Gekhman is co-owner of Chevy Chase Ballroom & DanceSport Center, a studio teaching social and competitive ballroom dancing for kids and adults in the Washington metropolitan area. In May, the business donated over $4,000 toward the Japanese earthquake relief. Gekhman is also one of the studio’s many professional dancers, with several awards, including Blackpool, U.K., International Rising Star Standard finalist and World Professional Classic Show Dance Vice-Champion. Is philanthropy something your business practices often?
We have clothing drives and donate services and dance lessons to different schools — all in the Chevy Chase area, both public and private — and to organizations like cancer resource centers.
What’s coming up in your studio?
We don’t have another charity event scheduled yet, but we do have our first student showcase this Saturday, which will be creative because every dance is a story. We’re also bringing in fresh blood of European competitive dance teachers toward the end of the summer.
How may people walk through your doors on a given day?
We have a great flow of people – maybe up to 200 or 300.
Who comes?
We have students from age 4 to age 94. We invite college teams from Maryland, Georgetown, all over.
Why are you different than other studios?
We’ve had maybe the highest quality of professional dancers in the area over the last 10 years. We’re also trying to be different – I don’t remember any studio recently trying to help like we did with Dance for Japan.
As a professional, do you like the environment?
It’s been here since 1968, so it’s full of traditions. Spirits of the greatest dancers are flying around. You can feel it.
How has D.C. treated you?
I came to D.C. three years ago, and we have the best of the best dancers in the world.
Natalie Plumb
