| Adjudicators and Officials | ||
| Ilya Barmotin | Adjudicator - | |
| Inna Brayer | Adjudicator - NY NDCA+USA Dance+WDSF - A+ B+ C+ D+ E+ |
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Inna Brayer is a seven-time U.S. 10-Dance National Champion, former professional dancer on Season 7 of Dancing with the Stars, and a distinguished educator holding an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Organizational Innovation. With over 30 years of experience in the ballroom dance industry, she has earned national and international recognition as a competitor, coach, and adjudicator. Beyond her competitive accomplishments, Dr. Brayer is deeply committed to advancing arts education and leadership development. She represented USA Dance, Inc. on ABCs Good Morning America, where she discussed the National Championships and the physical, social, and academic benefits of ballroom dancing. She also served as choreographer for the Rutgers University Ballroom Dance Teams performance on Season 9 of Dancing with the Stars. As a coach, Dr. Brayer has trained dancers who have achieved top placements at national and international competitions. Off the dance floor, she has been actively involved with USA Dance as a DanceSport Delegate, Governing Council member, and DanceSport Council member. Passionate about integrating the arts into K12 education, Dr. Brayer is dedicated to expanding access to high-quality dance instruction and ensuring that arts education remains a vital part of every students academic experience. | |
| Hannah Cole | Adjudicator - | |
| Shimriel Davidov | Adjudicator - | |
| Merek Dedik | Adjudicator - | |
| Bonnie Diaz | Adjudicator - NY | |
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Bonnie Diaz is the first World Champion for the United States, Three Times Ten Dance Representative and Eleven Times Undefeated Basic Latin Champion. She is a guest teacher at the Joffery Ballet School, Gelsey Kirkland Ballet Academy and on Faculty at Ballet Hispanico as a coach and choreographer. Her proudest accomplishment to date is her not for profit organization www.BallroomBarks.org, using Ballroom Dance to champion animal causes. She resides in New York City. Bonnie is producing her own DVD series called Diaz Dance Dynamics to be out by the end of 2011. | |
| Viktoriya Drubetskaya | Adjudicator - Brooklyn, NY USA Dance+WDSF+WDC - A+ B+ C+ D+ E- |
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| Viktoriya Drubetskaya was a 1999 UK Open Professional Rising Star Finalist, 1999 USA Professional Rising Star Champion. 2001-2002 US and World Mambo Champion. 2002 US Professional Rhythm Finalist. As an amateur, she was a 1996 USA Amateur Latin Finalist as well as a Junior 10-Dance Finalist in Moldova. Since 2002, she has been learning about human body movement in depth in Laban Institute of Movement Studies, has studied Dance Notation via Language of Dance and Kestenberg Movement Profile. She has also been certified as Eric Franklin Level 3 movement educator. She has used her knowledge successfully, creating BESSI (Body, Effort, Shape, Space, and Imagery) to train top level junior, youth and adult competitors who were US representatives to many world championships. As of Jnauary 2016, Viktoriya became a WDSF Technical Examiner. | ||
| Shawn Fisher | Adjudicator - Idaho USA Dance+WDSF - Chair+ A+ B+ C+ D+ |
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Shawn Fisher is a Professor of dance for the Brigham Young University Idaho Theatre and Dance Department. He has coached youth and collegiate ballroom teams for 32 years winning many national titles as well as Blackpool. He has toured extensively both in the United States and around the world as the director of the BYU Idaho Dance Alliance performing company.
As a competitor he was a bronze medalist in the World Latin Formation team championships. Holds four national Formation titles and was a U.S. finalist in Standard, Latin, Smooth, and Rhythm. Shawn was formerly the Sr. Vice President of USA Dance as well as an adjudicator with the NDCA. He is currently a WDSF adjudicator, both level A and professional, a USA Dance Chairman, National Adjudicator, and a national examiner in all four styles for DVIDA. He and his wife Janie direct the Idaho Ballroom Academy and are the proud parents of seven lovely children. |
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| Igor Golovach | Adjudicator - | |
| Patricia Jofre | Adjudicator - | |
| Jami Josephson-Chace | Adjudicator - | |
| Ivanka Marki | Adjudicator - | |
| Petru Ionut (John) Olariu | Adjudicator - | |
| Patti Panebianco | Adjudicator - New York USA Dance+WDSF - Chair+ A+ B+ C+ D+ E+ |
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Pattis dynamic energy & charisma has allowed her to become a sought after adjudicator & invigilator for numerous NDCA & USA Dance competitions as well as being the former treasurer & national committee member for the US Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. She is the recipient of numerous championship titles in both Intl Latin & American Rhythm styles. She has choreographed & performed in various stage, TV & movie productions, throughout the world including A Tribute to Gershwin, Wallflowering, Marconi Brothers, All my Children & YoYo Mas Soul of the Tango.
