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I started dancing when I was about 5. My father always brought out his 45's and would play
them until very late. I enjoyed it a lot but I was so young I couldn't stay awake. Break
dancing was really my first dance that I took on.
My Uncle Keith would take me to our neighbor's house and we would dance for them. We
would do the latest dances called Popping, Locking, and the famous Robot! I then became
more serious about my dancing when I saw Michael Jackson perform live on American
Bandstand. My Aunt Patricia is a good dancer and did all the latest dances, so she would
teach me and I would dance at school and impress all the girls. That's when I noticed that I
had something over the jocks.
When I was eighteen a friend of mine, Tina Miles, taught me the basic step to country 2-
Step and took me out to a country club. I then noticed a lot of guys were dancing around
the floor and the girls were smiling really big. That's when I decided that I wanted to dance.
I was on a mission to get all the girls to dance with me and be the best on the floor. So I
studied all the dancers and picked up all their moves until there was nothing new that I saw.
I met three girls who wanted to learn and one of them introduced me to West Coast Swing
and I went to a lesson at a man's house named John Swartz. I picked it up and joined the
Tulsa Swing Club. I went through all the group classes in a very short time and then I met
Darren Cagle. While still doing country and winning local bar contests, I became more
serious with West Coast Swing. Darren took me under his wing in both dances. I also met a
man named Doug Moriss who was a champion already. He and his partner at the time were
the 1st people to teach me about syncopation. What an awesome experience!
I entered my first West Coast Swing contest in 1986 in a J&J contest at our club and then in
1988 after putting a routine together with the help of my friend Skip Teel and dancing with
his girlfriend as my partner, We won our first time out and it felt good because I did most of
the choreography myself. I checked out videotapes from our club library and watched them
for hours and hours until I had checked them all out. I saw two guys who I liked to watch
right off the bat, Mario Robau and Barry Jones. I noticed that Mario had smoothness and
was funky. That was right up my alley. I liked Barry’s dancing; he had flare and is still so
very good. I met Mario Robau in 1986 in St. Louis and we hit it off. In 1989 he asked me to
move to Houston. I did and my dancing from then on changed for the better. Before I
moved I met Lori Hayner and we became dance partners. We decided to do Dallas D.A.N.C.
E. So I decided I would stop in Dallas and compete and then go to Houston after the
weekend was over. Lori and I won our division and I moved on to Houston. My dancing
went up from there. I paid attention to everything Mario did and learned from one of the
best in the country and in 1992 I turned Professional and have had so much fun competing
with the top pros in the business! I moved to Wichita, KS where I was born and taught some
2-step and West Coast Swing. I went to work for Boeing Aircraft for 2 1/2 years. While there
I auditioned for the 1993 miss USA pageant. A friend of mine saw the ad in the paper and
thought I should do it. I'm glad I did! 51 women in one room and only 11 guys was a dream.
The choreographer found out I was a teacher and asked me to assist in the choreography.
It was a great experience I'll always remember.
After that i moved back home and that's where i met a very dear friend very special to and
will be forever..Nikki Main who now lives in Vegas owning her own Studio. We competed in
the Marlboro Country Dance contest held in our local country western Club and won doing
a 2-step. She moved and met lady that helped me so much as a person and a dancer..
Suzanne Mckown. She was my only partner in the UCWDC cuicuit competing in the country
western tour.
I have been dancing other styles of Swing such as: East Coast Swing, Push, Whip, and
Single Time Swing.
Other dances I have learned are: Ballroom and Latin dances like, waltz, Cha-Cha,
Meringue, Rumba, and Salsa. I have had the opportunity to travel and teach at many
places from the West coast to the east coast and in between. I am indebted to those who
changed my
dancing. They are Mario Robau Jr., Darren Cagle and Doug Morris.
