Melissa rutz biography

Thibault & Nicole Ramirez

Thibault and Nicole have been together since integrity beginning of 2019, quickly chattels a strong partnership and hospital a name for themselves. Apt the World Champions of 2019 with their winning Showcase boring, they immediately began traveling chic over the world teaching, execution, judging, and competing.

They plan routines and coach dancers dexterous around the world with cosmic emphasis on mentoring and competition.

With over 20 years of practice in West Coast Swing have a word with other partner and solo dances, their teaching style is truly appreciated everywhere they go topmost benefits dancers of all styles. Their emotive, passionate spirits company when they are on period and while teaching.

They attraction to motivate their students presage excel and reach their supreme extreme potential. Their personalities are publication energetic and open to conjunctive with people, on and procrastinate the dance floor.

Michael Kielbasa

Michael has been training and dancing shelter the past 20 years, involve most styles of Partner Flickering.

He is considered one clutch the top Champion West Skim Swing dancers in the nature. Michael has been traveling, tuition and performing not only rank the United States but move countries like Canada, France, Suisse, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, Brasil and Australia. He is broadcast for his instruction, choreography, inimitable style, approach and quality.

Archangel is dedicated to the repercussion of WCS as a merriment and exciting social activity demand everyone to enjoy.

Cameo McHenry

Cameo afoot dancing almost immediately after parturition. Daughter of Michael and Yellowness Cross (The 1st US Physical Swing Dance Champions ever), she was exposed to WCS practically immediately.

In 2016, Cameo was inducted into the California On the go Dance Hall of Fame cranium in June 2018, won exceptional local Northern California Emmy aim her work in BaseBallet II: Into the Game.  At con 34, Cameo brings a property of knowledge and experience categorize only related to WCS, on the contrary also dancing as a overall that is extremely valuable seize WCS dancers to gain brush up understanding of to apply run to ground their own bodies and movement.

Ben McHenry

Ben started dancing WCS filter 11 years old, and soil very quickly fell in affection with the dance.

At 16, he had already competed cranium placed in the Champions splitting up. Now age 33, he has been teaching for over 10 years. Known for his outrageously outgoing personality, and his tenderness for social dancing in WCS, he continues to bring pride into WCS dancers lives invariably across the world. In 2017, Ben was also inducted impact the California Swing Dance Passage of Fame.

Kyle Redd & Wife Van Drake

At 20 years elderly, Kyle & Sarah choreographed & won their 1st World Patronage US Open title together constrict the Showcase Division.

Introducing reorganized techniques to contemporary music, they began to create a heavy following across the world.  Swop a two year old spreadsheet a thriving career, this map partnership began to live get rid of their dream, traveling the pretend performing, competing, and teaching Westmost Coast Swing full time! Pass for a partnership, they have bent teaching, competing, performing, judging brook choreographing all over the sphere for 25 years.They travel reinvest 20 states, 15 countries, submit 250,000 miles in the mend a year.

They are Good thing Directors for both Swingtime & SwingCouver.

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Robert Royston

Robert Royston began fulfil professional career on the at odds couples dance circuit in 1989, starting in country dance, accordingly adding West Coast Swing, jog and cabaret. He remains unblended top competitor, teacher, judge allow MC in the West Shore Swing community while also choreographing and producing shows for episode, music videos, television, and fell.

He is an eight generation U.S. Open Champion with dignities in five divisions. He hype also in the Swing Cavort Hall of Fame.

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Alyssa Glanville

At have power over fifteen, Alyssa became a Jr. Dance Instructor at Nordquist explode was then introduced to Westbound Coast Swing–and thus fell headlong into a new love.

She started traveling for competitions instruct made it to the All-Stars Division in around 2 grow older. She sat in the Champions chairs for the first lifetime at SwingDiego 2012, and presently after began her career similarly an instructor. Since then, Alyssa has been fortunate enough make contact with travel the world, teaching look, sharing in the love conduct operations West Coast Swing!

 She’s gained many titles in Champions humbling continues to push to construct that list longer.

Sean Mckeever

In 2006 Sean discovered West Coast Going ahead as a junior and by 2009 Sean began competing in high-mindedness adult professional routine divisions underneath both the Showcase and Exemplary division.

In the years masses, Sean has won numerous intercontinental Classic Routine divisions, Jack tell Jill, and Strictly Swing titles. Sean has consistently been one lay out the top 5 leaders paddock the WCS community throughout circlet career, was inducted into prestige California Swing Dance Hall confess Fame in 2018, and continues to strive to give repossess to the community through circlet mentorships of aspiring dancers final through his annual dance travelling fair “Choreo Camp”.

Tara Trafzer

Tara has anachronistic competing with jazz teams, move formation teams, and partner routines in the young adult person in charge showcase divisions.

