The Best First Dances all Have This One Thing in Common
March 11, 2026
The Ballroom Dance House team had an absolutely wonderful experience at The Washington DC Open! We had 17 of our wonderful students shine on the dance floor and we couldn’t be more proud of their hard work and wonderful representation of the studio.
DAY 1
The weekend officially began on Thursday April 30th with the fun & energetic nightclub session! One by one, our students made their way from New Jersey and shared their excitement together.
After a night of good food and lots of fun night club dances,, it was time for our American Rhythm competitors to get ready for their time in the spotlight!
DAY 2
The first to hit the floor was Kelly Wenz! Not only was she the first to dance from the studio, it was also her very FIRST competition experience. Kelly has been working so diligently throughout the years and all her work shined on the floor. Not only did she dance beautifully, but she sang the National Anthem during the Saturday session and left the Ballroom absolutely speechless!
Next up was Jeanna Pares, who entered her first 9 Dance Championship! She flawlessly competed in both American Smooth and American Rhythm with her Instructor Ilya. Jeanna was able to utilize her experience as a professional actress, to completely command the attention of not only the room, but the judges as well!
Then it was time for Barabara Kook to hit the floor for her first time dancing together with Ivan. Barbara has been taking group classes with us since the very beginning of the studio, she has been a part of our competitive formation dances, performed at our showcases, and now it was finally her turn to compete in American Rhythm, and let’s say…It paid off with a 1st place ranking!!
Joanne Johnson was next to shine! And SHINE she did! Not only did she shine during the American Rhythm Competition, she completely stole the attention of the audience with her breathtaking showdance together with Ivan!
Michelle Hoen followed right along with a stunning display of her Rhythm dances! Michelle has been with us since the very beginning and it SHOWS in her technique and charisma on the floor!
Danielle Znutas was the final dancer for our Friday day session! And she displayed her sharp lines, athleticism, and undeniable stage presence throughout each and every one of her dances.
After all their hard work, the dancers all celebrated together with a formal dinner followed by the professional session and more showdances from Monica, Danielle, and Joanne!!
DAY 3
Saturday started off strong with our dedicated dancers getting up for hair and makeup starting at 3:45 AM!
We began the morning session with an amazing performance from Kelly Smith! You would never guess it was her first time competing based on the amount of grace and poise she displayed on the dance floor. And what’s more.. It was her birthday weekend!!
Caryn Levy and Ilya were next on the floor, displaying her stunning American Smooth dances. On top of an exceptional American Smooth performance, she performed a show-stopping showdance combining 3 different dance styles and a costume change all in one performance!
Marianne Egan followed with her elegant and flawlessly executed performance together with Ivan. It was her very first competition, and together with the support of Ivan and her sister in the audience, she wound up with a 1st place ranking!
Katelyn Gjini showed how versatile she is as a dancer, previously competing in the International Latin division, this was her first competition in the American Smooth division. With the support and encouragement of her friends and family in the audience, she completed each and every round absolutely beautifully!
Alicia Acciardi made a phenomenal return to the competition floor after a break for surgery, making her American Smooth debut with Ivan. After originally planning to dance American Rhythm, Alicia showed her true talent by quickly pivoting to a different division with ease and grace.
Sholeen Hsaio made a strong start to the international latin session dancing wonderfully together with Ivan. Her next competition will be at the infamous Blackpool Dance Festival!
Pamela Polifron continued to shine on the floor together with Ilya showing her latin skills and incredible performance ability. Her joy on the floor was unmistakable!
Janey Leong showed her strength and proficiency in her latin dancing, she has been working so hard with Ivan throughout the years and her effort was undeniable!
After a full day of dancing, it was time to enjoy the Gala dinner! Our students dressed in all Red in celebration of America’s 250 year anniversary! After a phenomenal dinner, the students were able to watch the professional American Smooth and International latin, along with multiple professional showdances!
The night didn’t end there, our students partied the night away at the afterparty with food and drinks flowing and plenty of social dancing!
Day 4
The 4th and final day started bright and early for kids day!
The kids day started with Amani and Ilya starting first! Amani’s advice to herself as she was getting her hair done was “all that matters is that I do my best” And she definitely did, she placed first in all dances!! The kids day continued with Mckenna and Mia dancing International Latin! It was Mckenna’s first competition and she danced so well, placing first in all her dances!
What a wonderful way to finish a weekend full of dances!
The Washington DC Open will be one to remember and we are so proud of all of our dancers! We are already looking forward to next year!
