Charlotte Jorgensen

Overview

Charlotte Jorgensen was born in Aalborg, Denmark in 1971 and started dancing at the age of two at Lilli Nicolaisen’s Dance School. When she was 10 years old, Charlotte took up ballet and had hopes of a stage career in dance. She also trained in jazz and modern dancing.

London, England was known as the "Mecca" of Ballroom Dancing in the late 1980s when Charlotte moved there. She rapidly progressed through the Amateur ranks, winning numerous Danish, Scandinavian and European Ballroom Dance Championships culminating in winning the World Amateur Ballroom Championship in 1994.

She turned Professional in 1994 with partner Jens Werner. In her first year as a pro, she won the Professional Rising Star Championship at the prestigious Blackpool Dance Festival in Blackpool, England.

In 1997, Jorgensen began competing professionally with Andrew Sinkinson, where their talents flourished. Their partnership culminated in great success when they were ranked 2nd at the World Professional Ballroom Championship in 1999 and were Grand Finalists in all major Grand Slam events throughout their partnership. They were both very successful placing second at many National and World Competitions and becoming finalists of the British Open, UK Open, European Championships, and World Championships.

Moving to the United States in 2001 and having lived in both New York City and Los Angeles, Charlotte now resides in Massachusetts with her family, where she continues to teach all levels of dancers from children through Amateurs and Professionals, choreographing and judging dance events both locally, nationally and internationally.

During her competitive career, Jorgensen was widely considered to be the best female Standard dancer in the world. Today, she is a much sought after coach and adjudicator. She has also appeared on the hit television show “Dancing with the Stars”.

Charlotte Jorgensen is a board member and official spokesperson for Dance 4 Health – an organization that targets health issues, particularly obesity and diabetes in young kids through teaching Ballroom Dancing and exercise.

She holds a Professional Danish Dancers’ Association teaching degree and is an Honors Graduate with a teaching and adjudicating license from the World Dance Council.

Film and TV

Charlotte has connections to film as well. In 2003, she was hired by Miramax to coach actor Richard Gere for his role in Shall We Dance?. She also was hired by the American Ballroom Theater to be an adjudicator for the final competition in the documentary Mad Hot Ballroom, where inner city children in New York compete in Ballroom Dancing.

Dancing With The Stars

Charlotte Jorgensen was on the very first season of "Dancing With The Stars", where she was partnered with John O'Hurley. They went to the finals and ultimately lost to Kelly Monaco and Alec Mazo. There was quite a bit of talk that Charlotte and John actually deserved to win, so after the competition was over, ABC aired a "dance-off" between the two teams. In the end, Charlotte and John were victorious. However, this did not change the fact that Kelly and Alec were credited as the first season champions.

Jorgensen and O'Hurley released the Bayview Films Ballroom instructional video Learn to Dance with John and Charlotte on July 31, 2007.

Accomplishments

• World Professional Standard Finalist
• British Open Professional Standard Finalist
• European Professional Standard Finalist
• UK Open Professional Standard Finalist
• 19th Japan International Dancing Championships Professional Standard Champion (1998)
• British Closed Professional Standard Champion (1997)
• Blackpool Professional Rising Star Champion (1994)
• World Amateur Ballroom Champion (1994)
• Mannheim German Open Championships Amateur Standard Champion (1993)
• Multi-time Danish, Scandinavian and European Ballroom Dance Champion
• Coached actor Richard Gere for his role in Shall We Dance?
• Adjudicator for the final competition in the documentary Mad Hot Ballroom
• Professional dancer on the first season of America's "Dancing with the Stars" - Runner-Up with John O'Hurley
• After the first season, there was a "Dance-off" between the Champions and Vice Champions where Charlotte and John took first place
• Learn to Dance with John and Charlotte, Ballroom Instructional Video Creator

Dance Partners

• Francesco Flumiani
• Giampiero Giannico
• Andrew Sinkinson
• Jens Werner

Entrepreneurship

• Q Ballroom, Standard Professional Instructor
• Dance 4 Health, Board Member and Official Spokesperson
• Holds a Professional Danish Dancers’ Association Teaching Degree
• Honors Graduate with a teaching and adjudicating license from the World Dance Council
• World Dance Council, Adjudicator
• Certified Dance Instructor
• Fellow Degree - Terpsichore Teachers of Dancing
• Choreographer
• Championship Licensed Adjudicator and National Judge for the National Dance Council of America specializing in:
• International Style Standard (Championship Certified) - Terpsichore Teachers of Dancing
• International Style Latin (Championship Certified) - Terpsichore Teachers of Dancing
• American Smooth (Championship Certified) - Arthur Murray International, Inc.
• American Rhythm (Championship Certified) - Arthur Murray International, Inc.
• Certified Invigilator
• National Dance Council of America (NDCA)