ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR

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ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR

Brienne (Hale) Graef, one of the most decorated amateur and professional ballroom dancers in the Midwest, began dancing at the age of four with the Milwaukee Ballet School. A natural performer, she was cast in favored performance roles in the Nutcracker. Brienne also won several state and national baton twirling titles in her youth and was trained in gymnastics to round out her foundation in dance. A consummate performer, Brienne honed her artistic craft by acting in the Milwaukee Reparatory Theater. Her early training in the performing arts set the stage for her ballroom dancing career.

At the age of thirteen, Brienne began her training as a ballroom dancer. She immediately caught the eye of nationally recognized ballroom instructors and nationally ranked ballroom professional competitors. This led to a feverish rise in the ballroom dancing competitive ranks. The highpoints of her ballroom dancing accomplishments include the follow

* Four Junior National Championship Ballroom Dance titles by the age of sixteen.

* Competed with professional partner Tony Dovolani from "DANCING WITH THE STARS," winning the Yankee Classic, placing third in the World Open Mambo Championship and 4^th at the United States Dancesport Championship (all by the age of twenty)

* Founded and operated The Institute of Ballroom Dance, winning "Top Studio" at the Wisconsin State Dancesport Championship.

* Won the "Top Female Teacher" award at the Wisconsin State Dancesport Championship.

* Achieved top NADTA & NDCA certifications in the American and International styles of ballroom dancing.

* Coached numerous professional competitors in both technique and artistic choreography.

A more comprehensive list of Brienne’s titles and accomplishments are as follows:

AMATEUR TITLES

* AGE 13: (1993)

WISCONSIN STATE DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS

OPEN SILVER JUNIOR AMERICAN RHYTHM CHAMPION

OPEN GOLD JUNIOR AMERICAN SMOOTH 2^ND PLACE FINALIST

* AGE 14: (1994)

UNITED STATES DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS

OPEN GOLD JUNIOR AMERICAN RHYTHM 3^RD PLACE FINALIST

OPEN GOLD JUNIOR INTERNATIONAL STANDARD 4^TH PLACE FINALIST

CAPITOL CLASSIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

OPEN GOLD JUNIOR AMERICAN SMOOTH AND AMERICAN RYTHM CHAMPION

WISCONSIN STATE DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS

OPEN GOLD JUNIOR AMERICAN SMOOTH AND AMERICAN RHYTHM CHAMPION

* AGE 15: (1995)

UNITED STATES DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS

OPEN GOLD JUNIOR AMERICAN RHYTHM 3^RD PLACE FINALIST

GREAT LAKES DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS

OPEN GOLD AMERICAN RHYTHM SCHOLARSHIP CHAMPION (ALL AGES)

OPEN GOLD JUNIOR AMERICAN SMOOTH CHAMPION

OHIO STAR BALL CHAMPIONSHIPSCE

OPEN GOLD JUNIOR AMERICAN SMOOTH, AMERICAN RHYTHM, & INTERNATIONAL STANDARD 2^ND PLACE

HEART OF AMERICA CHAMPIONSHIPS

OPEN GOLD JUNIOR AMERICAN SMOOTH AND AMERICAN RHYTHM CHAMPION

WISCONSIN STATE DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS

OPEN GOLD JUNIOR AMERICAN SMOOTH CHAMPION

TOP GOLD SOLO AWARD (ALL AGES)

TWIN CITIES DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS

OPEN GOLD JUNIOR AMERICAN SMOOTH, INTERNATIONAL STANDARD, & INTERNATIONAL LATIN CHAMPION

* AGE 16: (1996)

UNITED STATES DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS

OPEN GOLD JUNIOR AMERICAN SMOOTH, AMERICAN RHYTHM, & INTL. LATIN NATIONAL CHAMPION

OPEN GOLD JUNIOR INTERNATIONAL STANDARD 2^ND PLACE FINALIST

OHIO STAR BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

OPEN GOLD JUNIOR AMERICAN RHYTHM SCHOLARSHIP CHAMPION

OPEN GOLD JUNIOR INTERNATIONAL LATIN 2^ND PLACE FINALIST

* AGE 17: (1997)

TEXAS CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS

OPEN GOLD LADIES "A" AMERICAN RHYTHM SCHOLARSHIP AND CHAMPIONSHIP CHAMPION

WISCONSIN STATE DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS

OPEN GOLD LADIES"A" AMERICAN RHYTHM & INTL. LATIN SCHOLARSHIP & CHAMPIONSHIP CHAMPION

TOP GOLD SOLO AWARD

PROFESSIONAL TITLES & ACCOMPLISHMENTS

* AGE 18: (1998)

UNITED STATES DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS

OPEN PROFESSIONAL AMERICAN RHYTHM SEMI-FINALIST

GREAT LAKES CHAMPIONSHIPS

OPEN PROFESSIONAL AMERICAN RHYTHM CHAMPION

OHIO STAR BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS