TLC :: Ballroom Bootcamp

July 05, 2009

Meet the Instructors

Gocha Chertkoev
A highly successful Latin dance competitor, Gocha Chertkoev has made a significant mark on the American and international competitive dance scene. He has also become a popular and sought-after performer on several continents. Gocha is originally from the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. He and his partner, Shorena, have won numerous professional Latin American dance championships in many competitions, including the Southwestern U.S. Invitational, the Florida State Championships, the Hawaii Star Ball and the Manhattan Dance Championships. In addition, the couple had the honor of representing the United States at the World Professional Latin Dance Championships in South Africa. Gocha and Shorena have been featured performers on the highly popular and widely broadcast PBS television program Championship Ballroom Dancing for five consecutive years. In addition to his competitive career, Gocha has established a successful coaching practice in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, developing and assisting a wide range of professional and amateur dance competitors from all over the U.S. with training, choreography and costume design.

Susannah Cuesta
Susannah brings more than 10 years experience teaching ballroom and Latin dance to her role on Ballroom Bootcamp. She has competed professionally in International Standard, American Smooth, American Rhythm, Theater Arts and Show Dance. She continues to compete at the American Smooth level with her partner, Eddie Alba. Finalists in the National Rising Star American Smooth Competition, they were victorious in Rising Star competitions in Palm Springs and San Francisco. Susannah is certified with both the U.S. Terpsichore Society and with the Imperial Society of the Teachers of Dance. Teaching beginners and working with students competing at the Pro-Am level is her specialty. She won first place in the American Smooth category at the Wisconsin State Dance Sport Championship. Susannah currently owns her own studio, Ballroom Blitz, in Los Angeles.

Christian Perry
Christian Perry has competed in and taught ballroom dance for over 10 years. This Bootcamp Ballroom judge started his career by choreographing and starring in the well-known GAP commercial that helped ignite the immensely popular swing craze. He went on to study and compete at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Los Angeles. After a few years, Christian moved to England to compete in the worldwide circuit, where he and his partner were the United States' International Latin representatives. Christian now travels the country coaching other ballroom dance professionals. He can be seen as a principal dancer in many commercials, music videos and films, including Mona Lisa Smile and Be Cool. Christian has also lectured at the World Social Dance Congress in Moscow as well as Black Pool, which is the most prestigious dance competition in the world. He has extensive experience choreographing tours for such musical artists as Will Smith, Shaggy and Vanessa Williams.

See the instructors in action in our photo gallery

Pictures: DCI |

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