The 2017 Millennium DanceSport Championships is just around the corner, and in anticipation of this grand event on June 20-25 in Orlando, FL, we thought it be good to know a little bit about the mastermind behind it all, Michael Chapman. 

Watch the 2017 Millennium DanceSport Championships LIVE June 20-24 only on FloDance!



Chapman is a renowned dancer and choreographer who began his lifelong dance career at age 11 in Memphis, Tennessee. He fell in love with the world of dancing after his mother, a social dancer herself, brought him and his two brothers to one of her dance classes. 

As a competitive dancer, Chapman is a two-time Canadian Exhibition and World Open Professional Exhibition champion as well as a U.S. Pro/Am grand champion. He was a grand finalist in the 1992 and '96 British Open Exhibitions in Blackpool, England, the world's most prestigious ballroom dance competition.

He has an array of guest appearances under his belt, including appearing as a principal dancer in the 1995 Super Bowl halftime show as well as the 1996 PBS special "Unforgettable Boleros" with Ricardo Montalbán and the 1996 PBS Heritage Classic with Cyd Charisse.

Although he has since retired from competing, Chapman is still a very prominent figure in the DanceSport world. As we know, he is the organizer of the upcoming Millennium DanceSport Championships in Orlando, but he is also the organizer of the Florida Superstars DanceSport Championships and the Hollywood DanceSport Championships with famed "So You Think You Can Dance" judge Mary Murphy. 

In addition to hosting the top DanceSport competitions, Chapman is also a sought-after adjudicator and choreographer, helping to choreograph stars such as this year's Blackpool professional ballroom winners, Victor Fung and Anastasia Muravyeva. Chapman is also a current member of the National Dance Council of America and the World Dance Council. 

When you ask people about Michael, the first thing they mention is how kind he is and how superbly incredible his events are. Not only is he known for his dancing and adjudication chops, he is also known for having a huge heart and loving demeanor that keeps competitors coming back time and time again.

You want to do things for Michael, you enjoy doing things for him because he is just one of the nicest people you'll ever meet and he is just such a servant. He puts on such an extravagant event, and makes the entire experience very special for each and every person that walks on that floor. - Debra Fontaine

Check out Chapman in his prime in the U.S. DanceSport Cabaret Open with Ana Llorente. 



For more information on Chapman's history and dance background, check out this video interview of him with Dmitry Nikolaev in January 2016.