The ballroom floor in Buffalo Grove was a lot quieter last week as it was missing four competitive students, six teachers, and two owners.
Not to worry though, they were in a better place....The Grove Park Inn in Ashville, NC! This gorgeous hotel and spa is home to Heritage Classic, one of the most respected ballroom dance competitions in the nation.
Being one of the first major competitions of the year, its results often dictate the way the rest of the year will pan out. Fortunately, these results erred in our favor!
Congratulations to all who represented Fred Astaire Chicago North!!!
On March 1st, 2009, Fred Astaire Dance Studio in
Buffalo Grove presented their 2nd annual Showcase Production. This year, the show was inspired by the music from the movie and Broadway musical, "Grease."
Stephen and Melanie made the Semi Finals in American Rhythm
Aleks and Brittney took 4th in American Rhythm
Aaron and Jaana took 2nd in American Rhythm
Chris and Simona took 3rd by Rule 11* in American Smooth
Jackie and Ken WON American Rhythm!!!
*Rule 11 means they tied in the final round, in this case for second place,
and the scrutineers had to go back to previous rounds
to find 1 placement that determines the outcome.
Chris and Simona placed 7th in American Smooth
Alex and Brittney placed 4th in American Rhythm
Aaron and Jaana placed 3rd in American Rhythm
Holiday Ball 2008
On December 19th and 20th, all the studios in the Chicago region came together to participate in the 2008 Holiday Ball. The competition was a great success! It is very rare that a single studio snags every single student award, both Top Teacher spots, and Top Studio. However, as we all know..... any time someone says "it can't be done," This studio proves them wrong!! Congratulations to all students who competed in Holiday Ball, and a special congratulations to all of our first time competitors!
Top Newcomer Student-Male: Chris Zwetz
Top Newcomer Student - Female : Andrea Gregory
Top Bronze Student - Male: Steve Jamerson
Top Bronze Student - Female: Sarah Donahue
Top Advanced Student - Male: Tim Duffy
Top Advanced Student - Female: Bette Anne Duffy
Top Amateur Couple: Chris and Cathy Zwetz
Top Solo or Showcase: Kim Adamle
Top Teacher male: Aaron DeSoto
Top Teacher - Female: Jaana Lillemagi
Saturday evenings show featured all the Fred Astaire Chicago Professionals. The really special treat was the final number with Jackie and Jesse. After years of competing together, and having a partnership that was more successful than what most dancers dream of, they danced their swan song to Bette Midler's, "Memories." There was hardly a dry eye in the house as they took their final bow. What an honor for all of us to witness the final moments of one of American Rhythm's favorite couples. Their passion and talent have inspired us all through the years, and we can't wait to see what they will do next in life and in dance.
I Heart NY Party!
As part of our annual winter festival, we went all out for our party on November 28th!
We transformed our familiar studio into a groovy version of Studio 54!
Complete with a Hustle competition with two catagories: ProAm and Amatuer couples.
Kat and Rouslan took the trophy for the ProAm division, and Ron and Sue Pickard won the Amatuer division. Both couples were truly awe inspiring and really embodied the old saying, "No risk... No reward."
Better late than never!!!
The long awaited photos from the Costume Party have finally arrived!!!
Now you finally have a way to document your favorite teachers as your favorite cartoon characters!
Thanks to everyone who dressed up with us! You all have never looked better.
Every year in November, the largest competition in the world is held in Columbus, Ohio. This competition gathers some of the best Amatuer and Professional dancers from all over the world to compete in the International and American styles of ballroom dance. Most people can recognize the Ohio Star Ball Competition from PBS's yearly showing of America's Ballroom Challenge.
This year, 6 students and 4 teachers participated in the ProAm division. They had the opportunity
of a lifetime to be able to share the floor with some of the worlds best dancers, and even had the
pleasure of placing above some of their students!
The staff at Fred Astaire in Buffalo Grove couldn't possibly
more proud of how well our students represented our school.
While all the women present spent the weekend dancing beautifully and making call backs,
special congratulations are in order for Janet Colleran for placing 4th in the World ProAm Rising Star C Open Rhythm Catagory and receiving Top Bronze Solo. Also, congratulations to Bette Anne Duffy
for placing 2nd overal for Top Bronze Showcase.
Those honors and many others earned our studio Third Place overall among the top studios.
To Patricia, Donna, Kristin, Robbi, Janet, and Bette Anne:
We hope you had the time of your lives, and we are so glad we could share those memories with you!
