Harvard Ballroom

Liene came to the United States from Latvia for dancing purposes on 1999. Soon after, she became a US National Amateur Champion for two consecutive years. In 2005 Liene turned professional and had a great success making US Pro Finals, winning Bronze at US PRO Nationals, taking first place in the UK Rising Star Championships, and obtaining first place at the 2005 Ohio Star Ball. Among many other achievements, she placed in the semifinals of the World Championships and the semifinals of the Blackpool Dance Festival. She now resides in Boston and happily competes for Commonwealth of Massachussets.

Boris is a former Arthur Murray Dance Studio regional manager and current owner of the Euroballroom Dance Studio in Newton, MA. He was raised in Ukraine and is the winner of several prestigious awards as both a teacher and competitor, including the 2005 Top Teacher award at the Yankee Classic. Boris won his first competition at the Ukrainian Regional Competition at the age of seven. At 16, he earned a degree in Ballroom Dance and was graduated as an instructor from the College of Culture in the City of Donetz in the Ukraine.

Mariko began her dance training at age 5 in classical ballet. She studied at Boston Ballet, Ballet Theatre of Boston, and American Academy of Ballet and with Nora Irinova, training in character dance, jazz, hip hop, and ballroom. She began ballroom while studying for her BA in History at Harvard College, where she served as Team Captain of the Harvard Ballroom Team. In 2005 she began competing professionally in International Standard. She trains primarily with Charlotte Jorgensen, and has worked with Richard and Anne Gleave, Paul Holmes, and Linas Koreiva. Mariko and her partner Slaveyko Baylov have been recent finalists in the Open Professional Ballroom competitions at Millenium in Florida and Empire in New York City. Mariko teaches pro/am, amateur, and youth students in Manhattan at Ballroom Off 5th, and in Boston at Dance Republic.

Istvan Cserven

Istvan is a former Hungarian Standard Champion and has placed second in the Hungarian 10 Dance Championships three times. As a member of the National Champion Latin Formation Team, he was a finalist in the World and European Championships several times. In the last 9 years, he has been teaching competitive couples of all levels and ages. He coached the Hungarian Latin Youth Champions and several formation teams. He also has been the Vice President of the Hungarian Dance Sport Association for two years.

Born in London, England, Christine began dancing at an early age and has been dancing for the last 35 years. Representing England, Christine was consistently a finalist in all the major European and World Championships. Her competitive career has taken her to many parts of the world and eventually to Massachusetts where she has become one of the most sought after coaches in the area. Christine is a World Class Adjudicator and judges competitions all over the United States.

Emil and Ruta are the co-owners and teachers of Dance Fever studios. They began their dancing careers in Lithuania. After they became partners they proceeded to attend and win major competitions throughout all of Europe. Upon moving from Lithuania to Israel they opened their own studio, and began training and coaching children and youth dance pairs, who later became winners and finalists of major European competitions in Germany, Holland, France, England, and Italy. On numerous occasions their dance couples became national champions and represented Israel at the World and European Championships. Shortly after arrival to United States they opened their own dance studio that has grown tremendously and become the biggest junior dance studio in New England. By virtue of having satisfactorily passed the Examinations required by the Council of the United Kingdom Alliance of Professional Teachers of Dancing and Lithuanian Union of Dance Sport Professionals Emil and Ruta were granted the Distinctive Member Title in Ballroom and Latin American Dancing.

Russell Jackson

Russell, a native of Manchester, England, has been dancing since the early age of five & was brought up among a long line of ballroom dancers. Russell was a Youth Latin Finalist, a Junior United Kingdom Formation Champion, & performed in the Royal Variety Show for Princess Margaret & Prince Henry. He appeared in the television show 'come Dancing' & many other United Kingdom TV shows. He is a United Kingdom, European, & World Showdance Finalist & has trained United Kingdom, European, & World Showdance couples & Formation Champions.

Since coming to the United States in 1996, Russell has expanded his knowledge to include numerous styles of dance such as Lindy Hop, Salsa, Hip Hop & Argentine Tango & trained the United States Lindy Hop Champions. He worked at Fred Astaire Dance Studio, co-founded Supershag Productions, & worked with Supershag Mega Dance Complex. He coached the Brandeis Ballroom Dance Team for two years, which became the most prominent club within in the university.

Russell is qualified to teach International Latin, Standard, American Rhythm & Smooth. He is a member of the United Kingdom Alliance of Teachers of Dance (UKA), the National Dance Council of America (NDCA), & is a qualified Adjudicator. Russell is known for his choreography & has produced Professional shows at prestigious competitions across the United States. He is currently training social & competitive dance couples, amateur formation & showdance teams, & working with & alongside predominant dance studios within the United States & England.

