Ballroom DJs Michelle & Bob Friedman

Latin DJ Franklin Ayala

born in NYC has 12 years of experience as a Latin DJ. He is also the head DJ for DanceSport in New York City. Franklin takes his own unique approach to consistently deliver what the crowd is craving making him a highly coveted performer across New York City and around the world. His work includes headlining at major events and venues in New York, throughout the US, and abroad. Franklin Ayala’s musical selection carries the authenticity of the New York Salsa scene. He has played at venues very well known to many salseros; Copacabana, El Flamingo, Wild Palm, Latin Quarters, Iguana's,Cache, to name a few. He is also known for his diversity of its international influences as he seamlessly blends classic and modern Salsa with a keen sense for setting the mood and keeping the party at its peak. He has also been acknowledged for his influence and support of the Salsa community. Receiving the "Men in Salsa" award in 2007 in Washington D.C. and the "Alex" award in 2009 at the Miami Salsa Congress which he has been the Head DJ for the event for the past 6 years.

Wingo Hom

Wingo Hom - known as "The Dance Doctor" was born and raised in New York City. At age 11, he was introduced to partner dancing by his classmate’s parents. They were social dancers and demonstrated a variety of dances in their living room, which awakened his passion for all dances. His determination and motivation has rewarded him by studying under some of the finest instructors and coaches, which has lead him to compete in an array of dances such as, Hustle, American and International styles of Ballroom, Latin, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing and Salsa. He is known for his unique technique for diagnosing and improving your dance. The dance doctor makes house calls, you supply the floor space and he will bring the knowledge. Wingo has over 50+ years of dance experience and multiple accomplishments, which include: Recipient of the 2015 Artie Phillips Lifetime Achievement Award, Recipient of the 2014 Employee of the Year Award for Stardust Dance Productions, Winner of 10 Top Teacher Awards, Winner of the 2009 Dancing with the Stars Tour Version in Cha Cha and East Coast Swing competition in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, 2006 Amateur Male Hustle Dancer of the Year, First and only amateur hustle couple, with partner Angela McCabe, to defeat a professional Hustle couple in a competition, 649 first place titles, 34 Jack and Jill first place awards. Wingo is one of the very few instructors that is certified (lead and follow) in Hustle, 12 different American Smooth, Latin and Rhythm Styles at full Bronze and Silver Levels. He is also certified to Judge Dance competitions in all levels. Wingo is a familiar presence in the Hustle, West Coast Swing and Salsa community and is currently teaching in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida.

Cameron Johnson-Dance Instructor

Hailing from South Africa, Cameron Johnson started his dancing career at the age of 5, under the tutelage of his parents.Cameron is the unbeaten South African International Standard Champion in the Junior, Amateur and Professional ranks. In 1996 Cameron represented South Africa in the Open Fleetwood Professional Championship in Blackpool, England and was placed 6th. Also in 1996, Cameron represented South Africa in the Open French Masters Professional Championship on the Isle of Reunion and was placed 3rd. In 2000, Cameron was invited to immigrate and teach in the USA, where he has since made his home. In 2008, Cameron represented the USA at the World Pro/Am Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina and was placed 1st. To date, Cameron is still active in the competitive Pro/Am arena where he teaches and moulds his students into the best dancers they can be. Since 1995, Cameron started studying to do his professional qualification exams and In 1996, achieved a Highly Commended pass rate as an Associate in International Standard through the South African National Council of Ballroom Dancing. In 1999, Cameron also achieved a Highly Commended pass rate as an Associate in International Latin and a Highly Commended pass rate as a Licentiate in International Standard through the United Kingdom Alliance in London, England.

Lourdes Cruz

has been dancing from a very young age and began teaching & competing professionally in 1996. Her dance background extends from Ballroom & Latin Dancing, Folk, Belly Dance, West Coast Swing & Argentine Tango. Her 13 Ballroom Dance Major along with her interdisciplinary teaching experience and studies in music, martial arts, & speech pathology contribute to the versatility of her dancing and teaching style. Currently she is Program Director and Lead Instructor of the Dance Program at Innerlight Movement Studio in Hyde Park, NY.

Richard Givney-Dance Instructor

has a successful twenty four years’ experience in all aspects of the ballroom dancing industry through cultivating and achieving personal, professional and educational goals. He competed professionally in International Latin; has his teaching certifications in multiple syllabi, including both American and International dances, and franchised and independent curriculums. He continues to take lessons with top professionals for teaching and personal dance goals. Last year his ballroom dance program won the 2012 Best in Monmouth County, NJ Health & Life Magazine’s “Reader’s Choice Award”. Richard is available for private or semi-private lessons.

James “Suits” Smith

is from Sacramento Ca. and started his dance career in his home town. Starting Ballroom and Latin dancing in 2003 James found a passion for partnership dancing and has made a successful business as owner of Studio 18. James Smith specializes in International Latin and American Rhythm. James has a unique charm and energy in his style of teaching. His dance ability is at a professional level which makes him not only fun to dance with, but also makes for an amazing learning experience. James teaches both social and competition style dance lessons. He is excited to bring his talent and knowledge to the Stardust family.

