Ballroom Instructors
Our staff of instructors in ballroom dance is the best in the city.
Alex Thomas
is ranked among the top 20 professional Ballroomdancers in the US and enjoys competing as well as training and teaching his students many styles including Ballroom, Latin,Wedding Dance, Urban, and his latest, creating a unique form, which he calls DanceFit.
Josh Tilford
began dancing at the age of 14 when he wasintroduced to the art of swing during it’s resurgence in popularity in the mid 1990′s. Throughout high school and college he was an avid social dance fan, picking up many different dance styles along the way. In 2001, Josh studied salsa and tango in Madrid, Spain during his time abroad at the University of Saint Louis Madrid Campus – little did he know that eventually one day he would one day become the teacher! Since his inception into the ballroom dance industry in 2005, he has won numerous top teacher awards during his career with a national dance franchise as well as regional titles in both American Smooth and Rhythm,and Theater Arts styles as well as placing in the top 6 at national events. In July of 2010, Josh met his current dance partner, Ms. Ashley Merino, and in just a few short weeks they shot tothe top, placing in the top 6 at numerous Rising Star and Open Rhythm events across the country.
Danielle Moor
has been dancing for over 15 years and teaching for the last five. She started her dance career through ballet and began dancing locally with Shirley Wu in Columbus, Ohio, before begining her professional career with national experience under her belt including the Pacific Northwest Ballet located in Seattle Washington. Danielle felt a special connection with DanceSport in 2004 and hasn’t looked back since. She currently trains students in Ballroom and Latin dance, as well as competes pro/am with her students. Danielle enjoys teaching couples, male Pro/Am students, wedding couples, and specializes in teaching children. Professionally, Danielle also competes with her partner Alexander Thomas in the American Rhythm and American Smooth Divisions. Danielle and Alex are the 2010 North Coast Champions and finalists in National Competitions and are also sponsored by Phia Salon, Jan Tana, and YOR Health.
Ashley Wessel
has been teaching and competing in ballroom dance since May of 2009. She paired with her professional partner Josh Tilford in August of 2010, and since then they have competed in 5 competitions and made top 6 in numerous open rhythm divisions, which is nearly unheard of for such a new couple in the ballroom world! Beyond her love of competing and performing, Ashley’s true passion lies in helping her students grow not only as dancers, but as people too. Whether it be competitive, social, or for fun, she is dedicated to finding each student’s goal with their dancing, and to guiding them towards that goal every step along the way.
Michael-Paul Newman
has been instructing dance for 10 years. He specializes in International Latin, Salsa, American Rhythm, American Smooth, and Pro-Am competition. Michael-Paul also fell in love with Salsa dancing and his passion led him to become the founder of Salsamante Saturdays, which is Columbus’ fastest growing Salsa Social, featuring Carlos Rubio, the Salsa King of Ohio, OSU Club Tropical, Dj Ray Ritmo, and the largest dance floor in the city. Michael-Paul has also placed in the top 3 in some of the most prestigious, national level Rising Star Events, such as the Twin Cities Open and Wisconsin State Dancesport Championships, and has competed in numerous competitions with an extensive background in training and coaching from world class judges and champions like Robert & Jennifer Foster, Emmanuel Pierre Antoine, and Igor Ishakov . He pushes his students to reach for their absolute best and encourages them to make their dance dreams a reality. “I am genuinely looking forward to meeting each future student who will become my dance partner and friend, a student who believes in a dream, a student who is ready to challenge themselves to try a new activity, and to develop a passion that will forever change their life! I believe that anyone can do this, no matter a beginner, no matter your age, no matter your circumstance. Dancing is for everyone who loves to dance, grow, and learn.”
Carlos Rubio
has been teaching salsa since 1999 and has been called “The Salsa King of Ohio” since. He is Ohio’s all-time winning-est salsa dancer, winning and placing in many salsa competitions. In 2002, he helped start Ohio State’s first salsa organization, “Club Tropical”. The group specializes in salsa styles like Casino Rueda, L.A. style, and New York style. Teaching full-time at the Salsamante Dance Academy and with Diamond Dance Fitness, he is available for private lessons, and his group class schedule is available online in the Calendar tab!
