Page 23
The stars really do dance in
Plymouth.
The art of dance is no more clearly
defined than at the award-winning
Dance New York studio on Forest
Street downtown.
There, Clive and Suzanne Phillips
now share the artistry and skills that
have made them respective champi-
ons in the world of dance. Clive
Phillips, who has been dancing since
hewas 9, began his career in his home
country of Australia because his sister
was taking dance lessons. He
deduced, at that young age, he said,
that the dance studio was “where the
girls were.” The classes were obvious-
ly effective, as he and his sister each
became international dance champi-
ons.
He is a two-time United States
National Nine Dance champion and
was named the Australian National
Champion. He has wonmore than 200
international dance competitions.
He and his wife met during an
audition for Ballroom to Broadway,
one of the multiple shows, both on
stage and film, in which they have
appeared around theworld.
Suzanne Phillips, a 1985 graduate
of John Glenn High School in
Westland, has also been dancing since
she was a child and has more than 30
years of dance training and perform-
ing experience, including her six
years as the featured dancer at Radio
City Music Hall in the Christmas and
Easter shows. She is a Triple Crown
American Smooth and International
Standard champion, and has won
American Smooth championships
across the country. She was the co-
instructor for ballroommaster classes
at the New York University School of
theArts.
The couple toured Australia in a
show Clive Phillips co-created, chore-
ographed and directed during their
early careers.
Clive Phillips has taught many
celebrities and co-hosted the 2004
World Amateur Latin Championships
and the Amateur Standard World
Championship with Suzanne Somers,
he also co-hosted the Monaco
Dancesport Championships with
MarilouHenner.
He's taught numerous celebrities in
the entertainment industry and has
performed on both stage and screen,
as has his wife. She has worked with
Tommy Tune, Liza Minelli, Sammy
Davis, Jr. Jerry Lewis and has danced
with Patrick Stewart and Campbell
Scott.
Clive Phillips taught Rosanna
Arquette, Jennifer Beals, Campbell
Scott, Anita Gillette and Yancey
Butler. He was named World
Dancesport Series Top Teacher for
2016-17 and the Plymouth studio
named the topwinner the same year.
The couple returned to the area
fromNewYork several years ago with
their three sons, Brendan, Dillon and
Tristan and opened Dance New York,
about two years ago. This is the fifth
studio the couple has owned, found-
ing their first DanceNewYork inNew
York 23 years ago.
Both the champions still travel to
dance competitions across the coun-
try and the Plymouth studio is filled
with their trophies and awards.
They have been joined recently by
rising dance champion Jonathan
Welly who left the banking industry
eight years ago to pursue his art. He is
the Detroit Salsa champion and has
been a finalist in numerous dance
competitions.
Also demonstrating the artistry of
dance is Tiffany Sullivan, who grew
up studying and teaching ballet. She
began ballroom dancing at 12 and in
2014 was the National Champion in
American Rhythm at the United
StatesDancesport Championships.
Ashleigh DeWeese, winner of the
Top Female Teacher award, is also
now teaching at Dance New York and
is expected to be on the competitive
circuit this year. She has been compet-
ing and performing for more than
three years in the United States and
Canada.
More information about dancing
with the real stars is available at
DanceNewYork.com.
Clive and Suzanne Phillips heat up the
dance floor.
Dancing with the stars
Champion dance duo dazzles the world in competitions