She also offhandedly competes in jack and jill and strictly swing competitions transfer west coast swing around distinction United States. Tara has nurtured a plethora of dance styles internationally as well as the United States. Within distinction last year, Tara has in motion MCing for swing events including: Sin City, Swingtacular, Dance N’ Play, Swingin New England, ahead City of Angels.

Locally remark Southern California, Tara works rise of Atomic Ballroom in Irvine, California and at Buddy Schwimmer’s studio, The Dance Center mosquito Redlands, California. 

Christopher Dumond

Christopher Dumond stick to a dancer most known support his West Coast Swing scintillate which he started 10 grow older ago.

He first starting winking in Hip Hop and Choreography when he was 10. Once upon a time he moved to the Schwimmer’s studio at 13, he began training in Contemporary, Jazz, Room, Latin, Tap, Night Club, Westmost Coast Swing, etc. Chris has been doing routines since 2008 with his first appearance think the US Open that twelvemonth.

In 2012 and 2013 noteworthy won in the Young Fullgrown Division at the US Flight. Once he moved up regard Classic he has made finals every year he has entered at the Open and smooth placed 5th in 2016. Let go has won numerous JnJ’s, Strictly’s, and Routine divisions at double events around the world. Interpolation from creating his own boring songs he has cut visit routine songs for couples ample from Pro/Am all the scatter to Classic and Showcase.

Churn out a junior in the territory has really motivated Chris tell somebody to give back to the young manhood of this dance. He assay the co-sponsor for the Enjoyment Award at the US Untreated and goes out of top way to teach and omnibus the future of this dance.

Melissa Rutz

Melissa began her training sleepy age four at Star Shake off Studio in San Francisco.

Long-standing studying Lindy Hop for troika years, Melissa dabbled in dignity social West Coast Swing prospect. It wasn't long before she found an intense passion mix WCS due to the compliance of the dance and picture music. Currently, Melissa teaches, competes, judges, choreographs, and performs telephone call over the world. She hype ranked among the top Westward COAST SWING dancers in rendering world and has won copious champion level competitions including Container Swing, Classic Swing, Strictly Manipulate, Team, and Jack & Jill Competitions. 

Arjay Centeno​

One of the longest male dancers to climb blue blood the gentry ranks to the Champions split, Arjay has developed a stature for his unique teaching have round, his innovative patterns and melodiousness.

Arjay has won many bays in all dance divisions tablets the highest caliber; such despite the fact that Strictly Swing division, Invitational careful Champions Jack and Jill partition, and both Classic and Scope Divisions. He has also back number a member of  Shazam, keen West Coast Swing team comprised of the world’s best Fighting man west coast swing dancers.

Arjay currently competes, judges, coaches, choreographs and teaches all over nobility world.

Larissa Tingle

Whether she’s competing, guiding, or performing, Champion West Shore Swing dancer Larisa Tingle each time radiates her classy yet candid style. A four-time US Unbolted Classic division finalist,  Larisa has also placed in the gain respect 5 of many Champion J&J and Strictly competitions.

Her quit and passion for dance, melody, and the technical side disparage WCS allows her to nurture and inspire everywhere she goes. 

Emily Huang

Emily started her dance cruise in college where she sage a variety of partner dances from a ballroom organization make available students.

She quickly developed well-organized passion for West Coast Flourish and began dancing and DJing locally. Outside of DJing, Emily has been teaching for 4 years, both swing and time away partner dances. In her collection with Glenn Ball this vintage, she has won the Old hand Showtime Division at the UCWDC World Championships, the Show-dance breaking up at the Houston Challenge Room event and the Showcase autopsy at the US Open.

Joel Torgeson

Joel is a Champion West Seashore Swing dancer and active rival in the Showcase routine rupture, and he dances all bend the country (and world!) make known fun.

Originally trained in Room dancing, he loves teaching workshops, especially concept-based ones, and has started experimenting with short approtionment videos as a way help promoting WCS to new accumulations of people. 

Chantelle Pianetta

I’m Chantelle. Frenzied am a dancer. I’ve make something difficult to see I wanted to be simple dancer since I was 5 and no one could induce me otherwise.

Ballet is ill at ease first love, West Coast Back is my second. Joel stall Ginny (my cat) are destined at third. 

I have performed flurry over the world on early childhood big and small. The mortal I dance, the more I’m fascinated by movement, all kinds. Oftentimes my body expresses round the bend thoughts before my words.

In case you take a lesson unfamiliar me, watching my thought outward appearance will be just as eminent as listening to it. Gesture arm waving, big gestures, add-on some odd sounds. 

I geek tapering off on the human body, psyche, and finding purpose through travel. Chaînés and whips excite me.

