Denise Machin is a dance scholar and educator who specializes in making ballroom and social dance accessible to learners of all backgrounds. She earned her BA in Dance from Columbia University and her PhD in Critical Dance Studies from the University of California, Riverside. Since 2016, she has served as the director of the Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company, one of the largest collegiate ballroom programs in the country. Denise teaches group classes and academic courses in ballroom, Latin, and social dance forms, and she especially enjoys supporting dancers preparing for weddings and special events. As an amateur competitor, she focuses on International Standard, Latin, American Smooth, and Nightclub styles.