About Us
Michael Rodriguez, Owner/Manager
Michael Rodriguez, is owner and head instructor of Innovative Dancesport, the top-ranked competitive ballroom dance studio on Long Island, located in Hauppauge, NY. For the past five years, he has developed a successful dance studio offering private and group instruction in all ballroom/latin dance categories. Michael has been ranked TOP TEACHER at the Stardust Ball Competition on Long Island Festival from 1999-2005, the New York Dance Festival in Manhatten from 2005-2007, and at the Kings Ball in 2000. His studio has also been recognized as TOP STUDIO at all of the above competitions.
Michael's students include professional and amateur competitors, performers and social dancers of all levels. His students have received numerous recognition awards and scholarships in the Top Student, Top Junior Student, and American Rhythm and American Smooth Pro/Amateur scholarship categories at many local ballroom dancing competitions. The studio offers group classes for the social dancer, from beginner to advanced, in salsa, cha cha, swing, waltz, foxtrot, tango and many other ballroom dances.
Dancing has been a way of life for Michael. In 1985, he began his teaching career under the direction of John Smith, an accomplished and well-recognized studio owner in the Long Island dance community. Since then, he has taught in Florida, Tennessee and New Jersey. His return to his hometown, Long Island, has brought him his biggest success. He is most proud of how his studio has grown over the past 5 years and his success comes not from advertising, but from word-of-mouth. He is dedicated to his students and considers them part of his family.
Michael prides himself in his ability to manage a successful business. He is committed to supporting others in improving their health and well-being through dance and fitness. In addition to running his studio, Michael also manages Innovative Fitness—a full-service, 24-hour fitness center and the home of Innovative Dancesport.
Giving back to the community is very important to Michael. In 2004, Michael was the first President of the founding board of the United States Ballroom Foundation, a not-for-profit organization developed within the ballroom community to support victims of terrorism. He was recognized by the USBF for "his service, dedication, and never ending support to the ballroom industry, and continuous contribution to the success of the charities, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He has personally set up performances with his students for the elderly in senior communities. Innovative Dancesport is also a major sponsor for the Two Battles Against Rare Cancer Foundation.
Michael will soon be seen in the full-length motion picture, Luv N Dancing, written and produced by his former student, Tom Malloy.
Stephanie Falciano, Dance Instructor
Stephanie earned a bachelor's degree in Theater & Dance from Hofstra University in 1993, graduating after taking a semester off to tour China with a dance company in 1992. She continued dancing abroad with several touring companies, performing in England and Amsterdam until 1999. Her subsequent employment as a dance instructor by Fred Astaire Studios inspired her to seek out coaches Gary and Diana McDonald, for whom she taught from 1993-1998.
While teaching and competing, she also attended the School for Film and Television at the three of U.S. Studios in NYC. She acted in several student films for Hofstra TV in her spare time. When she found herself needing to make a choice between the two, dancing became her first priority.
In addition to the McDonalds, her most inspiring coaches in her competitive career were Victor Kanevsky, Rufus Dustin and Enrique Ramon. Throughout her time teaching, she competed in American and International Latin divisions, winning many Open and Rising Star titles. In 1998 she ranked 1st nationally in the U.S. Rising Star Rhythm Championship division. After her first son was born in 2002, she began successfully competing again as an American Rhythm and show dance open finalist in several competitions and winner of the American Star Ball 2006 show dance. Now the proud mom of James (5 yrs.) & Giovanni (2 1/2 yrs.), she received “High Honors” in her Latin teaching and judging exams in 2005.
Stephanie is a member of I.S.T.D., N.D.C.A., and the U.S. Terpsichore Association. Licentiate Degrees are in International Latin and American Rhythm. She is available for coaching, judging, shows and workshops. She is the director of Kaiser Dancesport and Dance With Us, on Long Island.
To contact Stephanie directly:
Phone: (516) 996-3554
Email: sfalciano@hotmail.com
Website: www.dhtw.com