User:DCI2020/sandbox

Natalia Laubert-Butsenina was born on October 10, 1976 in Moscow. Parents: Alexander Butsenin, an international journalist; Elena Konstantinovna Butsenina, a teacher and translator of English and Portuguese. Natalia began to practice ballroom dancing at the age of 5. Having followed the traditional path, she performed in the categories “Juveniles”, “Juniors”, “Youth” (under 21 years old), and became the champion of Moscow in the category "Amateurs". The Moscow Federation of Dance Sports chose her as captain of the youth national team of the capital. She graduated from the Central Music School at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, and finished a secondary school with in-depth study of the English language in Moscow; she is also fluent in German. She studied at the Moscow Natalia Nesterova Academy of Education. She won the prestigious “Spartak Cup” international tournament organized by the sports society “Spartak” with the support of the Sports Committee of Moscow three times. From 1981 to 1996, she was a finalist in the Open Championships of Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Ukraine. She began her coaching career in 1992 by opening the “Natalie Dance” dance and sports club. In 1996, the Moscow Sports Committee assigned Natalia the 1st category of coach. She also received the title of Master of Sports of Russia. In the same year of 1996, she was invited to represent Germany at the competitions as part of the international duet Rolf Laubert / Natalia Butsenina.. The coaches of the pair were the repeated champions of Germany, Europe and the world, Ralph Muller and Olga Muller-Omelchenko. The duet Rolf Laubert / Natalia Butsenina participated in a series of European tournaments, i.e. the Open Championships of Germany, England, Holland, and Italy. In 2000, Natalia and Rolf came in second at the Canadian-American International Amateur Dance Championship in Toronto. They had their first meeting with the founders of this tournament, John Karakis and Brigitt Mayer. The duet Rolf Laubert / Natalia Butsenina won the silver at the IDSF International Open international ballroom dance tournaments in Kingston (Canada) and Tokyo (Japan). In 1998, Natalia and Rolf entered into a marriage that lasted until 2009. In Germany, Natalia was awarded (by voting) the title “Athlete of the Year 2000” in North Rhine-Westphalia. In 2001, Natalia and Rolf left amateur sports and switched to professional sports. They became silver medalists at the German Grand Prix, winners of the international Tropicana Cup tournament in Poland and finalists at the German championship.

In 2002, Natalia was invited to perform for Ukraine. She began to practice and work in the “Dynamo” sports and dance club. A new dance duet was formed, Stanislav Datsenko / Natalia Laubert, and became the champion of Ukraine in 2003 in Latin American dances among professionals. At the 2003 European Championship in Paris, the dancers entered the top nine couples of the continent, which at that time was the highest result in the history of professional dance sport in Ukraine. Also in 2003, at the La Classique du Quebec international tournament in Montreal, Canada, the pair won first place among professionals in the Rising Stars category and reached the final stage of the Latin American Dances category.

In 2003, Natalia was awarded the highest judicial category and the title of coach of the highest category from the Dance Sport Association of Ukraine, IDSF member and the Olympic Committee of Ukraine. Repeatedly, Natalia was invited to many countries to prepare athletes of various levels, to give lectures, to conduct demonstrations and dance shows at international and national congresses, and training camps. She worked with sports couples in the Canadian cities of Toronto and Kingston, was a member of the judiciary collegium of the Ontario Provincial Championship among amateurs, and participated in the preparation of dance duets of the Russian national figure skating team.

Among the teachers and mentors of Natalia were such venerable coaches and specialists as Alexei and Svetlana Kosovs (the first teachers, Russia), Alla Chebotareva and Gennady Gunko (Russia), Stanislav Shklyar and Irina Chubarets (Ukraine), Elena and Alexander Chekotkins (Russia), Alexander and Anna Mashkovs (Russia), Leonid Pletnev (Russia), Ralph Muller and Olga Muller-Omelchenko (Germany), Dorothy Hinz (Germany), Tone Nyhagen (England), Brian Torner (Canada), Karl Breuer (Germany), Ralph Lepehne (Germany), Lorraine Woods-Gay (USA); soloists and ballet instructors of the Bolshoi Theater of Russia, in particular, Anna Plisetskaya (a niece of the famous ballerina Maya Plisetskaya); famous ballet master and ballet dancer Stefan Künzke (Germany), director of “Tanz Mit Mir” motion picture. Dancing with the Stars

Since 2004 Natalia Laubert-Butsenina has lived in the United States of America, in the city of Jacksonville, Florida, where she was invited to work in dance schools as a teacher to improve the skills of dance instructors, which is one of her specializations at the present time. In addition, she coaches professional dancers and pro-am couples, gives classes in ballroom dancing, choreography, and prepares exhibition performances and shows. She trains competitive dancers and is a mentor of many couples from different countries. At tournaments, including the “Achievement Ball” organized in schools, she is a member of the panel of judges; her competence includes a critical analysis of dance performances with practical advice and suggestions for improving students' skills.

She is actively working on the implementation of projects the key idea of which is “Dancing with the Stars”. In particular, at the invitation of the well-known Clara White Mission which organized one of the largest charitable events in the Prime Osborne Center of Jacksonville, she created the program “Dance Like a Star” with the participation of Christian de la Fuente, a Hollywood actor.

The “First Coast Dancing with the Stars” project became part of a large-scale event dedicated to the fine arts of Jacksonville and North Florida. The event was initiated by “Fine Arts of Jacksonville” with the support of Senator Aaron Bean. Natalia's students, Rose Conry and James Boyd, won the dance program. James, by the way, is a participant in the famous So You Think You Can Dance show. Natalia coached Crystal Freed and Petty Otterson, the participants in the “Dancing with the Stars 2019” project organized in support of the Jacksonville Children's Choir. The team is known for its international tours and performances accompanying the Pope. Currently, Natalia is engaged in preparing professional couples for national and international tournaments and giving master classes. Natalia Laubert-Butsenina is a member of The United States Imperial Society of Teachers of dance,, Imperial Society of teachers of dancing, ProDVIDA Examiner,