Dan Berta and Isabelle Golwitzer, dancing the rumba/fox trot

Dan Berta and Isabelle GolwitzerDan Berta is the President of Fairfield County Bank, where he has worked for 5 years and he has been in banking for over 20 years. He is a Ridgefield resident along with his wife, Brenda and three children; Amanda, Elizabeth and William. He and his family are active with many local organizations and they are all looking forward to watching Dan participate in the Dancing with the RSO.

Born in Germany, Isabelle started ballroom dancing at the age of 14. She took part in many regional and national competitions and competed very successfully at the amateur level, specializing in Latin dances. Besides her passion for ballroom dancing she also loves Hip-Hop dancing and became South German Hip-Hop Champion. Isabelle joined the Fred Astaire family in May 2010. Together with her partner Andreas Dabbert, Isabelle is a current finalist in the Fred Astaire New England Championships in American Smooth.

Marcel Helms and Jennifer Pappas, dancing the waltz

Marcel Helm and Jennifer PappasJennifer Pappas is a model, columnist, spokesperson, author, wife and mother of three beautiful girls. She attended the University of Georgia where she majored in Literature and Theatre. After graduating, she moved to New York and joined the Ford Modeling Agency which gave her the opportunity to travel and see the world. Besides being a strong advocate for climate change awareness she has also worked closely with such wonderful organizations as Habitat for Humanity, Kids in Crisis, and City Meals on Wheels. With a career that has spanned over two decades she has appeared in magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Elle, Self, More and The WAG and has worked with designers Versace, Gucci, Armani, Valentino and Marisa Perry. She has appeared in commercials for Revlon, Macy's and Cindy Crawford's Meaningful Beauty. Jennifer is currently the national spokesperson and face for the Institute of Anti-Aging, a wellness clinic based in Louisville, Kentucky. She is also pursuing her masters in literature at SUNY Purchase, and is a columnist for WAG Magazine.

Marcel Helms began ballroom dancing in Germany at the age of 8. Taking place in many Regional, National and International Competitions in Europe, he is a four‐time German Master, European Champion and World Champion in Boogie Woogie and Swing. Marcel became certified as instructor at Fred Astaire Dance Studios in 2009, and added the duties of Studio Supervisor in 2011.

Allison Stockel and Morten Schnedler-Jensen dancing the samba

Allison Stockel and Morten Schnedler-JensenAllison Stockel is the Executive Director of the Ridgefield Playhouse. From 1985-2000 she worked in television as a producer. Starting at CNN as a producer of all of the music segments that came out of the NY bureau, she was hired in 1989 by Viacom to create programming for their new network VH1. She has worked for MTV Networks, Time Warner, The Food Channel, Lifetime, and ABC Sports producing entertainment and music-related shows, segments and specials.

In 2000 Allison moved to Ridgefield. She created the Ridgefield Kitchen Tour, was on the boards of the Women's Committee of the Community Center, the RSO, Maimonides Academy, Temple Shearith Israel and The Ridgefield Playhouse. In 2002 she started booking acts for the Playhouse and became the Executive Director in 2004.

Allison and her husband, Jon, have a 10 year old son and a 12 year old daughter. Allison enjoys working out and participating in Triathlons.

Born in Denmark, Morten began ballroom dance instruction at the age of five. He danced in amateur competitions before he was ten years old, and was a finalist in all the major Danish Dance Sport Championships in the children, junior, youth and adult levels. Since 2005 he has been elected as a member of “TEAM DENMARK” – a national dance team that includes the top couples of the country in each division and represents Denmark worldwide at regular competitions as well as European and World Championships. In September 2010 Morten teamed up with an American dance partner – Katie Tarbox - and will now compete as Professional in USA.

Michael Byl and Carrie Pin dancing to “Thriller”

Michael Byl and Carrie PinMichael moved to Ridgefield in 1994 and has been active in the community ever since. He has two college-age daughters and focuses his professional energies in the investment management business. Outdoor activities are a particular passion, including endurance events, fishing, cycling, golf and snowboarding.

Another passion of Michael’s is his work with non-profit organizations, and he currently serves as a Board member for Amos House Inc. (past 16 years) and the Ridgefield Playhouse (past 7 years). His past public displays of dancing have occurred at social events; this represents his first attempt at full public humiliation.

