Midlothian, VA -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/15/2016 -- MaiTy Dance, an innovative new Ballroom dance business founded by classically trained ballet dancers Tommy and Mairi Bettin, is now accepting new students of all ages and abilities in the Richmond, Virginia metro area. The married partners offer personalized lessons in Ballroom, Latin and Social dancing, plus customized wedding dances and fitness classes that feature intense ballet conditioning.

The Bettins offer individual and group lessons in nearly twenty different dances, including Foxtrot, Tango, Quickstep, Viennese Waltz, and Waltz, plus Latin Ballroom dances such as Cha Cha Cha, Jive, Paso Doble, Samba, and Rumba. Popular "club" and Latin dances are also offered, including American Rumba, Argentine Tango, Bachata, Merengue, and Milonga, plus Hustle, Nightclub Two-Step, East Coast Swing and West Coast Swing.

To make learning Ballroom dance as convenient as possible, MaiTy Dance offers lessons at several locations in Midlothian, and will even make "house calls" to students' homes in the Richmond metropolitan area. In-home dance lessons are especially popular for wedding parties, so brides and grooms and father/daughter couples can learn a wedding dance in a relaxed, familiar atmosphere. "We can teach in as little as 120 square feet," notes Mairi, "though 'traveling' dances like Quickstep and Viennese Waltz can benefit from a bit more space." More information about locations for Ballroom and wedding dance lessons in Richmond, VA is available online at http://www.maitydance.com.

Unlike one-size-fits-all franchise Ballroom dance studios, the couple can customize nearly every aspect of Ballroom dance training to suit a student's schedule, dance goals, fitness level, and previous dance experience. "It's more of a 'couture' service," Tommy explains. "Custom-tailored for each student."

"Our custom Ballroom dance syllabus is the first cohesive lesson plan that makes each moment in your dance journey valuable," notes Mairi, a Hawaii native whose classical ballet training includes stints in Norway and Russia. She explains that MaiTy Dance's approach allows students in their Ballroom dancing lessons in Richmond VA to make quick progress, because "you don't start from scratch when learning new dances. This makes it easier to dance different styles earlier in your dance journey. MaiTy Dance students enjoy dancing to their favorite music faster while having more steps in their repertoire."

Ballroom dancing is exploding in popularity thanks to TV reality shows such as "Dancing with the Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance," says Tommy Bettin, the company's co-founder. "The personal growth and triumph experienced on those shows is something we see within our company as well. The more the student puts their spirit into it, the more enriching and rewarding it is for them, blessing them with rewards emotionally and physically."

Tommy has performed with the Suzanne Farrell Ballet and Richmond Ballet, in addition to the Columbia (South Carolina) Classical Ballet, where he met is future wife. After nagging injuries ended Mairi's career as a professional ballet dancer, the couple trained and danced professionally in Ballroom and Latin in Charlotte, North Carolina, before moving to the Richmond area after their marriage to be closer to family.

About Ballroom Dancing
It is estimated that over a quarter of a million Americans of all ages enjoy Ballroom dancing for recreation, fitness, or as a competitive sport. Ballroom dance studios are a $2 billion industry in America that employs over 50,000. "DanceSport," the competitive aspect of Ballroom dancing, has been recognized as an Olympics-eligible sport by the International Olympic Committee. Clinical studies have shown that Ballroom dancing competitions are as physically strenuous as sports like basketball and cross-country running.

About Mairi Bettin
A native of Honolulu, Hawaii, Mairi trained in Norway with Mariinksy Theatre members before attending Russia's Vaganova Ballet Academy, where Mairi danced with world- class Russian dancers. As a recurring injury increasingly took its toll, Mairi returned to the U.S. where she joined the Kirov Academy in Washington D.C. She later moved to South Carolina to assume the position of Ballet Mistress at Columbia Classical Ballet, where she met her husband, Tommy, who was a member of the company.

About Tommy Bettin
A performance career that began with his imitating Michael Jackson in front of the TV and performing for his family ultimately took Tommy to the stage at the Kennedy Center and on international tours. He has trained with Washington D.C.'s Kirov Ballet Academy and Florida's Art of Classical Ballet and danced professionally with the Cuban Classical Ballet, Columbia Classical Ballet, Suzanne Farrell Ballet and Richmond Ballet.