welcome to the Legacy Site for

Valedictorians, Magna Cum Laude, Champions,Winners?

When students achieve great success in school, they are awarded accolades such as Valedictorian, Magna Cum Laude, etc. In dance though, there are three ways to be recognized for success. As Competitors, Performers, or Educators. 

The teams that Ron & Carol started have exceeded if not rivaled the storied BYU program. Some of the titles won by former team members include: US Professional Latin Champions, World Professional Latin Finalists, US Standard Champions,  Blackpool World Exhibition Champions, World Professional 10 Dance Champions, US & World Swing Champions, US Rising Star Latin Champions, US Pro Am Latin Champions, US Amateur Latin Champions, US Amateur Disco Champions, Swing Dance Hall of Fame Members, Feather Award Winners, Star Search, Sabado Gigante, Dance Fever TV Show Finalists, and Country Western World Formation Champions.

As performers, those former members either lectured or performed on every continent except Antarctica. Many of these dancers were featured in Hollywood Movies Such as Salsa, Dance With Me, and God & Salsa.  Several found their niche in Hollywood film or on Broadway acting, producing, or choreographing for stars such as Vanessa Williams. One assisted Baz Luhrman for the Academy Awards Musical numbers, Others did award winning videos on MTV.  Some coached elite dancers in other genres such as Swing, Salsa, Country, & Latin. Special PBS shows featured former dancers and our choreography. Coach Ron Montez and several team members have been awarded over 10 Feather Awards-the dancers version of the Academy’s Oscar. One member coached 8 Olympic Ice and Pairs Skaters. We’ve performed in the Rose Parade, and on ships and countless studios around the world. 

As educators, several lectured at preeminent Dance Congresses such as The British Open, Slaghaaren, the German Teachers Congress, the European Salsa Congress, The US Swing Open, and virtually every European country, many Asian countries as well as South America, and Australia. Some went on to own their own ballet company, their own dance studios, write for dance magazines, make celebrated teaching videos, and be Dance Directors for national dance studio chains. Some have owned Ballroom Dance Competitions, Nightclubs. Several started their own dance teams and won National championships. Many at the end of their careers now judge some of the most prestigious dance events in the world.

 Below is a list of just some of the dancers that achieved high success in their various fields. The list is not a ranking, just in chronological order after leaving the team.

Elizabeth
Curtis

Liz Curtis, 7 Time US Pro Latin Champion

Of all the students who achieved success, Liz Curtis must be mentioned at the top of the list. The first of many champions to come, she still achieved iconic status. Trained by Ron & Carol, She had her initial success winning the US Amateur Latin Championship, and competing in the World Amateur Latin Championships. Turning pro soon after, she teamed with Ron Montez and immediately won 7 consecutive US Latin titles, and a couple World Finals. 

After retiring undefeated from professional competition, Liz turned to her other passion- show production. She created many Pro ensemble shows at Ballroom events and choreographed several PBS specials, Industrial productions, choreographed the Columbia Pictures Dance With Me, and worked on many shows such as the Academy Awards. Liz also acted in several theatre productions in LA before moving to New York. As a coach, she was highly in demand coaching and developing US Latin Champions Tony Meredith & Melanie LaPatin, Rick Valenzuela & Melissa Dexter, and many others. Liz resides in New York where she produces shows at the Lincoln Center for stars such as Vanessa Williams

susan Campbell Sandri

Susan Campbell Sandri 2

One of the original team members, Susan, has danced and choreographed for ballet, modern, ballroom, jazz, tap and musical theatre companies, and for stage, television, music video and film. Trained in California, her most influential teachers were Bella Lewitzky (Horton), Tim Wengard (Graham), Sally Streets (Balanchine), Margaret Hills (Cecchetti), and Ron & Carol Montez (ballroom, latin). She holds a PhD in Dance Sciences, an MA in Dance Education and Kinesiology, and is certified in Pilates dance conditioning and rehabilitation. 

