We are fortunate to be working with some of the best dancesport instructors in their respective fields.
Andrew Phillips
Latin coach
Andrew is our latin group class instructor. He is young, energetic and has only recently exited the world of professional latin competition. Andrew placed 4th at US Open Professional Latin in 2002, he was also UK Open Rising Star Finalist, Blackpool Rising Star Finalist, and consistently placed among the top 12 Professional Latin couples at major world competitions. He currently is a resident coach at Manhattan Ballroom dance studio and frequently judges collegiate competitions, he also travels abroad for demonstrations and workshops.
Stanley McCalla
Standard coach
Stanley is the instructor for our standard group classes. He and his wife Jennifer McCalla held the US Amateur Standard, Latin, and 10-Dance titles, the last couple to have been so distinguished, and also represented the US at four world championships. As professionals, they were Ohio Star Ball Rising Star Smooth Champions, and Fred Astaire National Smooth Champions. He currently owns and operates a studio in New York, Dance Chelsea, along with his wife. Stanley is a championship adjudicator and triple licentiates with the ISTD. He judges at most collegiate ballroom competitions.
Yuriy Nartov
Social class instructor (Salsa, Argentine Tango)
Yuriy Nartov started ballroom dancing in Moscow, Russia at the age of seven. Continuing his dancing career in the US, and competing in both Standard and Latin, he became the 2005 US Ten-dance National Champion in the Junior category. Currently, he competes in the Open Adult Amateur Standard division, placing in the semi-final among the top couples of the US and Canada. He has experience in teaching both social and competitive classes, private lessons, and workshops. Besides Standard and Latin he also dances and teaches Salsa, Merengue, and Argentine Tango.
Gary Ulaner
Social class instructor (Hustle, West Coast Swing)
Gary recently moved to New York City from Los Angeles. His hustle dance accomplishments include titles from the World Hustle Dance Championships, the Pacific Hustle Dance Championships, the Mid-American Dance Championships, and the International Hustle Dance Championships. His west coast swing accomplishments include All Star placements at Boogie By the Bay and Phoenix. Gary has been invited to teach workshops across the country for World Hustle, Stanford Dance, Cal Tech ballroom dance, the St. Louis Imperial Dance Club, Manhattan DanceSport, and many others. One of his favorite dance experiences was teaching hustle and swing aboard the Norwegian Sun South American cruise-ship. When not dancing, Gary spends his spare time as a professor of radiology at Cornell Medical School and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.