Bob Powers On Standardizing Professional American Rhythm

All About Ballroom Dancing

Bob Powers Standardizing Professional American Rhythm Todd Combs & Taras Denysenko episode 005

• 12 Times United States Rhythm Champions
• 3 Times World Professional Mambo Champion
• Bob & Julia are recipients of the 2012 DanceSport Hall of Fame Award
• Finalist in the World Showdance Championships
• Member of the World Dance Arts Foundation
• Certified adjudicator with the National Dance Council of America * Certified with the World Dance Council
• Arthur Murray Dance Studio, Owner in Mesa Arizona
• Julia & Bob are creators & owners of the Latin Dance Fitness Program “Core Rhythms”

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• What exactly is this project you are doing? Is it like a “rule book”, or a guideline manual? Please let us know what it is.

Bob Powers: The group is called Rhythm Champions and our mission is to promote American Style Rhythm dancing worldwide. The American Smooth has had great success lately and we have discovered that the reason the Rhythm has lagged behind is the fact that there’s a belief that there are too many differences in the techniques. So one of the goals of the group is to come to a consensus on each dance. We are in the process of developing a technique book, not a syllabus but strictly body, hip, leg and foot action description. So if you can imagine 15 former US Champions coming together to agree on a specific technique and how it should be expressed verbally.

• Who is involved? Is there a person or persons in charge of organizing this? What are different persons' roles?

Bob Powers: Every US Champion since the inception of the Pro Rhythm division. I can list them if you want.

1984 Charles & Jean Penatello

1985-1987 Joe Lozano & Jan Mattingly

1988-1992 Forrest Vance & Susie Thompson

1991-2003 Bob Powers & Julia Gorchakova

2004 Tony Dovolani & Inna Ivanenko

2005-2006 Tony Dovolani & Elena Grinenko

2007-2010 Jose DeCamps & Joanna Zacharewicz

2011-2013 Decho Kraev & Bree Watson

2014-2015 Emmanuel Pierre-Antoine & Liana Churilova

2016-2018 Nazar Norov & Irina Kudryashova

2019 Andre Paramonov & Natalie Paramonov

• What is your role?

Bob Powers: We are all equally involved and contribute to the technique as well as promotion and online classes to promote it.

1. How did this come about?

Bob Powers: During the Coronavirus stay at home order one of the guys came up with the idea and asked who would be interested. We all responded.

1. What stage is this currently in?

Bob Powers: Definitely developmental. It's taken us 9 weeks to do the Rumba Box. But the great thing is it just keeps getting better. We have such an amazing group of great dancers, teachers and musically gifted individuals that it can’t help but be a success.

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