Ballroom dance has its roots in the social gatherings and courts of Europe. This dance style displays grace through rhythmic and precise movements. From Fred Astaire’s elegant allure to Kym Johnson’s captivating displays, renowned ballroom dancers have made a lasting impact on the realm of dance.
Therefore, if you want to try out ballroom dancing, here is a history of the icons in ballroom dancing emphasizing their impact on the realm of ballroom dance. Whether it’s the Viennese Waltz or the Foxtrot, this exquisite art form always has something for you. And before we get started get your ballroom dancing shoes from https://ballroomshoes.com/collections/animal-print-shoes.
Fred Astaire
Born on May 10, 1899, in Omaha, Nebraska, he spent most of his youth performing with his sister, Adele Astaire, in vaudeville shows. During the 1930s, he collaborated with Ginger Rogers and forged a highly successful partnership.
They appeared in 10 distinct musicals, each turning into a cult classic that continues to be discussed and viewed today (watch this iconic scene from Swing Time (1936) to see how remarkable their chemistry is together).
In numerous films and musicals of his, you’ll see a wealth of ballroom dancing scenes that will keep you glued to the screen.
A talented performer and an even more outstanding ballroom dancer, you’ll surely become enamored with his elegant and fluid movements on stage as well as his sophisticated charm resembling that of a 1930s film icon!
Arunas Bizokas
Arunas Bizokas, a professional ballroom dancer from Lithuania, was born in 1978. He’s one of the most well-known male ballroom dancers today. Ask any ballroom dancing fan, and his name will be mentioned!
He has earned many international titles and has reached the finals at several of the globe’s most esteemed Ballroom dance contests. Until 2007, he and his partner, Edita Daniūte, competed in events of the World DanceSport Organization representing Lithuania.
The duo went on to secure victory at the 2005 World Games held in Duisburg and earned a gold medal in the standard dancesport event.
Following 2007, the duo separated, and he joined forces with a different partner: Katusha Demidova. Since that time, they have participated in numerous Ballroom dancing competitions and achieved a top ranking in nearly every single event.
In particular, they took part in the Professional World Ballroom Dance Championship in Standard Ballroom from 2009 to 2019.
By 2013, Bizokas and his partner were recognized as the top ballroom dancers by the World Dance Council in the Professional Ballroom division.
Bizokas is recognized for his outstanding technique and musicality while dancing. His partner also provided these essences (and in exchange, he emphasized hers).
While documentation of his performances remains readily accessible online, Bizokas and his partner formally concluded their professional dancing career in 2019.
Kym Johnson
Kym Herjavec (originally Johnson) is an Australian expert ballroom dancer and TV personality.
Her name became widely recognized when she participated as a contestant on the Australian edition of the famous American reality TV series “Dancing with the Stars.”
After several seasons, Kym relocated to the US and shifted to acting in the American version of the show. During the second season, after teaming up with Tom Williams, the duo secured the gold medal!
Kym started her dance training at a young age in Australia when she was just 3 years old. At the age of 13, she started her first class in ballroom dancing.
In 1998, she and her partner, Tomas Atkocevicius, achieved second place in the Open Amateur Modern Ballroom event at the Australian Dancesport Championship.
From that point, her career began to soar. Kym participated in additional dance competitions, including the UK Ballroom Championship in Liverpool, where she was a finalist.
Fun fact: Kym sang at Elton John’s 50th birthday celebration!
Charlotte Jorgensen
Charlotte Jorgensen is currently one of the most well-known female ballroom dancers.
Born in 1971 in Aalborg, Denmark, as stated in her official biography, Charlotte was aware from an early age that her purpose in life was to become a professional dancer.
She started ballet lessons with the ambition of creating a stage career. She then enhanced her abilities with training in jazz and contemporary dance styles.
In the late 1980s, Charlotte relocated to London, England, to pursue her ambition (at that time, London was recognized as the dancing capital of Europe).
In that place, Charlotte witnessed a rapid ascent within the world of amateur dancing.
During this time, she achieved victory in many contests and titles, such as the Danish, Scandinavian, and European Ballroom Dance Championships. However, her ultimate achievement at this point was certainly the World Amateur Ballroom Championship in 1994.
These initial victories also led to the creation of several professional-level medals and titles. In 1997, she teamed up with Andrew Sinkinson, with whom she achieved further success in competitions, including winning the World Professional Ballroom Championship in 1999.
With her refined style and fluid movements, Charlotte has positioned herself as the top female Standard dancer globally.
Edyta Śliwińska
Edyta Śliwińska is a well-known Polish ballroom dancer, recognized for her roles in TV shows like “Dance Temptation.”
However, she is most recognized for her role on ABC’s blockbuster “Dancing with the Stars.” Edyta was paired with celebrities including George Hamilton and Joey Lawrence as their dance partners, showcasing her elegant style to much praise from both judges and audiences.
Similar to numerous skilled dancers, Edyta started her dance education at a young age (12 years old) in Poland. Before long, she swiftly gained recognition as a talented competitive dancer.
Besides being a professional dancer, Edyta is also a model and (for a short time) an actress. Her photographs were featured in numerous fashion and lifestyle publications, including FitnessRx, Maxim, and SELF.
If you enjoy CSI: New York City Crime Scene, you’ll see her in a guest role in one of the episodes!
William Pino
Italy, as a country synonymous with romance, undoubtedly has several contenders for this list of premier ballroom dancers. The ideal candidate is William Pino.
Born in 1972 in Rome, Italy, William revealed in an interview that he began dancing at about 9 to 10 years of age.
As he entered his teenage years, he began to take his dance studies more seriously, aided by the fact that his parents owned a dance studio. By the time he reached the age of 14 to 15, he regarded himself as an “A-level dancer.”
Between the ages of 16 and 20, he met his partner, Alessandra Bucciarelli (who is now his wife). Over the next few years, they travelled across the continent, took part in many ballroom dancing contests, and achieved top positions in almost all of them.
When he reached the age of 21, he and Alessandra had already been ranked as the sixth-best couple in the standings.
Today, rather than performing professionally as he did in his youth, William and his partner focus on educating the next wave of dancers by offering classes, lectures, and workshops wherever they travel.