About Hamby Ballroom Dance Studios

HAMBY BALLROOM DANCE STUDIOS LLC is owned and operated by Suzanne Hamby. Suzanne has been teaching ballroom dancing since 1984 and has won numerous titles including North American Champion and United States Champion (photo at right), and was voted "Best Dance Teacher in the United States". Suzanne Hamby and her staff have been teaching in the greater Boston and Metro West area since 1984.

Our Mission

We are dedicated to teaching ballroom dance in a fun and supportive environment. If you want to be able to dance socially, we can teach you everything you need to know to become a great social dancer. If you are preparing for your wedding, we can help you and your wedding party have a memorable day. If the thrill of ballroom dancing competition inspires you, we can prepare you to master the technique necessary for competition dancing. Whatever your dancing goals, we can help you meet or exceed them!

 

About Suzanne Hamby

Suzanne Hamby started ballroom dancing as a college student. After graduating from Brown University she began working in Boston in neurology research, but found the dance floor more exciting than hospital research. After watching her first ballroom dance competition, she was hooked, and she decided to give up her career and pursue her dream and her love for dancing. She moved to England to study dancing intensively with former world champions.

Success followed quickly and Suzanne’s titles include North American Champion, United States Champion, Eastern United States Champion, United States Ten-Dance Champion and New England Champion. Suzanne was chosen to represent the United States at the World Championships four times and was twice awarded the prestigious Feather Award for Best Professional Dancer in the United States. She also won the Feather Award for Best Dance Teacher in the United States.

Suzanne has been invited to perform, coach and lecture throughout the United States, and was asked to perform with the Boston Pops Orchestra at Symphony Hall. She has appeared on numerous commercials and television shows including the popular PBS show, “Championship Ballroom Dancing”, which she appeared on for thirteen years. She choreographed and performed in the movie “Substitute 4”. She has competed throughout the United States and in England, France, Hungary, Germany, Denmark and Italy.

Suzanne teaches all levels from beginners to professionals. Suzanne’s students include many with National and Regional titles. She has won numerous Top Teacher and Top Studio awards. She has coached the Harvard and MIT Ballroom Dance Teams and is currently one of the coaches for the University of Connecticut Ballroom Dance Team. She also teaches 4th and 5th graders in an after school program where there is a waiting list to join her class.

Suzanne’s professional accreditations include membership in the National Dance Council of America. She holds Licentiates with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing in both the Ballroom and Latin American branches. She is a registered World Class Adjudicator: one of a small, prestigious group that has been selected to judge at World Championships.

Suzanne inherited her love of dancing from her father who was a great social dancer and loved to listen to the Big Band music of the 30s and 40s. He did a fantastic Charleston! She got her drive and determination from her mother who was an accomplished figure skater and still has endless energy. Her parents always encouraged her to do her best at whatever she pursued, and more importantly, to do something that made her happy. She feels fortunate to have a job that is her passion and loves to share her expertise with others.

 

 

About Dick Gould

Dick Gould started his dance training in Boston in the 1970s. He taught beginners through advanced level students and competed in regional competitions with students at all levels of dancing. He also traveled extensively in the United States and Europe where he competed with students and continued his dance training. He studied with some of the best dancers and trainers in the country at that time, including Bobby Medeiros, Julius Kaiser and Beverly Donahue, and participated in special training sessions and workshops with Don Ramos, Vernon Brock, Dennis Rogers, and Bill and Bobbie Irvine. He also studied with Rui Rose in Boston for membership in the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (ISTD).

From 1976 through the 1980s, he acted as Master of Ceremonies for more than a dozen large regional independent competitions all over New England, where he coordinated and introduced all competitors, assisted organizers in the operation of successful functions and acted as the voice of the organization for over 15 years. More recently, he acted as MC and taught on the concourse at South Station in Boston for the Massachusetts Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association during National Ballroom Dance Week. After raising a family in the Metro West area, he began teaching classes again in several local continuing education programs. He joined the staff of Hamby Ballroom Dance Studio in 2008 where he teaches group classes with Suzanne Hamby, as well as private lessons for singles and couples. He has helped many wedding couples prepare for their first dance.

His sense of humor and easy manner make him a very popular teacher! 

Check out our photo Gallery

Find pictures of our students and teachers in action here! 

---