Atanas Malamov, Washington

Originally from Bulgaria, Atanas started dancing at the age of nine. He quickly became very interested in this beautiful sport and decided that he wanted to become a professional dancer. After becoming the Bulgarian National 10 Dance Champion, he joined the Bulgarian National Dancesport Team and represented his country in many International Championships. He was also a professional dancer and choreographer on “Dancing with the Stars Vietnam” for three consecutive seasons, winner of the 3rd season of the show and runner up in the 5th.

Atanas has competed at the highest level and has received training in International Ballroom and Latin for many years, which helps him in coaching some of the brightest rising stars in US including multiple National Syllabus Champions, Youth and Adult Championships dancers and Senior and Pro/ Am National Champions.

He is a member of the Bulgarian DanceSport Federation and a full member of the Bulgarian Professional Dance Association. Mr. Malamov is certified as a Professional Latin-American and Ballroom Dance Teacher and Adjudicator with the World Dance Council and National Dance Council of America.

Ann Harding-Trafford, Ontario

Ann Harding is a multiple-time Australian Ballroom & Latin Champion as well as an International, World & British Open (Blackpool) Finalist. She is president of the Canadian DanceSport Federation. In addition to being a coach who is sought out by the country’s top competitors, she is also one of Canada’s most respected adjudicators. She is a World Championship Adjudicator and a Blackpool Team Match Adjudicator. She serves as president of the Canadian DanceSport Federation and is a co-organizer of Can-Am DanceSport Gala.

Benoit Drolet, Alberta

Benoit started dancing at the age of 14 in his home town of Montreal. After an amateur career that culminated in winning two Canadian titles as well as three Quebec Championships, Benoit moved to England to pursue his professional career. Before long he was consistently placing in the top 12 in the world, making finals at the Japan Internationals, German Open, Dutch Open, as well as the semi-final of the Open British in Blackpool, UK and Internationals, to name a few. Upon retiring, he joined the critically acclaimed show “Burn The Floor” and toured Australia, Europe and the USA. His professional career took him to more than 30 countries for competing and demonstrating.

Benoit is now back living in Canada and resides in Edmonton, Alberta, where he is now busy developing young talents in that relatively new dance community. At the same time, he still travels extensively throughout Canada and the USA for teaching, lecturing and adjudicating.

Brigitt Mayer, Ontario

Brigitt Mayer-Karakis was born in Germany and has a background in music, competitive gymnastics and dance. She started ballroom dancing as an amateur at age 16, becoming German Vice champion in Latin, a German Ten Dance finalist and a finalist in the European and World Amateur Championships, as well a winning the World Championship in Formation dance. As a professional she came second in the World Latin-American Show Dance Championship, second in the World Open Exhibition Championship, and second in the British Open Rising Star Championship.

Due to her innovative and creative approach to ballroom dancing, she received an invitation to perform “Duel of the Giants” at Royal Albert Hall in London, England in 1998. In 2000 she received the CAN-AM DanceSport Special Achievement Award in Toronto for her contribution to ballroom dancing.

She is a World Championships judge and sought after as a guest coach around the world. She is author of the book “Ballroom Icons” which chronicles the history of ballroom dancing through interviews with the greatest figures in ballroom dance.

Kim Donaghy, Alberta

The sexy and hilarious Kim Donaghy has been a professional ballroom dance instructor since 1980. Considered a pioneer for developing the dance scene in Calgary, Kim was the dance director for The University of Calgary Ballroom Dance Club for 18 years. She also taught for many Phys. Ed. departments for both Senior and Junior High Schools in the City of Calgary.

Kim competed for Canada both in Latin and Ballroom genres where she excelled to become a Canadian semi-finalist. In addition to that, in 2005 she was the World Champion in the Diamond Showcase Division at the World Country and Western Dance Championships in Nashville.

Kim is very involved with adjudicating dance competitions in Canada and the United States. She is a Certified A+B+C+D+ Adjudicator with the CDF. She is currently teaching BURLESQUERCISE and is also a certified Zumba instructor. Known as a free, fun and outgoing spirit, Kim’s contagious personality is an inspiration to everyone around her.

Barbara Child, Chair, Vancouver/Halifax

Barbara Child, originally from London, England, first started dancing at the age of sixteen and shortly after became a member of the Latin dance team at her local studio. This highly successful team provided the opportunity to travel extensively throughout the UK and Europe for competitions and demonstrations. Team members were encouraged to compete in amateur competitons in both Standard and Latin and from this beginning, Barbara went on to compete successfully in numerous events in and around London.

After moving to Canada she resumed competitive dancing as an amateur before turning Professional to teach and compete in both Standard and Latin styles. Her main interest was soon to become teaching, while continuing to train and upgrade her necessary teaching qualifications. Barb is a Founding Member of Canadian Dancesport Federation, acts as a mentor to teachers and is currently teaching, training, and judging across Canada.