Susan has directed multiple dance companies, including her own ‘pick-up’ professional company in the San Francisco area for 10 years.  She spent 25 years as a professor of dance, principally at the University of Southern California where she was Director of Dance Education, and at San Francisco State University where she was professor of Ballet, Modern Dance, Choreography and Dance Medicine.  

Retiring from academe in 1999, Susan moved to the Pacific Northwest.  From 2000-2012, Susan was resident choreographer and Co-Artistic Director of Whidbey Island Dance Theatre. During those years WIDT went from a small local company to full member of Regional Dance America, performing in WA, OR, CA, AZ, NV, UT, the National Dance Festival in Pittsburgh, PA and in Montreal, Canada.  The company and Susan’s choreography was twice invited to tour with the Tanzsommer International Dance Festival in western Europe, but couldn’t afford the trip.  Transitioning to musical theater, she worked with Whidbey Island Center for the Arts as choreographer and singer/dancer until Covid-19.

Agnes Babayan (gregorian)

One of the original team members, Agnes was a very strong dancer. Not only did she dance all of the early routines and shows, she began competing in the amateur level. With her partner Michael Oakes, she was winning the US Pre-championship level and a regular finalist at the Emerald Ball, California Star Ball. After graduation, Agnes left dance behind for several years. The love of dance eventually brought her back to Ballroom, Latin & Salsa dancing. Agnes now teaches women to learn dance in the South Bay Area. Her weekly classes include social dance that she learned all those years ago. Agnes lives in Saratoga with her husband Roubik. 

Rich
Weinberg

Richard USC days

Richard is another of the National Champions to come out of the program. He remains active in the arts, having worked for Columbia Pictures and CBS. He’s also served on the following theatre and film related boards: Savoy Pictures Ent. Inc., The Sundance Institute , Shakespeare L.A., Project Shaw (NYC), Timeline Theatre (Chicago), U.S.C. School of Dramatic Arts

He’s produced and/or invested in the following on and off Broadway Shows: Spider-Man, The Immigrant,The Producers, Hairspray, A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder, and many others.

Richard returned to dancing and competed as a pro/am for many years with world champion, Tommye Giacchino. His proudest title is U.S. Pro-Am 9 Dance Champion!

Richard lives in Chicago, Ill with wife Diane

Enio Cordoba

Enio Cordoba

Having won the very first competition he entered- The USC Open, it took him almost 18 months before he started winning again. Having won the US Amateur Latin Novice and PreChampionship divisions, after graduating, Enio was 2nd in the US Championships with team member Rosemarie Stanley and represented USA at the 1979 World Amateur Latin Championships, in London’s Royal Albert Hall. The following year in only six weeks together with partner Natalie Mavor, he was the 1980 US Amateur Latin Champion, placing 17th at the Worlds Amateur Latin Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. Turning pro, he immediately won the Rising Star Latin Pro Latin Championships of California, Florida & Texas with three different partners before winning the US Rising Star Pro Latin Championship in Miami. Retiring from Latin, he won the Cabaret Division at the World Swing Championships and was 2nd in the Classic Division, a finalist in the US Open Cabaret Division, Team Competition and 10th in the Classic Division. Entering the Salsa World Championships he made the final in his only attempt before retiring from competition for good. 

In 1988 he took his Formation team to the USBC and the team was awarded the Gold Medal. In 1990, as the pro half with team member Janet Kvasnak, they won the US Pro-Am Ladies A division Championship. That same year he was invited to coach at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and began a 30 year relationship of coaching 8 Olympic Ice Dance & Pairs teams from the US, as well as Japan, Azerbajian, and Hungary. Olympic Champion Dick Button called him “one of the two hottest choreographers in skating today” on the ABC telecast. Some of his accomplishments include 3 Feather Awards-twice as the Hottest Single Mambo Dancer and once as Most Popular Teacher in the USA. 

