P.O. Box 4676, Apache Junction, Az. 85178
(480) 491-2393 info@shallwedancephoenix.com www.shallwedancephoenix.com
Mona has been dancing for most of her life, beginning with Ballet, Tap and Jazz as a child. While she was in college at the University of Maryland getting her BS in Electrical Engineering, she taught Ballet, Tap and Jazz to children and adults.
After graduating college, Mona worked as an Engineer for the US Naval Research Lab in Washington, DC for 5 years before moving to Houston, Texas, to work at the Johnson Space Center. It was there that she learned Country Dancing, and began teaching and competing as well. Mona continued her dance training in Country, Ballroom and Swing while she was in Houston, taking advantage of the many great instructors there. Mona won 2 Country Dance World Championships with her partner Chad Guidry, and 1 with her partner Sam Arvidson. Mona also began competing in Line Dance and won 2 World Championships in Line Dance. She began competing again in 2010, and in January of 2011, she won her 6th WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP in Couples Open Showcase with her partner, Ross Pearce. Mona most recently competed in the UCWDC Masters Division (the highest level of Country Dance competition) with Tim Perez, who was also a co-director of the Arizona Dance Classic,
Mona has been fortunate to be able to train with some of the top dance professionals in the country and in the world, including Lynn and Randy Ferguson, Jim & Jenell Maranto, Carmen Goodman, Milana Pliner, Hunter and Maria Johnson, Corky Ballas, Michael Weinting, David Appel, Emmanuel Pierre-Antoine, Kasha Kozak, Maria Hansen and many others.
She has also been involved as a part of the United Country Western Dance Council (UCWDC) as an event director and also as Secretary, Marketing Committee Chair, and Business Team Chair. Mona is the event director of the UCWDC Arizona Dance Classic, an annual 4-day dance competition (Ballroom, Country and Swing) which takes place the first weekend in August in Phoenix.
Mona has a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of Houston. After 17 years in Houston, Mona moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where she teaches dance full-time, coaches competitive dancers, competes with her students in pro-am, and travels around the world, teaching, judging competitions and coaching.
Mona would like to express thanks to all the wonderful people who have helped her and mentored her along the way in her dance career……
Awards and Titles
**2011 UCWDC World Showcase Couples Grand Champion
**2006 UCWDC World Showcase Line Grand Champion
**2005 UCWDC World Line Grand Champion
**2003 UCWDC World Showcase Couples Grand Champion
**2001 UCWDC World Couples Showcase Division II Champion
**2000 UCWDC World Couples Showcase Division III Champion
**2004 and 2006 Star Award Winner, Favorite Couple of the Year
Other Achievements and Accomplishments
1st Person in the UCWDC to compete in Couples Masters and Line Dance Superstars Divisions
UCWDC Secretary
UCWDC Business Team Chair
UCWDC Marketing Committee Chair
BSEE, University of Maryland
MBA, University of Houston