Instructors

Yuriy Simakov

Yuriy Simakov is Owner and Professional Dance Instructor of Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Raleigh, NC.

Yuriy started his dance career at the age of 7 in the Ukraine. At 12 years old, he became a champion of the Ukraine. As a competitor, Yuriy won numerous International Ballroom Dance Sport competitions in Germany, Russia, Poland, Moldova, Czech Republic, and Bulgaria...Read more...

Oksana Klyuchnyk

Oksana Klyuchnyk is Co-Owner and Professional Dance Instructor of Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Raleigh, NC.

Oksana started her dance career at the age of 7. She was competing in the Ballroom and Latin programs and becoming either winner or finalist of numerous National and International Dance Championships.

As a member of the Ukrainian Dance Team, Oksana represented the Ukraine... Read more...

Kostyantyn Karchanov

Kostyantyn started dancing in his hometown Poltava, Ukraine, in 1988. Kostyantyn has successfully danced at numerous regional national and international dance sport championships in Poland, Moldova, and Bulgaria. He is a graduate of Poltava University and has a Masters Degree in Dance. In 1996 he founded the dance studio “Nika”, teaching hundreds of students every year.

Kostyantyn came to the U.S.A. in 2005. He was a National Top Teacher in 2007. Kostyantyn is member of N.D.C.A. and a certified instructor.

Alyona Karchanova

Alyona has been a Fred Astaire teacher since 2005. She won the North Carolina Region Top Teacher Award many times. Alyona graduated from the Poltava University with the major of Dance. Alyona is also a certified instructor in the U.S.A., and member of N.D.C.A.

In 2009 she was employed as a manager of Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Raleigh and has been training professional teachers and has been giving outstanding customer service since.