Working with children brings joy to her soul; she is a former Teaching Artist & Educational Liason with Dancing Classrooms Long Island. And has recently volunteered her time judging The Colors of the Rainbow Team Match for DCLI. She holds licentiate certifications in all styles of dance and is a popular trainer for professionals & amateurs for their national certifications with the U.S.I.S.T.D For the Past 17 years she has been the founder & owner of NY Dancesport Centre on Long Island where she currently resides with her husband Anthony and her two rescue cats Dolly & Puca. She enjoys touring the country coaching, adjudicating & sharing her joy & knowledge of Ballroom dance. Patti is a passionate fundraiser encompassing such causes as Ballroom Barks! & Roll Call Wheel Chair Dance |
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| Paul Ru | Adjudicator - | |
| Renata Shvarts | Adjudicator - NY, NY USA Dance+WDSF - Chair+ A+ B+ C+ D+ E+ |
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WDSF and USA Dance Chairman of Judges
WDSF Amateur / WDSF Professional Division World Class Adjudicator National Judge WDSF World and Grand-Slam Adjudicator Member of USAD, WDSF Founder and Co-owner of Basic Ballroom Dance Studios and Ballroom Hub Co-organizer of `Islanders Dancesport Championships` |
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| Valdis Skutans | Adjudicator - | |
| Kimberly Smith | Adjudicator - Birmingham, AL USA Dance+WDSF - A+ B+ C+ D+ E+ |
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Kimberly Smith has been teaching dancing for 43 years and has owned and operated Dr. Dance Studio, Inc. in Birmingham, Alabama for 36 years. She has enjoyed a fulfilling career as a professional competitor, pro/am competitor, teacher and currently coaches amateur and professional couples. Kimberly holds both Memberships and Fellowships with the North American Dance Teachers Association and Licentiates with The American International Dancers Association (AIDA) formerly the United States Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. She continues to proudly serve the association on the National Committee as Treasurer. As an adjudicator, Kim is a WDSF A 3.0 AJS certified adjudicator and has had the honor of judging the 2022 IWGA World Games Standard & Latin, WDSF Sr. I World Latin Championships, as well as many Open WDSF Championship events. Kim serves the WDSF as a member of the Sports Event Planning and Promotion Committee and is Co-Organizer of Christmas in Dixie Ballroom Challenge. | |
| Irina Trebunskaya | Adjudicator - California USA Dance - A+ B+ C+ D+ |
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Irina is the co-owner of You Can Dance Studio with her daughter, pro DWTS dancer Anna Trebunskaya and was also her childhood dance instructor. Irina has a rich dance background as a competitor, instructor and manager of dance institutions. She was a Russian professional champion finalist and a U.S. Pro/Am champion.
After a successful tenure as head instructor in Chelyabinsk (a well-known Russian home for world champions), Irina opened and ran a dance studio in New York City. Her heart and passion is reflected in her teaching, instructor selection and teacher/student mentoring. She has gone on to become a certified master of dance in all four styles: International Standard & Latin, American Rhythm & Smooth. |
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| Oleksandra Tsyrlina | Adjudicator - | |
| Lev Vesnovskiy | Adjudicator - Brooklyn, NY USA Dance+WDSF - A+ B+ C+ D+ |
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Lev Vesnovskiy is a Licensed WDSF `A` and USA Dance Adjudicator who has been teaching and training dancers for the past 30 years. His students became Russian Youth Latin National Champions and USA Youth and Under 21 Standard National Champions.
Lev became one of the first certified professionals and the first invigilator in the Asia region of Russia. As an adjudicator, Lev has judged many esteemed National and International competitions. He started his dancing career in 1978 in Russia and competed in all major European and North American championships as amateur in Standard, Latin and 10-dance and professional in Standard. Parallel to his dance career he graduated the Novosibirsk State University with Bachelor in Physics and Master in Computer Science. With his wife and dance partner Lev has founded and led the first in Russia ballroom choreography faculty in Novosibirsk University of Performing Arts and became the first lector and examiner in the region. He has published few books about ballroom dancing including the Russian version of Technique of Latin Dancing approved by Mr. Walter Laird himself. Since 2001, Lev has been the owner and instructor of Atlantic Ballroom Dance Studio in Brooklyn New York. Organizer of Metropolitan DanceSport Championship in Brooklyn, NY |
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| Yuehwern Yih | Adjudicator - Indiana USA Dance+WDSF - Chair+ A+ B+ C+ D+ |
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Chair of Judges - World Dancesport Federation (WDSF) and USA Dance.