Aleksandra Antonova, Alberta

Aleksandra Antonova, originally from Ukraine, is a Professional Ballroom Choreographer, dance teacher and Licensed adjudicator with more than 12 years of teaching, coaching and judging experience. Aleksandra has been dancing since she was six years old and has been a winner and finalist of many Ukrainian and International competitions. Her students have become won Ukrainian and European dance competitions. In 2011 Aleksandra received the award for “Best coach of the East Region of Ukraine.” That same year she moved to Canada, where she continually improves her knowledge and skills. She is an organizer of workshops, dance training, dance shows with Top level teachers, and Professional dancers.

Aleksandra is owner of Levita Dance studio in Calgary. She is a licensed WDC Adjudicator and holds Licentiate Level Adjudicator credentials in International Latin and Ballroom genres, “A” Class Adjudicator credentials in Smooth and Rhythm, and is qualified to adjudicate Championship events.

Michel Guimond, Vancouver

Michel started ballroom dancing in Laval, QC and competed as a junior amateur
in 1969. He became a professional competitor in 1980. He took his first certification as a dance instructor from La Corporation des Professeurs de Danse du Québec in 1992 in both the Latin and Standard divisions and then proceeded with his International Style certi cations with CDTA Québec. In 1993 Michel moved to Calgary where he became a prominent coach and choreographer to many amateur and professional competitors.

Frequent coaching trips to Vancouver in the mid 90’s prompted him to move to Vancouver in 1996 and establish himself as a resident instructor at The Grand Ballroom and now at Broadway Ballroom. Michel has always been active in the dance community. He served as President of CDTA Alberta and currently serves on the board of the National Dance Council of Canada. He acted as Chair of Judges in many Canadian Closed Amateur and Professional Championships and an International Adjudicator.

Cora Lyn Uczekaj, Washington

Cora Lyn Uczekaj competed in the Professional International Standard style for over 10 years with her husband, Stephen, winning numerous Rising Star and Open Professional Champion titles. She has trained with some of the best coaches in the world, including John Wood & Anne Gleave, Augusto Schiavo, Stephen Cullip & Elizabeth Knoll, Ken & Sheila Sloan and many others.  Since retiring from Professional competition, Cora Lyn still enjoys competing with her students in Pro/Am events around the US in International Standard & Latin and American Smooth & Rhythm.

With over 20 years of dance experience, Cora Lyn and Stephen have successfully trained as a team many students from Newcomer level to Open Championship.  Their coaching achievements include a World Pro/Am Youth Open Standard Champion, former NDCA Youth National Open Standard Champions, Northwest Regional Youth Open 10-Dance Champions, and multiple Elementary School, Junior High School, and High School NDCA National Syllabus Champions.

Angel Chu, Vancouver

Angel Chu grew up in Vancouver, Canada and was part of the UBC Dance Club. After graduating from UBC, her love for dance continued. She met her partner/husband Darren in Taiwan and they became the National 10 Dance Champions of Taiwan and were named representatives to the World Championship. Angel has trained extensively in England with world renowned teachers, and competed in Blackpool Dance Festival, UK Championships and numerous Asian Championships at the professional level with great success. She was also a professional dancer and choreographer for Dancing with the Stars TV series in Taiwan. Angel coached the current Taiwan professional 10 dance representative and Junior and Juvenile 10 Dance champions of Taiwan. She moved back to Canada in 2018, and is now living in Vancouver.

Angel is certified as a qualified Professional Latin-American and Ballroom Dance Teacher as well as International Adjudicator with the World Dance Council and Canadian DanceSport Federation.

Kyryl Dudchenko, Vancouver

Kyryl started ballroom dancing when he was 7 years old in Ukraine. He underwent extensive training with different distinguished teachers and coaches in both Latin American and Standard as well as supplementary basic training in ballet. He has competed in numerous competitions all over Eastern and Western Europe as well as in North America, at first representing Ukraine and then British Columbia, on international and local DanceSport arena. Furthermore, Kyryl also participated in the Canada-wide aired TV show, Dancing at the Palais. Since moving to Canada in 2000 and until turning professional Kyryl maintained highest amateur ranking position in British Columbia.

In 2002 Kyryl became professional and since then has been teaching and coaching competitors (kids, teenagers and seniors) in both Latin and Standard divisions.

Monique Hrouda, Washington

Monique has been dancing all her life, with 15 years of classical ballet at Seattleʼs Cornish school of allied arts and 10 years of musical theatre background with Moore theatre productions. Monique retired from competition in 1999 after the birth of her daughter Nichole.

Currently she is co-owner of Seattleʼs premier dance studio DanceSport International, and was for many years co-owner of Seattle Star Ball Competition and continues to judge, coach and educate herself to improve the standard of dance in the Seattle area. Championship certified (Terpsichore and Divida Association Standard, Latin and American styles) United States Terpsichore examiner.