By Emily Thompson
Published on May 11, 2024
Maria Voss was mid-pirouette in her Los Angeles apartment when the call came. Pine Creek Ballroom wanted her on its 2024 instructor roster—would she say yes? She did within the hour. Five months later, her advanced waltz class has a 12-person waitlist.
Voss, a two-time U.S. national champion who reached the semifinals of Dancing with the Stars Season 22, is one of several high-profile instructors now teaching in this town of 14,000 nestled between Denver and Boulder. Since Pine Creek Ballroom opened in 2016, the studio has quietly built an reputation as one of Colorado's most serious amateur training grounds. Last year, three student couples advanced to the Colorado State Amateur Championships.
From TV Stage to Pine Creek Floor
The 2024 instructor lineup includes Voss's teaching partner, James Okonkwo, a Blackpool Dance Festival finalist, and two additional professional champions with combined 34 years of competitive experience. This is a significant step up for a studio that began with one instructor and a borrowed sound system.
"One of our beginners last year was so nervous he wouldn't uncross his arms for three weeks," Voss said, laughing. "By December, he was performing a tango at our holiday showcase."
That student, 67-year-old retired firefighter Tom Brennan, now takes two classes per week. "I thought ballroom was for other people," Brennan said. "Maria convinced me it's for anyone willing to show up."
What's on the Schedule
The 2024 curriculum has expanded to 14 distinct styles across 32 weekly classes, up from 10 styles last year. New this year: Argentine tango, added after a student petition gathered 47 signatures.
Classes are divided into four skill tiers, from absolute beginner to competitive pre-professional. The roughly 120-member student roster includes college students, married couples celebrating anniversaries, healthcare workers swapping night shifts to make class, and a six-person group from Pine Creek's SilverSneakers program.
"We're not trying to create a roomful of professionals," said Okonkwo. "We're trying to create a roomful of people who understand why their foot goes where it goes. That changes how you move through everything—not just the studio."
A Local Scene Finds Its Footing
Pine Creek's location has helped. Positioned halfway between two major metro areas, the studio draws students from Louisville, Golden, and as far north as Fort Collins. But studio director Elena Morales credits something else for the growth: a deliberate effort to shed ballroom dancing's reputation as inaccessible.
"We dropped the word 'elite' from our marketing this year," Morales said. "It was keeping people out. Our beginners' class had a 40 percent increase in enrollment within six weeks of the change."
The studio now hosts monthly social dances open to the public, with beginner lessons included in the $15 cover. The next event is June 8.
How to Join
| Location | 482 Spruce Street, Pine Creek, CO |
| Class schedule | Mondays–Thursdays, 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; Saturdays, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. |
| Intro package | $75 for three classes (first-time students) |
| Monthly membership | $140–$280, depending on class tier |
| Phone | (303) 555-0142 |
| Website | pinecreekballroom.com |
Summer session registration opens May 20. Morales recommends signing up early: four of the five beginner sessions are already at capacity.
