Professional dancer, choreographer and dancesport coach Louis van Amstel was born June 23, 1972 in Amsterdam. He took an interest in dancing when he was still a child and diligently studied ballet, tap and jazz. After graduating form high school, he attended the University of the Arts.
Amstel and partner Julie Fryer won the 1990 Dutch Latin and also received bronze medals at the German Open and World Latin. They dominated the World Amateur Latin for two consecutive years from 1994 to 1995. They also championed at the 1995 European Amateur Latin. In the same year, they were proclaimed Amateur Grand Slam Winners. They also won the World Professional Showdance in 1996.
In 2000, Amstel won the U.S. National Latin with partner
Karina Smirnoff . They also finished in first place at the Professional Latin Division of both Can-Am Dancesport Gala-Canadian Open Professional Championships and Japan International Dancing Championships. They won the Open Professional Latin division of the 2000 Emerald Ball Dancesport Championships.
Amstel holds classes at the Center Stage Performing Arts located in Orem, Utah and is proud of applying the method of psychological approach in his teaching. He coached Latin dancer
Dmitry Chaplin , one of the top 10 finalist on
So You Think You Can Dance . Dance competitors Nick Kosovich, Katarina Marks, Clive Phillips and Karen McDonald also trained under his guidance. He founded a company called VanDance, LLC, which performed Latin Fusion at City Center and Latin Revolution in Salt Lake City. His TV appearances were on
The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and
All My Children .
Louis van Amstel appears regularly on ABC's reality series Dancing with the Stars. On season one, he was paired with
Trista Sutter and they became the first couple to be eliminated. On the second season, he was dancing partner for actress
Lisa Rinna and they finished fourth place. On season 4, van Amstel and partner
Monique Coleman placed fourth. For season 6, he is paired with
Priscilla Presley .
(Photo courtesy of ABC)