphia, PA; the Grand National Swing Championships in Atlanta, GA; Swing Fling in Washington, DC; Virginia State Open Swing Championships; Boston Tea Party; Dallas DANCE in Texas; International Hustle and Salsa Competition in Miami, Phoenix 4th of July Swing Convention in Arizona; World Disco Classic Fort Lauderdale, FL ; Jitterbug Jam, Thousands Oaks, CA.  Mark is also a graduate of the Broadcasting Institute of Maryland, one of the top rated broadcasting schools in the country and has worked "on air" many times.  He was also a music consultant for the Emmy nominated PBS program "A Rock and Roll Tribute to Buddy Dean."  Away from the dance scene Mark has a broad range of interests such as fishing, travel, gardening, spirituality and loves to ride his Harley Road King Classic. 

DJ John Ortiz, (aka Johnny 'O') is a seasoned professional Disc Jockey who has been playing for audiences for over 30 years.  He grew up in a musical background performing with his father's Latin Orchestra at the age of 9 singing and playing percussion.  He continued his musical education at NJSC College majoring in music.  Johnny also trained in voice with Tony Franco in NYC.  He sung, performed and toured in several rock opera's in the early 70's.  In 1975 he became interested in disco music and apprenticed under the direction of Robert Aquino, a well known DJ of that time.  From 1976 Johnny started playing at popular night clubs in New York and New Jersey.  Johnny was recently voted #1 DJ in the "People's Choice Awards".  He also has been a DJ for several National dance competitions such as World Hustle in New Jersey, The Big Easy Dance Classic in New Orleans, the International Hustle and Salsa Competition in Florida, and NY Hustle congress. 

DJ Philip C. Spinka of Submarine Productions Entertainment, has been DJing Weddings and Private Parties for twenty-four years.  He currently works in Philadelphia, Northeast Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey as a mobile DJ.  For the past eight years, Philip has assumed the delightful task of DJing parties for trained dancers.  He specializes in West Coast Swing, Hustle, and Ballroom music.  However, he maintains a library of all other styles, and he continues to study dance music, music theory, and musicality.  Philip is a trained dancer, performer, and competitor in the dance world and he maintains a highly successful competitive dance career.  This knowledge of dance and movement aids him in choosing more sophisticated and popular music choices, as well as surprise tracks.  His exposure to the competitive dance world also allows him to choose music directly from the national competitions. He loves to play for smiling crowds who love to dance and he cannot wait to see you! 

DJ Jeff Stennett - One individual who has long had his fingers on the collective pulse of New York City’s dancers A.K.A. “D.J. Jeff”, The man who keeps them dancing every Tuesday at Club Columbus 72 and Friday's at Club El Morocco. He has also kept them dancing for 3 years on Friday's at Windows Over Harlem, Saturday’s for 11 years at the world famous Copacabana and Wednesday’s for 13 years at the La Maganette Restaurant. Other events include You Should Be Dancing Saturday Night Dance Party, Mambo D’s dance Socials, Stardust Dance Weekends in the Catskills, Club LQ, Club Side Street, Club Tapestry and a host of different events (Weddings and Corporate). It’s not unusual to see long lines of people by the DJ Booth waiting for Stennett to hold up the cover of whatever CD he is playing, just waiting to offer high praise and shake his hand. Stennett is quick to credit the folks in those lines with teaching him. "I learned from the people and if it were not for the people, I would not have gained much success. That was the biggest part of my education, as far as Deejaying goes" he explains.

Stennett, who is African-American, grew up in Washington Heights New York City in a predominantly white neighborhood, with a handful of black and Puerto Rican friends. He and a Puerto Rican neighbor whom he became close friends with and enjoyed listening to  records together- Ray Barretto, Johnny Pacheco, Willie Colon, Joe Battan, TNT Band and all of the Salsa and Boogaloo music of that period. Stennett found that he had a good ear, and a natural affinity for Latin music, pointing out that he never experienced any language barrier. As he puts it, “The music speaks for itself”. He loves all kinds of music, but Salsa remains “number one” for him. He began Deejaying Latin music for over two decades, and playing consistently in clubs for the last 25 years. The late Tony Rodriguez played an instrumental role in Stennett’s career, hiring him to work La Maganette’s Wednesday night “After Work Parties”, after hearing DJ Jeff play at the Bronx’s Club Tapestry. Stennett Looked forward to the midtown action at “La Maganette” and was not disappointed. He relished the opportunity to experiment. He loved to mix the “old school sound” (Charanga, Son Montuno, Classic Salsa and Afro Cuban Music) with the new sound (Jose Alberto, Tito Nieves, Tito Rojas, Rey Ruiz Ect…..) What is one bound to hear when Jeff is in the DJ Booth? Willie Rosario, Eddie Palmieri, Grupo Niche, El Gran Combo, Sonora Poncena, Orquesta Broadway, Tipica Novel and many more. Willie Rosario and Sonora Poncena are Stennett’s favorite Orquestas, primarily because of their big band sound.

Stennett realizes that keeping the dancers on the floor is definitely an art, much different than programming a radio show, where it is permissible to play tracks for listening. On any given night when “the inimitable DJ Jeff “deejays, one is bound to witness many outbreaks of spontaneous applause from the dance floor, in heartfelt, sincere appreciation of his superb mixes and innate talent of just knowing what moves a particular crowd to swell the dance floor.

Since May 2000, Stennett has been part of my Latin Beat Magazine Column, “A Bite From The Apple”, every month he provides me and readers of the internationally circulated publication with “DJ Jeff’s Hot Pick” One of his most recent highlights was receiving a Special Recognition Award from Latin beat Magazine.

The respected and well-loved DJ has also shown that he cares deeply about his musical community, perpetuating the music and helping new artist and veterans alike by donating his time and talents participating in fundraiser benefits for my weekly Saturday afternoon program “Que Viva La Musica”, a non commercial sponsored New York metro station WFDU-FM, since 1997.