Our Teachers

Donna Boyle, specializes in the nightclub styles: west coast swing, hustle, salsa. She is the organizer of the annual Disco America hustle competition and conference.

Don Simione, specializes in making beginners feel comfortable. He teaches the bronze American style class on Thursday night.

Aubree Marchione, specializes in dancing for children and teens. She is also an expert at wheelchair dancing, hip hop, international Latin and ballroom.

Sandra Fortuna is the main teacher. She presents international style graded classes in strict Imperial Society technique every week; bronze on Monday, silver on Thursday, gold on Wednesday, professional certification preparation on Wednesday, drill and technique on Saturday. Sandra's philosophy, everyone should be dancing, motivates her to provide interesting and unique dance classes. Sandra's mission is to make everyone who takes lessons at Universal be on the local list of desirable partners. This mission motivates her to present an excellent program of graded classes that are efficiently run and inexpensive. For the new year, she will add a SCHOLARSHIP ONLY MEDAL CLASS, pursue a scholarship program with local schools, generate new participation in competitive dancing by discounting private lessons for potential competitors, provide a NEW TEACHER TRAINING CLASS for advanced students.

Sandra is an innovator. Hers was the first Philadelphia area quality ballroom school to offer graded classes in which a person could actually learn how to dance, Sandra was the first to offer an extensive and successfull junior program, she was the first to offer a full-scale professional ballroom and Latin dance Championship, she was the first to hold multiple graded classes in hustle, in salsa, in American and international styles, she was the first to offer wheelchair ballroom dance classes, she is the only person ever to develop and notate the details of wheelchair partnering in a dance teachers' manual.

Brian Fortuna, our Favorite Son is dancing on a national tour this summer. I am very proud of him becasue he a totally a product of the training, support and atmosphere that Universal Dance Center can give to aspiring ballroom dancers. He comes from here and he is an example of what we do.

Gail Malarkey is the newbie joining the staff. She will be behind the scenes doing public relations, coorespondence, making calls, putting together flyers, coordinating the Mad Hot Ballroom courses sponsored by Universal. Most of us know her as the 'favorite partner' and 'best fan.' Maybe she will even show up to help keep the building looking inviting inside and out.