THE EARLY YEARS
In the small village of Billinge, in the North West of England, Denise began her journey as a dancer at the age of seven.  Looking back through her mother’s eyes, the moment her daughter first slipped into a pair of dance shoes and walked onto the dance floor, she realized that the dancing shoes would remain with her daughter a lifetime. 
Mesmerized by the glitter and glamour after signing up in the local dance studio, this girl promptly discovered dance school was not all play.  Not to be outdone and in order to become the best in her dance class, Denise realized this would require not only determination but hard work with many hours of practice and rehearsal.  Such discipline learned from a very young age is the credit for her work ethics of today.  Sprinkle in an infectious smile with her full of life enthusiasm and you have a dynamic and radiant personality that is with her to this day.  

CREDITS

• Levels of Achievement: Juvenile, Junior, Youth and Amateur Championships /Latin /Ballroom/sequence
• TV work with the BBC on "COME DANCING”
• Extensive travel representing Great Britain in dance events throughout Europe
• At the age of 21, Denise came within 1 dance from of winning the Blackpool Closed British Youth Title, which became the turning point in her career where she decided to turn professional.

PROFESSIONAL CAREER – “The British Are Coming” to America

• Principle Dancer - Bermuda Star & Canada Star Cruise Line (New York) – First professional position took Denise and her dance partner to the New York City as Principle dancers for the cruise lines.
• Assistant Director - Dance productions for cruise line. 
• Chorography – Choreographed weekly productions for cruise line.  Began and learned the quick skills she enjoys today as shows needed to be choreographed weekly.
• New Dance Partner – Formed her Anglo-American dance partnership and went on to marry her very successful Latin partner, Martin Rivera from New York City.

United States Achievements United States Achievements / Titles

• Professional Latin Champions,  Millennium Dancesport
• Professional Latin Champions,  Gator Classic Sunshine State Dancesport
• Latin Finalists,  Ohio Stars Ballroom  Rising Star
• Semi Finalists,  United States Professional Rising Star

United Kingdom  Achievements / Titles

• Blackpool British Professional South American Show Dance Champions (2 Time)
• World Professional South American Show Dance Championship – 8th Place
• British WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Representative - Professional South American Showdance Championships (3 Time)
• Professional Latin Championships - Royal Albert Hall - Quarter Finalist.
• United Kingdom Closed Professional Latin Finalists (3 Time)

Television Appearances

• Featured dancer on Championship Ballroom Dancing
• PBS-USA Appearances with Celia Cruz and Cyd Charisse

Music / Video

• Music Video with Christopher Lee and Gary Curtis, in for “Save The Children” UK Fund.

Special Events

• Choreographer  for Drs. Richard and Angela Rasmussen (president of the Mardi Gras Krewe of Venus, Tampa Bay) for the president’s party.  Saturday Night Fever was the chose theme.

Media

• 2009 December Cover Girl for Bay Magazine. Florida USA

Qualifications / Associations

• National and International Adjudicator with the United Kingdom Alliance of Teachers of Dance

Sponsors

• Former,  Superdance (UK)
• Current, Designs to Shine (USA)

Trainers

• Corky and Shirley Ballas
• Alan and Hazel Fletcher
• Micheal Styllianos and Lorna Lee
• Sammy Stopford and Barbara Mc Coll
• Espen Salberg

Lastly, I am blessed with the opportunity of such a diverse range of students which my profession has afforded me.  One of my greatest pleasures throughout the journey of instructing my students, who range from age 3  to the ripe old age of 92, is simply seeing their joy and sense of accomplishment through the art of dance and knowing I may have made a positive difference in their lives.  To this day I thank my parents for allowing me to slip on those first pair of dancing shoes which set my path that I am so very thankfully to have traveled.