UpDoNa is happy to welcome Colorado Danceport as a new business member!
UpDoNA is excited to announce that Colorado Dancesport has joined UpDoNA as a new business member as of May 2025. Colorado Dancesport (CDS) is the state’s premier dance studio with numerous local and national Top Studio awards. They cater to a wide range of clientele: from the solo first-time dancer or engaged couple seeking help on their future wedding dance, to the social dancer looking to improve or the long-standing patron who competes. CDS has 16 dance instructors, all well-versed in a wide range of partner dances, including Smooth Ballroom (Waltz, Foxtrot, American Tango, and Viennese Waltz), Latin (Samba, Cha-Cha, Rumba, Paso Doble, and Jive), Rhythm (Cha-Cha, Rumba, East Coast Swing, Bolero, and Mambo), and Country (Waltz, Nightclub, Triple Two, West Coast Swing, Two Step, Country Cha-Cha, Polka, and East Coast Swing.) Their pros can teach all of these partner dances, and that’s not their complete list!
Not only are they new members of UpDoNA, but they also provided us with entertainment at our booth at the 16th St. Summer Kickoff Weekend on May 31st. Two of their instructors, Shawna Reed and Jason Saxe, demonstrated several ballroom dances and were well received by the gathering crowd. In fact, as they developed such a fan base, we wanted to also highlight both pros.
Shawna Reed was born to dance. Introduced to dance as a child, her journey has now spanned more than three decades. Originally trained in tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, and contemporary, she competed nationally and performed in a pre-professional ballet company. Shawna attended Point Park University, where she obtained degrees in Sports, Arts, and Entertainment Management as well as Cross Cultural Psychology. After graduating, Shawna joined “Up with People,” an elite international traveling troupe. She started in their cast as a performer, and later, used her degree to work for the organization in various capacities. After performing and coordinating for international audiences and global dignitaries, she transitioned to Denver, discovering ballroom and finding a home at CDS.
Jason Saxe found his way to dance after developing top proficiencies in sports and music. Jason is a home-grown Coloradoan who was a member of the racquetball Junior Olympic team during high school. Despite the demands of competing at this high level, he fostered his musical talent with a wide array of instruments: flute, piano, guitar (acoustic & electric), drums, and (drumroll, pun intended…) bagpipes. He was heavily involved in his nationally respected marching band, and led the band as a Drum Major. This is where he learned and later directed figures and formations. His combination of body control and fitness with his deep understanding of music allowed Jason to fast-track learning partner dances in an intensive environment. At the end of that intensive training, he passed his teacher training certification and has been teaching partner dancing ever since (10 years and counting!). In addition to working one-on-one with students, Jason also enjoys creating formations and ensemble numbers.
We ended our conversation with two questions: What is your favorite dance? And, what would you like the public to know about dance?
Shawna:
- Bolero.
- “Taking lessons doesn’t require a partner, and all beginners are welcome! Age is not a barrier, and in fact, dancing has been proven to be one of the top activities associated with improved longevity.”
Jason:
- Mambo. (Naturally, with his background in percussion…)
- “If you love music, try dancing!”
You can discover all what Colorado Dancesport has to offer on their website: https://coloradodancesport.com. If you’re ready to set up a lesson, you can reach them at 720-283-2623. They have two locations: 5120 South Lowell Blvd, Littleton and 6830 Broadway Unit D, Denver.
Colorado Dancesport, we’re happy to have your support. Happy dancing!
Thumbnail attribution – Colorado Dancesport
