Eddie Stutts is a versatile individual. He's also from Houston, but that's not really a Wow Fact.
We have assembled a list of things that will give you an idea as to why the Arthur Murray staff are so excited to have him come out to visit the studios. We have a feeling, after reading this list, that you'll feel the same way.
Well, for one, it's Dancing with the Stars. If you haven't heard of the show, follow this link to get a quick preview of what's coming up.. and then buy a TV. Here's a link to the episode, and you may be able to gather another cool part to this story, you know - in addition to dancing a solo routine, on television, in front of millions of people.
Notice anything special? Like Seal, the artist, the icon, the guy who's song for a movie was more successful than the move. That guy, singing live, and Eddie Stutts, and his partner Valentina, performing a beautiful Waltz.
Being a champion in anything is incredible, but 10 Dance competitors are pretty remarkable in the dance world. Rather than just honing in on one discipline, the 10 Dancers compete in two categories, and only those with the highest marks in both are considered the champs.
Ballroom: Waltz + Tango + Foxtrot + Viennese Waltz + Quickstep = 5 Dances
Latin: Cha-Cha + Samba + Paso Doble + Rumba + Jive = 5 Dances
Ballroom + Latin = 10 Dances
This may require a bit of geography, but North America is much bigger than, say, "America". This title means that Eddie and his partner were competing against other 10 Dance couples from all over North American, and not just the USA.
One couple is picked to represent the United States in the World 10 Dance Championships. Eddie was selected 4 times, and was a finalist all 4 times.
Can you imagine throwing a baseball right handed all of your life, and then switching and throwing "lefty"? Essentially, that's what Eddie did when he decided to compete professionally in the American Smooth category with a new partner, Valentina Wise. In a world where our students often want to focus on a single dance, thinking that it will streamline their development, Eddie sets an incredible example as a professional that operated without restrictions.
The dance competitions that have aired on PBS predated Dancing with the Stars. For many people, it was their first exposure to the world of competitive ballroom and latin dancing. The show, originally titled "Championship Ballroom Dancing" is now called "America's Ballroom Challenge". In 2008 Eddie and Valentina performed a beautiful Waltz to Sarah MacLaughlin's "Arms of an Angel".
Eddie is a busy guy. He has his own school in Houston, but he's making some time to come and visit the Arthur Murray Live locations. This will give the students and teachers an opportunity to work with a consultant that is as fun and knowledgeable, as he is versatile.
Most consultants have impressive resumes, and Eddie's is definitely one that makes you say "Wow". Sometimes, an impressive resume can feel like a barrier. As if they only want to surround themselves with people of equal stature. That's why guys like Eddie work as consultants - it's not to flash their resume, but to connect with people. Every Arthur Murray consultant is an expert at teaching all students of all levels.
Even if their resume is incredibly wow-like.