Cristiano Callegari

Cristiano Callegari is a professional ballroom dancer and coach who helps his students and audience understand the realm of dance. Dance has been the main focus and passion of Cristiano’s life since the age of nine. Padova, a city in northern Italy, is where Cristiano began his training. From this beginning in Padova, Cristiano has received much recognition and fulfilled many opportunities. He pursued his training with the best coaches in the world and soon attained the Italian Ten Dance title for two consecutive years. After success on the competitive dance floor, the Italian Dance Federation requested that he and his partner would participate in the New Latin Expression. Cristiano also won the winning title on a televised ballroom show airing in Italy which led to his employment with the television company for choreography.The Italian Dance Federation also made Cristiano the teacher of  Italian DanceSport Syllabus because of his wisdom and artistry of the figures. Travel soon took Cristiano to southern Italy where he began to establish a substantial amount of business. Within a short time, twenty studios were spread throughout southern Italy. In addition to the dance studios, at this time Cristiano was traveling to Greece and Spain where he coached and judged competitions. Cristiano left a trace of his dance by forming the Mediterranean Open Championship. Cristiano had seen Ballroom dancing in Italy grow so much that he wanted to open new doors. He traveled to the United States in 2005 and immediately began to compete. 

Katia Kuznetsova

Katia Kuznetsova is a professional ballroom dancer and coach.  Katia was born and raised in Ukraine where she began dancing at the age of five.  Competitions soon followed at the young age of six.  Katia pursued her dance career from the very beginning.  She studied with many top coaches throughout her early years and for several years to come.  When Katia turned seventeen, she attended the University of Culture and Art in Kiev Ukraine.  After five years Katia received a Masters degree in Professional Choreography accompanied with a major in Ballroom and Latin Instruction.  After graduation, she became a founding partner of the “Nekcy” Agency where she produced many shows for the top Russian Singers.  During this time, competition was another crucial focus.  She  made a decision to move to Houston Texas where she has built a studio of her own, Dance With Stars. Katia is still a top competitor and travels the world with her partner, Cristiano Callegari, going from competition to competition and  getting new knowledge from some of the most renowned instructors in the world.

Enzo Zappia
Enzo Zappia was born and raised in Italy where he began his passion for dance at the age of eight. Then, in 1994, Enzo furthered his love for dance by opening a dance studio of his own in Casarano, Italy called La Perla. Here he was able to teach children and adults the art of dancing. Many of his students won several dancesport competitions in Italy and Europe. Enzo currently is focusing on getting his students ready for Pro-Am competitions around the U.S. He and his students have won several awards around the nation competing againt many other top Pro-Am competitors. He also taught what was called Caribbean Dance, which is known in America as Salsa, Merengue, and Bachata. He trained and choreographed several routines in Caribbean Dance that received first place awards. As for his own dancing career, in 2003 Enzo Zappia won First Place in the International Greece Competition, and in 2005 he became the Italian Ten-Dance Champion. If you were to ask Enzo what dance means to him he would respond, “Dance is my life and my  work, I pour my heart and soul into it. Not a day goes by that it doesn’t give me pleasure, satisfaction, challenge, and reward.” 

Michael and Jessica
Michael and Jessica are Nationally Competitive Ballroom dancers. They are one of the Top Ranked Amateur couples in Texas. Although they compete in the Amateur division, Michael and Jessica are far from being amateur instructors and dancers. Michael and Jessica believe in hard work and dedication which had proved to work well for them when they were able to make it to the top 24 in Ohio Star Ball after dancing together for only 6 months. Their charisma and passion for dance keeps anyone around them enchanted. Michael and Jessica are Dance With Stars’ Children’s program co-ordinators. They  organize the syllabuses and creates routines for 7 of Dance With Stars’ group classes. Jessica is also the Director of the RISING STARS Dance Co. Michael and Jessica specialize in the International Latin Style of competitive ballroom dancing, but are also known for their excellence in teaching a variety of Social dances. 

Katia and Cristiano are world-class competitors in the International Latin Professional division. Their partnership, which began in 2007, immediately bared development of ballroom dance community in Houston, TX. Their most recent accomplishments in the International Latin category include:

-5th Place National Rising Star, USDC 2009
-2nd Place in National Rising Star, Ohio Star Ball 2008
-Finalists in National Rising Star, USDC 2008
-Finalists in Rising Star, Embassy Ball 2008
-Semi-finalists in Open to the World Rising Star, USDC 2008
-Top 24 Rising Star, UK Open 2008

    Driven by a passion for excellence in dance sport, Cristiano and Katia are constantly enhancing their knowledge and understanding of dance by training with some of the top coaches in the world. Their dedication and commitment to teaching has enabled their students to develop  into excellent dancers and achieve top results consistently in Pro-Am and Amateur divisions. Katia and Cristiano want to share with their students the amazing benefits, experience and joy that dance brings into one's life. They offer dance instruction in International Latin, Standard, Showdance, and Country-Western in their studio "Dance with Stars" in Katy, Texas.
"Dance with Stars" is a winner of several 'Top Studio' awards, it prides itself in providing dance instructions to all student levels from beginner to experienced dancers.

Natalie Cruz

Always a fan of dancing, Natalie didn’t begin formal training until the age of 19.  By 23, she placed 1st at the Caribbean Dancesport Classic and has not looked back since.  She is persistent in her pursuit of dance, continuing to take lessons and coaching and is always eager to learn more about what she loves most.  With experience in Hip Hop, Jazz and Ballet, Ballroom was far from foreign to her, making it that much more fun to continue learning.  Choosing dance as a career was an easy choice but a difficult path to walk.  However, Natalie’s excitement and passion for dance has not waned with time, but rather, has grown.  She is inspired every day by her students and those around her to continue doing what she loves.  As a late beginner, herself, Natalie is a firm believer in the notion that anyone can dance.