Today we’d like to introduce you to Eddie Ares.
Hi Eddie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Eddie Ares, born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, is a World-Renowned Ballroom Phenomena, World Champion, Studio Owner, DanceSport Competition Organizer, Coach, and Choreographer.
Starting out as a trainee in the Fred Astaire Franchise, Eddie worked to become manager then owner of the school. Now, he is the Owner and Founder of Academy Ballroom Atlanta. Opening in 2006, the studio quickly earned the title of “Dance Training Center of the South”, offering world-class dance training to thousands of students in a 10,000 sq ft dance studio in Buckhead. Working alongside his business partner, wife, and co-owner, Chasity Smith, the two strive to provide an affordable, fun, and engaging atmosphere where people can come and sharpen their dance skills and enjoy the learning process. They guarantee the best ballroom and Latin dance instruction in the U.S. with world-champion dance instructors and students from around the world: Germany, Great Britain, Cuba, Bulgaria, Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia. Eddie’s inclusive nature attracts students of all professions, ranging from schoolteachers to dentists to police officers to doctors.
Very competitive in sports, Eddie played baseball and ice hockey throughout his teenage years. Recruited by the New York Yankees Organization as a baseball player, he played semi-professional baseball during the summer months. During the winter, he played ice hockey as a goaltender and ultimately received an offer from the Oshawa Generals. Eddie subsequently began spending his winters in Canada playing hockey and his summers at home in New York playing baseball. After sustaining an injury, he moved south to join the U.S. Army. After two years of service, he was discharged and immediately found a new passion in competitive ballroom dancing.
In light of his success, Eddie won the United States Dance Championships at the Sheraton Bal Harbor in 1987 for the professional division of theatre arts dancing. He also won the U.S. National Professional Dancesport Championships with the Fred Astaire organization, and was the 2003 World Professional Mambo Championship winner. He was also recognized with an In the Spirit Award in 2018, and during his years playing hockey, his team won the junior hockey championship with the Brooklyn Stars.
Eddie is the Founder and Organizer of one of the top DanceSport Competitions in the United States, Hotlanta the Classic. Other leadership endeavors: Owner/Organizer of three NDCA sanctioned competitions— Nashville Ballroom Challenge, Greenville Dance Challenge, and Washington Open DanceSport Competition. Co-Founder of Atlanta Ballroom Dance Theater. Founder of Global Spectrum Circuit and Superstar Dance Series. Co-Founder and Contributing Editor of Pro/Am Voice Newsletter. Co-Founder of Spotlight Dance Videos.
Eddie’s most notable awards: World Professional Theatre Arts Champion, World Professional Mambo Champion, US National Professional Rhythm Champion, and World Class Championship Level Adjudicator. Today, he continues to provide personalized instruction to many students, achieving over 55 US and World Championship Titles with his students, including 12 United States and World titles with his wife.
Eddie is passionate about creating an inclusive and supportive environment in and out of the studio. He has dedicated his life to share the joy of lifelong dance as a tool to inspire, renew and empower his students, instructors, staff, and communities in Atlanta and around the world.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Eddie believes that much of his success stemmed from his childhood. Crediting his mother for instilling in him the importance of persevering, He has always been determined and confident in his abilities and has consistently recognized room for improvement and the significance of continuous learning.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Keep believing in yourself, stay open to learning, and enjoy every step of your incredible journey. Don’t sweat the small stuff and find joy in every day. Wake up every day with a mantra: I feel happy, I feel healthy, I feel blessed! Stay focused, envision your success and it will happen!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.academyballroomatl.com
- Instagram: @academyballroomatlanta
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AcademyBallroomATL
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfoqCTijXx2oimG8VJkdkJA/
Image Credits
Charles Ryder Photography
