About Bob & Penny
 

Bob  & Penny have taught in the Chicago area for many years. Bob Taught with Frank Romani at "Chicago Dance Club" for several years, ultimately deciding to take over the Romani space after Frank decided to move to Arizona. Thus began the new business "Chicago Dance" and the journey to build a customer base and the reputation of Chicago Dance with a new generation of dancers.  

After seven extremely successful and wonderful years, they received an offer to purchase the business from Gregory Day and Tommye Giacchino. On January 3rd 2000, Gregory, who began  teaching in Chicago at Chicago Dance, and his partner Tommye Giacchino ( World Champion Exhibition Dancers) purchased the business.

 These days, Bob & Penny continue to do what they love best - teaching and sharing the joy of ballroom dancing with as many others as possible. Their goal is to promote Ballroom Dancing and to provide easy access to information about where to dance and/or take lessons. For that purpose, this web site has been established. Please bookmark the site and return to it often, to see new information as the site grows and is updated.

 Meanwhile, if you need to know about a specific Chicagoland location, or have questions about any  type of dance, drop an email to at  bob@BallroomChicago.com  . You may also subscribe to our email list and receive all updates by sending an email with the word "subscribe" as the subject.

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Past and/or current clients:

Coaching for a Ballroom Dance Scene in an episode of the popular television show "Early Edition"
Coaching and Choreography for actors Peter Stormere and Ivana Miliecevic in the film
"Witless Protection" due for release in early 2008 (also look for Bob in the Dance Scene)

Presidential Towers Health Club
Deerfield/Highland Park High School Adult Continuing Education
Francis Parker School Adult Continuing Education
IIT (Illinois Institute of Technology) Ballroom Dance Club
The Shoreline Club in Lake Forest
Shaare Tikva Synagogue,  Chicago
Chicago Dance (Owned by Bob & Penny until January, 2000)
Marcia Barrett's North Shore Dance Studio
The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs SummerDance Program
The Daley Plaza "Under the Picasso" events
Chevy Chase Country Club in Wheeling
USABDA, Chicago Chapter Annual Workshops
Conventions at McCormick Place
Dancing Club of Evanston
Dance World, Arlington Heights
Compass Rose Restaurant & Night Club in Wheeling
Great Age Fitness Center, Highland Park
Girl Scouts of America,  Highland Park 
Special events at numerous hotels in the Chicagoland area
Gorton Community Center, Lake Forest, IL
District 113, Deerfield/Highland Park Continuing Adult Education
Dance World Dance Club, Arlington Heights, IL
Ballroom City, Villa Park. IL

If you would like more information about providing classes or performances for your event, organization or group, drop us an email at: bob@BallroomChicago.com or call us at:
(847) 757 2227

See you on the dance floor!

Phone: (847) 757 2227   Fax: (208) 723 5996     
email:  info@BallroomChicago.com

By Kevin Davis

On The Clock: Twirl teacher

Bob Urbon, 65, ballroom dance instructor, North Shore

Duties: Teaches styles from rumba to West Coast swing in private and group lessons. "It's like flying across the floor."

Background: Started teaching part time in 1962 while working as an electrical contractor. "Ballroom dance was very popular. There were the chain studios in Chicago such as Fred Astaire and Arthur Murray. We had large crowds coming out for competitions. In the '70s, interest faded a bit because of disco."

Sudden interest: TV's "Dancing With the Stars" is "bringing all the people in the door right now. We've had couples from college-age to in their 80s. Young people are seeing other young people dancing. They have so much energy and so much enthusiasm. I'm getting more men than women now. It used to be the other way around."

Degree of difficulty: "I have never met a person who can walk and count who can't dance. Now it takes some longer than others."

Rewards: "The funnest part is watching the look on people's faces when they realize they can do this. You watch them struggle with it, and then you see them get surprised and happy."

Copyright © 2001 Bob Urbon. All rights reserved.