Carrie Pin is the Director of the Mac Donald – Pin Dancers, a family oriented studio that has been serving the Ridgefield community in partnership with Ridgefield Parks and Recreation for over thirty years. Mrs. Pin holds a B. F. A. degree in Dance Education from Virginia Intermont College. Her lifetime of dance training began, like many of her students, at the age of 3. Her mastery of all dance disciplines and love for the art shape her teaching philosophy creating a company of dedicated and supportive dancers. In addition to managing the studio and teaching classes, Carrie Pin directs and choreographs the annual performance in June. Mrs. Pin also teaches creative movement for the Ridgefield Community Kindergarten. Along with raising four children, Mrs. Pin is working toward Cetification and a Masters Degree in Education.

Di Masters and Morten Schnedler-Jensen dancing the foxtrot

Di Masters and Morten Schnedler-JensenOriginally from Asheville, NC, Di has lived in Ridgefield since 1989. She is the Executive Director of the Ridgefield Community Center and also serves as a member of the Ridgefield Board of Selectmen. Di has served as an elected official in the Town of Ridgefield for the past 19 years. She and her husband, Paul, have seven children, which keeps her on her toes. Her additional dance experience includes roles in the Danbury and Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance productions of the Nutcracker. She and her partner won the coveted title of “Most Graceful Couple” in the North Carolina State Fair Exhibition Square Competition, 1970.

Roy Reeves and Nancy Baldwin Andrews dancing the chacha

Nancy Baldwin Andrews and Roy ReevesA newcomer to Downtown Ridgefield since 2009, owner Roy Reeves of the Bissell House Restaurant & Bar fills a long-standing void. Currently residing in South Salem with his wife of 18 years, Lisa and two sons, Erik and Jason, Roy sees himself moving to Ridgefield in the near future just to be closer to the dance studio. Roy has been in the restaurant biz for over 20 years and has recently opened another location in Chappaqua NY. He dances only when Lisa asks him to dance and or occasionally when business at the Bissell House is particularly good. Other than that limited amount of dancing experience, his main interests are boating, sun filled vacations and tinkering with almost any hands on project. If you are interested in dance lessons from Roy, please contact him at 1800 I CANT DANCE.

Nancy Baldwin Andrews is an accomplished dancer and choreographer. After completing her BA in dance at Bennington College, she moved to NYC to dance with several well-known modern dance companies including Jeff Duncan, Jack Moore and Anna Sokolow. While in NYC she completed her MA in Psychology at Columbia University where her work focused on dance for special-needs children. Her performing career was followed by a college teaching career, serving as chair of the Dance Programs at Skidmore College, Montclair State University, Keuka College and Eastern Connecticut State University. She began a private teaching career as she was raising her children and owned the Lebanon School of Dance for 15 years before moving to Ridgefield and opening The Ridgefield School of Dance in 1997, where she still teaches and serves as artistic director. In Ridgefield, she has choreographed several productions for the Ridgefield Theatre Barn and also the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra’s productions of “Where the Wild Things Are” to Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite”.

Jessica Boelts, Assistant Ballet Mistress, joined The Ridgefield School of Dance from Ballet Austin, Austin, Texas where she both taught at the Academy and performed with the Company. Under the direction of Ballet Austin Master Teacher Truman Finney, Jessica was a principal in Balanchine’s Valse Fantasy and has also performed in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Giselle, Peter Pan, Who Cares?, Romeo and Juliet and The Nutcracker. Jessica has also danced with the Pennsylvania Ballet and the Massachusetts Youth Ballet. Jessica teaches Ballet to all age groups as well as Pointe II and Pointe III classes. Nancy Andrews will be choreographing the dance routine for Roy and Jessica, who will perform at the gala.

Raffaele Gallo and Anna Trukhan dancing the tango

Anna TrukhanRaffaele GalloRaffaele Gallo grew up on the island of Capri off the coast of Italy. He began cooking in trattorias in Italy at a young age. He came to New York City in 1994 and worked as a manager for Il Covo dell’Est in the East Village. Later he opened La Cantina Toscana in Manhattan and was its head chef for a year and half before opening Toscana in Ridgefield.

Anna Trukhan was born in Moscow, Russia. Anna started dancing at the age of 5.  From 2004 till 2009 she studied in the Moscow State University of Culture and Arts at thechoreography faculty, the department of ballroom dance. She graduated with an honors diploma, and has a specialty in managing art of choreography in danceteams and is a certified dance teacher. Since 2008 Anna has represented Belarus. She was a finalist of National Championships, representing Belarus in worldwide competitions, the European Cup and World Cup, the member of  National dance sport team of the Republic of Belarus. She was a winner and finalist of  many IDSF dancesport competitions.  Now, she with her dance partner  Morten Schnedler represent Denmark. They are currently professional champions of Denmark. And they will compete at the European and World Championships.