There were three things Dani Atkins was fervently passionate about through her childhood: story telling, music, and dance. She grew up dreaming of starring on Broadway, (her dream role being Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie,) and writing scripts for Tony award winning shows. Upon stumbling into a ballroom dance studio after high school, that old dream disappeared, a new dream in its place.

Love at first box step, she immersed herself in ballroom dancing, starting as a amateur Standard and Smooth competitor and, soon after, finding herself on the professional Smooth competition floor. Her dance journey took an amazing turn when she had the opportunity to move to Chicago in 2013 to join the Chicagoland Arthur Murray family and expand her competitive horizons in West Coast Swing, Hustle, and Country Two-Step, in addition to her ventures in American Smooth, with partner Jimmy Mulligan.

Currently, she lives and works primarily in Chicago while continuing to develop her competitive career, perform shows, and visit AM schools around the country. She's thankful for every opportunity she receives to share her love of story-telling, music, and dance through ballroom.

What sets Arthur Murray apart from every other dance studio?

It is a family. Everyone is so supportive and loving, when you walk into an Arthur Murray studio, it feels like coming home.

What are some of your dance achievements?

2016 National DOR Professional Open Smooth Champion
2014, 2015, and 2016 World DOR Open Pro Smooth finalist
2013, 2014, and 2015 Superama Open Pro Smooth finalist
2014 and 2016 World DOR Pro Hustle Champion
2014 World DOR and Superama Pro West Coast Swing Champion
2016 Hularama Country Two-Step Champion
Flash mob co-choreographer for a segment featured in The Steve Harvey Show.

Top 3 books everyone should read

1. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens= MY FAVORITE BOOK EVER!!!
2. 1984 by George Orwell
3. A Million Miles in A Thousand Years by Don Miller

Anything else you want to share?

Before becoming a ballroom dance professional, I've been:
A mime
A fairytale princess for little kids birthday parties
A singing telegram-er
A published author