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Igor grew up in Voronezh,Russia. He started dancing at the age of 7, training in various styles of dance. He went on to study choreography at The Institute of Culture and Arts. It was there where he had his first ballroom lessons. Igor moved to the United States in 2007. He taught and trained a different studios in Chicago before moving to Minneapolis.
Meghan grew up in a “dance family†with her parents owning Fred Astaire Dance Studios in the Minneapolis area before going Independent. She and her brother were used to traveling with them as they competed professionally and with their students. She spent many Saturday evenings on the side of the ballroom floor watching and picking up rhinestones! Occasionally she would dance with her dad – only for fun and to wear a fancy costume. At the age of 8 she and her dad danced on PBS’ “Championship Ballroom Dancing.â€
During her childhood into her teens Meghan had extensive dance training in tap, ballet, and jazz. During that time she trained with Mandy Moore, Ray Leeper, and more. She won several national titles while dancing competitively in Minnesota and National Competitions around the country. After receiving her degree in Public Relations and working at a PR firm in Minneapolis, she soon realized her passion was to be a professional ballroom teacher and competitor. She trained and taught at studios in St. Paul and Milwaukee before moving back to Minneapolis to further her career.
After moving back to Minneapolis, she realized her first love was American Smooth and the search for the right partner began. Igor was teaching in Chicago for several years and even competed professionally in the American Smooth. Meghan’s dad suggested he might be a good “fit†for her.
After a couple “tryouts†they soon realized how much they enjoyed dancing together. Igor moved to Minneapolis so they could train and develop their careers there. They set very high goals from the beginning and stuck to a very detailed training schedule. It wasn’t long that they also realized how much they had in common and soon fell in love. They married in May of 2018.
Each dance is dedicated to their son, Luka. They want to show him that anything is possible through handwork, dedication and love for what you do.
Achievements:
- 2019 United States Professional Rising Star Smooth Champions
- 2019 United States American Smooth Open Semi-Finalists
- 2019 Undefeated Rising Star Champions
- Finalist and winners of several Open Smooth events