Richard Jones  “My goal is to make learning to dance well an easy and fun process.  Honestly, dancing should be easy because it is natural.”

Richard began dancing at the rambunctious age of 11 when his parents brought him along to a family social dance class.  While growing up in New Zealand, he rapidly danced his way to the top of the competitive amateur ranks in both International Latin and Standard.  Wanting to swim in a bigger pond, Richard moved to England (his birthplace) where he continued to improve his dancing skills, studying with world-renown coaches and practicing at the famous Semley studio.  He returned to New Zealand in 1993, capturing the New Zealand Amateur Latin title and represented New Zealand at the World Amateur Dancesport Championships. 

Since he arrived in NYC in 1994, Richard has taught at several studios in the Tri-State area.  His energy, patience and excellent teaching skills have inspired first-place performances from many of his competing students.  In spite of his reputation for being a superb technical teacher, his quick-witted sense of humor keeps his students laughing while they learn.

Sarah Billings “My teaching goal is always to make my students look relaxed and confident in whatever they’re dancing.  I’m a true believer that it is always HOW one dances that attracts attention.  I want my students to understand how their body functions, so that moving gracefully around a dance floor becomes easy and fun.”

Sarah Billings’ performing debut was in the New York City Ballet’s Nutcracker when she was 9.  Since then, she has been continually drawn to the stage; dancing with the Vermont Chamber Ballet Company (Les Sylphides, Pas de Quatre) in high school, and performing in musical theater in college (Chicago, Brigadoon).  Introduced to Modern Dance at Barnard College in New York, she expanded her dance experiences by performing in pieces choreographed by fellow students, guest artists, and Barnard faculty.  After working in finance for a short stint, she realized how much she missed dancing and decided to make a career out of her true love. 

During the two years it took her to complete her Masters Degree in Dance Education at New York University, Sarah performed in works by established and up-and-coming choreographers, and presented her own work (Based Off Kilter, Still Soaring) at spaces downtown.  After graduating in 1994, she accidentally discovered the world of Ballroom Dancing and has been teaching, competing, and performing ever since.  For six years Sarah was a teaching artist, instructing NYC public school children in the art of partner dancing, for American Ballroom Theater’s “Dancing Classrooms” outreach program.  (Dancing Classrooms was featured in the film Mad Hot Ballroom -- where Sarah has a brief cameo.)  After obtaining her New York State teaching license, Sarah is now employed by the NYC Department of Education as a full-time dance teacher in the public schools.

Sarah uses her scientific understanding of the human body (gained from studying biology, anatomy, kinesiology and alignment theories) to help her students improve their posture and move more gracefully- both inside and outside the studio.