In addition to his dance talents, he was a feature writer for many years for dance publications Dance Action and Jitterbug. As a Special Dance Assistant on Dance With Me, he helped Liz Curtis, working with director Randa Haines and training many of the actors on the film. He also co starred and choreographed the award winning God & Salsa independent film and the MTV top video Broken Wings for Mr. Mister, dancing with team member Caron Waldron. He has lectured twice at Blackpool, Intako the German Teachers Congress, Slagharen– the Dutch camp for elite dancers, over 10 dance congresses around the World, and judged both the ESPN World Salsa Championships and US Swing Open Championships. After opening Let’s Dance LA studios in Alhambra and So. Pasadena, he opened the Granada, a three story jewel of an award winning restaurant/nightclub featuring many Latin Grammy Award winners. In spite of all that, his biggest joy was his longtime friendship with Ron Montez and performing many shows side by side. 

Enio and wife Terryl Jones reside in Delray Beach, Florida but still travel all over the US teaching, DJing, judging, and occasionally performing. He has three sons and one adopted daughter. His full body of work can be seen at EnioandTerryl.com

Richard Orozco

Richard Orozco -Mr Cool at Blackpool!

Richard Orozco started by dancing on the Blackpool Team, and had so much fun he came back for 5 other teams. He danced on four trips to Germany winning Bronze twice, and 5th once. 

As an amateur, Richard partnered with 4 different ladies from the formation teams and had quite a bit of success, twice winning the US Amateur Ball Championships in the Disco Division with Willow Whitfield and West Coast Swing Divisions with his wife Maria (also a teammate), they were the runner-ups in the 1982 & 1983 US Amateur Latin, and danced in two World Amateur Latin Championships. Richard and Maria also won the Emerald, Galaxy, and California Star Balls among other competitions.

Turning pro, he teamed with several different USC students Natalie Masson and Melody Cochran and did many shows including the … Richard recently retired from teaching and lives in the Pasadena area. 

RICHARD OROZCO AND PARTNERS, DANCE COMPETITIONS

AMATEUR LATIN

1979- Victor Dru – Las Vegas (3 Dance) First Place – Mary Lynn

1980- California Dance Tournament – First Place – Maria

1980- City of Los Angeles Trophies – First Place – Maria

1980- Mid-Year Ball – Second Place – Maria

1980- California Star Ball – First Place – Maria

1981- Sheraton Universal – First Place – Maria

1981- Amateur Ball – Second Place – Maria

1981- Emerald Ball – First Place – Maria

1981- Galaxy Ball – First Place – Maria

1981- Mid-Year Ball / Team Match – Second Place – Maria

1981- Victor Dru International – First Place – Maria

1981- Color World New Mexico – Second Place – Maria

1981- Embassy Ball – First Place – Maria

1981- Long Beach Star – First Place – Maria

1981- California Dance Tournament – First Place – Maria 

DISCO

1978- California Star Ball – First Place – Willow

1979- Golden West – First Place – Maria

1979- Mid-Year Ball – First Place – Maria

1979- Amateur Ball – First Place – Willow

1980- California Star Ball – First Place – Maria

1980- City of Los Angeles – First Place – Maria

1980- California Dance Tournament – First Place – Maria

1980- Galaxy Ball – First Place – Maria

1980- Emerald Ball – First Place – Maria

1980- Amateur Ball – Second Place – Maria

1981- California Dance Tournament – First Place – Maria

1981- Sheraton Universal – First Place – Maria

1981- Amateur Ball – First Place – Maria

 

RICHARD OROZCO AND PARTNERS, DANCE COMPETITIONS

 