Our Professional couples also went down to Ohio to compete this weekend,
and they of course came home with some wonderful news! Brittney and Alex made the Quarter Final in Rising Star American Rhythm! Chris and Simona made the Quarter Final in Rising Star American Smooth
and placed 14th in the World Open American Smooth! Aaron and Jaana placed 15th in the World Open American Rhythm
and placed 3rd in the Rising Star American Rhythm!
Congratulations to all our professional couples!
What a wonderful way to wrap up the 2008 competitive season!
Congratulations Buffalo Grove!
From October 22nd to October 25th, several students and teachers flew to Orlando, FL to participate in the National Dancesport Championships, one of the largest competitions in the US with over 10,000 entries and also the final National competition for the Fred Astaire organization.
This year, NDC was a very exciting and emotional event for all of us at the Chicago North studio. Saturday night's professinal show and awards ceremony brought with it some unexpected pleasures for our staff.
During NDC, the Fred Astaire organization honors the Professionals for their participation in all three national competitions throughout the year.
This year, we had three of our teachers place among of the top ten competitive teachers for the year 2008. Rouslan Maksyutov placed sixth overall, Chris Germain placed second, and Aaron DeSoto was named the Top Competitive Teacher for the year 2008. As if that weren't enough, our students pulled out all the stops at NDC, and won Top Studio.....again.
Not only that, but this year's Top Studio title was a record breaking one. This is the first time in the 60 year history of Fred Astaire Dance Studios in which a single studio has one Top Studio at all three National competitions within a single year, and the first time a studio has won 5 consecutive National Top Studio Titles.
With the enthusiasm almost palpable, the professionals all took the stage for the big show. This year's theme was Seasons of Love, and featured solo performances by Chris and Simona, Aaron and Jaana, Alex and Brittney. Perhaps one of the most exciting numbers in the show was the debut of American Rhythm's newest competitive couple, Jackie Josephs and Ken Hansen.
Also featured was our very own, Elle who sang a song for each season, including a duet
with Stephen, and an original song written by Jesse DeSoto, who was featured playing the guitar.
The entire evening was a wonderful reminder of talented our staff is, and how blessed we are to have such amazing students who never cease to astound us with their abilities and enthusiasm.
DanceSport Challenge 2008!
Cleveland Dancesport Challenge
Congratulations to Aaron and Jaana for getting straight firsts at
Cleveland Dancesport
Challenge in the Open
American Rhythm Division!
Congratulations to Chris and Simona for getting straight seconds at Cleveland Dancesport Challenge in the Open American Smooth Division!
Both Competitions were Semi Finals.
This is the first official title for Aaron and Jaana!
We couldn't be more proud!
Don't forget to vote for Susan Lucci and
Tony Dovolani on Dancing with the Stars!
Tony Dovolani got his start at a Fred Astaire Dance Studio
18 years ago and is still a very active part of our corporation
and a frequent visitor to Fred Astaire in Buffalo Grove.
A Charity event benefitting March of Dimes featured
Fred Astaire Dancers from the Chicago Region dancing with local Celebrities!
Our very own celebrity, Jane Marcus, opened the show with a performance of her showcase number with her teachers, Aaron and Chris.
Marcus LeShock, of CLTV Metromix, competed with his professional partner, Simona, in the Tango and ChaCha. Meanwhile, Jesse DeSoto participated as one of the esteemed judges and even danced an impromptu salsa with another judge. Thanks so much to all who attended and helped make this event such a wonderful success.
Congratulations to all Students and Teachers
who participated in Chicago Open 2008!!!!
And Thank You for working so hard to win Top Studio again!
Congratulations Students & Staff!
Astaire Awards Championships
2008
~Participating Students~
Patti Doruff
Anita Simes
Bob Rojewski
Cyndi Oliva
Kurt Krueger
Patty Hacker
Janet Colleran
Bette Anne Duffy
Tim Duffy
Amber Clouse
Mara Greenberg
Sharon Frazin
Robbi Fox
Donna Bade
Felicia Eberle
~Paticipating Teachers~
Aaron
Chris
Rouslan
Alex
Brittney
Jaana
Congratulations !!
On Tuesday July 8th, our very own Jackie Josephs joined Pasha Kovalev from So You Think You Can Dance as choreographers for a new reality dance competittion! The tv show is loosely based upon the popular movie Dirty Dancing. The show will air on MTV and will follow 9 male and 9 female dancers as they compete to win the dance competition.
Jackie and Pasha worked together to create a challenging routine for the dancers to learn as an audition piece. While dancing with Pasha, Jackie caught the eye of the Producers of the show! Only time will tell if they will invite her to join the cast, but we certainly wish her the best of luck!
50 people from 5 different states
traveled to Buffalo Grove
to join Fred Astaire
in welcoming Maksim Chmerkovskiy
from Dancing with the Stars on April 22nd!
