About Connie

Connie and husband Mike currently fly to California frequently to perfect their dance skills under the direction of World Champions Nick and Lena Kosovitch. Nick and Lena are professional dancers on ABC's "DANCING WITH THE STARS"

While most of America watched Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance across the silver screen, a young girl from Transfer, Pa., Mercer County, began a lifetime of watching, learning, studying, practicing and performing the art and science of dance.

Connie Lauffer Shoop began her first 18 years of formal dance training at the age of 3. She studied ballet, pointe, tap, jazz and acrobatics with Meadville Dance Instructor Arita Lee. At age 12, she also studied baton twirling under the direction of National Baton Twirling Champion Jack DeVenny of Sharon, Pa.

From 1993 until now, Connie's formal training in ballroom dance has taken her from Erie and Meadville, across the US to Los Angeles, California. She has studied under national champion dancers and world renowned teachers such as:

Bob Powers and Julia Gorchakova - 12 time Undefeated US Rhythm Champions - Youngstown, Ohio

Pierre Allaire and Mireille Vielleux - Legendary Canadian Ten Dance Champions - Montreal, Canada

Tom and Lisa Hicks - 1994 Rising Star Latin Champions - Los Angeles, Ca.

John Dryden - Ballroom Dance Professional, Coach, Teacher & Judge - Pittsburgh, Pa.

Alfredo Horna - Ballroom Dance Professional, Coach, Teacher & Judge - Toledo, Ohio

Connie has been swing dancing and jitterbugging since her teen years in Mercer County. However, Connie's professional swing dance training has included lessons with national and international Swing, Lindy Hop and Balboa Dance Champions:

Marcus Koch and Barbl Kauffer - Munich, Germany

Kevin St. Laurent and Karla Heiney - San Francisco, Ca.

Nick Williams and Sylvia Sykes - Los Angeles, Ca.

Rusty Frank - Los Angeles, Ca.

Since 1994, Connie has taught hundreds of students from the tri-state area. While most are social dancers, some of her students have become teachers and competitors. Her students have ranged in age from 8 to 85! People of all ages enjoy the social, emotional, and physicial benefits of ballroom dancing. To learn how you can, contact connie@conniesballroomdance.com