Charlotte Ballroom, Charlotte Dance Studio: Metropolitan Ballroom

Our Staff

Clément Joly
	Clément, owner and premier instructor, has been dancing since age thirteen. He has trained with internationally renowned instructors, including spending numerous years training, living, and competing in London, England. He has competed nationally and internationally all over the world. In 2000, he was the Canadian Latin Champion and a North American finalist and has been representing Canada in international dance championships for the last ten years. In Charlotte, NC, Clément continues to compete and to coach amateur and Pro-Am students to success. He has also appeared in the film The Aviator and The Courage to Love.

Tatiana Kazakova
	Tatiana, owner and premiere instructor, has been dancing since age seven. Tatiana was a member of the Russian Dance Union where she successfully represented the country in International Dance Championships around the world, becoming a semi-finalist in the Russian National Champions and a Finalist in the Grand Prix Series. She is a two-time Ukrainian National Junior Latin Champion and a Ukrainian National Amateur Latin and 10-Dance Finalist. She moved to the states in 2005 and quickly became recognized as a top dancer and coach in the US, coaching one of her students to win the World-Pro-Am Junior Championships in 2006.

Sergiy Samchynskyy & Yuliya Besarab
	Dancing since age seven, Sergiy and Yuliya are renowned professional ballroom dancers and instructors, having trained throughout Europe, the Ukraine. Sergiy and Yuliya have competed nationally and internationally and won the National Amateur Championship in 2005, thus becoming the Ukrainian representatives to all major international championships in the world during their time as champions. Renowned as premier dance instructors in Ukraine, they have trained juveniles and juniors couples which represented Ukraine at the international level. Sergiy and Yuliya moved to the states in 2006 and quickly became the Latin and Standard Finalists Rising Stars. In 2007, they became Finalists in the US 10 Dance Championship.

Nickolai Keanov
	With over thirteen years experience, Nickolai Keanov began his professional ballroom dance career with Tom Chapman Dance Club International in Charlotte. He went on to teach at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio for seven years and then Queen City Ballroom for six years, also in Charlotte. Nickolai competed professionally for ten years all around the country and won the Smooth and Rhythm Championship in 2001 at both the Dixie Invitational and the NC Allstars competitions. In 2002, he won the Southeastern Dance Sport Smooth Championships in Florida. Also a performer, he performed at the Blumenthall Performing Arts Center with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra in 2004. Currently he has added the Argentine Tango to his repertoire as an instructor.

Jonathan Tabaka
	Jonathan Tabaka has been teaching ballroom dancing for four years. He enjoys teaching students of all levels, from the absolute beginner to the competitive student. In 2007, one of his students placed as top newcomer at the North Carolina Classic Dance-Sport Pro-Am division. Jonathan is fully certified in the Fred Astaire method of teaching as well as being well versed in other teaching styles. Additionally, Jonathan is a choreographer of show routines as well as wedding dances. Jonathan is currently training to compete at top levels with his partner in the Amateur Latin division.

Jim Manly & Monette Bales
	Monette Bales and Jim Manly are long-time Charlotte residents and entrepreneurs as well as being international Latin ballroom dancers and enthusiasts. Co-owners of the studio, along with Clément Joly and Tania Kazakova, Jim and Monette manage the business aspects and development of the studio. Jim began dancing in 1968 starting with Junior Cotillion. In the past ten years, he rediscovered the pleasure of dancing at franchised and independent studios. In 2007, placed fifth in Silver Pro/Am scholarship at Heritage Dance Classic. Monette Bales began studying ballet in 1961 and continued through college. She resumed dancing, this time in international ballroom and Latin styles, in the last few years. In 2007, Monette was the winner of the Bronze Newcomer at Heritage Dance Classic.