Dance Camp Los Angeles at the Emerald Ball

Instructors

Edward Simon

Victor Veyrasset & Heather Smith

Victor Veyrasset and Heather Smith each enjoyed very successful amateur and professional careers before teaming up in 1993.

Since then Victor and Heather have been 5 time, undefeated, U.S. Pro Ballroom Champions, 3 time Ohio Star Ball Champions, 3 time North American Champions, Asian Pacific Pro Ballroom Champions and 5 time U.S. representatives to the World Championships.

Victor and Heather are both members of the Terpsichore in Ballroom, Latin, Smooth, and Rhythm and Heather is a member of the IDTA in England in Ballroom and Latin.

Michael Mead & Toni Redpath

Michael and Toni's credits include: 4 time, undefeated U.S. Ballroom Champions, 1999, 2000, 2001, & 2002, Finalists in the Classic Showdance World Championships, Three time qualifiers as United States Representatives to the Classic Showdance World Championships, Top American Smooth Couple of the Year 1999 and 2000, PBS Championship Ballroom Dancing Winners 1999 and 2000, United States Rising Star Champions, 1st Runners up in the 2001 United States Classic Showdance Championships and Michael and Toni were featured dancers in the film "Dance with Me".

In the year 2002 alone, Michael and Toni were winners of the following: Emerald Ball, California Open Dancesport Championships, Heritage Dance Classic, Texas Challenge Championships, the Nevada Star Ball, Capital Championships, and the Embassy Ball.

They are proficient in teaching all styles of Ballroom Dance.

Donald Johnson

Donald, born in the United States, became interested in dance at an early age since his mother ran a ballroom dance studio. He started teaching dance at the age of seventeen and shortly afterwards became interested in dance competition. He began to compete in the Latin American style and also competed in American smooth and International Standard. He moved to Torrance, California to continue his professional competitive career and enjoyed considerable success with a series of partners, reaching the national semi-finals in both American Smooth and International Standard styles.

Donald had terminated his existing professional partnership at the Emerald Ball in California. At that competition a mutual friend introduced him to Kartazyna Kozak. His Latin coach later suggested that he consider dancing with her and after a short period, they decided to begin a new partnership together.

After dancing together for a relatively short period of time, Donald and Katarzyna became a dynamic and highly successful dance team and have appeared twice as Professional Latin Finalists on the popular and nationally televised PBS series "Championship Ballroom Dancing".

Some of their major competitive accomplishments include:

In October of 2000, Donald and Katarzyna retired as a competitive dance team.

Bob Powers

Bob Powers was born in Philadelphia, PA and started dancing after seeing the movie Saturday Night Fever. He started teaching at an Arthur Murray Studio at age 18. Bob taught at, and managed the studio for 16 years He is a member of the International Dance Board of Arthur Murray International as well as a certified examiner in all styles of dance.

Bob met Julia Gorchakova in St. Petersburg, Russia while Bob was there on a dance tour with another partner. After dancing with one another at a local studio party hosted by Julia's mother, the two decided to try out together. Through an interpreter they decided to have Julia move to the U.S. for a period of one month during which time they would consider a long-term commitment. Three years later they were married.

Bob and Julia are 12 time U.S. Rhythm Champions as well as the 2001 World Mambo Champs. The two have performed throughout the U.S., Canada, China, Russia, Germany, England, and Japan. They have been featured on PBS's "Championship Ballroom Dancing" as well as "The Heritage Classic" hosted by Cyd Charisse.

Shirley began her dancing career at the ripe old age of two years. As she danced away her first nine years in her tiny tutu her mother was quick to recognize her talent and sent her to St. Chad's Church where she learned her basic techniques in International Style Latin, and Modern Ballroom Dancing. From there, Shirley's determination never waivered. She chose her dearest love, International-Latin Style Ballroom Dancing. By the age of 21 Shirley held every title available to her; The British Open, The Star, The European, The International, The Canadian Classic Du Quebec and yes, even The U.S. Open (and many more). She was now the NUMBER ONE Latin Dancer in the World!

Shirley's credits include:

Corky Ballas has been dancing literally since he was a baby, having been reared in a family with diverse talents as entertainers and entrepreneurs. His mother was a great and talented Flamenco dancer who together with Mr. Ballas owned and operated the largest dance studio in the United States (44,000 square feet under one roof).

Corky, with all his early talent training however, was as normal as apple pie when it came to the Disco era. This was the point in his life when he discovered that out of everything he had tried through the years, dancing was his greatest love.

Corky is a DVIDA National Examiner in all styles and levels.

Most people associate Tony Dovolani with the hit ABC TV show Dancing with the Stars where he has been paired with celebrity dance partners Stacey Keibler, Sara Evans, Leeza Gibbons and Jane Seymour. Born in Prishtina Kosova, Tony began folk dancing at age three. When he was 15 his entire family moved to the United States and Tony got the opportunity to attend a Fred Astaire Dance Academy. From that moment on, he knew he had found his passion.

Since that time Tony has been a strong and successful competitor in ballroom dancing and is the current undefeated United States Professional Rhythm Champion and the current undefeated World Professional Rhythm Champion. In addition to his competitive dancing success Tony's professional body of work also includes a role as the Latin bad boy competitor in the hit film, Shall We Dance, and has had the privilege to coach and work aside Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez and Stanley Tucci.

Tony's Achievements include:

Gary and Diana McDonald established a competitive partnership in 1991 and quickly became very successful. They are 10 times undefeated US 10 -Dance Champions, 1997 US Latin Champion, 2 times US South American Showdance Champion and 2002 US Classic Showdance Champion and 1997 World 10- Dance Champions. They have had the honor of representing the United States in 24 World Championship Events. Gary and Diana are highly qualified instructors and adjudicators in all styles of dance. They have retired from competitive dancing to focus on running Rogers Dancesport Center and raising their daughter Shayna.