27th Annual Black Hills Dance Festival April 27-29, 2023
Instructors
MS MEGAN & BRIAN B
Brian B and Ms Megan are from Louisville KY
Brian B has a professional dance career in Ballroom, Swing & Country that has spanned over 23 years. He is a qualified Master & Superstar level competitor dancer and the winningest superstar line dance competitor in UCWDC history. In early 2017 Brian honor of being inducted into the UCWDC Hall of Fame.
Megan had an impressive amateur competitive dance career competing with great success in all four styles of Ballroom & Latin as well as Country and west coast swing. Megan began her professional career in 2014, winning UCWDC ProPro Female World Championship.
Brian and Megan both work at Brian’s dance studio in Louisville KY USA and together are the faces of the largest west coast swing website & YouTube channel West Coast Swing Online.
They began competing professionally together in 2016 finishing as high as 2nd place in Masters at the 2017 country dance world championships.
*They retired from professional competitive dancing in 2019
JO THOMPSON SZYMANSKI
Jo Thompson Szymanski
Considered the “Queen of Line Dance”, Jo Thompson Szymanski has been teaching line dancing for 42 years and has made quite an impact on dance floors worldwide! Jo was Miss Texas 1987, placed top ten at Miss America and holds a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Dance. The whole Thompson family started teaching line and couples dancing in 1980. Jo's big break to worldwide fame came from hosting her own television show “Danceline” on The Nashville Network. Many of you probably remember Jo’s big Texas hair, tight leggings and cowboy boots! She guest hosted TNN’s Club Dance and the Wildhorse Saloon TV shows as well as dance contests all over the world for Country Music Television (CMT).
Jo was voted 5-time International Line Dance Instructor of the Year and was one of the first two people (with Max Perry) to be inducted into the Line Dance Hall of Fame at the 1999 UK Crystal Boot Line Dance Awards. She has won many Crystal Boots, United Country Western Dance Council (UCWDC) Star Awards, Dancer’s Choice Awards and in 2012 was inducted into the UCWDC Hall of Fame.
In addition to line dancing, Jo’s teaching and dancing experience includes Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Swing,
Salsa, Ballroom, Square Dancing, Round Dancing, Clogging, and Latin. She has taught throughout the world and her dances such as Come Dance With Me, Midnight Waltz, Just For Grins, Dizzy, Jukebox, Splish Splash, Enchantment, Por Ti Sere, Cut-A-Rug, Rita’s Waltz, Jo ‘n Jo Tango, Hideaway Cha, MJ Moves, TGIF, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Shoes of Another Man, Rose Garden, Get Wild, The Bounce, Showstopper, Love Lifted Me, This Little Light, Pull You Through, Cliché Love Song, Remember You Young, Country in 3, Where Oh Where, You’re My Favorite, Hot Tamales Jr…and the list goes on and on…are favorites with dancers everywhere.
Jo’s life was practically picture perfect! However, in November of 2004, while pregnant, Jo was diagnosed with a very rare, life threatening bone marrow disease, Aplastic Anemia. Also affected were her joints leaving her unable to walk, much less dance! 2 total hip replacements, 6 shoulder surgeries (including one total shoulder replacement,) one knee surgery and a bone marrow/stem cell transplant later Jo is back to dancing, teaching and choregraphing! She is grateful to the dance community for their tremendous support throughout her journey. Jo, her husband Tim and their 17-year-old daughter Anna live in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.
TIM PEREZ
Tim started dancing at the age of 13 in Arizona with a youth dance team called Young Country. It was there where Tim met his first dance Partner. They went on to compete in the UCWDC (United Country Western Dance Council), attending regional events and the World Championship. Taking third place their first year at Worlds! Tim has trained in multiple forms of dance from Ballroom to ballet to country. Tim competed in the Highest Level in the UCWDC, the Masters Division. Tim has gone on to win multiple awards and championships. Among them, he is a 2 time Feather Award Winner and a silver medalist in the WCLDSF for Line Dance. Currently Tim spends his time teaching, judging and coaching at Dance conventions around the world. Among his travels he is also the Co-Event Director of the South Bay Dance Fling, held in San Jose, California on Labor Day weekend; and Tim is also apart of the executive board for the UCWDC as Treasurer. Tim’s passion is dance and seeing the joy it brings others.
DEB ELLERTON
Debbie has been teaching dance in the Rapid City/Black Hills Area since 1993. She started teaching line dancing through Community Education of the Black Hills and lessons grew to include numerous couple’s classes. She offers private lessons and loves working with bride/grooms, wedding parties, social events, and seeing the smiles on the faces!
Debbie created the Hot Shots Performance Dance Team after doing Dancing in the Park Programs for kids in the summer, working in the PE Classrooms, and doing after school programs. The Hot Shots team consisted of kids ages 8 to 18. They performed year-round at venues such as ½ time for basketball games, Heart Ball, Central States Fair, the State Capitol, and many other local events. She managed, instructed, and coached the team from 1997 until its retirement in 2020.
Debbie loves to travel to dance events, take workshops, and meet dancers everywhere. She continues to encourage people of all ages to learn the fun and joy of dancing.
Dance! It's Good for the Heart!!
MACHELLE HOLLOWAY
My passion is Teaching students "How to Dance" to all the different Rhythms! I moved to Casper, Wyoming in 1980 from Missoula, Montana where I grew up! I taught Disco Line Dancing and then worked under the Ballroom Instructor at the University of Montana. I learned to Dance many Rhythms, including Foxtrot, Waltz, Jitterbug, Polka, Rhumba, American Tango, & Cha-cha! In Country Dance, we learned Country Swing, Two Step, Polka, & Waltz!
In Wyoming, Country Dancing is the most popular! Line dancing is also popular and some Ballroom, too! I have taught dancing throughout Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota, and Indianna! My husband and 2 kids opened up a "Family Dance Studio/Club" in the 90's where we hosted a lot of groups, parties, and weddings! So, in the 90's my family became DEEJAY'S, too! Also In the 90's I hosted the "ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL"