Taras and Wendy Denysenko prove to be rising ballroom dancing stars (02/27/05)

Taras and Wendy Denysenko prove to be rising ballroom dancing stars

by Nina Nechipurenko

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - In 2004 Taras and Wendy Denysenko of Rochester, N.Y., won first place in the Rising Star and Team Match categories and second place in the Open Rhythm competition at the Falls Premier Ball in Niagara Falls, Ontario. During the past three years, the husband-and-wife team achieved numerous awards in such competitions as the Caribbean Danceport Championship (June 2003), the New York City Superama and Dance-o-rama (summer 2002), the Miami Flamingo-rama (February 2004), the Atlantic City Dance-o-rama (December 2003) and the Montreal Summer Fest (August 2004).

Mr. Denysenko began dancing at the age of 5 with the Yevshan Ukrainian Folk Dance ensemble in Rochester, N.Y. He also began playing such instruments as the saxophone, clarinet, accordion and, finally, guitar. He joined the Rochester Arthur Murray Dance Studios as a teacher in 1995 and was a top teacher for eight years.

He began competing in 1996 in the rhythm division and in 1998 changed to smooth (fox trot, waltz, tango and Viennese waltz). That year he was the Arthur Murray Smooth Champion for the East Coast Region. In 2000 he became part owner and dance director for the Rochester studio.

Ms. Denysenko began her dance career at the age of 7, studying ballet, tap and jazz. In high school, she was involved in many plays, shows and show choirs, and was crowned Miss Teen Queen and Miss Congeniality of Brunswick, Maine. She chose to pursue a performing arts major and auditioned for Centenary College in Shreveport, La., where she began her musical theater career.

A terminal illness in her family brought Ms. Denysenko to Rochester, where she completed her bachelors of arts in dance at the State University of New York at Brockport. Upon graduation, she continued in musical theater and was briefly involved in modeling in Atlanta and Rochester. In 1998 she joined Arthur Murray as a top dance specialist and received the Dick Mundt Super Star Award two years in a row. Currently she is the manager of the Rochester South Arthur Murray studio.

The Denysenkos began competing together in the rhythm division (cha-cha, rumba, swing, bolero and mamba) in 2001. Ms. Denysenko said she feels very blessed to share such a romantic and passionate profession with her husband. The Denysenkos professional and personal goal is to become American rhythm champions.

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