WEST COAST SWING

1992- California Star Ball – First Place – Melody

1992- San Francisco – First Place – Melody

1993- Amateur Ball – First Place – Melody

1994- Amateur Ball – First Place – Elaine Berkoff

1995- Amateur Ball – Second Place – Lisa Baldwin

FORMATION TEAM

1978- Blackpool – USC Team – Second Place – Willow and Caron

1980- Worlds – Bremerhaven – SC Team – Third Place – Maria

1983- Worlds – Stuttgart – SC Team – Fifth Place

  (Tie) – Pat

1984- Worlds – Bremen – All Star Team – Third Place – Caron

1985- Worlds – Dortmund – SC Team – Janet

1977- Amateur Ball – USC Team – First Place – Willow and Caron

1981- Amateur Ball – SC Team First Place – Maria

1982- Amateur Ball – SC Team – First Place

1985- Amateur Ball – All Star Team – First Place – Caron

1980- California Star Ball – SC Team – First Place – Maria

1989- Let’s Dance LA Latin Team

1990- Let’s Dance LA Swing Team

1991- Let’s Dance LA Waltz Team

Willow Whitfield

Willow partnered with several teammates and had much success with each. Pairing with Steve Villalobos, Willow won the US Amateur Latin Championship in 1981 and were the runner ups in 1982. They danced in the World Amateur Latin Championships at London’s famed Royal Albert Hall. Willow and Richard Orozco were the US Amateur Disco Champs in 1980 and 81. WIllow was a member of the 1978 Blackpool team.

After a 40 year career as a sales executive, mainly in the tech world, I retired in 2021.  I now volunteer in the non-profit sector, currently serving as the co-chair of Art in Action, an organization that provides arts curriculum to K through 8 schools across the country.

I have been married to my husband, Jay, for 33 years and have 3 beautiful adult children, all three of whom were accepted into USC! Our oldest son graduated in 2012 and our daughter in 2019.  Was fun to be back on campus as a parent and alum. 

As rabid USC football fans, we’ve enjoyed having season tickets the last 6 years, which meant many a trip south from our home in the Bay Area.Over the years, we have experienced many travels around the world and even lived in Australia for a few years in early 2000.  An amazing adventure enjoyed by all. 

 Fight On! 

Dr. Steve Villalobos

Steven Villalobos

Steve Villalobos is another in our line of US Amateur Latin Champions. Steve won the 1982 US title with teammate Willow Whitfield and in 1983 the Silver medal for 2nd place behind fellow teammates Bernard and Marylynn. 

Steve is now a medical doctor living in Los Angeles

Maria is another of our lady US Amateur Champions, Maria won the USADA Amateur Disco Championship dancing with husband and teammate Richard Orozco. Over a two year period from 1980 to 1981, Maria and Richard won virtually every Amateur Latin competition including the Emerald Ball, Embassy Ball, Long Beach Star, Victor Dru’s International and the California Star Ball among others. They were also runner ups in the US Amateur Championships to teammates Bernard and Marylynn. Sadly she passed away a few years ago. 

Maria Orozco

Maria Orozco R.I.P.

Marylynn Benitez

Eye on LA Feature on Bernard & Marylynn at the Star Ball

Another student who achieved great success in both the amateur and professional levels, Marylynn danced on the 1980 Formation Team that was 3rd in the World. Competing with teammate Bernard Ceballos, they won the US Amateur Latin Championship, and also won the Grand Championship, pitting the winners of each division at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 1983. Soon after the US Rising Star Professional Latin. Pretty soon they were finalists in most of the major competitions such as Ohio Star Ball, the Emerald Ball, and USBC. With Bernard, they were a featured couple in the movie Salsa. After Bernard retired, Marylynn danced with Peta Siddal before joining the Fred Astaire Organization where she has become a Dance Director and Regional Director. Marylynn lives in Pensacola with her husband Gary 

bernard Ceballos

Kealii-O Nalani Ceballos
US Amateur & Professional
Rising StarLatin Champion

After winning the Bronze at the Formation World Championships, Bernard and Marylynn enjoyed a long and successful career competing twice winning the US Amateur Title at Madison Square Garden,  then as top Professionals. Bernard also was a featured dancer in the movie Salsa.

