Club Officers
Below are our club’s officers for the 2025-2026 academic year. We encourage any of you who would like to help shape the vision and direction of the club to consider participating in some capacity. Reach out to us with any comments, join our officer meetings, or shoot us an email.
President — Cece Swartz
Cece is a second-year English MA student from Bethesda, MD.
Email: cswartz@nd.edu
Vice President — Dan Mohr
Dan is a second-year law student from New Ulm, MN.
Email: dmohr@nd.edu
Secretary — Emma Stadelmann
Emma is a second-year English MA student from Cedar Rapids, IA.
Email: estadelm@nd.edu
Treasurer — Gabe Ortner
Gabe is a junior majoring in Honors Math and Theology. He is from McLean, VA.
Email: gortner2@nd.edu
Event and Competition Coordinator — Anna Vernetti
Anna is a senior majoring in Biology and Creative Writing. She is from Stuttgart, Germany.
Email: avernett@nd.edu
Junior Officer — Joseph Draganowski
Joseph is a junior majoring in Biology and PLS (Program of Liberal Studies). He is from St. Paul, MN.
Email: jdragano@nd.edu
Current Coaches
Below are the Notre Dame Ballroom Dance Club’s coaches for the 2024-2025 school year. Feel free to contact them about private lessons and any other questions you may have.
Technique Coach – Kayla Carpenter
American Coach – Kevin Guy
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Past Coaches
Latin Coach — Mariusz Skonieczny
Mario Skonieczny was born in Poland. He immigrated to the United States at the age of 16. He has been dancing for 15 years. He is best known for Latin dancing which includes International Latin, American Rhythm, and Salsa club dancing. He currently competes with Mary Jester in professional Latin.
American Coach — Kathy Nate
Kathy Nate has owned and operated her own dance studio for 45 years. She is trained in American Style and urges her students to partake in learning the technical aspects of dance in order to compete. She gives her students short routines to learn in each dance so that the focus stays on execution. Kathy instills in her students that it’s not the number of patterns that you know but how well you do them is what constitutes a good dancer. She is known as the trendsetter in her area for club-style dances such as Nite Club 2-Step, West Coast Swing, Shag, and Country 2-Step. Private dance lessons may be available. Call 574-274-9024 for details.
Social Coach — Barb Coon
Barb graduated with honors from Arthur Murray Dance Schools and is a professional instructor and choreographer. She teaches and coaches at dance studios, workshops, and independently; and judges at collegiate ballroom competitions. Barb has received countless championship awards and trophies at competitions and exhibitions. She also instructs and supports USA Dance clubs. But what she loves the most is coaching, teaching, and judging competitions for our ND/SMC Ballroom Dance Club which she has been doing since 1998! Barb enjoys meeting new students and sharing her joy and passion for ballroom dancing.