USA Dance National Qualifying Event and WDSF Open February 9, 2019
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USA Dance National Qualifying Event And WDSF Open 16th Annual Competition Presented by USA Dance, Royal Palm Chapter # 6016 First USA Dance NQE in Florida! February 9, 2019 At Goldcoast Ballroom Coconut Creek, Florida www.RoyalPalmDanceSport.org Royal Palm DanceSport Championships NQE and WDSF Open February 9, 2019 At Goldcoast Ballroom Welcome to the Royal Palm DanceSport Championships NQE and WDSF Open! We thank you for choosing to participate in this 16th Annual Competition organized by USA Dance Royal Palm Chapter # 6016 and the first USA Dance National Qualifying Event in Florida! We are pleased and honored to present this exciting event to you at the beautiful Goldcoast Ballroom, and we acknowledge with gratitude the important role that Goldcoast Ballroom, and its owners Jeff Sandler and Vinny Munno, have played in Co-Sponsoring this special Event. We are honored and grateful to have such a highly distinguished and geographically diverse panel of World Class Adjudicators and Officials presiding at this Event, and we thank them. To our Donors who helped make this Event possible, we express our recognition and gratitude. Special thanks to all of our dedicated Volunteers for their important role in helping us make this exciting event happen! On behalf of our entire Board of Directors and Organizing Team, we wish you great dancing, much success, and a really fun time at this exciting Competition! Warmest Welcome! Connie Barnhart Koontz Organizer President, USA Dance, Royal Palm Chapter # 6016 See Lists of our Board Members & Organizing Team, Volunteers, and Donors on the following pages i Competition Venue & Co-Sponsors Jeff Sandler Vinny Munno Co-Founders & Co-Owners of Goldcoast Ballroom – Our Competition Venue Our grateful recognition and special appreciation go to Jeff Sandler and Vinny Munno, Co-Founders and Co-Owners of Goldcoast Ballroom, for hosting and generously co-sponsoring the Annual Royal Palm DanceSport Championships NQE at the Beautiful and Nationally Renowned Goldcoast Ballroom, as they have done for our Competition each year for the past 15 years! Read more about Jeff and Vinny on the Goldcoast Ballroom website ». ii Competition Volunteer Organizing Team Organizer: Connie Barnhart Koontz Co-Chair, Organizing Committee: Lee Fox Competition Registrars & O2cm Managers: Connie Barnhart Koontz Dave Koontz Onsite Registration: Sterling Sightler Deck Captain: Paula Mendelsohn Assistant Deck Captain & Support for Competitors: Autumn Nikirk Linda Miller Reception/ Competitor Check-in: Millie Ledoux Sterling Sightler Linda Miller Patti MacDonald Spectator Ticket Sales & Seating: Terry O’Donnell Ernie Arcaro Logistics Team Awards & Scholarships Coordinators: Connie Koontz Lee Fox Crystal S.H. Wong, CPA Collegiate Outreach & FAU Team Sponsor: Carolyne New Support for Judges: Dave Koontz Al Guzzi Marcia Miller Millie Ledoux Syrus Partian Director of Logistics: Ernie Arcaro Logistics Team: Ernie Arcaro, Bee Behar, Elizabeth Coldren, Matthew Dindial, Rita Ferraraccio, Jill Fragale, Susan Horowitz, Marcia Miller, Rosalie Monte, Syrus Partian, Nancy Price, Roni Sarvas, Jo Ann Scali, Ann Smith, Sheila Smith, Lou Stojanov, Angela Territo, Aileen Waech Awards: Connie Barnhart Koontz Lee Fox Crystal Wong, CPA Awards Platform: Millie Ledoux Robert Kassover Computers & Electronic Equipment: Dave Koontz Food Arrangements: Connie Barnhart Koontz Goldcoast Ballroom Ernie Arcaro Logistics Team Vendor Arrangements: Connie Barnhart Koontz Competition Webmasters, Communications & Promotion: Connie and Dave Koontz (www.RoyalPalmDancesport.org) Chapter Webmaster: Marius Ungureanu (www.USADance-RoyalPalm.org) Chapter Newsletter: Terry O’Donnell Chapter Photographer: Lee Ranger Sponsors USA Dance, Royal Palm Chapter # 6016 | Catherine and Francis Burzik Foundation | Goldcoast Ballroom We express our particular recognition and gratitude to the Catherine and Francis Burzik Foundation for their generous Grant which made possible the WDSF Open Standard Events at this Competition. Our special deep gratitude to Goldcoast Ballroom for their continuous and generous support and Co-sponsorship of this Competition and each of our previous 15 Competitions. Gold, Silver & Bronze Scholarship Donors USA Dance, Royal Palm Chapter # 6016 Connie & Dave Koontz Marcia Miller & Al Guzzi and their family dogs and cats USA Dance, Orlando Chapter # 6002 USA Dance, White Sands Chapter # 6012 Purple Tiger/ Margaret Burns – Hair & Makeup The Ballroom Shop/ Howard Cunningham – Dancewear, Costumes, Shoes & Jewelry Dancing Videos/ Edith Girardi & David Goudy - Videographer Moondance Studios/ Bobby Campbell – Photographer USA Dance, Suncoast Chapter # 6004 iii USA Dance, Greater Daytona Chapter # 6026 