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A good dance studio makes learning to dance simple and enjoyable. South Coast Dancesport, with nearly 100 years of experience among its instructors, is such a studio.
This exciting and cutting edge studio trains not only a wide variety of students interested in dance at any level, be it social or competitive, but boasts some of the top professionals in the country whose love for dance is matched only by their commitment to their students’ success. Both Matt Gregory (owner) and his team of teachers at South Coast Dancesport understand that their primary responsibility is to be the voice and the hands (and the feet!) necessary to guide their students to the happiness and fulfillment that dancing so remarkably provides.
Let us introduce you to our friendly and welcoming staff: |
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Owner / Instructor
Matt Gregory has been teaching social and competitive ballroom and Latin dance for nearly fifteen years. Matt began his teaching career at a Fred Astaire dance school in Colorado Springs, Colorado and quickly discovered his natural abilities as an instructor and motivator. In 2005, seeking the training of top coaches and the community of world class professionals, he moved to Southern California.
The move allowed Matt to take his teaching to the next level. Consistently one of the top teachers at any school in which he has worked, Matt has trained some of the top amateur men, women and couples in the United States. His many Top Teacher awards include the Emerald Ball in Los Angeles, the Embassy Dancesport Championships in Irvine, CA, the Desert Classic in Palm Springs, the San Francisco Open, and the U.S. Championships in Orlando, FL. Not only has his own teaching led to personal success, but over the years, Matt has had numerous students take top awards at a myriad of competitions nationwide, including several national titles within just the last few years. In 2008, Matt was recognized as one of the top 20 teachers in the United States.
In late 2008, propelled by a desire to provide a distinctive training environment for his students, Matt opened his own ballroom and Latin dance studio, South Coast Dancesport. As South Coast Dancesport has grown, now boasting a full-time staff of six high level professionals and myriad world-class independent teachers, his focus remains that of providing one of the warmest, most inviting studios on the West Coast, if not the United States.
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Instructor
At the age of 12, Ryan Crutcher began his dance training, laying a foundation in the classical world of ballet and modern dance. Once introduced to the Swing world, he began to feel his passion truly come into focus. Ryan won the United States Open Swing Dance Championships in 2001 and the World Country Championships in 2002.
Having recognized that the dance floor often proves to be a starting point in helping his students take significant action in their own lives, Ryan is consistently one of the busiest teachers at the studio. It is no small wonder that he seems to always have a ready smile and a willingness to make time for each of his students.
Continuously adding to his dance knowledge, Ryan has studied all types of partner dancing, ballet, modern, hip-hop and jazz. He has made guest dance appearances on the hit television show ‘Cold Case’ and appeared in a music video by the Jonas Brothers. Being a part of live performances has always been particularly thrilling for Ryan. Constantly on the lookout for new challenges, Ryan has dedicated himself to becoming a diverse and innovative dancer and choreographer. His love of dance drives his desire to hone his skills as he works to become one of the top instructors and performers in the nation.
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Instructor
Ekaterina (Katya) Marshukova is a professional with nearly twenty years of experience in the dance industry. She currently competes worldwide in the International Standard dance division, yet teaches all of the different dance styles. At the age of 18, Katya left her native Russia to pursue a dance career in France. She competed in the Latin category until the age of 19,when she developed a passion for the Standard category and began competing. While in France, Katya attended Sorbonne University. From there, she began competing in the United States.
Katya has received many awards and accolades in the International Standard dance category. She is a 3-time French national champion, 2-time Bulgarian national champion, a finalist in the Asian Open, a semi-finalist in the European championships and a quarter-finalist in the World championships. In addition, Katya has performed in many dance and television shows in France.
Impressive as her competitive titles are, what truly sets Katya apart is her ability to communicate information clearly and creatively. Her students regularly attend and place well at ballroom competitions, yet they are also among the most enjoyable partners on the social dance floor, as well.
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Instructor
Philip began his ballroom training and even started competing at twelve years old. By the age of 17, he had become the United States Pro/Am Junior Latin Champion. At 18, he became the United States Standard Pro/Am Adult Champion. In the Amateur ranks he was a finalist in all major national competitions. Later, as a professional, Philip was ranked in the top 24 in the United States. Most notable to Philip are the following competitions: the Holiday Dance Classic (he was the Professional Rising Star Latin champion) and the Ohio Star Ball (a Professional Rising Star Latin finalist). Also of note, as a Pro/Am teacher, Philip was ranked third in the United States as Top Teacher in 2007.