Along with John Nigro, Russell is the official coach of the Harvard Ballroom Dance Team

Julius, long time head coach for the Harvard Ballroom Team, is an inductee to the U.S.Dancesport Hall of Fame, a Fellow in ISTD Modern, a Licentiate in ISTD Latin, a Four-Time Recipient of Life Achievement Awards, and an Honorary Board Member of the ISTD. He is also an Honorary Lifetime Member of Harvard Ballroom.

Armin is a former North American Professional Latin Rising Star Champion. He placed seventh at the U.S. Professional Championships and fourth in the Rising Star.

Olga Kinnard

Olga started her training at the age of five as a Rhythmic gymnast in St. Petersburg, Russia. She was selected from a hundreds of girls to become a part of a very special training team designed to produce the Future Olympic Athletes. Olga started dancing Latin after moving to US. During that time she graduated Magna Cum Laude from Tufts University. She moved to New York City to train intensively in Latin American Dancing. Among her accomplishments are the following:
- 2007 US national, US Open and North American Professional RS Champions
- World Professional South American Show dance finalist
- Canadian Professional Latin Vice Champion
- UK Rising Star Professional Latin finalist

She is the co-founder of the Dance Republic LLC.

Damien was born and raised in Australia were he competed at major amateur competitions. On 2006 he turned professional with his partner Natasha Manderson. His titles include first place Professional Rising Star at the Ohio Star Ball and Holiday Dance Classic among many others. He currently teaches at Ballroom Off 5th in New York City.

Vivian started her career in dancing at age twelve. She graduated from Beijing Capital Normal University's College of Performing Arts, majoring in Chinese Folk Dance. She also studied music and ballet and other eastern and western dances including Indian, Japanese, Arabic, African, Flamenco and Russian. She is also holding a BA of fine art in sculpture in USA.

She continued her interest at the Beijing Ballroom Dance College and graduated while pursuing studies in international dance standards, international Latin, Advance Ballet foundation and modern music and dance.

Vivian has competed in Latin Dance in the United States, China and internationally. Since coming to the United States, Vivian has competed professionally in dozens of competitions in both International Latin and American Rhythm and also Professional Showdance categories. She has competed in every major dance competition in the US as both a Professional and as an instructor in the Pro/Am divisions.

She is accredited as an adjudicator and instructor by the NDCA, in American and International Styles of dance, and an instructor by United Kingdom Alliance Certified Associate, in Latin and Standard Ballroom.

Larinda McRaven

Larinda, originally from Jefferson City, Missouri, was introduced to ballroom dancing when she attended college at Southwest Missouri State, eventually obtaining a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre and Stage Performance. Although the university did not have a ballroom program, a local studio provided her with training and inspired her to pursue dancing as a career.

Larinda McRaven was the 2004 North American Smooth Champion, and a four time Open United States Finalist and Ohio Star Ball Finalist, with over 150 championship and competition wins and titles. She holds extensive certifications from the ISTD and Terpsichore. She now co-owns Avanti Ballroom in Newton Massachusetts and travels to coach and judge around the U.S.

Bill Morganti has been teaching students and training dance professionals around the world and in the Boston area for over 30 years. During that time Bill has performed, taught and been interviewed on major area television stations such as Channels 2, 4, 5, and 7. Since 1979, Bill has enjoyed multiple teaching engagements worldwide teaching Dancesport and Social Dancing. Bill was recently honored with the invitation to perform, demonstrate, and teach Latin and Salsa in Blackpool England with cast members of the movie “Dance with Me”, starring Vanessa Williams. Bill, a former dance competitor & Champion, is a member of the US Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, The North American Dance Teachers Association, The United Kingdom Alliance of England, and is an adjudicator with the National Dance Teachers Council of America and The World Dance Council he is a National Examiner for DVIDA (Dance Vision Inc. Dance Association). Bill holds the highest degrees, a Fellow in American Style Smooth, Rhythm, International Style Latin, International Standard and Theater Arts. He also is considered to be a leading authority on Movement Theory, Analysis, and Laban Notation. Bill’s life time goal has been to increase and bring quality Ballroom dancing to the New England area. As co-organizer of the 4rd Annual Eastern United States Dancesport Championships to take place on February 18th - 20, 2009 at the beautiful Renaissance Waterfront Hotel Boston he will see his ideas, hopes, and dreams continue to formulate. Bill a former owner of New England Ballroom and Dance Studios of Boston can be seen judging the newest weekly reality dance show Ballroom Boot Camp on TLC.

