2024 Empire World Open
Dance Camp
Latin, Ballroom & Smooth Dance Camp
Monday, July 29th - Tuesday, July 30th
The Westin Jersey City Newport
479 Washington Blvd
Jersey City, NJ 07310
Donnie Burns MBE, Latin
Heidi Burns, Latin
Ruslan Aydaev, Latin
Eugene Katsevman, Latin
Lu Ning, Latin
Richard Porter, Latin
Sergey Ryupin, Latin
Toni Redpath, Smooth
Maksym Bulanyi, Ballroom
Victor Fung, Ballroom
Massimo Giorgianni, Ballroom
Donnie Burns MBE Donnie has been cited in the World’s Top Ten Most Influential Dancers of the last century and is a 16 -time World Latin Champion with his former partner Gaynor Fairweather. Donnie was undefeated in the World’s most prestigious events for over 20 years of continuous competition, a world record in Latin Dance or any other form of Ballroom Dance and has been cited in the Guinness Book of World Records for holding these titles for over two decades!
On his competitive retirement he was honored by appointment as MBE by HM Queen Elizabeth II. He is now President of the World Dance Council and has coached several World Professional and World Latin Champions. There is no doubt that he is one of the most legendary and revered Champions of all time and has been quoted by Wikipedia as “The Michael Jordan of Dance.” He has now pioneered the new “Burns Latn Tek,” book which has created most of the World’s best Latin couples and will continue to do so for generations to come!
Heidi Burns Heidi holds five US Open and World Swing Dance Champion titles along with her former partner Benji Schwimmer. She was a finalist in “So You Think You Can Dance,” and was brought back again for the 100th special having been in some of the show’s most memorable and successful Emmy Award winning dances. Her TV credits include being the only featured dance couple on Fox’s “Live New Year’s Eve Special” as well as the “Teen Choice Awards”, a talent scout for ABC and a choreographer for HBO, to name a few.
Her training is in various forms of dance including ballet, jazz, and tap however her specialty is in Latin and Swing. For several years now the focus of her career has been coaching and choreographing for the most elite dancers this world has to offer including the World Latin Champions from Junior to Professional and other couples in the top 6 and 12 in the world in both Professional and Amateur fields. Writing and working on the Burns Latin Tek together with Donnie has definitely been a both a privilege and a labor of love!
Ruslan Aydaev Known worldwide for his commanding and dynamic presence on the floor, Ruslan is a Murmansk Champion, Northwest of Russia Champion, Russian Open Rising Star Amateur Latin Champion, 2011 US National Amateur Latin Champion in the NDCA Organization, Imperial Amateur Latin Champion, and an Amateur Latin semi finalist of all the major championships: International Championships, UK Championships, Blackpool Dance Festival, World Championships, German Open, US Open, and Dutch Open.
Eugene Katsevman As owner of the renowned Brooklyn DanceSport Club, the premiere school for kids and adults to learn the art of Dancesport, Eugene Katsevman has decades of teaching experience under his belt, and Empire Dance Camp is privileged to have Eugene as one of its instructors. In 1997 Eugene Katsevman and Maria Manusova became USA National Amateur Latin Champions and held onto the title for the following 11 years. In 1998, they won the UK Open Amateur Rising Star Latin Championships and became British Open Under 21 Latin Champions - the first ever US couple to win that title. By the 2005-2006 season, they were the #1 amateur couple on the IDSF ranking list, and placed in the top 3 of every major championship, including the International Open, UK Open, British Open and World Championships. Among their titles are three US Open Championships, a Masters Gala Trophy, and an IDSF Grand Slam Series Championship. In 2005, they had the honor of representing their country at the World DanceSport Games in Germany, from which they brought home the gold medal. In 2008, Eugene and Maria turned Professional and immediately broke into the final of the British Open Championships at Blackpool in 2009. Eugene and Maria also organize the New York Dance Festival each February.
Lu Ning Lu Ning is a form Chinese Professional Latin Champion, Asian Pacific Professional Latin Champion, Blackpool Dance Festival/UK Open/ International Professional Rising Star Latin Champion, and Blackpool Dance Festival/UK Open/ International Open Professional Latin Semi-Finalist.
Richard Porter Richard Porter placed 3rd at the Junior International at the age of 15, 1st in the Blackpool Open Youth division at 17, and 5th in his first Blackpool Open Amateur Latin Championship at 19. As an Amateur, Richard has won United King, International, British, US Open, and Dutch Open Amateur Latin titles. Richard turned pro at 25 and became a finalist of the Worlds, European, British Open, UK, US Open, and Dutch Open Professional Latin Championships.
Sergey Ryupin Sergey is the President of the Moscow Dance Union and the Vice President of the World Dance Council. Sergey is a Russian Professional Latin Champion, UK Open Professional Rising Star Latin Champion Blackpool Latin Professional Rising Star Silver Medalist, 2-time German Open Professional Latin Bronze Medalist, and Five-times finalist in the World Cup Professional Latin Division. Sergey was also featured on the Ukrainian TV show “Hold Me Tight” and in the Russian movie “The Deal”.
Toni Redpath Toni formed a professional partnership with Michael Mead and developed a unique style that ultimately led them to setting a record by winning the Open Professional Smooth Championships 4 years in a row (undefeated throughout) before retiring from competition in 2002. Toni is also a National Professional Rising Star Champion, a Canadian Open American Ballroom Champion, and a National Show Dance Vice Champion. She is also a featured choreographer on the hit TV series “So You Think You Can Dance”.
Maksym Bulanyi Maksym Bulanyi is a World Professional 10 Dance Finalist, an International Championship finalist, a United Kingdom Championship finalist, and the Ukrainian National Professional Ballroom Champion. Maksym is also an owner of the Cave Creek Fred Astaire Dance Studio.
Victor Fung Victor Fung is one of the highest ranked American in the history of ballroom dancing. Victor won the United States Amateur Champion 8 times before turning professional. He won the 2017 British Open Professional Ballroom Championship title, the 2016 International Open Professional Ballroom Championship title, and the 2018 & 2019 United States Professional Open Ballroom Championship titles.
Massimo Giorgianni Massimo is an 18-time Italian Amateur and Professional Champion, the 2001 European Professional Ballroom Champion, 2-time World Professional Show Dance Champion, and the owner of the Dance As Fire Dance Studio.
Dance Camp Lectures
Pricing:
$700 per couple ($350 per person) for two days.
$400 per couple ($200 per person) for one day.
Dancers will register and pay for the Dance Camp Lectures in person.
Admission tentatively includes:
— 4 Latin lectures per day
— 2 Ballroom lectures per day
— 1-2 Smooth lectures per day
— Rounds for all styles each day
Dancers must attend the Dance Camp Lectures in order to receive Private Lessons.
The Lecture schedule will be announced closer to the Camp.
Private Lessons
To request private lessons, please fill out the private lesson request form below.
Private Lesson Registration Deadline: Monday, July 8th, 2024