Ballroom & Latin Dancing Instructor Michael Fatyanov described his interest in dance.

Fatyanov said, "It was something I got passionate about that I started doing about 18 years ago in the Ukraine. I was six years old when I began learning how to dance. When I started competing, I saw it from a whole different perspective - being on a team, setting goals and improving. I've stayed with it for a long time and I'm trying to pass it on to other people," he explained.

"Ballroom dancing is a competitive sport in the Ukraine and almost all children know at least some basic ballroom moves. Dancing is often taught at school as a supplement to physical education. For me, it was an extracurricular activity as well, where I dedicated five to six days of my week. Sometimes it was difficult to keep up the pace as a child and sometimes, I just wanted to take a break. Going to school from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and then practicing from 4:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. didn't leave much free time. We often practiced through the summer to prepare for the fall season. Sometimes our summer practices lasted over eight hours when some famous couples who visited town gave lectures and taught classes. Those years were a good challenge for me physically and mentally, but the rewards were great as well," he added.

"At age 12, I competed in my first International Championship in Germany. It was an amazing experience, traveling with my team into a different country to compete with couples from all over the world! After several months of rigorous preparation with my new partner, we were finally there and ready to show them our best. In Germany, we competed with over 140 couples and made it to the quarter final round, placing 36th. A couple of years later, we placed 15th in a similar competition in Poland. That's when my dance passion started," Fatyanov noted.

"I was born in Zaporozhye, Ukraine and went to Zaporozhye National University there. In the summer of 2001, I won the Future Leaders Exchange program - a U.S. sponsored program for high school students from the former Soviet Union republics. I spent one year in Indianapolis as an exchange student where my host grandmother, Sandy Fenstermaker, showed me The Riviera Club. I literally fell in love with the place from the first sight," he said.

"I began teaching at the Riviera Club in August of 2006 with eight people in my first class. Now I have a client base of nearly 400 students and offer a variety of classes that can fill almost anyone's needs. I offer group and private lessons with open floor practices where students can brush up their steps with help of patient and knowledgeable instructors. We also have dance parties, where students can enjoy themselves and build up their confidence as a social dancer in a friendly atmosphere. It helps them transition to where they are comfortable dancing with others in a group setting, gaining confidence and creating an environment where everyone is welcome. They can meet students from my other classes. I'm sharing the passion of dance with people in my classes," he emphasized.

"A great thing about the dance parties is that people of all levels can attend, even if they haven't had a dance lesson in their life. Throughout the party, we offer short dance lessons where students can pick up some basic steps in Bachata, Cha-Cha, Foxtrot, Merengue, Salsa, Swing, Tango and others, so they can join in the fun," he said. Bachata has a slight accent in rhythm at every fourth count while Merengue is taken from the name of the Spanish dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar.

Fatyanov mentioned upcoming dance classes. "Starting August 4, we will be offering a new six-week session. There will be beginner classes at 6 p.m., open floor practice at 7 p.m. and an intermediate level session at 8 p.m. The class sizes range from and six to 15 people, but the goal is to make them even larger. At the same time, my (long-term) goal is to stick with the mission of this enterprise, which is to figure out a way to show people throughout the world what amazing benefits dance can bring to them," he added.

He also teaches dance classes at St. Luke's United Methodist Church and at the Monon Fitness Center in Carmel. Another class is in downtown Indianapolis at the Riolo Dance Studio's 2nd floor (that shares the area with a ballet school) at the northwest corner of Capital Avenue and Michigan Street.

Fatyanov participated in The Paramount Theatre Centre & Ballroom's Dance Like the Stars 2009 in January. This event benefited the historic theatre's ongoing restoration in downtown Anderson. It featured local media personalities Rafael Sanchez of WRTV, Julia Moffitt of WTHR, Kelly Vaughn of B105.7, Kelli Jack and Greg Browning of WNTR 107.9.

Fatyanov graduated magna cum laude with an Associates degree in accounting at Ivy Tech Community College. While a student there, he was offered an accounting tutor position by program chair Harry Gray. "Professor Gray inspired me to study accounting as he showed me the fun side of it in the way that he explained its concepts," he noted. He is currently studying at IUPUI for a triple major in accounting, finance and international studies and a minor in economics, which he will complete in May of 2010.

Fatyanov won an Ivy Tech Idol dance contest with a salsa dancer. "In one of my classes, I met a girl who was a Salsa dancer. I never tried Salsa before, but it didn't take me long to learn a few steps and start liking it. We went out dancing in a couple of clubs around Broad Ripple and she said I was a quick learner. In the meantime, I noticed an announcement in one of the school's elevators for the annual Ivy Tech Idol contest. I had an idea: 'Why not try combing the Ballroom style that I learned in the Ukraine and the Latin style that my partner studied here in Indy?' We had a blast showing each other tricks from different dancing styles and sharing the cultures behind them. My partner took me to different clubs, so I could really feel the real Latin atmosphere. I have to say it was a fascinating experience!" he recalled.

Describing his family, Fatyanov said, "My parents wanted to learn how to dance, but they didn't have the opportunity. I grew up in a small family with one older sister, who took some ballet classes when she was younger. Both of my parents were engineers, until the plant where they both worked at was shut down and they were both laid off. We didn't have much, but my parents always wanted to give me the best I could have, so they insisted on me studying hard in school and keeping up with my favorite sport (ballroom dancing). I will be thankful forever that they insisted on this," he noted.

"During a recent return trip to the Ukraine, I visited my former coach and saw a two-day Open National Championship where representatives from many countries participated in five types of Ballroom (Fox Trot, Quick Step, Slow Waltz, Tango and Viennese) dances and five types of Latin (Cha-Cha, Jive, Possado, Rumba, Samba) dances," he explained.

Tracy Martin is one Michael's students. She said, "I have worked with Michael for over a year. He is a very patient and attentive teacher working with others who are starting out learning to dance. Dancing is probably more of a passion than a hobby for me. I enjoy all types of dancing, but my favorite is the Salsa. I have practiced yoga for about four years (earning a certificate) to get into condition to keep dancing. I don't teach, but I practice privately with students on a regular basis," she added.

Whether studying for his undergraduate degree or sharing his passion as a dance instructor, both of Michael Fatyanov's careers are taking a step in the right direction.