About Leonid:
Leonid was born in 1961 in Sumy, Ukraine. Parents took him dancing at the age of eight. As a young boy he also went to a music school learning accordion, piano, guitar and drums, which has been invaluable in his dancing career.
Leonid was also a keen sportsman, taking interest in football, chess, swimming, martial arts and table tennis. All this he managed to combine with his main passion – dancing. At the time his main challenge was his height, when he had to change a dance partner every season because they simple would overgrow him.
After school, which Leonid finished with top marks, he got scholarship to study Architecture in Kharkiv. He was promised an amazing career ahead, but gave it all up for dancing and never looked back.
In 1985 Leonid moved to Moscow and joined one of the most prestigious dance clubs at the time. He successfully competed in both Ballroom and Latin styles and was representing USSR internationally. Hard work and dedication brought great results for him and his many partners.
Leonid retired from competitive dancing in 1996 and continues his career as a coach, adjudicator and lecturer. He is also known as a ‘Dance Philosopher’ for his approach to the development of an individual dancer and a successful couple.
Leonid now lives in Vienna, but constantly travels around the world teaching and judging.
Leonid’s professional achievements:
- Russian Professional Grand Prix Champion
- WDC World Cup Professional finalist
- Semi-finalist of the WDC World and European Professional Championships
- Honorary President of International Dance Union (IDU)
- Vice-president of Euro-Asian Dance Council (EADC)
- Committee Chairman of Russian Dance Union (RDU)
- Founder and President of Dance Systems «Reverence» and «Amazing Dance World»
- Adjudicator and Chairman at all major dance Championships
- Organizer of «Star Parade» Gala-dinner Show in Moscow (Russia)
- Organizer of RDU Congresses and «Reverence Congresses» in Moscow (Russia)
- Lecturer at the WDC World Congresses, World Ballroom Dancing Congress in Blackpool
- Co-founder and lecturer of Ballroom Department at the Art Faculty of Moscow State University
- Adjudicator and choreographer at «Dancing with the stars» TV shows (Ukraine and Russia)
- Creator and owner of “My Dance Assistant”
did you know?
Leonid is a published author of a book with his own poems, aphorisms and articles called «With Reverence… About life in dancing and dancing in life»
He is also a producer of the first ever educational project «Line of dance» in Russian
Leonid had 13 dance partners over his 27 year competitive career and 13 is his favourite number.