Maria Fiora-Dance Instructor

has been dancing, and teaching since 1996 . She was with Fred Astaire Dance studios since 1988 in Connecticut and Ny. In 2001 she went on to own her own studio and  became Dance with Maria. Her competitive career started out in 1993-2002 in American Rhythm as a well known finalist  all over the US. She is known also as a performer and instructor in Italy and Greece. She teaches  - Latin, Hustle,  Swing 1940’s lindy, East coast, Argentine Tango as well as ballroom.

Joyce Henderson-Dance Instructor

Founder and Executive Director, Faith In Motion Dance Studio. Joyce was born in Brooklyn, but has lived in the Hudson Valley for over 30 years.   She has 20 years of Ballroom and Latin teaching and performing experience that includes over 10 years of Author Murray training and competitive dance.   Joyce specializes in Latin and Ballroom genres but also teaches Hustle, Hip Hop and liturgical dancing.  With Joyce's extensive dance background and her passion for teaching, Faith In Motion Dance Studio was founded and opened over 4 years ago and has been growing and thriving ever since.  Faith In Motion teaches the genres of Salsa, Argentine Tango, Bachata, Rumba, Samba, Swing, Foxtrot, Waltz as well as Hip Hop, African dance and much more!  Joyce takes great pride that Faith In Motion is invited to perform throughout the Hudson Valley all year long (i.e. annual Hudson Valley Fiesta Latina, YMCA's Cultural Day, Goshen's Great American Weekend, as well as various Chamber of Commerce events). Our Instructors have extensive experience and are committed and dedicated to seeing each and every student grow into the best dancers they are fully convinced they can be!  All the while having fun doing what we all love to do....dance!  

Marion Panos-Fitness Instructor

Belly Dance Instructor - In 2009, Marion joined our fitness staff and teaches Belly Dance classes at the weekends. Marion is trained in several styles of dance, including jazz, modern, Afro-Brazilian, African, Middle Eastern and Ballroom. She is proficient in American style ballroom and Latin and has also studied International Standard. She competed around the country at the pro-am level in American style ballroom and Latin for many years. She was a professional Middle Eastern dancer and has been teaching Belly Dance for more than 15 years.

Molly Gelsomino-Fitness Instructor

Molly will be having morning Stretch classes Saturday and Sunday at 9:00 am to get you ready to dance. Originally from Upstate, New York. She has a diverse background in the arts, including a BA in Dance from the University at Buffalo, over 15 years of performance and choreography in concert dance and 6 years as a Dance Educator in the Brooklyn Public Schools. Molly is a former professional cheerleader for the AFL, and spent 6 years in NYC as a Co-Artistic Director for The Movement Collective Dance Company. As a newer resident of Sullivan County, Molly found Zumba® to be the most exciting way to fuse her passion for dance. music and fitness. Molly enjoys inspiring her clients and encouraging her classes to feel the music, join the party and have a fun fitness experience upon stepping into the studio. 

Tatiana Keegan & Anatoliy Shvarts

Tatiana Keegan was the Russian Amateur National Champion in Ten Dances before coming to the United States and winning many of the top professional Open and Rising Star International Latin championships, including the Ohio Star Ball and the U.S. Ballroom Championship with Tony Dovolani. After a seven-year break to get married and start a family, she returned to reach the World Professional Latin Championships in Germany. Last year, she turned amateur to compete in her age category and formed a successful partnership with Anatoliy Shvarts.

Anatoliy Shvarts started dancing in his native Moldova, where he was the national youth champion.  After moving to the United States, he partnered with Renata Golbert and placed 3rd in the U.S. National Amateur Latin Championships. The couple turned professional and made the finals in many top U.S. national and international competitions. In 2001, Anatoliy retired from competitive dancing to pursue other career interests but returned to the competitive circuit last year as an amateur with new partner Tatiana Keegan. 2019 U.S. amateur national champions in International Latin (age 35+) and 3^rd in the WDC amateur world championship (40+) in Ireland. Sponsored by Freed of London.

Leo Mora & Christine Garced

Leo Mora: Originally from Costa Rica, Leo's desire to dance derived from his passion and admiration for the art, as well as his longing to hold a smoking hot chica in his arms at a salsa nightclub. Leo was a street dancer who started out social dancing however, he was quickly scouted out because of his natural talents.  He started his professional career at Arthur Murray International over 10 years ago which is where he met his partner Christina. He is a certified and award winning instructor, sought after coach and full Championship Adjudicator with the NDCA. No stranger to the stage or screen, Leo was last seen as the featured dancer on David Tutera’s “CELEBrations”, dancing a salsa with Vanessa Williams.

