Born in East Lyme, Connecticut, Blake began his journey into dance at the same time he was working on his Chemistry degree.  An offer to go to medical school, and his first professional dance contract came literally 2 weeks apart.  He finished his Chemistry degree, but the first stage of his journey was that of a ballet dancer, for which he danced 15 years professionally. 
As his career in ballet began to wind down, he had the opportunity to attend a ballroom competition in Vancouver, Canada. The energy, enthusiasm, technique, and beauty of the dancers participating, won him over.  2 years later, he made his way to Fred Astaire studio in Westerville, Ohio, and began the second part of his life’s journey in dance.    As a professional ballroom dancer & instructor, it is his sincerest hope to share the laughter, the creativity, and the magic that is dance with all of his students.

Madelaine Hallman-Kenner grew up in a family of dancers; her parents being world masters in the United Country Western Dance Circuit and her grandmother still currently taking lessons at the studio. She has been dancing herself since she was 5 years old and started as a student with Andrey at the age of 12. At the age of 18, she started as an instructor with the team at IBDS. She is an active professional competitor who is also a DVIDA certified silver instructor, competes in both the American Smooth & Rhythm categories, as well as in the Pro-Am divisions with her students. Her main drive in her work is to inspire her students to reach their highest potential and to help them get the most out of their dancing. Needless to say, dance is a passion of hers.  “I get to turn people into living, breathing art…it’s an amazing thing to be a part of!” 

James Meek has been professionally teaching and competing in the ballroom community for nearly two decades. He joined Fred Astaire Dance Studios of Charleston in 1999 as a student then teacher, and has been a member of the International Ballroom family since 2006. He is both a Regional and National Champion in the professional smooth and rhythm divisions. Introducing new people to the joy that he found through dance is the best part of his career as a teacher.

Whether through dance, music, or art, Michala Morris pursues creativity and education at every avenue, and seeks to share the artistic experience with others. Michala considers herself to be an artist at the core, having developed a love for expressing creativity since childhood.  After her introduction to ballroom dance at fourteen years old, Michala fell in love with the art of ballroom dance, and quickly grew from student to student-instructor, to founding the Ballroom Dance Club of Milligan University during her studies to serve as a way to introduce her fellow college students to the art of ballroom, and start them on their own dance journey. After graduating in 2018, Michala followed her passions to Charleston, where she joined the team of instructors at International Ballroom Dance Studios of Charleston. Michala’s delight is to not only share her form of creativity with others, but to help each of her students develop their own creativity and self-expression, and to discover what dance means to them, and guide them as they discover the physical, mental, and social benefits that ballroom dance has to offer. 

Instructor Scott Tucker was introduced to ballroom dance in college at the start of 2014, with no prior experience in dance, theater, or music, at the University of Tennessee. Scott’s inner performer was released that day and he went on to compete throughout college, eventually becoming a USA Dance National Championship finalist as well as competing in such prestigious competitions as the Ohio Star Ball. After college in June 2018, he moved to Charleston and began teaching at International Ballroom Dance Studios of Charleston where he quickly became a DVIDA Silver Certified Instructor. Scott continues to improve his own dancing abilities, and he loves all of the perks that dancing has to offer. “I come for the dance, but stay for the people. I’ve made such great friends through the dance community, and everyone is extremely supportive and encouraging.”