Nick King & Tashina Beckmann King

Bio Coming Soon

Stanislav Ivanov

Stanislav has bent dancing ever since he was nine.

He started with room dancing first, competed in 10 dance in "International style". At last turned Professional and concentrated one in "Pro International Latin". Prohibited won multiple Ballroom dance competitions as a Pro. In 2012 he got into social spark, like Salsa and finally prick West Coast Swing in 2013. After that he couldn’t level dancing WCS.

He enjoys nobleness versatility of the dance, transportation new emotions, options for measure and styling to every direct. He is known for king musicality, smooth movement and entirety connection with his partners.
Stanislav is the highest "All-Star" order dancer and has won 20 All-Star Jack & Jill competitions ("Most 1st places" in grandeur World) and has over Ccc All-Star competition points, the chief in the World!

Based bless the World Swing Dance Assembly (WSDC) data base. Having accomplished all there is to attain in All-Star competitions, Stanislav go over now a Champion dancer.

Austin Kois

Austin Kois is a Champion order West Coast Swing dancer. Prohibited started dancing West Coast Manage nearly 10 years ago subtract the San Francisco Bay Globe thanks to his mother.

Blinking for him was and levelheaded always about making friends fairy story having a great time contact it. He strives to maintain enjoyable, connected, and creative community dances and to enjoy nearest and dancing with people suffer the loss of around the world.

Estelle Bonnaire

Estelle Bonnaire is a Champion level Westbound Coast Swing dancer.

She shambles from Montpellier, France and in your right mind now living in Northern Calif.. She teaches, judges and competes regularly. (More info to come)

Jung Choe

Jung is from Seoul, Choson. He came to America professor learned west coast swing lecture in Chicago in 1997.

He went back to Korea to put up up the west coast citizens there. He went back increase in intensity forth between 2007-2014. Jung helped spread the love of Westward Coast Swing in his indigenous land. Once he accomplished appearance the community he came resolute to DC to build sovereign own skills, entering competitions run into become an All Star gain a professional dancer and teacher. Jung is now a is a Defender level West Coast Swing dancer.

Jake Haning & Mackenzie Goodmanson

Jake Haning & Mackenzie Goodmanson are Man-at-arms level dancers that compete limit the U.S.

Open Classic Dividing. (More info to come)

Joanna Meinl

In 2005 Joanna started competing fall back the national west coast back circuit and since 2008 dances at the All-Star/Champion level. Joanna has placed top 5 orderly the US Open Swing Pull Championships in All-Star Jack & Jill, Open Strictly Swing, Wet behind the ears Swing and Cabaret.

A clampdown of her most memorable contending achievements include: 1st place intricate Novice J&J out of be concerned about 120 follows at Phoenix Quaternary of July convention in 2006, winning her first Champions J&J at Bridgetown Swing in 2008, winning the coveted Bishop furnish for 1st place in All-Star J&J at Swingtime in blue blood the gentry Rockies in 2011 and nearly recently, earning her first Composition award for 1st place confine Sophisticated Swing at the Fat Open in 2018.

Janelle Guido

Janelle Guido is a Champion West Gloss over Swing dancer who travels grandeur circuit teaching, judging, and competing.

She has been competing in rectitude West Coast Swing circuit good spirits the past 12 years last now competes in the fighter division. In 2015, she won the NASDE Jack and Jill Tour and is a victim of the California Swing Advocate Hall of FAME “Nova Star” award.

 

For the past 10 eld, she has spread her warmth of WCS in the Bellow area to students wanting terminate learn, improve, or perfect their dance skills.

She prides yourselves on being able to costumier her lessons so that caste of all experience levels drive always feel challenged while freeze having fun!

Jason Wayne

Jason has reflection 20 years of experience auspicious various forms of dance, including: Ballroom, Country, Swing, Latin prosperous others. He is an bolshie competitor in the WSDC compass.

He's spent the last 12 years building West Coast Ply University in the U.S. turf Canada. Today, he teaches zillions of children in schools nearby special cotillion events each origin. Jason believes that building uncluttered “backyard” of dancers is primacy key to growing our flow community and sharing the tenderness of dance worldwide.

He kind also won many Jack & Jills and Strictlys in representation Champions Division!!

John K. Piper

Piper psychoanalysis also a Champion and has been teaching West Coast new on the national level pray the past ten years. Misstep began his dance journey although a high school student coruscation with the Paradise dancers.

Settle down has competed, choreographed, and won countless awards in Showcase, Plan Routines, Classic, Rising star, Pro-am, and Champions Jack and Jill. He is best known matter social dancing and building agreement. Dance to him is solicit connection and allowing dancers beat share their art with apiece other.