Before dancing, Bernard was a champion precision rifle artist. Now he uses his Hawaiian name Keali’i-O Ceballos. After the dance success mentioned above, Bernard concentrated on his skills as a singer in his family’s Hãlau Hula Kealii-O Nalani dance troop. Considered the number one mainland performers of Hawaiian and Tahitian cultural dance . Kealii-O has become their world renowned kumu hula and has performed among other places at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Kealii-O lives in California.

Elizabeth Beth Knoll

Beth Knoll- United States Professional Ballroom Champion

Elizabeth (Beth) Knoll started on the USC dance Team in 1983 With Carol and Ron both gone, the team now under the tutelage of US Ballroom Champion Stephen Cullip, the classes became more focused on social Ballroom dancing.

By 1985, Beth started dancing with Stephen and began winning. In 1991, Steve Cullip and Beth, now married, won the US Professional Standard Championship. They were also 5-time US Representatives to World Championships, organized the California Star Ball and the Galaxy Dance Festival, and owned premier dance studios in Seattle, WA. Beth later went on to be a world-class judge and a Master Invigilator who helped set national standards for syllabus competitions.

In 1993, Beth formed a partnership with Tommy Newby and switched to American Smooth style. This very successful partnership lasted until Tommy became ill and passed away.

After a successful 32-year career as a teacher, coach, competitor, and judge, Beth achieved a degree in Gerontology. Since 2016, she has been involved in the senior living industry and is now part of the Senior Management Team at a senior living community in Portland OR. She stays in touch with her dance colleagues and still provides learning opportunities to fellow professionals. For dance geek buffs, Foxtrot is her favorite dance, she considers the Feather Step (and its variations) the perfect figure, and parsing technique in all styles/dances can still take hours of her time.

Tom Slater

Tom Slater- World Exhibition Champion

Tom Slater grew up in Pennsylvania, Texas, and Massachusetts and, after graduating high school, moved to the west coast where he studied Theater and Dance at the University of Southern California. He began competing as an amateur ballroom dancer while in college and eventually turned pro, adding teacher/choreographer to his repertoire. He has been dancing, teaching, choreographing, and coaching for over thirty years.

During his career he has had many unique experiences, dancing for Bob Hope, the President and First Lady Clinton, and President Gerald Ford.  He performed alongside Suzanne Somers, Vic Damone, Louise Mandrell, Charo, and danced personally with Juliet Prowse on Big Band Ballroom Bash on PBS.

His talents in acting and dancing earned him five national commercials while in Hollywood. He coached Jane Krakowski, Chayanne, Kris Kristoferson and Joan Plowright for the movie Dance With Me, where he can also be seen as a featured dancer.

Tom Slater and Anna Christine won the World Exhibition Championship in 1990. 

At the Gay Games in 1998, Tom and Richard Lamberty earned third place in Standard in Amsterdam and fifth in 2002 in Sydney.  In 2006 he switched to Latin and earned fifth place with partner Mika Kozma  in Chicago. He now lives in Bloomington, Indiana with Robert, his husband of 17 years.

Janet Kvasnak

Janet Kvasnak US Ladies A Division Pro-Am Champion

Janet Kvasnak had quite a run as an Amateur dancer. After dancing on several of the teams that went to the World Championships, in 1990 Janet won the Ladies A Latin Championship at the US Ballroom Championships dancing with Pro partner Enio Cordoba, as well as the Florida State Championships in both Ballroom & Latin. Over a two year span she won many Pro-Am events. The following year she anchored Enio’s Formation team the L.A. Latin All-Stars that won the US Formation Championships in Miami. 

She was invited to perform at an elite skaters training camp with her teacher Enio at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. 

