Our Team
Michael Choi
Michael began his professional career in New York. It was here that he had the opportunity to work with some of the icons of the early days of Swing and American social dancing like Frankie Manning and Peter DiFalco.
Michael has competed as a professional nationally and internationally in Latin, Ballroom, and Smooth. He’s been a finalist in Rising Star Ballroom and Classic Showdance, and won many Open Professional Smooth competitions.
As a teacher he’s coached actors like Nicole Kidman and choreographers like Mercedes Ellington, and danced with his pro-am students on their way to US Championship and Best of the Best titles. He’s also consulted on shows like the Rockette’s Summer Spectacular choreographed by Mia Michaels in 2016, the Kennedy Center production of Duke Ellington’s Shakespearean Suite, and the ABC TV show Life on Mars.
From 2012-2015 he served, first as Secretary of the National Committee of the USISTD, and then as President. In 2017 he was appointed as a Ballroom Examiner for the USISTD and later with Dancevision. Michael continues to perform and compete, and to train dancers of all levels in New York.
Vanda Polakova
Vanda began dancing in her home town Bratislava, Slovakia at the age of 9 where she became a two-time Amateur Latin Champion. In the neighboring Czech Republic she became the National Professional Latin Champion. In the US she continued as a Latin dancer before switching to Rhythm in 2012, where she quickly made her mark on the style with her fiery, authentic personality
As a Rhythm dancer she was a 2 time World, U.S., and Ohio Star Ball finalist. She is also the World Salsa Vice-Champion and has consulted on many shows for choreography like the Radio City Rockette”s Summer Spectacular choreographed by Mia Michaels. Vanda was in the 2011 film, Musical Chairs, directed by Susan Seidlman which featured wheelchair dancing. She’s also done numerous projects with the wheelchair dancing community, including the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games in Toronto 2015.
Vanda is a certified dance teacher with the USISTD/AIDA. Vanda continues to teach her couples, and competes with her Pro-Am students sharing her technical knowledge and her artistic vision of what authentic Rhythm should be.
In 2022 she and her star Jan Kolenik won the Mirror Ball Trophy on the popular TV show Let’s Dance! the Slovak edition of Dancing With the Stars. She was already part of two successful seasons.
You can check out all their dancing here.
Sasha Basko
Sasha started her dance journey when she was 5 years old in a small Ukrainian city.
She moved to New York at the age of 19 in order to further pursue her career as a dancer in the International Standard style, and has continued to explore her love of learning by taking lessons from some of the greatest people in the industry. With her partner, Sasha competed in a number of national-level competitions and made it to the finals of major Amateur events.
Sasha has experience working with kids, the elderly, and those with special needs, and hopes to make dancing accessible to all.
Enxhi
Fundo
Enxhi was born in Albania, and moved to the US when she was four years old. While living in Florida at the age of twelve she had her first introduction to Ballroom dancing and instantly knew she wanted to make a career of it. After years of training, she earned her dance certification and began teaching - from young kids to wedding couples, social and competitive students alike. She later moved to New York to pursue a dance partnership and compete nationally and internationally in the International Standard style. Enxhi has been a Rising Star US and Open to the World Finalists in Professional Ballroom. She continue to teach and wants to share her passion for dance with people of all ages, levels, and abilities.