Dasha Dzik
Dasha moved to the United States from Belarus 3 years ago to pursue her career in ballroom dancing. She has been dancing for over twenty years and has won several National and International competitions in Latin and Standard styles.
She earned her Bachelor’s degree in choreography and dance at the Belarusian University of Culture and Arts, and was a principal dancer in their ensemble. While studying at the University, Dasha taught dance at a local elementary school which is where her passion for teaching originated. Following graduation, she toured with the President’s Orchestra and performed in numerous dance shows. In addition to being a ballroom dance instructor, Dasha also has fitness certifications in aerobics and pilates.
Joseph Smith
Born in South Carolina and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, Joseph recently moved to Illinois to further his ballroom dance career. Joseph enrolled in Ballroom dance classes at the age of 13 but stuck to his Southern roots and also focused on country western dance.
At the age of 17, he started competing in Ballroom Pro-Am divisions, while also competing in the Amateur and Pro-Am divisions within the UCWDC circuit. Despite Joseph's success in country western dance -placing 3rd as a finalist at the UCWDC World Championships 2 years in a row- his passion for Ballroom dance grew and he started focusing solely on International Latin and International Standard styles. He has since become a well-rounded instructor, teaching American Smooth and Rhythm along with International styles.