For Philip, the opportunity to help others gain the knowledge that has taken him the better part of his life to gain is probably the greatest joy of his career. As he helps his students go through the (sometimes) awkward early stages of dancing, he knows that his students' patience with themselves simply gives them a greater appreciation for their future successes
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Instructor
Alex Matar began his dancing career in San Diego, California. He has been trained by internationally recognized instructors for the past 15 years (Ray Rivers, Heather Smith, Ron Montez and Mary Murphy, to name a few). Throughout this time he has attended—and competed in--numerous professional competitions, including the United States Dacesport Championships, the Hawaii Star Ball, the Emerald Ball and the Millenium Dancesport Championships.
Alex has taught ballroom and Latin all over the country, ranking as one of the top teachers nationwide for the majority of his career. Alex’s focus during the majority of his teaching career has been to help his students achieve both their personal and, through the lessons learned on the dance floor, their professional goals. Many of Alex’s students have chosen to be involved in dancesport competition, at which their successes were a direct result of his instruction. Additionally, he is an excellent choreographer for special occasion routines.
His career recently gave him the opportunity to perform as a Guest Entertainer on board a cruise ship. He was the featured Ballroom Dancer in a major production show that travelled all over the world.
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Instructor
The vast majority of Emily England’s life has been dedicated to dance. Starting at the age of 8 when a friend took her to a ballroom class, Emily has been enchanted by the dance world! Dance has provided a healthy outlet in her life, as well as affording her the opportunity to express herself. Emily has been trained in ballet and jazz, but has devoted more than 11 years to ballroom and Latin.
Emily’s students find her love and passion truly contagious. She pays particular attention to detail and technique, believing that these are the foundation of the joy she has found on the dance floor. Emily encourages every student to have fun, looking for opportunities to create REAL moments on the floor! Emily is currently working with her professional partner in American Style Smooth, training and competing on their way to becoming one of the top competitive couples in the nation.
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Operations Manager
Accountant and manager extraordinaire, Candice is the nuts and bolts of this operation… and the studio’s newest addition. A Southern California native, she earned her Bachelor’s in Mathematics at UC Berkeley and began her numbers career processing payroll. Wanting to broaden her business acumen, Candice traveled to the East Coast in 2008 to pursue her MBA at Boston University’s Graduate School of Management. Now that she is home, we are thrilled to use her business background here at the studio. Chances are you’ll see her on the ballroom floor or tackling a spreadsheet in her office.
Consistently dazzled by the dancing arena, Candice has only dabbled in dancing thus far. Growing up, she surveyed the steps of East Coast Swing, Foxtrot, Salsa…even Belly Dancing! Now she is excitedly dusting off her dancing shoes to experience all the phenomenal talent that South Coast Dancesport has to offer!
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Executive Assistant
Sarah started her dancing with ballet when she was four years old. When she was fifteen, she joined her first Ballroom dance class, and quickly fell in love. From the makeup and costumes at competitions to the social dance floor, Sarah enjoys every aspect of dancing. She loves every type of ballroom dance: her favorites being Cha-Cha, Waltz, and Tango. Sarah looks forward to pursuing dance and is very excited to be learning about the dance world at South Coast Dancesport. She feels so blessed to be a part of this amazing studio and loves every minute.
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Daytime Receptionist
Heather Maddigan is the charming and cheerful voice that you hear when you call South Coast Dancesport in the mornings and early afternoons. As a stay-at-home mother of two, Heather is an active member of her community, serving as PTA president and a school volunteer for the last six years. Heather was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, but has lived in California for the last 9 years.
Heather was introduced to South Coast Dancesport by a friend and immediately loved it! She chooses to dance for the sheer pleasure of it, as well as the chance to spend time with friends—old and new—that join her at the studio. She had never danced before beginning lessons at the studio and has enjoyed the fact that it is never too late to learn to dance! She still takes lessons, but particularly enjoys country dances, the Cha Cha, the Waltz and her new passion: the West Coast Swing.
Heather anticipates being involved in the dance community for years to come and is very excited to be a part of the South Coast Dancesport team.
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