Christine Zona

Christine Zona

About

Christine Zona has been teaching and competing in ballroom dance since 1980. She has competed professionally in the International Standard and Latin and the American Ballroom divisions.  Christine has also published, through Human Kinetics, a how to dance book, “Gotta Ballroom,” which includes the American style ballroom dances: Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot and Viennese Waltz.

Currently, she divides her time coaching and teaching between Pittsburgh, PA and New York City. She is a certified instructor of the Body School System and an adjudicator with North American Dance Teachers Association and USA Dance.

Christine is the International Ballroom dance coach at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, and is also a visiting coach at various universities. As a member of the Collegiate Network Executive Committee in USA Dance, she has helped to create programs for college students and plan USA Dance Collegiate Nationals.

My Story

Dancing

I had been a professional dancer and teacher for many years before I found Maja Serve and the Body School System. As a professional standard competitor, I had many lessons with a variety of well known coaches. But something didn’t feel right to me. 

Within 10 minutes of my first lesson in the Body School, I knew it was the correct fit for me. The system is logical with principles that can be used in all dances. But most important to me, all the principles made sense to my body and I knew I had found what I was looking for. 

My body knew I could never go back to another style. I’ve been dancing and teaching this system for almost 30 years and I know it has made it possible for me to keep dancing with no pain or injury. I’m forever grateful for the training I have received from Maja Servé and the Body School System.

Healthy Lifestyle

I used to be an unhealthy caffeine addict traveling around the country competing professionally in ballroom dance. I ate whatever was available and when I had time. And lived on caffeine drinks.

When I stopped competing, I had a huge wake up call. The adrenaline rush was gone and I was exhausted. Gaining more weight every day.

One of my dance friends showed me a  solution. She brought me into a community of healthy, positive and welcoming people,

I started creating new habits, ate better food and completely quit the caffeine drinks.

Now, a few years later, I have helped many people lose weight, have more energy, be mentally focused and feel years younger.

Services

Dance Lessons

I teach private and group lessons in Pittsburgh, PA, New York City and Boston, MA. Message me to book your personal lesson. Click below to contact me.

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Healthy Lifestyle

I help busy professionals look better, feel better and live better lives by using easy to follow simple daily habits. Click below to learn more.

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Youthful Aging

I help people, who want to have a vibrant, healthy glow, feel better about aging gracefully. Click below to learn more.

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Shop

My shop features books, online courses, first dance courses and mush more to come soon. Check out today what is currently for sale. Click below to go to the shop page.

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Christine Zona and Maja Servé

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Testimonials

Christine Zona is a gifted, excellent dance teacher. Beginner through advanced, you learn proper technique, styling, and posture in your choice of American or International styles. Her method of instruction allows you to gain knowledge, skill, and confidence. While I have danced at the open level, Christine helps me find ways to improve.
Carol
Carol Coffinger
Amateur Dancer
Studying ballroom dancing with Christine Zona for the past 20 years is one of the best things I've ever done for myself! Over the course of those 20 years, I've experienced a lot of teachers. Finding Christine was, for me, finding the best of the best! It takes a very talented and experienced teacher to make what could be confusing and awkward easy, fun, logical, and in harmony with the way your body moves naturally. If you're Smiling to yourself because you think I'm exaggerating, please know that I drive 4 hours round trip to take lessons with Christine - because I want the best!
Mary Jo Phillips
Mary Jo Phillips
Amateur Dancer
I have been a Christine's dance student for over 20 years. Before taking lessons from Christine, I had only taken group lessons from local teachers. The focus then was simply learning step pattens. Christine changed my focus to the mental aspect of dance - the ability to stay in the zona, to stay on time, and the ability to decide the next step patten when there are the distractions of all that is happening on the dance floor. What I am most grateful for is that Christine has developed my body technique to the point that I feel my body actually having the dance rhythm inside me. Before it was more of a mental direction of performing step pattens. I value that Christine has been trained by world champion dance competitors in the Body School of dance. I am also grateful for Christine's patience as a teacher. I consider myself a poor student in that I do not practice much. Christine continues to push me to develop in spite of myself imposed limitations.
Paul Winkelbauer
Paul Winkelbauer
Amateur Dancer
I first met Christine January 2016 when I became a member of the CMU Ballroom Dance Club. I am strictly a social dancer, having learned Smooth and Rhythm (American), transitioning to Standard and Latin (International). My dance partner does Standard, and cocky as I am, I has proclaimed that I would learn it for her. It's now 2022 and I'm just broaching Silver. If you only want to learn a lot of steps in the least amount of time ("learning" here doesn't imply doing them well), then Christine is NOT the instructor for you! However, if you want to take the time to learn proper technique, good posture ""The Rules" (and sub-rules) of Turn" then jobs of the Initiator or Responder, while building up your repertoire of dance movements following a syllabus-based structure, then she comes with my highest recommendation.
Mark & Carol for Christines Website
Mark M Daichendt
PhD
I had the pleasure of meeting Christine in 2014 as my first instructor starting ballroom at Carnegie Mellon University. Over the course of 6 years under her mentorship, I was continuously impresses with her comprehensive knowledge of ballroom technique and the human body, complemented with her ability to teach these concepts in an understandable and enjoyable way. christine is much more than just an instructor - she is a mentor whose kindness and passion have made a lasting impact on my life and many others inside and outside the ballroom. Whether it is ballroom technique, or general body awareness and health, the knowledge I have obtained through Christine has positively carried over to how I move and take care of my body on a daily basis. I now continue to compete in the national amateur field of ballroom and am grateful to Christine for starting me down the path of the art form known as ballroom dancing.
Kevin Song
Kevin Song
Amateur Dancer
In 1994, I first crossed paths with Christine when I was on a teaching trip to Pittsburgh. She showed immense enthusiasm for mastering the "How To" system of the Body School™. Since those early days, Christine has been on a remarkable journey of continuous learning and growth, delving deeply into ballroom dancing, body mechanics, and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Over the years, Christine has become a respected teacher in her own right, imparting her knowledge to numerous students. Her teaching style has garnered deep admiration, evident in the loyalty of many who have studied with her for over two decades. This is a testament to her skill and dedication that her students not only stay but thrive under her guidance. She embodies the qualities of a great teacher: passion, dedication, and a genuine desire to see her students excel. Thank you, Christine, for your unwavering commitment as a student and for the lasting friendship we've built over the years.
Maja Servé
Maja Servé
Professional Teacher/Coach and Adjudicator

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