Bio
Meet the Stavers! And the Teaching Staff!
Ballet meets Ballroom
Together the Stavers offer comprehensive dance training that will elevate your dancing to a level of skill that is both satisfying and admirable!
*Edward Staver brings an extensive ballet background into the ballroom arena. His background includes San Francisco Ballet, Royal Winnepeg Ballet, Harkness, and American Ballet Theatre School in New York. During his professional ballet career as a principal dancer he toured with Ballet West, Oakland Ballet, Ballet Oregon, American Festival Ballet, Eugene Ballet, the Portland Opera, the New Orleans Opera, and the San Francisco Opera Ballet.
He is a Certified Ballroom Dance Instructor specializing in the American Smooth, as well as Rhythm styles of Ballroom. Classes with Ed will develop strength, balance, grace, posture and poise that will definitely improve your ballroom dancing. Private Lessons with Ed are customized for Absolute Beginners through Advanced and are definitely a very pleasant and supportivr learning experience!
*Linda Staver brings a wellrounded background into the dance arena. Former owner of a performing arts school for many years, she coached tap, jazz, and ballet for competition. During which time she studied with Luigi, Thommie Walsh, Danny Hoctor, & Joe Tremaine.
Linda's extensive Ballroom training brings a high level of expertise to this area. She is a Certified Ballroom Dance Teacher, a Professional Dancer, a Pro-Am Teacher, and a Ballroom Adjudicator recognized by the National Dance Council of America (NDCA). As the Director of the Oregon Ballroom Dance Instructors College, Linda provides specialized training in programs for Students to become Certified Teachers, and programs for those who are already teaching to prepare for their National Exam to become "Certified"- (Certification recognized by the NDCA). Linda Staver is also the Organizer of the San Francisco Autumn Dance Classic (an NDCA sanctioned Competition).
Private Lessons with Linda are customized for individual needs and will develop technique and style based on nationally recognized syllabus for social dancing or competitive dance training, and Teacher Training. Group Classes with Linda are supportive, fun, and designed for developing good lead and follow skills.
The Teaching Staff at StaverDanceSport are Certified Instructors bringing you qualified technical and professional instruction based on nationally recognized syllabii through DVIDA and the ISTD. Training is available for all phases of social dancing, competitive dancing, and performance showcases.
*Chrystee Houser - Chrystee joined the Teaching Staff at Staverdancesport while persuing her Associate's Degree in American Style Smooth and Rhythm at the Oregon Ballroom Dance Instructor's College. Chrystee graduated with High Honors in both styles and was one of the Top Two students in the nation completing her exams. Chrystee has been the Director of the Youth Program at StaverDanceSport for the past year. She is currently a Professional Competitor, Pro-Am Competitor, and a Certified Teacher recognized by the N.D.C.A. Her expertise will definitely give you a fun and technical awareness in developing your dance skills.
We are extremely proud to have Chrystee on our staff specializing in group classes, private lessons, and kids classes.
Chad Brooks - Chad is new to our studio, but certainly not new in the dance arena. Chad began dancing at the age of 14 and joined the American Fork High School Ballroom Dance Company the next year. He danced as a member of the 1998 United States Youth Standard Formation Championship Team and competed individually in syllabus and open Latin, Smooth, and Rhythm events through high school. In addition to Ballroom Dancing, Chad performed on Modern, Jazz, and Lyrical dance companies. He went on to attend Brigham Young University and majored in Ballroom Dance, winning several Bronze, Silver, and Gold level competitions in both International and American Divisions, and placing in all levels of Open Latin and Rhythm. While at BYU he had the opportunity of training with many of the best coaches and dancers in America and the World, including Lee and Linda Wakefield, Curt and Sharon Holman, Gary and Diana MacDonald, Slavik Kryklyyvy and Karina Smirnoff, Corky and Shirley Ballas, and many others. Chad is the Northwest's most creative choreographer and an ISTD licentiate certified instructor.
Keri Pilgrim - is a new Instructor at StaverDanceSport. She is currently a student in the Oregon Ballroom Dance Instructors College, having accomplished her Junior Associate Degree in the American Smooth Category. Her passion is in the American Smooth and the International Latin Styles. Keri teaches both group classes and private lessons at the studio, giving students special insight to frame and connection, details of technique in a fun and comfortable class setting. Keri is also a ballroom dance coach for a local high school and derives great satisfaction in training students for new technical awareness of dance movement and partnering through frame and connection.
