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Jim grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from the University of Chicago. He was a National Honor Society member, an Illinois State Scholar, and was an all conference football and baseball player earning six collegiate varsity letters. In 1983 Jim moved to Arizona where he became a stock broker for four years. During that time he was pursuing an interest in ballroom dancing as a hobby. With his highly competitive spirit he won the U.S.National Pro/Am Championships with his teacher Jenell. In 1987 he became a professional Ballroom Dancer and together with Jenell opened the Academy of Ballroom Dance in Phoenix. Jim competed professionally in the International Standard and American Smooth for 15 years and was a finalist for 10 years. Together with his partner Jenell he trained with the top coaches in the world. They won every major Smooth and Rising Star International Standard Competition in the United States. The highlight of their career was winning two U.S. Professional American Smooth Championships in 1993 and 1994. They have represented the United States in two World Showdance events and many competitions throughout Europe, Asia and North America. Over the past 35 years Jim has trained many Pro/Am Champions. He has won numerous top teacher awards and his students consistently finish in the top three in the U.S. Teaching both Latin and Ballroom Jim is one of the best communicators of technique and theory in the business. He has an intense love of his work and displays natural enthusiasm that is contagious. Jim is a licentiate of the Imperial Society Ballroom Branch (Now AIDA). He is the co-author of the DVIDA American Smooth Syllabus and an examiner for DVIDA. He currently travels extensively to compete with his students, and to coach, lecture and judge competitions. |
Jenell Maranto
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Raised in Torrance California, Jenell started dancing at age 3. She has been a champion gymnast in college, a snow ski instructor in Tahoe and a professional chorus line dancer at Harrah's Lake Tahoe in the Headliner show. Jenell was the head of the dance department for Sierra Nevada College for over nine years. There she taught Jazz, Ballet and Gymnastics.
Jenell has been teaching Ballroom Dance since 1980 and opened her own school, Academy of Ballroom Dance, in 1987. She was voted most popular female dance teacher in the United States and was presented the coveted Feather Award in 1989. Along with dancing in the Professional events she also has done many years of Pro/Am competition with her students. Over the past 30 years she has produced numerous U.S. Ballroom Champions. She has competed in all styles including American Smooth, Rhythm, Theater Arts, and International Standard. Together with Jim they traveled the world training with the best ballroom dance coaches in the industry. As professional competitors they won every major Open Professional Smooth competition in the United States and also won every Professional Rising Star International Standard competition in the United States. Ultimately the highlight of their career was winning two U.S. Professional American Smooth Championships and they have represented the United States in two world Showdance events. They have performed all over the world including many television and movie appearances. Jenell is a Fellow of the Imperial Society Ballroom Branch (Now AIDA) and is certified in all styles, American Smooth, Rhythm, International Standard and Latin. She is the author of the DVIDA Smooth Bronze, Silver and Gold Syllabus and is an examiner for DVIDA. |
Jim and Jenell are the owners of the Academy of Ballroom Dance. They teach Social, Ballroom, Latin and Dance-Sport, International and AmericanStyles. With over thirty years of teaching experience they have a way of making technique seem easy and fun.
They are two-time U.S. Professional American Smooth Champions and have owned and operated the Academy of Ballroom Dance since 1987.
Certified and experienced teachers, working with beginners, advanced and professional level dancers.
Jim and Jenell hold every professional American Smooth title in the United States. Ranking among the top 6 in the World Show-dance they are winners and four-time nominees of the U.S. Feather Dance Teacher Awards.
These trainers of numerous U.S. Pro/Am and Amateur Champions are now retired from professional competition. They are busy teaching, judging, lecturing and dancing with their students at all major U. S. competitions and many others throughout the world.
They are two-time U.S. Professional American Smooth Champions and have owned and operated the Academy of Ballroom Dance since 1987.
Certified and experienced teachers, working with beginners, advanced and professional level dancers.
Jim and Jenell hold every professional American Smooth title in the United States. Ranking among the top 6 in the World Show-dance they are winners and four-time nominees of the U.S. Feather Dance Teacher Awards.
These trainers of numerous U.S. Pro/Am and Amateur Champions are now retired from professional competition. They are busy teaching, judging, lecturing and dancing with their students at all major U. S. competitions and many others throughout the world.
Video of Jim and Jenell dancing International Standard Ballroom