2025 Empire Dance Camp
Featuring the World’s Top Coaches
Sunday, July 27th - Tuesday, July 29th, 2025
The Westin Jersey City Newport
479 Washington Blvd
Jersey City, NJ 07310
Donnie Burns MBE, Latin
Heidi Burns, Latin
Ruslan Aidaev, Latin
Riccardo Cocchi, Latin
Gaynor Fairweather MBE, Latin
Andy Liang, Latin
Maria Manusova, Latin
Lu Ning, Latin
Sergey Ryupin, Latin
Mirko Saccani, Latin
Mark Scherbak, Latin
Yulia Zagorychenko, Latin
Maksym Bulanyi, Ballroom
Massimo Giorgianni, Ballroom
Dmitry Zharkov, Ballroom
Meet The Teachers
Donnie Burns MBE Donnie has been cited in the World’s Top Ten Most Influential Dancers of the last century and is a 14 -time World Latin Champion with his former partner Gaynor Fairweather. Donnie was undefeated in the World’s most prestigious events for over 20 years of continuous competition, a world record in Latin Dance or any other form of Ballroom Dance and has been cited in the Guinness Book of World Records for holding these titles for over two decades!
On his competitive retirement, he was honored by appointment as MBE by HM Queen Elizabeth II. He is now President of the World Dance Council and has coached several World Professional and World Latin Champions. There is no doubt that he is one of the most legendary and revered Champions of all time and has been quoted by Wikipedia as “The Michael Jordan of Dance.” He has now pioneered the new “Burns Latn Tek,” book which has created most of the World’s best Latin couples and will continue to do so for generations to come!
Heidi Burns Heidi holds five US Open and World Swing Dance Champion titles along with her former partner Benji Schwimmer. She was a finalist in “So You Think You Can Dance,” and was brought back again for the 100th special having been in some of the show’s most memorable and successful Emmy Award winning dances. Her TV credits include being the only featured dance couple on Fox’s “Live New Year’s Eve Special” as well as the “Teen Choice Awards”, a talent scout for ABC and a choreographer for HBO, to name a few.
Her training is in various forms of dance including ballet, jazz, and tap however her specialty is in Latin and Swing. For several years now the focus of her career has been coaching and choreographing for the most elite dancers this world has to offer including the World Latin Champions from Junior to Professional and other couples in the top 6 and 12 in the world in both Professional and Amateur fields. Writing and working on the Burns Latin Tek together with Donnie has definitely been a both a privilege and a labor of love!
Ruslan Aidaev Known worldwide for his commanding and dynamic presence on the floor, Ruslan is a Murmansk Champion, Northwest of Russia Champion, Russian Open Rising Star Amateur Latin Champion, 2011 US National Amateur Latin Champion in the NDCA Organization, Imperial Amateur Latin Champion, and an Amateur Latin semi finalist of all the major championships: International Championships, UK Championships, Blackpool Dance Festival, World Championships, German Open, US Open, and Dutch Open.
Riccardo Cocchi Two of the most widely known and well respected dancers of a generation, Riccardo Cocchi & Yulia Zagoruychenko are 10 time United States Professional Latin Champions, 10 time World Professional Latin Champions, and multi-time Blackpool, International, UK, and Asian Open Professional Latin Champions. Riccardo is also a former World Amateur Latin Champion.
Gaynor Fairweather MBE Gaynor Fairweather MBE and her professional partner, Donnie Burns MBE, are 14 time World Professional Latin Champions and 11 time International Professional Latin Champions. Gaynor was undefeated in the World’s most prestigious events for over 20 years of continuous competition, a world record in Latin Dance or any other form of Ballroom Dance and has been cited in the Guinness Book of World Records for holding these titles for over two decades! On her competitive retirement, hse was honored by appointment as MBE by HM Queen Elizabeth II.
Andy Liang Andy Liang is a highly sought after coach who teaches many of the world’s best couples. Based in China, he is a World Class Adjudicator with the World Dance Council.