CCDC 2008
Our Pro Ams
;
Our Pros
;
Buffalo Grove in Las Vegas!
;
;
;
DanceSport 2008!
"Hairspray" was a huge success!
On February 23rd, over 400 people filled the seats of Schaumburg Prairie Center
for the Arts awaiting Fred Astaire's first annual Dance Fantasy.
This year's theme was the Tony Award Winning musical, Hairspray.
The fabulous production was overflowing with catchy music, thrilling lifts, fancy footwork, dazzling costumes, and Fred Astaire's finest students and teachers!
The auditorium swelled with applause as the curtain opened
and the enthusiasm continued right until the curtain dropped.
This exciting experience for the staff, the students, and the audience is one that will not be forgotten.Many thanks to everyone involved for making "Hairspray"
such an enormous success!
Thanks to all who attended Holiday Ball 2007!
Our Studio was named Top Studio again!
Carl Mito was top male newcomer,
Carl and Marion Mito were top amateur couple, Angel Sidor won top showcase!
Chris Germain was named top teacher and Aaron DeSoto was second!
Glacier Ice Arena in Vernon Hills
hosted Chicago North on December 8th
for a fun filled day of ice skating!!
This was a special event for
the Winter Festival sponsors and their teachers.
Click on image for larger view!
MAKSIM CHMEROVSKIY “Dancing with the Stars” Seasons 2, 3, & 4 Hosts a Dance Camp at the Buffalo Grove Studio!
Following 3 days of coaching the students and staff at the Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Buffalo Grove, Max hosted a Dance Camp open to the public Wednesday evening.
The lucky students had an opportunity to feast their eyes on one of America’s 10 most eligible bachelors while learning valuable dance skills.
During Max’s meet and greet after the camp, our own student Mike Adamle (Channel 5 Sports Newscaster) decided to toss Max up on his shoulders for a photo op! Max will be joining Dancing with the Stars for their 5th season, but he guarantees that following the finale November 24th he will be back to visit all of his new found friends at Buffalo Grove!
Happy Anniversary Arlington Park Race Track!
Jackie & Jesse, dancing for the Million!!
On Friday, August 10th hundreds of jockeys, horse trainers and owners, from all over the World gathered for the 25th Anniversary of the Arlington Million! It is also the 80th year Anniversary of the Arlington Park Race Track! This marvelous event was held at the grand Estate of Judi & Dick Duchossois.
Friday evening consisted of entertainers, a grand buffet, fire throwers, an orchestra, mock horse races, singing and none other than Chicago's own, Jackie and Jesse performing 3 exciting numbers! The first number was a surprise dedicated from Judi to Dick, a Fox Trot, danced to Blue Moon---the name of their yacht. The 2nd number Jackie and Jesse performed is their animated dance version of "Move", from Dream Girls and the 3rd number they danced was their saucy number "Right Now". The crowd cheered as they took their final bow. This took place in a tent that seated hundreds, had 9 projectors showing races and pictures from days gone by, to logos of the 2007, 25th Arlington Million to be raced on Saturday, August 11th. Judi and Dick were the perfect host and hostess greeting, seating and socializing throughout the night.
In August of 2006, Jackie and Jesse had danced for George Hamilton's 67th birthday in the foothills of Hollywood, with some of the most prominent movie stars in the World in attendance. They compared this spectacular evening in South Barrington to their experience in California to which they felt it was just as exciting, and at least they could drive home when it ended! Thank you to Judi & Dick and congratulations to Jackie and Jesse for another great performance!
2007
Astaire Awards
Photos
Click photo for larger/printable view
On July 25th - 28th a talented group of competitive students and professionals from the Fred Astaire Chicago North studio competed at the chain’s National Competition, Astaire Awards Championships.
Studios from all around the country came to our beautiful city to compete at this exciting event. Even with over 30 studios participating at the event, our students took home some of the top awards at the competition.
The culmination of everyone’s hard work and dedication was on Saturday evening, which featured a Professional Show including the staff from the Chicago Region and a special performance by our very own Jackie Josephs and Jesse DeSoto. The evening concluded with the Buffalo Grove Studio winning Top Studio for Astaire Awards Championships 2007 which is an amazing “feet” at a National Competition; especially since they have only been open for less than two years!
Thank you to all the students and staff that made AAC a very memorable event!
Don't forget to vote for Susan Lucci and
On Tuesday July 8th, our very own
Jackie and Pasha worked together to create a challenging routine for the dancers to learn as an audition piece. While dancing with Pasha, Jackie caught the eye of the Producers of the show! Only time will tell if they will invite her to join the cast, but we certainly wish her the best of luck!
