Karina Smirnoff is a Professional Ballroom dancer, best known for her role on Dancing with the Stars. She is a five-time United States National Champion in the Professional Latin division and is the first woman to have ever made it into the Professional Latin final at the Blackpool Dance Festival with three different partners.
Jim Maranto is a former Professional Ballroom dancer, specializing in International Style Standard and American Smooth. Jim has won two U.S. National Professional American Smooth Championships in 1993 and 1994 and represented the United States in two World Showdance events and many competitions throughout Europe and Asia. He currently owns and directs the Academy of Ballroom Dance with wife Jenell Maranto in Phoenix, AZ.
Giacomo Agrello is a Professional Ballroom dancer specializing in International Style Standard and American Smooth. A former Italian National Amateur Standard Champion, Giacomo is a current Pro-Am competitor and instructor, owner of Agrello Dance & Fitness and organizer of the Las Vegas Lights Dance Challenge.
Christine Harvey is a former professional ballroom dancer specializing in International Style Standard. Christine was consistently a finalist in all the major European and World Championships, dancing since the age of 6. She has coached the MIT Ballroom Dance Team for over 6 years, and is currently the head coach for the Brown University Ballroom Dance Team. She is a World Class Adjudicator for the WDC and a National Adjudicator for the NDCA. Christine has also spent over 27 years with Fred Astaire Dance Studios, serving as Instructor, Dance Director, Studio Owner and Regional Trainer and is a member of their International Dance Council.
