Mary Murphy(X)
- Additional Crew
Mary Murphy was born in Lancaster, Ohio, the only daughter in a family
of four children. Her father worked as an elementary school teacher and
her mother, originally from Ireland, remained at home, looking after
the family. Life with three brothers led Mary to see herself not as the
only daughter in the Murphy household, but as the fourth brother.
Keeping up with her siblings left Mary with little affinity for
typically feminine pastimes, and she spent most of her free time after
school and on weekends participating in athletics such as track and
field, basketball, volleyball, and football.
After high school, Mary went to Ohio University for the express purpose
of graduating with a degree in Physical Education. In addition to her
Bachelor's Degree in physical education, Mary, having developed a love
of modern dance over the course of her college education, also minored
in modern dance. With no idea she had a professional ballroom dance
career ahead of her, Mary saw herself using the combined benefits of
her degrees to pursue a career as a specialist in physical education
for children with learning disabilities, helping them to connect the
mind and the body through repetitive movement and creative dance.
Shortly after graduating, Mary moved to Washington, DC, where, looking
for a summer job, she answered an ad in the newspaper; a local studio
was recruiting trainees to become instructors. Although her background
in modern dance allowed her to transition from trainee to instructor in
only a week's time, the studio's limited resources and basic social
dancing did not make a favorable first impression on Mary, leaving her
feeling dispassionately about ballroom dancing and with no belief that
her future would lie therein.
The turning point came when the owner of the dance studio invited her
to attend the United States Ballroom Championships in New York City.
Upon entering the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria, Mary's senses were
overwhelmed. As she watched the couples whirling across the floor,
their bodies seamlessly executing complicated patterns in perfect
synchronization, their elegant movements in harmony with the music, it
dawned on her that ballroom dancing was much more than what she had
been exposed to in the small studio in Washington, DC, more than the
blinding glitter and glamor of the fancy dresses and tail suits -- this
was a sport in the truest sense of the word, and the athleticism, the
sheer artistry of the dancers was astounding. At that moment Mary
realized that ballroom dancing was more than just job for her -- she no
longer felt the desire to spend the rest of her life as a modern
dancer, performing alone.
Mary returned to Washington, DC, determined to become part of the magic
she had witnessed, and immediately launched herself into the world of
competitive ballroom dance, never looking back. While continuing to
teach for the studio, she sought out the best instructors in the area
and began her competitive dance training.
After only a year in Washington, familial circumstances demanded that
Mary move back to Ohio, and she found herself in a small town with no
dance studio an hour and a half outside of Columbus. Mary made the
drive to Columbus daily, where she intensified her training in the
American Rhythm, American Smooth, and International Latin styles of
dance.
As Mary's dancing improved, she focused more on the International
Standard style of dance and began searching for a partner with which
she would be able to compete. Her search for a suitable dance partner
lead her across the country to Southern California. Although the
partnership ultimately did not prove to be viable, she decided to make
California her home.
Mary resumed work as a dance instructor in San Diego, but remained
dedicated to finding a competitive dance partner who would help her
realize her goals -- to make the national final in any given category.
That year Mary went to Blackpool, England for the UK Open
Championships, where she met Manfred Siglitz and her search for a
partner finally reached its end. After a precursory tryout the pair
agreed that, though separated by a not inconsiderable distance, Mary
living in California and Manfred in England, they would immediately
form a partnership and compete in International Ten Dance. Mary and
Manfred spent the next two years commuting between Manfred's home in
England and Mary's home in California, and touring the world in
competition. The couple became Austrian National Champions in 1990 and
1991 and enjoyed considerable success, representing Austria in the
World Championships, and making the World Cup final.
In April of 1990, Mary opened the doors to Champion Ballroom Academy in
the heart of downtown San Diego. Her vision, partly driven by her own
needs as a competitor in training, was to provide the very best
facility for competitive dance education, while at the same time
creating a school where students and teachers alike would feel a sense
of comfort and community as they sought to improve their dancing
skills.
