OUR EMCEE

Al Terzi

Households across southern New England know Al Terzi, regarded by his peers as the dean of Connecticut television news. One of the state's most respected broadcast journalists since the 1960s, Al anchors the weekday editions of Eyewitness News at Noon and 5. Al's current tenure at Channel 3 began in January 1994. He had previously worked for Channel 3 from 1968 to 1978, and then spent two years in Florida, working as a news anchor and news director at a station in West Palm Beach. During that period, he survived a devastating accident, when the airplane he was piloting developed fuel problems and crash-landed in a wooded area during a trip to Tallahassee, Florida. In 1980, Al returned to Connecticut, to work at WTNH-TV in New Haven, where he served 14 years until returning to Channel 3.

Al has shared in two Emmy awards since rejoining Channel 3. One Emmy award he received was for "Best Newscast" and a second was for a series of specials on the UConn Huskies basketball team. Al's education includes undergraduate work at both Yale and Central Connecticut State universities. He also holds a law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law. A military veteran, Al served more than seven years of active duty with U.S. Air Force intelligence operations in the Far East.
Al is a long-standing member of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Steven A. Mitchell is a graduate of the University of Miami and veteran public school music teacher in Dade County, Florida. He is recognized as a distinguished choral conductor, choreographer, and soloist. He is co-founder of the Cutler Ridge Middle School Ridge ARTS Program, recognized by The Executive Educator magazine and The School Board Journal as "...one of the 25 most effective instructional programs in North America." In addition to public school, Mr. Mitchell has conducted The Miami Boy Choir, University of Miami Summer Choral Camp, University of Wisconsin Music Clinics, CT Northern Region Middle School Chorus, and temple and church choirs.

Mr. Mitchell came to Connecticut in 2000, leaving his post as Minister of the Arts at Coral Gables Congregational Church in South Florida. He currently serves as Minister of Music & Arts at Asylum Hill Congregational Church in Hartford where his responsibilities include direction of the Sanctuary Choir, worship development, children's music programming, adult studies in art, drama and music, book reviews, lectures and the Asylum Hill Performing Arts Series. In June of 2008, Mr. Mitchell was chosen by Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez and Leadership Greater Hartford to pull together artists, dancers, actors and musicians from across Greater Hartford to participate in a community wide anti-violence vigil -- Hartford Cares. In addition, Mr. Mitchell is a sought after soloist. His solo credits include: The Miami Bach Society, the Florida Grand Opera, Connecticut Concert Opera, CONCORA, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and The New World Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Michael Tilson-Thomas.

Mr. Mitchell currently serves on the Boards of the Hartt School of Music and Spectrum in Motion Dance Theater Ensemble. He lives in West Hartford with his wife and two children.

Mark Mitchell, owner of Mitchell Auto Group.

Hugh Russell is owner of Russell Restaurant.

Benjamin C. Jensen, our third judge, is an associate in the Thelen LLP's Commercial Litigation practice in Hartford, where his practice focuses on protecting the interests of local, national, and international businesses in litigation matters. Mr. Jensen's experience includes practice before state and federal trial courts, the Connecticut Appellate Court, and various arbitral forums, including several arbitrations involving securities brokers under the New York Stock Exchange and National Association of Securities Dealers dispute resolution rules.

Mr. Jensen is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association and the Hartford County Bar Association. He is also a member of the Core Working Group and Development Committee for the Hartford Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs (HYPE), an economic development initiative of the MetroHartford Alliance.

Kelly M. Stangel - Director began dancing at the age of 3, diving into jazz, ballet, and tap classes. She continued this avenue while pursuing other areas of movement classes including gymnastics, cheerleading, track, modern dancing and hip hop, which all have become part of her repertoire. After graduating from college with a bachelor's degree in communication, she joined the Hartford Conservatory to study dance more closely. During this time, she also joined the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in hopes of becoming a ballroom dance instructor. Upon the completion of the training course, Kelly knew ballroom dancing was something she wanted to pursue. Kelly, owner of Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Bloomfield, CT, not only teaches ballroom dancing, but competes professionally with her partner, winning many Arthur Murray competitions. Now in the business for over 10 years, Kelly and her husband couldn't be happier sharing their love and passion for dancing with others.

Diana Chickosky - Instructor

Eric Chung - Instructor
Eric went to school at Capitol Community Technical College (CCTC) where he received his Associate's Degree and later he attended Central Connecticut State University (CCSU), where he received his Bachelor's Degree. During his time at CCSU he joined the the car club where he met a friend who introduced him to the world of ballroom dancing. Though reluctant at first, Eric soon fell in love with the sport of dancing and saw how it began to change his life. Not only did he feel more assertive and confident, but it also improved his social life.

