Louis van Amstel took an early interest in dancing, and pursued the art after graduating at the University of the Arts in Amsterdam. He began performing competitively in 1989, mostly with the British dancer Julie Fryer, with whom he won several national championships and, in 1996, the World Championships.
He retired from competitive dancing in 2000, but he continued performing for stage, as well as producing dance shows through his company, as well as offering dance lessons. He also served as a coach for several ballroom dance competitors, and most notably, So You Think You Can Dance finalist Dmitry Chaplin.
van Amstel joined ABC's Dancing with the Stars in 2005. In 2007, his routine Monique Coleman earned him an Emmy nomination for outstanding choreography. He also worked with Fox's So You Think You Can Dance as a ballroom choreographer.
TELEVISION:
- The Suite Life of Zack and Cody (guest, 2006)
- Dancing with the Stars (pro dancer, 2005-present)
- So You Think You Can Dance (choreographer, 2009-2010)