Over the course of time, the strains of commuting took their toll, and
Mary was put under pressure to leave her studio and life in California
behind and move to England. Ultimately, the distance proved too great
an obstacle for the partnership to overcome, and despite the promise of
placing in the top six in the world, they were forced to part ways.
Although the partnership with Manfred was at an end, Mary's competitive
career was long from over. During the five years following the breakup,
she went on to build an impressive list of accomplishments with various
partners including the Southwest Regional Dance Tournament, the Saint
Louis Star Ball, and the International Grand Ball. With partner Bill
Milner Mary made the U.S. Open Standard final in an unprecedented six
months' time. Finally, in 1996, Mary Murphy and partner Jim Desmond
made the final of the U.S. Open American Smooth and won the U.S. Open
American Nine Dance.
Her competitive goals realized many times over, Mary immediately
retired from competition and shifted her focus toward her ballroom,
devoting herself to bringing the joys of dance to all of her students
and to those in the community who have not yet discovered the
intoxicating, liberating feeling one gets when one steps out onto the
dance floor. Mary feels comfortable with her decision to retire, and
feels extremely fulfilled managing her business and watching her studio
blossom.
Not one to lose herself entirely to the necessary details of managing a
ballroom, Mary's desire to share her love for the art and sport of
dance with others has led her to remain active as an instructor,
coaching and choreographing for many U.S. Amateur and Junior Champions.
Mary has also done her share in bringing ballroom to the screen, acting
as a dance double for
Julia Roberts in the movie
Something to Talk About (1995),
appearing in Dance with Me (1998),
starring Vanessa Williams,
and most recently was part of the Fox television series,
So You Think You Can Dance (2005),
as a judge and choreographer.
Also, Mary is a partner in and organizer one of the largest U.S. dance
competitions, The Holiday Dance Classic, held in Las Vegas each
December. She frequently serves as a judge in some of ballroom's most
reputable competitions, including the U.S. National Ballroom
Championships, and can still be found on Champion Ballroom Academy's
expansive floor passing on her infectious enthusiasm and unsurpassable
love of dance to her students.
of four children. Her father worked as an elementary school teacher and
her mother, originally from Ireland, remained at home, looking after
the family. Life with three brothers led Mary to see herself not as the
only daughter in the Murphy household, but as the fourth brother.
Keeping up with her siblings left Mary with little affinity for
typically feminine pastimes, and she spent most of her free time after
school and on weekends participating in athletics such as track and
field, basketball, volleyball, and football.
After high school, Mary went to Ohio University for the express purpose
of graduating with a degree in Physical Education. In addition to her
Bachelor's Degree in physical education, Mary, having developed a love
of modern dance over the course of her college education, also minored
in modern dance. With no idea she had a professional ballroom dance
career ahead of her, Mary saw herself using the combined benefits of
her degrees to pursue a career as a specialist in physical education
for children with learning disabilities, helping them to connect the
mind and the body through repetitive movement and creative dance.
Shortly after graduating, Mary moved to Washington, DC, where, looking
for a summer job, she answered an ad in the newspaper; a local studio
was recruiting trainees to become instructors. Although her background
in modern dance allowed her to transition from trainee to instructor in
only a week's time, the studio's limited resources and basic social
dancing did not make a favorable first impression on Mary, leaving her
feeling dispassionately about ballroom dancing and with no belief that
her future would lie therein.
The turning point came when the owner of the dance studio invited her
to attend the United States Ballroom Championships in New York City.
Upon entering the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria, Mary's senses were
overwhelmed. As she watched the couples whirling across the floor,
their bodies seamlessly executing complicated patterns in perfect
synchronization, their elegant movements in harmony with the music, it
dawned on her that ballroom dancing was much more than what she had
been exposed to in the small studio in Washington, DC, more than the
blinding glitter and glamor of the fancy dresses and tail suits -- this
was a sport in the truest sense of the word, and the athleticism, the
sheer artistry of the dancers was astounding. At that moment Mary
realized that ballroom dancing was more than just job for her -- she no
longer felt the desire to spend the rest of her life as a modern
dancer, performing alone.