Certified Adjudicator - World Dancesport Federation (WDSF) Championship Certified Adjudicator by North American Dancesport Teachers Association (NADTA) and USA Dance Certified Scrutineer by National Dance Council of America (NDCA), recognized by USA Dance In addition to judging and chairing, Yuehwern and her partner, Daniel, spend most of their time being the head coaches of the Purdue Latin & Ballroom Dance Team. Yuehwern founded this college team in 1995 and it has been highly ranked in the USA Dance collegiate national events. In 2010, the Team was invited to compete on Season 10 of Dancing with the Stars on Fox, and placed second in collegiate formation team competition at the finale. Yuehwern was vice-champion in USA Dance National Dancesport Championships and later finalists in professional events in a span of 15 years. Throughout her dancing career, she is passionate about learning; teaching, and helping students find their pathways to success on and off the dance floor. Over 20 years, the competition team she works with is an incubator of many Dancesport competitors, professionals, and lifelong dancers. Each year Yuehwern is also the key person to organize the Purdue Ballroom Classic, which attracts more than 400 collegiate competitors from 20+ universities in the Midwest area for the last two decades. Yuehwern studied ballet and performed with the Lafayette Ballet Company before learning ballroom dance. Besides dancing, she completed her B.S. and Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering, specializing in smart operations and system engineering. She is currently a Full Professor in Industrial Engineering at Purdue University, the Academic Director of LASER PULSE (Long-term Assistance and Services for Research, Partners for University-Led Solutions Engine) Consortium, and the Associate Director of Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering. |
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| Daniel Calloway | Chairman - Bethesda, MD USA Dance+WDSF - Chair+ A+ B+ C+ D+ E+ |
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* WDSF World Championship, Grand Slam and World Cup Adjudicator
* WDSF Chairman of Judges * WDSF A Adjudicator * WDSF PD (Professional Division) Adjudicator * Chairman of Judges: North American and United States Championships * Professional of the Year and Top Teacher Dan has been competing professionally, coaching and judging for over 40 years. In 1985 Dan was the youngest dual fellow in the world with highly commended fellowships in the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, the London-based society, which embodies the worlds acknowledged leaders of the dance profession. Dan is also the DanceSport coach for the competitive DanceSport teams at Georgetown University and the University of Maryland, as well as serving as guest coach at numerous other universities, congresses, and dance camps, including moderating the professional discussion panels at key events in the United States. Dan has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and Religion and a Master of Arts degree in English Literature. |
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| James Chin | Deck Captain - | |
| Ricky Semlitz | Emcee - Maryland | |
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Ricky Semlitz is an Open-level Amateur dancer who began his ballroom career at the University of Maryland, College Park. Ricky started singing in middle school and high school through choir and musicals where he discovered his ability to tap dance. Ricky found the Ballroom at Maryland team where his mediocre tap skills transferred well into standard and latin dance. Ricky has been an avid ballroom dancer ever since having organized DC DanceSport Inferno for eight years and Dance Legends in New York City for three. Ricky continues to MC events like DCDI, the MAC, Metropolitan DanceSport, and Summer Sizzler. | |
| Madeleine Mravkarov | Music Director - | |
| Daphna Locker | Registrar - New York USA Dance - |
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| I am a member of the USA Dance Greater NY Chapter #3004, was the Co-President of the Chapter with Janine D’Andrea from 1998 through 2002. In 2002 I moved to Denver, CO with my wife Julie and became a member of the Denver Chapter. In 2007 we moved back to NY and I once again joined the NY Chapter. I was voted for a third-time to be President of the Chapter in 2014, and continue in that position to this day.
While living in Denver, in addition to serving on the local board, I became the DanceSport Delegate for Region 5 and in that role worked on many revisions of the Dress Code and rulebook. In 2005, I ran for National Secretary and I was elected for 2 terms. Upon my return to NY, I resigned from that position to become the Chair of the National Organizing Committee for Nationals 2008-2014. I currently serve as the Registrar for the ‘National Collegiate DanceSport Championship,’ am on the organizing committee for the NQE ‘The MAC,’ and am the registrar for all three of the NJ DanceSport Classic competitions, ‘Fall Frolic’, ‘Spring Fling’ and the NQE, ‘Summer Sizzler’. I have been a competitive ballroom dancer for many years, starting as a Pro/Am competitor making the Pro/Am Adult Open Championship finals at the United States Dance Sport Championships in Florida. After reaching that milestone, I started dancing Am/Am and worked my way up the ranks from Bronze to being a finalist in the Open Standard Senior I at the USA Dance National Championship in Minneapolis. I currently compete in the A level in same-sex competitions. When not working in some capacity or other in the ballroom world, I’m a full-time Psychologist working in an inner city hospital on the Psychiatric Unit with people with serious mental illnesses. |
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| Daniel Dilley | Scrutineer - Indiana USA Dance+WDSF - Scrutineer A+ B+ C+ D+ |
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National Judge, USA Dance registered; Certified by the North American Dancesport Teachers Association (NADTA) and World Dancesport Federation (WDSF); Certified Scrutineer (by NDCA) with extensive experience, and enough equipment to run O2CM wireless judging for 30+ judges. Professional Rhythm Competitor. Finalists in many US competitions; Daniel is the head coach of the Purdue Latin & Ballroom Dance Team, which has about 125 members each semester, requiring competitive coaching in all levels from Newcomer to Champ. Daniel also co-organizes the annual Purdue Ballroom Classic Competition, which attracts more than 400 collegiate ballroom dance competitors each year in the Midwest. | |
| Andriy Polyvka | WDSF Chair - | |