Fred Astaire Dance Studios
Encyclopedia
Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc. is a ballroom dance
franchise
chain of studios in the United States
and Canada
, named after a famous dancer Fred Astaire
. It is headquartered in Longmeadow, Massachusetts
, USA.
It was co-founded by Charles Casanave, Chester Casanave, & Fred Astaire in 1947. Astaire divested his interest in the chain in 1966, while agreeing the continued use of his name by the franchise. The studios became franchised in 1950; currently there are no corporate owned studios. Each franchise is individually owned & operated. Currently there are 140 Fred Astaire studios in the United States alone. As of December 2010, Fred Astaire Dance Studios will now be franchising around the world.
Vernon Brock & Beverly Donahue(Latin)
Vernon Brock & Linda Dean(Latin)
Corky & Shirley Ballas (Latin)
Charles & Jean Penatello (Smooth & Rhythm)
Joe Lozano & Jan Mattingly(Smooth)
Jim & Jenell Maranto (Smooth)
David Hamilton (Smooth)
Ben Ermis & Shalene Archer-Ermis (Smooth & 9 dance)
Forrest Vance & Susie Thompson (Rhythm)
Tony Dovolani
(Rhythm)
Tony Dovolani
& Elena Grinenko
(Rhythm)
Jose DeCamps
(Rhythm)
Brian & Susan Puttock (Standard)
Armando & Laura Martin (10 Dance)
Jay Larson & Julie Jacobson (9 dance)
Gleb & Tatiana Makarov (9 dance)
Andrey & Anastasia Abrashin (9 dance)
Gunnar Sverrisson(9 dance)
Ballroom dance
Ballroom dance refers to a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world. Because of its performance and entertainment aspects, ballroom dance is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television....
franchise
Franchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
chain of studios in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, named after a famous dancer Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
. It is headquartered in Longmeadow, Massachusetts
Longmeadow, Massachusetts
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,633 people, 5,734 households, and 4,432 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 5,879 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 95.42% White, 0.69% African American, 0.05% Native American, 2.90%...
, USA.
It was co-founded by Charles Casanave, Chester Casanave, & Fred Astaire in 1947. Astaire divested his interest in the chain in 1966, while agreeing the continued use of his name by the franchise. The studios became franchised in 1950; currently there are no corporate owned studios. Each franchise is individually owned & operated. Currently there are 140 Fred Astaire studios in the United States alone. As of December 2010, Fred Astaire Dance Studios will now be franchising around the world.
Fred Astaire Dance Studios current & former champions
All of the following worked for and or started with Fred Astaire Dance Studios and won at least one United States Dance Championship.Vernon Brock & Beverly Donahue(Latin)
Vernon Brock & Linda Dean(Latin)
Corky & Shirley Ballas (Latin)
Charles & Jean Penatello (Smooth & Rhythm)
Joe Lozano & Jan Mattingly(Smooth)
Jim & Jenell Maranto (Smooth)
David Hamilton (Smooth)
Ben Ermis & Shalene Archer-Ermis (Smooth & 9 dance)
Forrest Vance & Susie Thompson (Rhythm)
Tony Dovolani
Tony Dovolani
Driton "Tony" Dovolani is an Albanian-American professional ballroom dancer, instructor and judge based in New York City. He is known for his involvement in the American version of Dancing with the Stars on ABC. Dovolani also portrayed a Latin bad boy in the hit film Shall We Dance? and spent time...
(Rhythm)
Tony Dovolani
Tony Dovolani
Driton "Tony" Dovolani is an Albanian-American professional ballroom dancer, instructor and judge based in New York City. He is known for his involvement in the American version of Dancing with the Stars on ABC. Dovolani also portrayed a Latin bad boy in the hit film Shall We Dance? and spent time...
& Elena Grinenko
Elena Grinenko
Elena Grinenko is a professional ballroom dance champion, choreographer, and instructor. She is best known as one of the professional dancers on the American television series Dancing With The Stars.-Biography:...
(Rhythm)
Jose DeCamps
Jose DeCamps
Jose Decamps is a professional ballroom dancer based in New York City. He is perhaps best known as the 2007 U.S. National Dancesport Champions with his partner, Joanna Zacharewicz....
(Rhythm)
Brian & Susan Puttock (Standard)
Armando & Laura Martin (10 Dance)
Jay Larson & Julie Jacobson (9 dance)
Gleb & Tatiana Makarov (9 dance)
Andrey & Anastasia Abrashin (9 dance)
Gunnar Sverrisson(9 dance)