Christina Garced:  Studying dance by the age of three, Christina has a diverse background in the performing arts including many styles of dance (modern, jazz, ballet, lyrical and hip hop) and a Bachelor's Degree in English Theatre from New Jersey City University.  However, growing up in her parents’ Arthur Murray Dance Studios, ballroom dancing has always been an integral part of her life. Christina decided to pursue her professional career in the American Style because of its boundless creative and uninhibited nature. Recognized not only for her choreography, Christina is also a certified and award winning instructor, as well as a full Championship Adjudicator with the NDCA. Leo and Christina decided to embark on their professional dance journey together in the American Style Smooth Division at the end of 2009.  Their partnership reached instant success, and within their first year as a competitive team they found themselves in the Arthur Murray World Smooth final in addition to bringing home the title of Rising Star Smooth World Champions.  Soon after, they decided to add on the American Style Rhythm dances to their repertoire which led them to many career highlights and successes.

As United States American Style 9-Dance finalists and 2X Arthur Murray 9-Dance Campions, Leo and Christina have had the honor of performing and teaching up and down the Northeastern coastline as well as numerous venues around the United States. Not only limited to the American Style, Leo and Christina are also known for excelling in the specialty dances such as Salsa, Bachata, and Hustle. Among their competitive ballroom dancing successes, they have also been cast as featured performers on major TV network shows such as: WE tv’s David Tutera’s “CELEBrations”, TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress and HGTV’s House Hunters.

Career highlights and awards: *United States 9-Dance Finalists *Millennium Dancesport *Ohio Star Ball 9-Dance Bronze Medalists  *2X Arthur Murray 9-Dance Champions  *2X Jesse Smith Memorial 9-Dance Award recipients  *Arthur Murray World Professional Smooth and Rhythm Finalists. *Arthur Murray World Hustle Champions

Manuel Trillo & Tatyana Larina

Manuel Trillo:Originally from Spain,back to Spain was 3 times Spanish champion in Standard and 10 dance divisions,5 times Regional Galicia standard and 10 dance champions,one time European Champion Viennese Waltz in Retro dance division and semifinalist of the world 10 dance in IDO division.Representing Spain around the world in diferent countries making important finals. 5 years ago came to USA to represent United States. Representing USA he was Regional champion in Fred astaire division and finalist in National standard,Latin and 10 dance In Fred Astaire Division.2 times Finalist in 10 dance in USDC division and semifinalist in the world 10 dance WDC division!!!

 

Tatyana Larina Originally from Russia,she was one of the most celebrities dancers in her country.she was champion in Tatarstan Region in latin Division .She participate in the best championships of Russia including the prestigious Kremlin Cup.Because of her talent for dance the prestigious Ballet Rendez-vouz called her to be the first dancer of the company traveling around the world dancing in the best halls.Shes moved to America 3 years ago to represent USA. She was regional Fred Astaire champion diferent times in Standard ,Smooth,latin and Rhythm in Closed and Open divisions.She also was semifinalist of 10 dance in the USDC division in America!!!

Guillermina Quiroga & Mariano Logiudice

Guillermina has been several times on Broadway with Forever Tango at Schubert Theatre, and the mythical and original Tango Argentina at Gershwin Theatre; with Julio Iglesias, on his three years worldwide Tango tour. She created her own production “Tango, historias breves”in 2003, with a very successful tour in the US, New York, Boston, LA with sold out performances; She was selected for Claudio Segovia (creator and director of Broadway hit Tango Argentina) to perform at” Maipo sempre Maipo” as a principal dancer in Buenos Aires; also, in 2008 she obtained the recognition “Outstanding women in tango “by the Argentinian Congress. In a different facet of her career, she did her debut as an actress in the movie “Valentina’s Tango” filmed in Hollywood, in the leading role of Valentina, and also been the choreographer of the movie; on her choreographic works we found the finale ”Lo que vendra” in Forever Tango with a Tony awards nomination ; the movie “12 Tangos”, the tv series “Rusky-Korsakov”,and “Libertango” for the Russian ice skaters dancers Gritsuk-Platov, with which they won the Gold medal in Nagano 1998,and the first place on the World Competition 1997. One of the most remarkable choreographies she created and performed was “Oblivion”, for a Homage to Piazzolla at Carnegie Hall in 1999, breaking the concept of the standard tango and opening a new dimension to stage tango. As a soloist Tango dancer was part of the opera rock EVITA at New York City Center, and recently, has been chosen to homage and represent the show Tango Argentina at the closing night of World Tango championship of the city of Buenos Aires.

Mariano belongs to a new generation of tango dancers, been a multiphonemic one, as he also is a World Champion of Martial Arts, Psychologists and Physical education teacher. He has been teaching and preforming in different Tango Festivals around the world, Napoli’s, France, Tunis, Shanghai, Hong Kong, San Francisco ATUSA, Buenos Aires World Tango Championship and Festival. Mariano has been doing exhibitions at the most important milongas (tango venues) in Bs As, as Canning, Malcolm, CCK arts center, Marabi, and other important places. In 2018 Mariano performed at Eastman Kodak Theatre with the Rochester Philharmonics Orchestra, in Rochester, NY; later, performed at Carnegie Hall, NY. In 2019 was part of the production of EVITA, the musical of Andrew Lloyd Weber, at New York City Center with a big success. Last month He did the show Tango Argentina as a live homage to his creator Claudio Segovia, at closing night of the World Tango championship, at the Obelisks in Buenos Aires.