Not logged in - Login

Anya Klimova-Preston

See also: Categories: Instructors, Adjudicators, Dancers, Lecturers, Latin, Standard, WDSF

Born: June 14
Hometown: Moscow, Russia
Current location: Portland, Oregon
Current status:

Anya Klimova-Preston is a former Professional Ballroom dancer, specializing in the International Style Standard and Latin divisions. Having coached various Russian National Champions that took titles from 2004 to 2006 as well as U.S. National Champions of 2009 to 2011 and 2013, she is an award winning author of various Ballroom Dancing programs including "Dance Fireworks" and the "Six Steps to Ballroom Dance Proficiency". Anya has won numerous awards throughout her career as a dance instructor, including "Dance Teacher of the Year" in Russia in 2003. Now residing in Portland, Oregon, Anya is currently a dance instructor, choreographer, as well as an adjudicator for USA Dance and the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF).

Contents [hide]

Overview

Anya Klimova-Preston was born and educated in Russia and started Ballroom Dancing at the age of twelve, after having done two years of gymnastics. That was also after figure skating from ages four to six and folk dancing from ages seven to nine. After five years of strict Ballroom and ballet, she added jazz, modern and Flamenco dancing to enrich her Ballroom and Latin techniques. Below is a list of her dancing education:

  • Dance School “Vortex”
    • Studying Jazz and Modern Dance (Aug. 2001 – Sep. 2002)
  • Dance School of Vadim Nikitin
    • Studying Jazz and Modern Dance (Jun. 2000 – Sep. 2001)
  • Flamenco Dance School of Violetta Gonzales
    • Dancing in the theater of Flamenco Art (1997 – 1999)
  • Moscow Dance School “Inspiration”

Anya studied International Standard under the tutelage of Massimo Giorgianni, Alessia Manfredini, Alexey Kochetkov, Gennadiy Gunko and Juris Baumanis as well as the Latin-American program under Karen Hardy, Ruud Vermeij, Peter Maxwell, Olga Müller-Omeltchenko, Tatiana Kostina, Evgeny Antonov, Dmitry Timokhin and Anna Bezikova.

During her dancing career, Anya competed seven years as an Amateur and four years in the Professional Division of DanceSport.

Formal Education & Degrees

  • Moscow Lomonosov State University
    • All courses towards a PhD in Aesthetics (Apr. 2005 – 2007)
  • Saint-Petersburg Trade Union University of Humanities
    • All courses towards a PhD in Theory and the History of Art (Sept. 2000 – Nov. 2003)
    • Master’s Degree in Folk Art and Dance Choreography (Sep. 1997 – Jun. 1999; Graduated: Jun. 1999)
  • Moscow State University of Culture and Arts
  • International Academy of Dance Art
  • Psychology Institute of the Russian Academy of Science
    • Certified in the professional program “Dance Movement Therapy” (contact improvisation, authentic movement, psychodrama, and Gestalt Therapy) (Sep. 1996 – Aug. 1998)
  • Moscow State Social University
    • Master’s in Sociology (Oct. 1991 - Jun. 1996; Graduated: Jun. 1996)

Coming to America: Life After Competition

When asked by a columnist in an interview about why she decided to venture to America when her childhood and university years were spent in Russia, Anya answered that she had, "Fallen in love with an American and they had decided to have a family in the U.S."

Becoming an Adjudicator

Additional studies led toward Anya's role as an international dance adjudicator. Since February of 2010 and the Bassano Open, Anya's adjudicator talents have taken her to Canada (Richmond, Toronto and Vancouver), Italy (Bassano del Grappa), Germany (Berlin), Poland (Warsaw) and around the U.S. from Chicago, to Los Angeles to Seattle.

Anya is a former World Class Judge of the World Dance Council (WDC) as well as a former National Judge with the National Dance Council of America (NDCA). She is currently a National Judge for USA Dance and an International Adjudicator with the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF), holding a WDSF "A" License as well as a WDSF "PD" License.