Maria Manusova As owner of the renowned Brooklyn DanceSport Club, the premiere school for kids and adults to learn the art of DanceSport, Maria Manusova has decades of teaching experience under her belt. In 1997, Eugene Katsevman & Maria Manusova became USA National Amateur Latin Champions and held onto the title for the following 11 years. In 1998, they won the UK Open Amateur Rising Star Latin Championships and became British Open Under 21 Latin Champions - the first ever US couple to win that title. By the 2005-2006 season, they were the #1 amateur couple on the IDSF ranking list, and placed in the top 3 of every major championship, including the International Open, UK Open, British Open and World Championships. Among their titles are three US Open Championships, a Masters Gala Trophy, and an IDSF Grand Slam Series Championship. In 2005, they had the honor of representing their country at the World DanceSport Games in Germany, from which they brought home the gold medal. In 2008, Eugene & Maria turned Professional and immediately broke into the final of the British Open Championships at Blackpool in 2009. Eugene & Maria organize the New York Dance Festival each February in Manhattan.
Lu Ning Lu Ning is a former Chinese Professional Latin Champion, Asian Pacific Professional Latin Champion, Blackpool Dance Festival/UK Open/ International Professional Rising Star Latin Champion, and Blackpool Dance Festival/UK Open/ International Open Professional Latin Semi-Finalist.
Sergey Ryupin Sergey is the President of the Moscow Dance Union and the Vice President of the World Dance Council. Sergey is a Russian Professional Latin Champion, UK Open Professional Rising Star Latin Champion Blackpool Latin Professional Rising Star Silver Medalist, 2-time German Open Professional Latin Bronze Medalist, and Five-times finalist in the World Cup Professional Latin Division. Sergey was also featured on the Ukrainian TV show “Hold Me Tight” and in the Russian movie “The Deal”.
Mirko Saccani Mirko Saccani is a one of the most sought after teachers in the world. He is a World Class Adjudicator with the WDC and travels the world teaching the top couples of all ages and categories.
Mark Scherbak Mark Scherbak is a World Latin Vice-Champion and Blackpool Latin Champion. Mark teaches numerous US finalists and champions across multiple ages and categories.
Yulia Zagoruychenko Two of the most widely known and well respected dancers of a generation, Riccardo Cocchi & Yulia Zagoruychenko are 10 time United States Professional Latin Champions, 10 time World Professional Latin Champions, and multi-time Blackpool, International, UK, and Asian Open Professional Latin Champions. Riccardo & Yulia are also former World Professional Latin American Show Dance Champions.
Maksym Bulanyi Maksym Bulanyi is a World Professional 10 Dance Finalist, an International Championship finalist, a United Kingdom Championship finalist, and the Ukrainian National Professional Ballroom Champion. Maksym is also an owner of the Cave Creek Fred Astaire Dance Studio.
Massimo Giorgianni Massimo Giorgianni is an 18-time Italian Amateur and Professional Champion, a 2001 European Professional Ballroom Champion, 2-time World Professional Show Dance Champion, and the owner of the Dance As Fire Dance Studio.
Dmitry Zharkov Dmitry Zharkov & Olga Kulikova are multi-time WDSF World Professional Ballroom Champions. Dmitry is one of the most well known and sought after Ballroom coaches in Europe. The Empire is thrilled to welcome Dmitry to the United States for the prestigious Empire Dance Camp!
Lecture & Rounds Schedule To Be Announced!
Lectures & Rounds Pricing:
$1,000 per couple ($500 per person) for 3 days.
$800 per couple ($400 per person) for 2 days.
$600 per couple ($300 per person) for 1 day.
Dancers will register and pay for the Dance Camp Lectures in person, cash only.
Dancers must attend the Dance Camp Lectures in order to receive Private Lessons.
Dancer may not attend rounds “a la carte” without signing up for and attending the lectures on a given day.