Mary returned to Washington, DC, determined to become part of the magic
she had witnessed, and immediately launched herself into the world of
competitive ballroom dance, never looking back. While continuing to
teach for the studio, she sought out the best instructors in the area
and began her competitive dance training.
After only a year in Washington, familial circumstances demanded that
Mary move back to Ohio, and she found herself in a small town with no
dance studio an hour and a half outside of Columbus. Mary made the
drive to Columbus daily, where she intensified her training in the
American Rhythm, American Smooth, and International Latin styles of
dance.
As Mary's dancing improved, she focused more on the International
Standard style of dance and began searching for a partner with which
she would be able to compete. Her search for a suitable dance partner
lead her across the country to Southern California. Although the
partnership ultimately did not prove to be viable, she decided to make
California her home.
Mary resumed work as a dance instructor in San Diego, but remained
dedicated to finding a competitive dance partner who would help her
realize her goals -- to make the national final in any given category.
That year Mary went to Blackpool, England for the UK Open
Championships, where she met Manfred Siglitz and her search for a
partner finally reached its end. After a precursory tryout the pair
agreed that, though separated by a not inconsiderable distance, Mary
living in California and Manfred in England, they would immediately
form a partnership and compete in International Ten Dance. Mary and
Manfred spent the next two years commuting between Manfred's home in
England and Mary's home in California, and touring the world in
competition. The couple became Austrian National Champions in 1990 and
1991 and enjoyed considerable success, representing Austria in the
World Championships, and making the World Cup final.
In April of 1990, Mary opened the doors to Champion Ballroom Academy in
the heart of downtown San Diego. Her vision, partly driven by her own
needs as a competitor in training, was to provide the very best
facility for competitive dance education, while at the same time
creating a school where students and teachers alike would feel a sense
of comfort and community as they sought to improve their dancing
skills.
Over the course of time, the strains of commuting took their toll, and
Mary was put under pressure to leave her studio and life in California
behind and move to England. Ultimately, the distance proved too great
an obstacle for the partnership to overcome, and despite the promise of
placing in the top six in the world, they were forced to part ways.
Although the partnership with Manfred was at an end, Mary's competitive
career was long from over. During the five years following the breakup,
she went on to build an impressive list of accomplishments with various
partners including the Southwest Regional Dance Tournament, the Saint
Louis Star Ball, and the International Grand Ball. With partner Bill
Milner Mary made the U.S. Open Standard final in an unprecedented six
months' time. Finally, in 1996, Mary Murphy and partner Jim Desmond
made the final of the U.S. Open American Smooth and won the U.S. Open
American Nine Dance.
Her competitive goals realized many times over, Mary immediately
retired from competition and shifted her focus toward her ballroom,
devoting herself to bringing the joys of dance to all of her students
and to those in the community who have not yet discovered the
intoxicating, liberating feeling one gets when one steps out onto the
dance floor. Mary feels comfortable with her decision to retire, and
feels extremely fulfilled managing her business and watching her studio
blossom.
Not one to lose herself entirely to the necessary details of managing a
ballroom, Mary's desire to share her love for the art and sport of
dance with others has led her to remain active as an instructor,
coaching and choreographing for many U.S. Amateur and Junior Champions.
Mary has also done her share in bringing ballroom to the screen, acting
as a dance double for
Julia Roberts in the movie
Something to Talk About (1995),
appearing in Dance with Me (1998),
starring Vanessa Williams,
and most recently was part of the Fox television series,
So You Think You Can Dance (2005),
as a judge and choreographer.
Also, Mary is a partner in and organizer one of the largest U.S. dance
competitions, The Holiday Dance Classic, held in Las Vegas each
December. She frequently serves as a judge in some of ballroom's most
reputable competitions, including the U.S. National Ballroom
Championships, and can still be found on Champion Ballroom Academy's
expansive floor passing on her infectious enthusiasm and unsurpassable
love of dance to her students.