Blair D. Wood, B.A., C.P.D.I.

Blair’s dance experience started in 1964 in San Diego, when his 8th grade class successfully auditioned for Dick Clark’s famous TV Show, American Bandstand. He danced and sang in popular musicals with the San Diego Starlight Opera in 1976 & 1978, and began his professional teaching career in 1976 at Arthur Murray’s in San Diego. In 1979, during the disco craze, Blair co-hosted the T.V. Show, "San Diego Disco Motion," and during the early 80’s he worked with Skippy Blair of the Golden State Dance Teachers Association. In 1986 he found his professional home at the Imperial Academy in Buena Park, California (at that time a Franchised Fred Astaire Dance Studio) receiving his professional diploma through the National Fred Astaire Dance Board in 1989, with Brian and Susan Puttock as their national examiners.

Blair has attended many professional dance competitions with his students, including the Nevada Star Ball, the Holiday Dance Classic, and other Western Regional Dance Competitions. He was actively involved with the Western Regional Ballroom Dance Association in the 80's with Wayne and Donna Eng of Dance Vision.com. Most of Blair’s professional training was provided by Dennis Lyle of the Imperial Academy, now in Fullerton, California. Blair’s training with Dennis Lyle, Joe & Hilda Lanza, and Brian & Susan Puttock at the Imperial Academy was the foundation of his professional dance expertise. During many of these years he was also involved with radio, T.V., and dinner theaters as a dancer, master of ceremonies, choreographer, public relations manager and dance coach. He recently received his B.A. Degree in Spanish in May 2006 from the Northern Arizona University, and he is an Active Registrant with the National Dance Council of America.

Blair D. Wood lives in Flagstaff and is the Owner/Director of the Flagstaff Ballroom Academy; in addition he is teaching through the Thorpe Park Community and Senior Center. Recently Blair starred in the role of Herr Drosselmeyer in the local production of "Nutcracker Suite in Modern Bare Feet" for the Canyon Movement Company in 2004 & 2005, and has also contributed his choreographic talents to the Flagstaff Light Opera Company in their summer 2004 production of "Secret Garden.” Currently Blair is training with Michael Walker, Jenell Maranto, and the ProDVIDA organization to professionally re-certify and update with his dance partner, Arwen Hamblin, thereby providing the most current professional level of dance instruction at the Flagstaff Ballroom Academy for the Northern Arizona dance community.