Janet was a NeoNatal ICU Nurse at Huntington Memorial Hospital and danced to relieve stress. She now lives in Colorado Springs with husband Wolfgang Baeck

Lance Shermoen

Lance Shermoen, Swing Dance Hall of Fame

This Legend of Dance was the “Elder Statesman” of the Team that went to Germany. Nicknamed ‘Lance Romance‘ because he was so good-looking all the girls fell for him.  Already a phenomenal Swing dancer having trained with the original Masters like Dean Collins, he went on to win on Dance Fever, and numerous US Swing championships in both the Classic and Showcase Divisions with MaryAnn Nunez(twice), Sharlot Bott (twice), Michelle Brakebill  (twice)(1989 Team member) to name a few. Lance mastered all the Swing forms like East Coast, West Coast, Lindy, Balboa, Shag, and the aerials made famous by the 40’s Lindy Hoppers

As a master accountant, Lance tabulated the results for many years at the US Open Swing Championships (and the taxes of most of the Swing Dancers).

He was a huge influence to many of the team members he danced alongside. Lance is another of the multiple Feather Award winners that came out of this team. Sadly, the Swing World was shocked when Lance passed away from a sudden medical respiratory failure in Feb 2014. You can see so many of his routines on his Facebook page which is still active.

Robert Cordoba

Robert Cordoba, Swing Dance Hall of Fame, 7x US Champion
,

Born & raised in South Pasadena, CA. Has lived in London, Boston and now resides in Deerfield Beach, California. He is a life long Laker, Dodgers & Rams fan.

Robert Cordoba has been dancing, teaching, performing, choreographing, and judging for over forty years. He started competing in International Latin at the age of sixteen when he was a member of three U.S. International Latin American formation teams (placing 1st at 981 USBC; 5th and then taking the 3rd place bronze medal at the 1985 World Ballroom Formation Team Championships). He lived and trained in London for two years and was a top U.S Amateur competitor representing the US at events throughout Europe until he switched to West Coast Swing in 1990. Within two years he won his first U.S. Open Swing Dance Champion title.

For the past thirty years Robert has averaged approximately forty weekends per year traveling around the world to teach West Coast Swing. His impressive list of accomplishments includes: 2 World Championship titles, 7 U.S. Open titles, 4 consecutive USA Grand National titles, 4 consecutive N.A.S.D.E. titles, multiple Champion & Invitational level J&J and Strictly Swing titles, was voted Best Classic Swing Dancer by Dance Action magazine, was awarded “U.S. Open Social Dancer”, and he was the first person to win 3 consecutive US Open titles.

Robert is a member of an elite core of less than 10 dancers who have won BOTH the Showcase and the Classic Divisions at the U.S. Open. He is a California Swing Dance Hall of Famer, Dallas D.A.N.C.E. Hall of Famer and a World Swing Dance Hall of Famer.

Robert Cordoba has judged every major event including the USA Grand Nationals and U.S. Open multiple times. He has been the head judge, MC and DJ at events throughout the U.S., Europe, South America and the South Pacific. He is among the first group of professionals to help get West Coast Swing scenes established in New York & East Coast (early 1990’s), Europe (mid 1990’s) and South Pacific (early 2000’s).

Other accomplishments include: He was a Dance Fever Grand Finalist (3rd place overall) and has danced in commercials (Budweiser & Burger King) as well as on TV. He and former partner Deborah Szekely also choreographed the wedding dance for Grammy & Emmy award winner & Oscar nominee Danny Elfman & Bridget Fonda.

Robert is currently living in Deerfield Beach, Florida and is available for privates, workshops, intensive, coaching, choreography and teacher training as well as G.P.D.I.A. Teacher Certification.

Lorena Bravo

Lorena Bravo

Lorena Bravo is another USC student who climbed the competitive ladder…..

I’m actually still coach the team there and have been since 2008. I started ballroom dancing with the team my freshman year in 2000, and I’ve been with them ever since. I’ve guest coached the majority of the local collegiate teams, and have even ventured out to some out of state schools for workshops at times. I also helped to found the CDA, the Collegiate Dancesport Association, and have been teaching for the dance department at Chapman University for about 4 years now.

