Candidates Standing in the
Coach Category

M: +61 412 333 200 E: leeannebampton@gmail.com
W: sydneyballroom.com.au
A: 102 Booth Street, Annandale, NSW 2038

For the future development of DanceSport my passion has lead me to put my own personal funds on the line to hold an annual prestigious event in Sydney. In our effort to promote and educate people in the beautiful art of DanceSport cross promotion of events and dance studios should be encouraged by all professionals in the industry. We intend to gain more interest in our sport by dealing with political issues, encouraging societies towards working in collaboration and implementing a more transparent judging system.

The above mentioned subjects need to be addressed in order or us to be recognised as a potential Olympic Sport. DanceSport world-wide is a small industry and smaller again in Australia and requires total support, integrity and respect for the constitution from all board members.

I feel Australia is often left behind in our Industry through our inability to move forward together and welcome change as well as maintaining tradition.

Credentials as an Adjudicator and Examiner

Leeanne is an elite coach and currently the highest accredited adjudicator and examiner within the World DanceSport Federation with in the Oceania region.

• World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF) Adjudicator (‘A’ & Professional) and Examiner, one of two qualified WDSF Examiner in Australia & Oceania Region

• Member of the WDSF commission for Fairness in Adjudication worldwide

• An international adjudicator for WDSF 2010 to date :

• World Professional Ballroom & Latin; World Grand Slam Wuhan;
• International Open Australian Championships;
• International World Games Association World Games Wroclaw, Poland;
• The Asian Games Ashgabat, Turkmenistan;
• WDSF Asian Pacific DanceSport Championships 2019; WDSF World Open Standard & Latin, Shijiazhuang, China

• Adjudicated both Ballroom and Latin in Australia since 2000

• Director Dancesport Events running The Oceania Dancesport Championships

Experience as a Dancer and a Choreographer

• Dance Experience

• Professional World 10 Dance Finalist
• Top 24 British Open Professional Latin & Ballroom
• 10 times Australian & South Pacific 10 Dance Professional Champion
• Ballroom & Latin Competitor 1988 - 2000 • Elite Coach to > 20 Australian Champions
• Australian Dancing Society NSW Examiner

• Choreography Experience

• DWTS professional dancer season 3 & 4 with Dicko and Toby Allen
• DWTS dancer director and choreographer season 1 to 12
• So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) musical director and choreographer
• Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom head ballroom choreographer
• Willoughby Theatre Company’s head choreographer for Strictly Ballroom in 2017

With extensive experience across all levels of Australian DanceSport, I bring a unique perspective as:

• Current Director of DanceSport Australia (governance & strategic leadership)
• Member of the DanceSport Australia Rules Commission (ensuring fair and modern regulations)
• Member of the Australian and International Affairs Commission (global engagement & standards)
• Former contributor to DanceSport Victoria (state-level insight)
• Organiser of Evolution DanceSport Championship (successfully delivered a top-tier event for five consecutive years, elevating competition standards and athlete experience)
• Principal of a major Victorian Dance Studio (grassroots development & business expertise)

My qualifications include a Master’s Degree in Tourism & Hospitality, international and domestic DanceSport technical certifications, and a competitive career as an Australian Professional Champion and international titleholder.

My Vision for DanceSport Australia

1. Fairness & Transparency
   • Ensure dancers at every level compete in a system they can trust, with clear judging criteria and accountability.
2. Pathways for Growth
   • Expand opportunities for dancers, from children to professionals, through structured development programs.
3. Empowering Coaches & Adjudicators
   • Provide accessible professional development (workshops, certifications, and global benchmarking) to keep Australia at the forefront of DanceSport.
4. Uniting the Community
   • Strengthen collaboration between studios, athletes, and commissions to drive progress.

Having already contributed to national policy, international relations, and event excellence, I am ready to leverage this experience for the benefit of all members.

I welcome your questions and ideas—please reach out via my social media. Together, let’s build a brighter future for DanceSport.

Yours sincerely,
Katusha Volgina