Beyond dancing, Eric enjoys racing cars. He has learned to employ skills acquired from dancing into racing cars. In particular his foot flexibility from dance improved his pedal work. Additionally, Eric has learned that racing a car on the track requires awareness of other racers similar to the floor-craft needed in the ballroom.

Dr. Savio Cheng works for Aetna, and resides in Middletown, CT. He is well-known in Hartford, New Haven, and New London counties. Affectionately known by his first name only, Savio has been a permanent fixture in the Connecticut ballroom and swing dance scenes. In addition to having been in charge of the monthly swing dances for many years, he is a frequent and longtime volunteer in the Connecticut swing dance community. He was a member of the Connecticut Swing Dance Society Board of Directors, and was the Vice President of the Hartford Community Dance Board of Directors, which coordinates
numerous dances for east coast swing, west coast swing, and ballroom dancing. Savio has performed with the Brian Gillie dance troupe, and is an active member of the Rhythm Rousers, an amateur swing dance (lindy) performance group in Connecticut.

Savio has taught cha-cha and rumba for Jitterbug Jane's Swing Danceworks for several years. He also studies with Mrs. Michèle Morin Evans, former world champion of the Theater Arts World Invitational in Blackpool, England, and the United States Ballroom Championships. He has placed first in several Ballroom and West Coast Swing competitions.

Deborah Anne Krawiec has been dancing since 1990, where she first started her journey into the ballroom dance world at the Arthur Murray's Dance Studio located in West Hartford, CT. Over the years, Deb has continued to build on her ballroom experience by taking lessons from former World Champion Michele Morin Evans, Rita Giancola, Ron and Lee Cote, and a number of Hustle and West Coast Professional Dance Instructors. Previous to her ballroom experience, Deb competed in club hustle and continues to compete in West Coast Swing. Most recently, Deb's desire to learn Argentine tango took her to Argentina where she attended an International Tango World Congress.

When Deb is not dancing, she is employed full time at LHH, an International Career Management Firm, where she holds the position of Vice President/Lead Consultant.

Diana Lyn Cote and Christopher Kilkenny
Diana's and Christopher's passion for dancing began with swing dance, and they have won and placed in numerous west coast swing competitions at national dance events. The have also given choreographed
and improvisational Argentine tango and swing performances throughout New York and New England. They have performed on stage with Heart and Tango Orchestra and at the Moonlight in Vermont Tango Festival.

Christopher is a principal dancer in Tango Fusion Dance Company of Saratoga Springs, New York, and Diana has worked with the company as a guest artist. When not on the dance floor, Diana pursues her career as an oil painter of figures and landscapes, and Christopher works as an archeologist, having excavated numerous Native American and early Dutch and English sites.

Susan and Angelo Martucci met in a Ballroom Dance Class in 2003 and social dancing, both ballroom and Argentine Tango continues to be a common source of enjoyment in their relationship. They were married in May of 2004. Susan is a school secretary in the East Granby Public School system and Angelo is an Engineer at Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford. Together they enjoy Travel, Camping, Film, the Opera and the Theater.

Susan enjoys gardening and cooking and Angelo is an avid Photographer. They are organizers of the Hartford Argentine Tango Society, or HARTS for short. HARTS is dedicated to promoting Argentine
Tango in the Greater Hartford Area.

Neal McDermott has been an avid social ballroom dancer for the last nine years. His dance experience was acquired from several instructors including, Ron and Lee Cote, Michele Evans, and Jane Dumont. He also enjoy swimming, the seashore, gardening, exercising, and reading. He is in the Real Estate Appraisal business, and currently resides in the Hartford region.

Susan Chen is an assistant economic development agent in the Office of Strategy and Policy at the State of Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, and a long-time member and volunteer of numerous charities and not-for-profit organizations. Susan learned to dance from the Fred Astaire Studio of Glastonbury, the Arthur Murray Studio of West Hartford, from independent instructors
Jane Dumont, Joel Silvestro, and Ron and Lee Cote, enjoying six years of ballroom dancing with champion dancer Michèle Morin Evans, and west coast swing and hustle technique from Erik Novoa and other champion dancers and instructors.

Susan has performed a number of years in open air and on stage for audiences of all ages as a member of Connecticut's premiere swing dance performance group the Rhythm Rousers, and most recently through her involvement with the Connecticut Ballet under the directorship of Brett Raphael. Susan has co-instructed and promoted dance classes through Swing Danceworks LLC and Swingshoes Entertainment LLC. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Hartford Youth Dance Initiative (HYDI), and is enthusiastic about promoting the importance of dancing into everyone's life style for the physical, mental, and social benefits it provides.