Information
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Volunteer
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Mike Topel
www.miketopel.com
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Mike began country line dancing
in 1992, and he quickly turned
to couples social dance when he
found dance partners who liked
to be tossed in the air. He
started teaching regular dance
classes in 1994 and eventually
quit an office job in 1998 to
teach dance and perform
full-time. Mike's teaching style
was developed from his martial
arts background (where, as a
second-degree black belt, he
taught for five years), and his
appreciation for improvisational
theater.
Mike prefers to compete in dance
events that test his leading,
following, and improvisational
skills. He utilizes the balance
and physical control of the
martial arts in competition and
social dancing, and found that
improvisation and musicality
were his greatest strengths.
Mike continues to perform,
compete, judge, MC, DJ, and
teach. He's performed this last
decade of the US Open Swing
Dance Championships, UCWDC
Country Worlds, and everywhere
in the country in the NASDE and
WSDC swing circuits. He judges
at just about every event, and
is the Chief Judge for several
Midwestern events. When he's not
judging or performing, he's
MCing.
With students all over the
continent, Mike gives special
attention to his social dancing,
which keeps him up until 4 AM on
weekends he's on the road.
During the week he teaches
regular classes for Austin City
Dance Club, and DJs a weekly
(Tuesday) swing dance. |
Mike Topel
West Coast Swing
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