Panache Instructors

Sandra Myers - Head Instructor/Owner

• Sandra has been dancing ballroom socially for five years, and has undergone ballroom dance teacher training at Midwest Ballroom Dance Teachers Academy (MBDTA) in Fort Wayne.   She began dancing with Scott as they prepared a routine for their wedding, and both she and Scott have been dancing ever since.  She received her Master’s degree in Communication and Culture from Indiana University in 2008.  Her focus of study was in Performance and Ethnography, specifically focused on ballroom dancing.  Prior to pursuing her Master’s degree, she worked as a high school Theatre and English teacher. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre from Indiana University.

Scott Myers - Business Manager/Owner

• Scott has been dancing ballroom socially for five years and has undergone ballroom dance training at the Midwest Ballroom Dance Teachers Academy in Fort Wayne.   Previously he has taught ballroom lessons at Brandy's School of Dance in Bluffton, IN. He received his MBA from Indiana University – Fort Wayne in 2005.

Ben Monticue - Associate Instructor

• Although he has always admired the form, Ben is relatively new to ballroom dance, and started taking classes within the past year.  However, he has learned quickly, and has developed into a very skilled dancer.  Ben is excited to work for Panache, because he will be able to practice this form of dance that he has come to love so much.

Nancy Emerson - Associate Instructor

• Nancy has been dancing socially for many years, and has learned country style partner dancing, line dancing, Latin street dancing, and most recently, ballroom dance.  Nancy is also a certified Zumba Dancefit instructor and offers this exciting, fun workout class at Panache Dance.  Nancy's love of dancing is truly inspiring, and she is a wonderful addition to Panache.

Independent Instructors

Tom Slater

• Tom attended USC where he pursued a BA in Theatre with a minor in dance. While still attending college Tom began dancing ballroom.  He became a World Exhibition Champion which is a style of ballroom dance also known as Theater Arts, Cabaret, or Adagio (dancing where overhead lifts are permitted and encouraged). He has been featured in national commercials in Hollywood and has worked with many celebrities as a teacher and performer. He fulfilled one of his life dreams when he was privileged to dance with Juliette Prowse in a PBS special. Tom has performed for two Presidents and is featured in the movie “Dance With Me”.
  
  Tom has trained hundreds of professional and amateur dancers, many who have gone on to become World Champions in various styles of couple dancing. Tom moved to Bloomington from San Francisco where he taught and choreographed. He is a member of the Windfall Dance Company of modern dance in Bloomington and is the Master Teacher for the Bloomington Ballroom Teachers Academy.
  
  For more information check out his website at TomSlaterDancePro.com!

César Wilson

• César  grew up dancing and has a passion for many forms of Afro-Latin dance. He has been teaching Latin dance in Bloomington for two years.  His areas of expertise include (but definitely are not limited to) salsa, bachata, merengue, kizomba and tango.

Staff

Robert Ping

• Robert is a web designer and local actor.  He is owner of Wavelength Solutions, a company committed to bringing communities of people together in a safe, interactive, web-based environment.  He was Senior Production Manager of Design Production for Sunrise Greetings/InterArt Distribution and has a Bachelor of Science from Indiana University. Robert infuses his advice and web design skills into the studio and the Bloomington Ballroom Teachers Academy.
  
  He was most recently seen on stage in the Starrynight Productions production of The Rocky Horror Show as the blond-haired and tanned Rocky and in an adaptation of A Christmas Carol as the lovable character, Fezziwig.