Chairman & Adjudicators – Royal Palm DanceSport Championships NQE and WDSF Open Sami Yli-Piipari Chairman of Adjudicators – From USA (Georgia) and Finland Certified: USA Dance + WDSF – Chair+ A+ B+ C+ D+ Sami Yli-Piipari is a USA Dance and WDSF Certified Chairman of Adjudicators and USA Dance and WDSF Certified Adjudicator in all styles of dance, Standard, Latin, Smooth, and Rhythm, at Championship Level in both Standard and Latin. Sami serves as Chairman of Adjudicators and Adjudicator for numerous USA Dance National Qualifying Event Competitions throughout the United States, and for the USA Dance National DanceSport Championships. In addition, representing the U.S., he serves as a WDSF Chairman and Adjudicator. He has judged several World and Continental Championships. Sami started ballroom dancing at the age of 10 in his native country, Finland. During his career with his wife Karita Yli-Piipari, he achieved numerous international and national titles including 15 total Finnish National Championship Titles, in both Amateur and Professional Standard, Latin, and 10-Dance. He is also a former World & European Professional 10-Dance Grand Finalist, United Kingdom & International Professional Rising Star Finalist, and Blackpool Professional Rising Star Semi-Finalist. His Competitive Accomplishments, with his partner and wife, Karita Yli-Piipari, include, among many others: 15-Times Finland National Champion, in Standard, Latin, and 10-Dance, World Professional 10 Dance Grand Finalist, European Professional 10 Dance Grand Finalist, UK Open Professional Rising Star Finalist, International Professional Rising Star Finalist, Blackpool Professional Rising Star Semi- Finalist, and Slovenian Open Professional Standard Champion. He is located in Athens, Georgia. Lee Fox Adjudicator & Invigilator – From Florida and Georgia Certified: USA Dance – Invigilator+ A+ B+ C+ D+ E+ Lee Fox is a USA Dance Championship Level Certified Adjudicator in all styles of dance, Standard, Latin, Smooth, and Rhythm, and also holds Licentiate Certification in Theater Arts from the Imperial Society of the Teachers of Dance. He is also a USA Dance Certified Invigilator. Lee has acted as an Adjudicator and Chairman of Judges at many regional competitions and showcases for many years, as well as having adjudicating at the USA Dance National DanceSport Championships. Lee has been the long-time President and is an Examiner of the National Dance Teachers Association of America (NDTA). In that position, he trains dance teachers for examinations, and administers examinations, for professional certifications. He is Certified as a Fellow (the highest level) in International Standard, International Latin, American Smooth, and American Rhythm by NDTA, and Certified in the licentiate level of International Standard, International Latin, American Rhythm and Theater Arts with the Imperial Society of the Teachers of Dance. A Certified USA Dance Invigilator, he is known for his vast and exacting knowledge of all official syllabi of both USA Dance, ISTD, and NDCA in all styles of dance. Lee has competed professionally in various events nationally and internationally over several years. Lee has had over 35 years of teaching experience, teaching and coaching individual students, as well as formation teams, at all levels from beginners to intermediate to advanced level choreography and competition coaching. He is now a frequent guest instructor at national and regional dance events, conventions and cruises. He has been invited to instruct and judge in San Francisco, Montreal, Atlanta, Copenhagen, New York, and Los Angeles, among many other cities. Melissa Dexter Adjudicator – From California and Italy Certified: USA Dance + WDSF – A+ B+ C+ D+ E+ Melissa Dexter is a USA Dance and WDSF Championship Level Certified Adjudicator in all styles of dance, Standard, Latin, Smooth, Rhythm, and Theater Arts. She is a former three-time United States Latin American Champion, four time Italian Professional Latin Champion, Italian Showdance Latin Champion, British Open Finalist, “World Professional Masters” Vice Champion, World Professional Latin Finalist, Grand Slam Champion, three-time European and World Finalist, and British Open Professional Latin Finalist, and she received the Distinguished Feather Award, the dancing world’s Oscar, two times. With her partner and husband Giacomo Steccaglia, Melissa won many top titles in Italy, Europe, England, the United States, and World Championships. Among Melissa’s many Accomplishments: World finalist,,European Finalist, Blackpool Finalist, World Latin American Showdance Vice Champion, “World Professional Masters Championship” Vice Champion, 3-Time United States Latin American Champion, 4-Time Italian Latin American Champion, Italian Latin American Showdance Champion, 2-time South American Showdance