Michael Kiehm began dancing in ballroom and Latin, and started teaching dance when he was 17 years old. He obtained his first professional teaching job at the young adult nightclub “The Journey”, where he taught large groups of students to dance hustle and cha-cha. He soon began teaching full-time at a popular dance studio in San Diego, moving to another studio less than two years later. In 1982, Michael opened Starlight Dance Studio, which has expanded six times over the years to include over 30 instructors and 300+ students. In 2017, Michael moved to South Carolina and is helping build the Charlotte WCS community.

A top champion dancer for many years, Michael’s highlights include the following:

• Rising Star International Latin Champion title with his sister, Carmen Garcia and several Pro-Am ballroom and Latin championship titles

• US Open Swing Dance Champion
• Grand Master and founder of the Global PDIA Instructor Certification Program
• Founder of the Global PDIA Judges Certification Program
• Founder of Starlight Video Dance Productions, now called MichaelKiehm.com

Michael teaches, coaches and judges globally, and shares his knowledge in WCS with his WCS tips on YouTube.