Barbara Finn

Instructor

My passion for dance began at the age of four when my mother enrolled me in a Hawaiian Hula Dance class along with a ballet class. As each year passed, I continued to learn other forms of dance including tap, acrobatics, jazz, adagio, and point. By ten years old, I had developed a solid dance foundation that was to serve my future activities in junior high cheerleading, high school variety shows and cheerleading, college gymnastics and beauty pageants, and years of social dancing, dance contests, and jazzercise.

After graduating from Michigan State University, I moved from Michigan to California to begin my high school teaching career. Within the next ten years, I married my first husband; birthed two children, Jeremy and Sausha; advanced my teaching expertise, and developed my interests in snow and water skiing.

Two years after my divorce, a prayer to God lead me to my wonderful husband, Jim. We have shared many wonderful years traveling to many foreign countries; playing golf together at various country clubs, developing a taste and knowledge of fine wines that included our own vineyard, and expanding our family to include Jim’s two daughters, three son-in-laws, one daughter-in-law, and eight grandchildren. Since returning to the Midwest, I earned another degree in Interior Design and built a very successful interior design business during the last twenty years.

A chance viewing of the Championship Ballroom Dancing TV program fourteen years ago, brought an answer to a potential mid-life crisis and an exciting new arena to polish my dance basics and learn a different dance form. In addition, both my husband and I could enjoy this new dance style. We began learning the American Style Smooth and Rhythm dances including the Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz, Cha Cha, Rumba, Swing, Mambo, and Bolero. With my background in performing, I began competing in dancesport competitions within six months with my professional partner. After three years, Jim and I began competing in amateur competitions throughout the United States. To continue to expand my horizons, I added the International Style Standard and Latin dances to my repertoire. In 2003, Jim and I garnered the United States Amateur Elite Champions in American Smooth and finalists in the Championship International Standard. Barbara holds the United States Pro-Am Championship titles in American Smooth, International Latin, and International Standard.

Since retiring from competition, we have been teaching ballroom dancing to hundreds of adults in both group and private lessons at various dance studios and park districts. It has been our pleasure to share our love of smooth and rhythm dancing and our expertise that we have acquired from 15 years of private coaching from top US and Russian champions.

Both Jim and I have been active members of USA Dance attending monthly social dances and performing many showcases. Jim was Treasurer for six years and is currently serving as Newsletter Editor and our monthly DJ. Barbara served as Secretary for three years and has been President of the Chicagoland Chapter #2001 since 2001.

As I continue to strive for dance perfection, it is my pleasure to share my expertise and my passion for dance with others. I hope to bring the same joy, confidence, good health, and wonderful means of expressing emotions by moving to music to young and old alike.

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