Maksym Stepanskyi

Overview#

Maksym is a Ukrainian-born ballroom dancer proudly representing the United States, with over a decade of experience and an unwavering devotion to the art of dance. His journey has been shaped by both triumph and adversity.

Maksym fell in love with ballroom dancing at the age of five and has spent years mastering both the International Standard and International Latin styles. When war disrupted life in Ukraine, everything changed. The dance floor he once knew went silent, but he never let go of his passion. After a 2-year hiatus, he found a new home and studio in the United States, a space that reignited his spirit and helped him reclaim a vital part of himself.

Since then, Maksym has trained relentlessly and reached new heights, becoming the 2025 USA National Champion in Standard Showdance. His competitive journey also includes multiple titles at the 2024 USA Nationals, the Islanders DanceSport Challenge, and the Midwest Regional Championships, among others. Today, he continues to train under the guidance of world-class coaches, constantly pushing his limits and refining his craft.

Off the competition floor, he is deeply committed to giving back, working as an assistant coach and mentor to the next generation of dancers. He teaches not just movement, but mindset: discipline, patience, and the joy of expression. This journey is far more than a pursuit of medals, it’s a story of resilience, recovery, and a lifelong dedication to an art form that continues to shape who Maksym is.

Accomplishments#

Performances in the USA 2024-2025

• Nationals 2025 – Champion in Standard Showdance Adult
• Islanders DanceSport Challenge 2025
• ATLANTA DANCESPORT CUP 2025 – 3rd Place in Latin U21
• The MAC: A USA Dance Regional 2025 – 3rd Place in WDSF Adult Raising Star – Latin
• The City’s DanceSport Challenge 2024 – 3rd in Open U21 Int’l Latin; 2nd in Open U21 Int’l Ballroom
• Constitution State DanceSport Championship 2024 – 5th in U21 Ballroom Open Scholarships AM/AM U21 Int’l Ballroom
• Midwest Regional DanceSport Championship 2024 – 1st in Youth Ballroom; 1st in U21 Ballroom; 3rd in U21 Latin
• Dance Passion Ball 2024 – 2nd Place in Youth Ballroom
• Nationals 2024 – Vice-Champion in Youth Standard
• Islanders DanceSport Challenge 2024 – Youth Ballroom Champion

Performances in Ukraine 2018-2021

• Championship of Kharkiv in Dance Sports 2021 – 1st Place in Junior 1C Latin
• Harmony 2021 – 1st Place in Junior 1C Latin
• Silver Edelweiss Lviv Championship 2020 – 2nd in Regional Championship Junior 1C
• Silver Edelweiss Lviv Championship 2020 – 2nd in Junior 1 C Standard
• Ukrainian Open Championship 2019 – 2nd Junior 1C Latin
• Stanislav Shklyar’s Cup 2019 – 1st in Standard Junior 1D
• Dnipro Cup Regional Championship 2019 – 2nd in Junior 1C Latin
• Kyiv Cup 2019 – 2nd in Junior 1D Latin
• Zaporizhia Open Cup 2018 – 1st in Junior 1 E Ballroom
• KHARKIV TROPHY 2018 – 1st in Junior 1 E Latin
• Astra Cup 2018 – 2nd In Junior 1 E Ballroom
• Harmony 2018 – 1st Place in Junior 1E Ballroom

Dance Partners#

• Current: Michelle Tsvang
• Previous: Violetta Sosnova

Instructors#

• Current:
  • Oleksandr Kalenyuk
  • Vladimir Karpov
  • Kairat Algadaev
  • Ilya Barmotin

• Previous:
  • Svitlana Glovatska
  • Andrii Babii
  • Oleg Petrovsky.

Photo Gallery#

Video Gallery#