Johnny Nigro

Johnny Nigro, owner of Balera | School of Ballroom Dance and official Smooth & Standard coach for the Harvard Ballroom Dance Team, has been inspired by some of ballroom’s greats. His current coaches are Charlotte Jorgensen, Emilio Stephano and Luana Conte. His role models have motivated him to teach, to share his enthusiasm, passion and understanding of dance. Johnny continues to compete in pro/am competitions throughout the United States and Canada. Johnny particularly enjoys working in competitive ballroom and with new dance students. Johnny Nigro is an active member in the dance community. He is involved with MASSabda/USA Dance and has served as the former President of Board of Directors of the Northeast Winter Dance Camp.

Some of his competitive dance titles include:
- Heritage Classic, Ashville, NC: Championship Standard Champion
- United States DanceSport Championships, Miami, FL: Champion Standard Finalist
- Northeast Regionals: Championship Standard Champion

As a representative of the United States, Mark Nocera has achieved outstanding success in both National and International Professional Dancesport Competitions. His achievements and titles include:

-North American Champion
-United States Vice-Champion
-Semi-Finalist at the World Professional 10 - Dance Championships in Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Retired from professional competition, Mark serves as members of the Dance Teachers Club of Boston, the North American Dance Teachers Association and the World Dance & Dance Sport Council. Furthermore, Mark has attained the National Dance Council of America's classification as World Class Adjudicator. In addition to his active involvement in the dance community, he helps organize the Eastern United States Dancesport Championships held in Boston every February. Also, he is the head coach of the Tufts University Ballroom Dance Team.

At the age of nine Michael started learning the cultural folk dances of his native country Georgia. At fourteen he entered a ballroom studio where he learned International Standard and Latin. It was here that he developed a love for ballroom dancing that continues to grow to this day. A few short years later Michael embarked on his amateur competitive career and soon became Youth Open Class Ten Dance Champion. His competitive career was extremely successful as he went on to become a six-time youth amateur champion and the Youth Amateur Champion of the former USSR.

Not only has Michael trained in ballroom dancing but other artistic areas as well. In Georgia he studied at the College of Theatre Arts specializing in stage acting. He also successfully completed training at the University of Choreography.

Gail Rundlett, director of Tempo Dance Center, is a former New England Professional Champion and holds a BS in Physical Education, as well as Associate & Licentiate degrees in both Ballroom and Latin from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance.

Helle Rusholt

Helle started dancing at the age of 3 at her local dancing school in Aalborg, Denmark. Growing up she trained in Ballroom, Tap, Ballet and Jazz. At the age of 17 she joined the performing group at her dancing school and did her first big tour in Thailand. Since then she has toured 3 times in Thailand, Kenya and across Europe.

In 1994 she moved to London, England to concentrate purely on Latin American dancing and trained with some of the best coaches in the world. In 1998 she turned Professional. In May 2000 after nearly 7 years in London she moved to Boston to teach Ballroom dancing. She taught at a local dance studio, at MIT and at Harvard. In January 2002 Helle joined Burn The Floor and went on tour in USA, Australia and Japan.

Her results include: South of England Champion, Danish Championship Finalist, UK Rising Star Finalist, Celtic Classic Finalist, Danish Representative in the Worlds and European Championship, Quarterfinalist at the International Championships in London, England.

Helle is the Co-Owner, Artistic Director and Master Instructor of Extreme Dancesport.

In addition, Helle currently coaches the Boston University Ballroom Dance Team, UCONN Ballroom Dance Team, and the Tufts Ballroom Dance Team.

Mark, with his partner Didi von Deck, has represented the United States at 7 World Championships and at the 2001 World Games. His titles include: 5-time undefeated US Senior Ballroom Champion; North American Senior Champion; Northeast US Amateur and Senior Champion; Belgian Open Senior Champion; US National Amateur finalist; 3-time British Open (Blackpool) Senior finalist; International Senior finalist; Rising Star finalist.

In addtion to being a dance coach, Mark has a PhD in Computer Science from MIT and is a visiting professor at Wellesley College.

André Strinadko

André started dancing and competing at the age of six. He was a finalist and a winner in all major Ukrainian Championships. After moving to New York City at the age of 15, he enhanced his dance training by studying Latin, ballet and contemporary dance with some of the best coaches in the world. Before turning professional, André was a finalist and a winner of some of the most prestigious competitions in the USA. His titles include:

- 2007 US national, US Open and North American Professional RS Champions
- World Professional South American Show dance finalist
- Canadian Professional Latin Vice Champion
- UK Rising Star Professional Latin finalist

He performed in several Broadway shows including Louis Van Amstel's "Latin Fusion". André is actively competing in the Professional Latin, South American Showdance and Cabaret divisions.

He is the owner of Firebeat Dance Studio in Allston.