Toni Redpath was born in Surfer's Paradise, Queensland, Australia, and started ballroom dancing at the age of 9, after accompanying a friend to a local dance competition and deciding that it looked like too much fun not to try. At 18, Toni represented Norway for three years with then partner Jan Tore Jacobson before moving to England and passing her Imperial Society Professional Exams with high honors. Toni later joined her family in America and began her professional career as an instructor at the Champion Ballroom Academy in San Diego, Southern California. Michael Mead and Toni formed a professional ballroom competition partnership and developed a unique style that ultimately led them to setting a record by winning the US Open Ballroom Championships 4 years in a row (undefeated throughout) before retiring from competition in 2002. Toni has choreographed and guest judged for shows, (So You Think You Can Dance), was on the Board of Advisers and was a featured judge on TLC's Ballroom Blitz, trains World Champion American Style ballroom dancers, is a certified World Class judge, and judges at all the major US Ballroom competitions.
Born in England, Michael Mead went to public boarding school from the age of 9 while his parents work took them abroad, and was drifting onto the path of becoming a Chartered Accountant until he decided dancing was actually a much better fit. Originally teaching and training in Ballroom dancing in London, Michael eventually made his way over to California where he joined the competitive Ballroom circuit along with partner and wife to be Toni Redpath. Together they won the US Open Ballroom Championships an unprecedented 4 times from 1999 through 2002 (undefeated throughout) and were ranked the number one Ballroom couple in their style in the World. Retiring from competition in 2002 Michael has since judged at all the major US Ballroom competitions, choreographed for shows such as SYTYCD and Americas Ballroom Challenge, is a certified World Class judge, and trained World Champion ballroom dancers.
Nazar and Irina both were born and raised in a small town in Siberia, Russia. Since the snow
are we, that they both (or rather their parents) decided that ballroom dancing is the one! They
started dancing together when she was 13 and he was 15. In 2007 they moved to sunny Florida
(what a contrast!) and started competing professionally in International Latin, Ballroom and 10-
dance. After Winning Professional Rising Stars competition at the Ohio Star Ball as well as
placing in the top 3 at the US National Rising Star and Open to the World events at the USDC
they have decided to try themselves in American Rhythm.
They won US National Professional Rising Star competition at the 2013 USDC and became
Open Professional Grand Finalists the same year. They then went to become the 3 times
undefeated Open Professional American Rhythm Champions and 3 times undefeated World
Professional American Rhythm Champions (2016-2018). As well as winning every major
Championship in North America during those years.
Nazar and Irina decided to retire from professional competition and did s