"It’s a very challenging, but rewarding job. It is tiring because of standing on your feet, sometimes in high heels, listening to loud music, looking at bright lights and sparkling costumes all day with several coffee breaks. Yet it is a pleasure because the music is beautiful and diverse, the dancers are gorgeous and showing their best, the organizers [of the dance competition] are very friendly and caring. The judges are a team of professionals — each unique and passionate about dance people. They are a delight to hold a conversation with. Judging itself keeps you on tippy toes doing a highly detailed analysis every minute of the competition. My mind enjoys working on the spot, constantly making decisions in a limited timeframe."

Anya

Anya was in attendance of WDSF Chairman Congresses held in Stuttgart, Germany in August of 2009 and in Toronto, Canada in April of 2010. She also attended WDSF Adjudicator Congresses held from 2007 to 2013: twice in Irvine, California, in addition to Stuttgart, Germany; Baltimore, Maryland; and Los Angeles, California.

DanceSport Activist: Sharing Her Passion

Anya was a coach of various International Standard and Latin Champions that took titles in Moscow, Russia from 2004 to 2006, as well as National USA Dance Champions in Standard and Latin from 2009 to 2011 and 2013.

In 2003, she was honored with the "Dance Teacher of the Year" Award in Russia. She is an award-winning author of various Ballroom Dancing programs for beginners to Collegiate level dancers as well as Professional couples, known as "Dance Fireworks". She currently instructs her programs and classes in Portland, Oregon. Besides group and private lessons, Klimova-Preston occasionally offers longer and more intensive Dance Boot Camps, often timed in advance of an upcoming competition dance students may be working towards. She currently travels around the world to lecture at various DanceSport training seminars, camps and congresses.

"My students’ progress and willingness to work hard keeps me inspired. I love when the students are hungry for more coaching and practice than I expected, showing better results. I have noticed that when my students slow down in practicing, even if they have serious reasons, it upsets me. They don’t need to be the best on the dance floor because if one is the best there is no competition and it becomes boring. To be the best for yourself, giving it all you can, are the abilities that I value in my students."

Anya

Anya is an activist helping to promote Ballroom Dancing opportunities in Oregon and Washington.

"After having relocated to the United States, I have been involved with different non-profit arts organizations in offering Ballroom Dance as an extra curricula activity in the public schools of Oregon and Washington. We’ve brought Ballroom into thirty-five schools and ten retirement homes."

Anya

Accomplishments

Instructor & Other Contributions

  • Multnomah Athletic Club (Portland, Oregon)
    • Dance Instructor
    • Sep. 2007 - Feb. 2010
  • Portland Community College (Portland, Oregon)
  • Oregon State University (Corvallis, Oregon)
    • Guest Instructor of a Dance Technique Class (Taught a series of workshops)
    • Jan. 2007 - May 2009
  • Portland State University
    • Dance Instructor of a Performing Ballroom Dance Class (Taught a credit class)
    • Sep. - Dec. 2006
  • Beaverton YMCA (Beaverton, Oregon)
    • Dance Program Supervisor/Instructor (Designing dance programs, advising, promoting, and teaching classes of different ages)
    • Aug. 2006 – Jul. 2010
  • Young Audiences of Oregon and SW Washington (Portland, Oregon)
    • Dance Artist (Program Designer & Instructor)
    • Aug. 2006 – present time
  • East Side Athletic Club (Clackamas, Oregon)
    • Dance Program Designer/Instructor (Designing dance programs, advising, promoting, and teaching classes of different ages)
    • March 2006 – April 2010
  • Moscow City Child Artistic Center (Moscow, Russia)
    • Choreographer, dance coach, methodologist (Dance program designer and supervisor)
    • Oct. 1994 – Jan.2006
  • St. Petersburg University of Arts and Humanities: Art Department (Moscow Branch)
  • Culture Center “Ginno-Me” (Kushiro, Japan)
    • Professional Show Dancer & Teacher
    • December 1993 – June 1994
  • Managed and coordinated Educational Dance Programs for the Ballroom Dance Teachers of Moscow
  • Managed and organized various Dance Camp Programs (recreational and competitive)
  • Taught International Ballroom and International Latin dancing to Professional and Amateur DanceSport couples
  • Coached groups of Juniors and Adults in Latin-American and International Standard (Ballroom) dance programs
  • Coached groups of Children and Families in the Social and Children Dance Styles
  • Designed and developed the following programs:
    • “Dance Fireworks” - a program for the first three years of Dance School focusing on Disco, Street Dance, Club Latin, and Social Dancing (Recreational program)
    • “Six Steps to Proficiency” - a program for the first three years of Ballroom Dance School (Competitive program)
  • Coach of Standard and Latin Champions that took titles in Moscow, Russia from 2004 - 2006
  • Coach of National USA Dance Champions in Standard and Latin (2009 - 2011, 2013)
  • Organized Moscow DanceSport Championships and Russian National DanceSport Competitions

