Ballroom Dance Lessons Jacksonville

Our Team

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  Natasha Namen

  Natasha started dancing at the age of 9 dancing ballet, jazz, hip hop, and contemporary. She was one of the top dancers in her institute. When she found out the owners of her dance school were opening a ballroom studio, she gave it a try, and little did she know that ballroom dancing would be her true passion for dancing. After 13 years, she left her childhood institute and transferred into ballroom dancing at 18 years old. She fell in love with the beauty of ballroom immediately, which turned her hobby into a full dance career. She successfully competed for over 10 years and was coached and trained by the best coaches in the industry, two of them who are Marina and Vasiliy Vlasov, the owners of Arthur Murray Jacksonville. Natasha reached the highest levels winning 7 United States National and World Championship titles at the most prestigious competitions in the world. She travelled nationally and internationally competing and winning through grit and grace. Natasha is one of the best and one of the most well recognized ballroom dancers in the United States. After a long, competitive journey, she decided to share her exceptional quality of dancing skills and knowledge with her students since 2022. She specializes in all styles of ballroom dancing, including Cabaret teaching from beginners to advanced levels. She actively competes with her students in many competitions, already winning in their divisions. While Natasha still has her eyes set on returning to the most prestigious dance championships competitions she once conquered as a competitor, her mission now is to do so as a coach and provide the next generation of students the opportunity, training, and support which propelled her to accomplishing her dreams.

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  Irina Babina

  Irina began dancing as a child in Russia. She was trained in many different styles of dance. She competed professionally in Rhythm Gymnastics, winning many top competitions. She was trained by some of the best coaches in Russia. When Irina moved to the United States, she continued to follow her passion in dancing and began working at Arthur Murray in 2011. Marina and Vasiliy have trained her to be one of the best teachers and dancers at Arthur Murray Jacksonville. She competed professionally with her ballroom dance partner and achieved a lot of success in local competitions. After a competitive professional career, Irina continued to share her passion for dancing with her students who have competed at the highest levels and won their categories at very prestigious competitions. One of her students won the World Masters Award at a big, local dance competition and received an invitation to compete at Ohio Star Ball, one of the biggest competitions in the United States. Irina also specializes in the Cabaret style, competing with her students and has achieved great success. Irina can help students from beginner to advanced levels and achieve all their great desires and needs in dancing.

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  Pavel “Pasha” Andreyev

  Pasha began dancing in Russia at Marina and Vasiliy’s 300-student ballroom dance school at the age of 3 years old. He was trained by the best teachers in Russia. Marina and Vasiliy were his main coaches and mentors. When he moved to the United States, he started working at Marina and Vasiliy’s Arthur Murray Studio in Jacksonville since 2011. He competed with his professional partner, winning, and achieving titles at local competitions. After a successful competitive journey, he continued his passion in dancing by sharing his knowledge with his students teaching from beginner to advanced levels. He actively travels and competes with his students winning in their divisions and also achieving the “top teacher awards,” at many competitions. Pasha is also an expert in creating beautiful wedding dances. Not only does he choreograph, he also puts music together to create the perfect dream wedding dance. Pasha can transform anyone to be the best version of themselves and can help anyone achieve their dancing goals and dreams.

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  Marina & Vasiliy Vlasov

  Marina and Vasiliy bean dancing in their early teenage years when they first met in Kaliningrad, Russia. They began to build their passion and love for dancing together. They competed successfully as amateurs and professionals throughout Russia and Europe while receiving degrees in mechanical engineering and working in this field for over 10 years. They decided to follow their ultimate passion desire and passion for dancing, which led them to establish a 300-student ballroom dance school for children and youth, teaching and training at a high level that has resulted in many of their students becoming champions in many countries around the world. Vasiliy and Marina believe that ballroom dancing affects the individual physically, mentally, and spiritually. This belief of caring for the whole person, along with providing an exceptional quality of dance instruction and training, led them to continue their expertise in the dancing profession as they moved to the United States in 2000. They are well recognized throughout the United States for their instructional technique, training and coaching skills as adjudicators at both amateur and professional levels. Their exceptional quality of dance instruction and training led them to become owners of the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Jacksonville back in 2008.
  
  In their Jacksonville South studio, they provide for students of all ages and levels teaching fun and joy of basic and social dancing and meeting their individual desires and needs which always leads to changing peoples lives. Along with teaching beginners, they have helped students reach the highest levels of their dancing dreams which lead them to win United States National and World titles at the professional and amateur levels.
  
  In 2016, Marina and Vasiliy expanded their professional expertise by opening a second location in St. Augustine, FL. They continue to serve the St. Augustine community and changing people’s lives every day.
  
  They both hold Arthur Murray Verified Professional Examiner certification in American and International styles of dancing. They are also certified adjudicators with the National Dance Council of America (NDCA). They provide exceptional training for their teaching staff in order to excellent service to each student that becomes a part of their dancing family.

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  Mikhail “Misha” Vlasov

  Misha Vlasov began dancing at the age of 7 at his parents dance school back in Russia. When he moved to the United States with his family, he continued his dance career competing in International Latin and Standard along with the American Smooth and Rhythm divisions for more than 20 years under the coaching of his parents, Marina and Vasiliy. Also, Misha performed in the Jacksonville Florida Theatre in The Community
  
  Nutcracker Ballet and The Frog Prince Ballet. He has also performed with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in Cirque De La Symphony He competed professionally with his partner, Vanda Polakova, and they were able to place 3 rd in the World in the professional American Rhythm Style and were finalists of many prestigious competitions. In 2015 and 2016, Misha and his partner won the National American Mambo Championship. After a long competitive journey, Misha decided to continue his passion for dancing by sharing his knowledge and skills with his students. Misha is actively competing with his students on the national level in the Pro/Am division, earning lots of prestigious titles in the United States. He also actively coaches throughout Arthur Murray dance studios in the United States and in Europe. In 2018, Misha and one of his students auditioned for Season 13 on one of the biggest television shows, America’s Got Talent, and advanced all the way to quarter finals and received the “golden buzzer,” from country super star, Martina McBride. In 2019, another one of his students took home the first-place title in the Open Gold Pro/Am Rhythm division at Ohio Star Ball, one of the most prestigious competitions in the
  
  United States. Misha specializes in all ballroom styles of dance and his goal and mission is to bring happiness and joy to every student he works with and achieve all of their dreams.