United States American Smooth Champion, Lorena Bravo was first introduced to the world of competitive ballroom dancing while in her freshman year at the University of Southern California. Oh a whim, she decided to take a lesson with the USC Ballroom and Latin Dance team only to find herself completely enamored with ballroom dancing.
During her time as an amateur, Lorena competed in the International Latin, American Smooth, and American Rhythm categories. In 2007, with her last partner, Evan Yeh, she became a U.S. National Amateur finalist in American Rhythm and 9 Dance.
In October 2004, Lorena began dancing Pro/Am American Smooth with Jonathan. By 2007 they had won the U.S. Pro-Am American Smooth Championship. She began her professional career the following year, and the two continue competing together as a professional couple in both American Smooth and International Standard until 2018. During their time together, they won various events, and were finalist in many major competitions.
Lorena now teaches and choreographs primarily out of Los Angeles area and is heavily involved in the collegiate dancesport scene. She has been the head coach at USC since 2008, and guest teaches and judges for many universities, including UC Santa Barbara, the Claremont colleges, Cal Tech, UCSB, UCLA, and University of Wisconsin. She was also faculty at the American Musical and Dramatics Academy, and is now teaching ballroom at Chapman University. Familiar with Hollywood, she has appeared in commercials and music videos, including “Love Bug” by the Jonas Brothers, the pilot for “The Greatest American Hero” reboot, has choreographed for American Crime Story, and other films and productions. She is also one of the founders of the Collegiate Dancesport Association and currently serves as the director of rules.

David Vance & Anita Langley

David & Anita US Amateur Ball Champions

David & Anita Vance were two dancers who came to Southern California via BYU. Very strong Latin dancers, they are another team that won the US Amateur Ball Championship! They were members of the 1984 Formation team that went to the Worlds in Germany and placed 3rd. Anita teaches in Houston, Texas, lives with her husband Glen and has one daughter Shelby. 

David travels the country, and his company is responsible for the backdrop designs of many major dance competitions.

Melody Cochran

Melody Cochran is a Champion Level Dancer, Judge, and a Master Dance Choreographer with World Titles. She is a former United States Professional Amateur Champion. She started competing as an amateur in several dance genres such as

Salsa, West Coast Swing, Hustle, International Standard, American Style Ballroom, American Rhythm, and International Latin. Melody has also competed at the United States Open Swing competition, with Benny Corpos, placing 4th in the Sophisticated Swing Category and has placed 2nd in the World Hustle Dance Companionships, in the Open Professional category with Parter Dr. Gary Ulaner.

Melody was honored as one of the pioneers of the USWDC.

Former Director of Nursing (DON) at Integrity College of Health and Clinical Pediatric & Maternal Nursing Instructor at Cerritos community college

I Can't Get Enough of Your..." song title

A few members loved dancing on a team so much that not only did they dance in the early team routines such as the Charleston, Rock Around the Clock, and the Latin medley, but they kept coming back after graduation. Richard Orozco danced on SIX teams from the 1978 Blackpool team, the 1982, 1983, 1984, 1989, & 1990 World Championships Team.  Janet Kvasnak danced on the 1982, 83, 88, 89 and 90 teams. Caron Waldron & Chuck “Ski” Stanislawski on the 1975, & 1977 New York team, the 1978 British Open team, and the 1983 & 84 Worlds Teams in Germany. Linda Duarte, before taking over the team, danced on the 1980, 82, 83, and 84  teams. Gene Fernando also was on 4 teams from 1982, 83, 84 and 88. 

Caron went on to perform in a hotel show in Las Vegas, ice skating no less. Ski took over his very successful family’s Accounting Firm in South Pasadena and is an avid Polo Player. Richard eventually turned professional dance teacher in Alhambra and Arcadia.

 

Repeat Performers

US Champions -NY 1977
US Champions -NY 1977

Still More to Come