Meet our Professional Certified Dance Instructors and Administration Team
The Cinema Ballroom principal instructor have received high honors as professional dancers and teachers in the industry at a National level in ballroom and/or Latin dance.
Eric Hudson (co-owner of Cinema Ballroom and Principal Instructor) is one of the highest ranked dance instructors in the United States, renowned for developing champion dancers. His personally tailored teaching style brings out the champion dancer in each individual. He is proud to have instructed and partnered many students to United States and World Championship titles. Eric has received Top-Teacher awards at numerous events and Circuits in North America. A successful professional career has afforded Eric the experience and skill to guide students with style and ease on and off the competition floor. He has achieved a high level of success as a professional in American Rhythm and American Smooth. Together with amazing wife and partner Michelle, he is a United States professional Rising Star Champion as well as a United States and World Open finalist. Continued education and a passionate pursuit of excellence are hallmarks for Eric and Michelle and all Cinema Ballroom staff. If you believe dance is not just wonderful, but could be wonderful for you, mind, body and spirit, then Eric can help you discover your dance goals and make them a reality!
Michelle Hudson is co-owner, Dance Director and Principal instructor of Cinema Ballroom, one of the largest independently run studios in the United States. In addition to teaching out of Cinema Ballroom, she travels all over the country to coach, compete Pro/Am with her students and to judge as a registered adjudicator with the NDCA. With her husband Eric Hudson she is United States professional Rising Star American Smooth Champion as well as an Open Professional United States and World American Smooth finalist.
Michelle is certified in Adult First Aid/CPR/AED by the American Red Cross.
The senior instructor has all the qualifications of a staff instructor plus the following:
✦ Have passed nationally recognized teacher’s certifications in four styles and two levels.
Dustin started his dance career while pursuing his degree at the University of North Dakota. He started with jazz/tap/ballet/modern but was later invited by a friend to try the ballroom class that was offered. It didn't take him long to become addicted to partner dancing. He eventually went on to teach that same class until he graduated in 2007 with a BFA in Theatre Arts.
After graduating Dustin moved to St. Paul and started his career at Cinema Ballroom. Since then, Dustin has really evolved into a fun, high energy teacher that can teach anybody no matter their ability level or goals. He teaches everything from social beginners to national champions. He has quickly moved up both in the Pro and Pro/Am ranks finding himself in numerous Top Teacher and finalist lineups. Dustin has also been successful in his professional dancing in both American Rhythm and Smooth, making many rising star and open finals. Some professional accomplishments include:
Twin Cities Open Rising Star Rhythm Champion
Snowball Theatre Arts and Rising Star Rhythm Champion
2012 World Theatre Arts Finalist
Indiana Challenge Rising Star Rhythm Champion
Heart of America Rising Star Rhythm and Smooth Champion
2014 United States Dance Sport Championships 9-Dance Finalist
Dustin is certified in Adult First Aid/CPR/AED by the American Red Cross.
Growing up in the ballroom, Nadine always knew that ballroom dancing would be her life. Being the daughter of the U.S. Smooth finalists and Rising Star Smooth Champions, Dan and Rebecca Messenger, Nadine started her dancing at an early stage. She has fond memories of watching her parents helping others and expressing themselves on the dance floor. "I remember wanting to be just like them."
"I live for the ballroom floor. It is my passion and my heart." Nadine began as an independent student at the age of 4 and had taken the Open Latin and Open Standard Title at Nationals.
Nadine is a fun charismatic person who lives to smile and meet new people.
Martin has been dancing since he was 18 and teaching since 2002. Originally from Missouri, where he was well known in the community as a top-notch instructor and dancer, he is certified by the United States Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance in both American Ballroom and American Rhythm. He is also qualified in International Ballroom and International Latin styles. Mr. Pickering helped to found the now annual event Dancing with the Mid-Missouri Stars, a fund raiser for a Missouri based ballet company. In addition he was the head of the University of Missouri Ballroom Dance Club teaching and competition program. With a insatiable passion for teaching, performance, and competition Martin loves to help students to achieve any and all of their dance goals.
Since moving to the Twin Cities, Mr. Pickering has continued to hone his skills in teaching and competition, and more recently has found a love for creating choreography for solo and group exhibitions. In addition to his success with students he has been fortunate to enjoy a successful pro-dancesport career with past and current partners. His Achievements Include:
Consistent Rising Star and Open Finalists during 2009 competition year.
Notable Highlights Include:
2nd Place Rising Star and 3rd Place Open Finalists Twin Cities Open
1st Place Rising Star Champions First Coast Classic
2nd Place Rising Star 3rd Place Open Finalists Chicago Crystal Ball
2009 Dancers Cup Tour Top Professional Couple of the year
2010 2nd Place Rising Star Finalists Nashville Starz
2011 2nd Place Rising star and 4th Place Open Finalists Chicago Crystal Ball
2011 2nd Place Rising Star and 5th Place Open Finalists Twin Cities Open
Today Martin continues to travel and compete in both Pro and Pro/Am events around the country. Always ready to share his knowledge and passion with others, he takes on all levels of students. Martin's greatest strength is his enthusiasm and belief that anyone can become a great dancer and have blast while they're doing it!
Martin is certified in Adult First Aid/CPR/AED by the American Red Cross.
Dancers Are Made, Not Born
-Mikhail Baryshnikov
The staff instructor is a professional dance teacher who is qualified to teach all core social dances at a beginning to intermediate level.
Our staff instructors have all the qualifications of an associate instructor plus the following:
✦ Certifications in two styles and/or levels.
The associate instructor is a professional dance teacher who is qualified to teach all core social dances at a beginning level. Our associate instructors are in the process or have completed:
✦ Cinema Ballroom instructor training program
Nate comes to Cinema Ballroom after a life spent in the theatre. Most notably, he spent 27 years with the National Theatre for Children as an actor, and eventually a director, playwright, technical director, costumer, propmaker, and whatever other kind of mischief he could get into. He has noticed that the biggest differences between ballroom dancing and dancing for the stage are ballroom's improvised nature and (sadly) its lack of jazz hands. He does, however, bring with him a teaching pedigree and experience working with middle and high school students on a variety of performance-related topics.
Eileen started ballroom dancing with her now husband, John, over 10 years ago. After performing a wedding waltz and one dance competition, John decided to retire and Eileen decided to take up competitive ballroom dancing in order to be able to continue to dance.
Together with fellow business partner and dance instructor, Eric Hudson, Eileen is one of the top pro/am competitors in the country in American Smooth, International Latin and American Rhythm dance styles and was US National Pro/Am American Smooth Runner Up in 2010.
