STAMFORD TEAM

  • DAVID THOMAS MOORE

    DAVID THOMAS MOORE

    Manager

    David Thomas Moore is a former ballroom instructor, competitor, coach and one of the emerging original choreographers in the ballroom world today. Specializing in a style he calls "fusion ballroom", he is known to merge traditional ballroom and latin steps with other forms of dance, ranging from modern to ballet to hip hop. The blending of these styles, combined with David's clever knack for story-telling, create truly unique pieces. His choreography has won competitive awards around the country, and was recently awarded at the world-famous Blackpool Dance Festival in England. A classically trained singer, David's original love was the theater. He was in between show contracts years ago, when a friend suggested he answer a local advertisement for ballroom dance instructors. What was to be a short-term job became a life-long career. However, he still makes time to perform when possible. David was recently seen in Manhattan performing at Steps on Broadway in the new ballroom-based musical, "Ain't Love Grand." A former American Smooth competitor, he has won numerous Professional and Pro-Am events around the country. For the past four years, he has served as Dance Program Director in the prestigious National Dance Clubs dance schools. He is a freelance writer/columnist for Dancebeat, the nationally published newspaper for the dancesport industry. An avid student of behavioral psychology and business management, David's goal is to create a truly unique studio environment where creativity is a driving force, and the student's knowledge and progress are paramount. He is honored to join Dance With Me as the Stamford studio's manager, with the desire for each student to feel welcome, respected and most of all, overwhelmingly satisfied with the quality of instruction, opportunity and first-class atmosphere that only Dance With Me can create!

  • Collin Klaene

    Collin Klaene

    Instructor

    Collin Klaene has been a strong female presence in the ballroom world for nearly ten years, and is regarded as one of the best Pro-Am teachers in her field. Beginning at age nine, Collin studied traditional forms of dance until she moved away to college, where she was exposed to the worlds of salsa and lindy swing. Her study of these styles eventually led her to ballroom dancing at age twenty-four. Due to her knowledge, experience, and her unique and endearing teaching style, she quickly became a key teacher at one of the country's largest dance schools in Nashville, TN. Since then, she has been invited to teach in schools throughout the country and was eventually offered the position of artistic director at the new Dance With Me location in Stamford, Connecticut. Collin brings an incredibly unique perspective to dance, thanks to her knowledge of European culture and art. Having obtained a degree in Art History from the University of Kentucky and fluent in Italian, Collin went on to receive a post baccalaureate degree in art restoration at Studio Art Centers International in Florence, Italy, where she lived for some time. When she is not teaching ballroom and latin, Collin is now heavily involved in the national salsa scene and is highly skilled in the much requested styles of rueda and bachata. Her students are known to be heard throughout the ballroom laughing, thanks to her upbeat personality and rapid-fire wit. For a take on ballroom that is sophisticated, stylish, and authentic, Collin is very tough to beat!

  • MEREDITH LANDPHAIR

    MEREDITH LANDPHAIR

    Instructor/American Smooth and Swing Specialist

    Meredith Landphair is honored to be joining Dance With Me Studios, dance studios and is thrilled to be teaching at their new Stamford location. Originally hailing from Des Moines, Iowa, Meredith represents an increasingly rare style of ballroom: one that is distinctly American and harkens back to the days of Cyd Charisse and Eleanor Powell. Meredith studied classical ballet for eight years when she realized the rigid structure of the ballet world did not suit her free-spirited personality. So, she began to seek out other avenues of dance. It was this journey that led her to the well-known swing dancing scene of Minnesota, where she lived at the time. She quickly became immersed in the "swing culture", focusing heavily on the famous lindy-hop style, but even into lesser known genres like Charleston and Balboa. This led to a desire to learn more forms of partnered dancing: including salsa, zouk, and eventually....ballroom. After falling in love with the ballroom world, particularly the American Smooth style which suits both her ballet background and her vintage Hollywood persona, Meredith decided to become a full-time instructor. Her infectious, upbeat personality makes her particularly adept at teaching couples, who are not always interested in the hard core specifics of technique but the basic social dancing concepts of leading and following. However, Meredith is a ferocious competitor, and her formidable dancing skills and knowledge enable her to work with even the most competitive students. Her main goal is to help students learn in a way that is both challenging and encouraging but most of all, fun!

  • EDUARDO ROJAS

    EDUARDO ROJAS

    Instructor / American Rhythm and Salsa Specialist

    A son of Dominican Republic heritage, Eduardo Rojas grew up being introduced to several forms of cultural dance, and has been a formal dance teacher for over a decade. He has competed both nationally and globally for the world renowned Arthur Murray School of Dance, and has had the privilege of assisting Leisha Horin & our own Maksim Chmerkovskiy from Dancing with The Stars in choreographing for the off Broadway show, Karate Tango, in which he also displayed his acting and singing talents. When he is not teaching ballroom, Eduardo is a highly sought after performer and teacher in the world of salsa. He is a part of the salsa group, Proyecto Descarga, which has been seen all over the world and is the coach and choreographer for the female troupe, Las Chikas de Hazael, which fuses salsa with all forms of dance. Today, he continues to inspire young and old to enjoy life through innovative movement and his insatiable zest for life. "I'm not only in the business of teaching dance. I'm also changing people's lives through dance!" Eduardo is the perfect teacher for the student looking to shake their hips, and have a ball!

  • RONNY DUTRA

    RONNY DUTRA

    Instructor / Brazilian Dance Specialist

    Ronny Soares Dutra recently moved to the tri-state area from his native Brazil. Ronny began dancing at age fifteen at the Andre Barcellos Academy in Brasilia. His aptitude for his new skill led him to become an assistant instructor at the well-known Danca Comigo in only six months. Over time, he became a wildly popular instructor in Brasilia with approximately 150 students a semester! Ronny continued his education in various forms of dance including Brazilian samba and bolero, forro, argentine tango, and a style that is becoming increasingly popularly in the inner New York City area, zouk. He has been privileged to train and work with some of Brazil's key instructors: Chiquinho Alves, Alvaro Reys, Bianca Gonzales, and most notably, Jaime Aroxa. Consequently, he is developing a strong reputation of his own. In the short time he has been in the New York area, he has already been invited to lecture at an upcoming Brazilian dance congress, specifically on the topics of samba and zouk. Ronny was also associated with the Musical Theatre School of Brasilia, performing in productions of "Hairspray" (Wilbur) and "Rent" (Mark). A biology major, Ronny uses his extensive knowledge of human physiology and Brazilian dance culture to help his students reach a level of dance that is both highly intelligent and authentic!