Adjudicator

Invigilator

Lecturer

Certificates & Awards

  • "Certificate of Appreciation for the Dance Fireworks Program"
    • First Slavic Festival of Portland, OR (2009)
  • MetLife Grand for the Ballroom Program with Young Audiences of OR and WA (2007-2008)
  • “A Letter” from the DanceSport Federation of Russia (2006)
  • “Coach of the Champions” diploma from the Moscow DanceSport Federation (2005)
  • II-degree Diploma from the contest "Extra-Curricular Educator" organized by the Moscow Education Committee (2005)
  • First place in the professional contest “Skill & Art” held by the Moscow City Child Artistic Center (MCCAC) (2004)
  • “Grand of Moscow” Award for accomplishments in science and technology of the educational sphere (2004)
  • “Teacher of the Year” Runner-Up for the “Six Steps to Ballroom Dance Proficiency” Program at the Moscow City Education Committee (2004)
  • “Teacher of the Year” Award for Program Design at the Moscow City Child Artistic Center (2004)
  • First place in the Moscow City Education Committee’s Grand Prix Dance Teachers Demonstration (2002)
  • First place for the “Dance Fireworks” program in the 1998 Moscow Committee of Education “Teacher of the Year” Competition (1998)

Published Videos/DVDs

  • “Dance Lessons” Google InfoSystem Project in USA
  • “Six Steps of Proficiency”
    • Training program, preparation and organization methodology - 3 DVDs by “Dance Media” (2006)
  • “Children and Dance with Anna Klimova” (“Dance Media”)
    • Age-specific dance methodology, training recommendations/guidelines - 1 DVD by “Dance Media” (2006)
  • “Children and Social Dances with Anna Klimova”
    • Student’s Instructional Video by “Video Esta” (2004: Moscow)
  • “Third Congress of Social Dancing in Russia - Lectures by Anna Klimova”
    • Teacher’s Instructional Video by “Video Esta” (2003: Moscow)

Publications

In English

In Russian

  • “Dance Movement Therapy as a Dancer’s Experience as well as a Tool of a Ballroom Dance Coach”
    • Book of the Second Professional International Dance Movement Therapy Conference in Moscow (March 2007)
  • “Dance Art: Triptych of The Body”
    • Science Magazine of the Philosophy Faculty of the Moscow Lomonosov State University (Sept. 2006)
  • “Ballroom Dance Choreography as an Aesthetic Phenomenon”
    • Book of the Philosophy Faculty “Aspects” (Nov. 2005)
  • “The Gender Factor in DanceSport Choreography”
    • Book of the 4th Russian Congress of Philosophy (May 2005)
  • “Six Steps to Ballroom Dance Proficiency”
    • Science Magazine “Education” (March 2004)
  • “Dance in Moscow City Child Artistic Center (MCCAC): The History of the DanceSport Studio Since 1962”
    • The Book of the Studio - MCCAC (April 2003, Moscow)
  • “Authorship in Design Programs”
    • Science Magazine “Education” (April 2002, Moscow)

Instructors

International Standard

International Latin

Entrepreneurship

Memberships & Certifications

Photo Gallery

Video Gallery




Categories: Instructors, Adjudicators, Dancers, Lecturers, Latin, Standard, WDSF

Ratings, Reviews & Comments

Get involved!

How it works

WikiDanceSport has been created for the DanceSport community to collaboratively organize and promote this sport throughout the world. Anyone who can access this site can edit most of its articles and create new ones.

Only registered users may create a new article. Some particularly controversial, sensitive and/or vandalism-prone pages are protected to some degree from public alteration. A particularly contentious article may be locked so that only administrators are able to make changes.

In certain cases, all editors are allowed to submit modifications, but review is required for some editors, depending on certain conditions.

WDS Editorial Contacts

Sports Administration
Property of Sports Administration.
Wiki DanceSport