Our Teachers & Testimonials

At Champions Dance Sport Club, our team of talented instructors is dedicated to inspiring and guiding dancers of all ages. Led by Judit Gaspar, an accomplished ballroom dancer from Hungary with an impressive international competition record, our instructors share her passion and commitment to dance. 

Alongside Judit, Christopher Affonso, Holly Hatleberg, Fiona Brymer, and Brian Freitas bring their own unique skills and perspectives. With backgrounds in competitive dance and extensive coaching experience, they create an environment that fosters growth, excellence, and personalized instruction. Together, they ensure every student receives expert guidance while developing their passion for dance. Come learn from the best ballroom dance teachers in Boston!

Image of Judit Gaspar, the studio owner and one of the teachers at Champions Dance Sport Club
Judit Gaspar

Judit was born in Szombathely, Hungary. At 14, she discovered ballroom dancing through her school, igniting a lifelong passion. Soon after, she joined the Savaria Dance Sport Club, where she fully committed to dance. Within two years, she earned a spot on the Adult Latin Formation Team.

During her membership, Savaria became an undefeated Hungarian Champion in Latin American dances. They proudly represented Hungary in international competitions, with Judit’s best result being a 5th place finish at the World Championship. She also competed in International Standard with a partner, consistently reaching the finals in national championships.

In 1997, Armin Kappacher, owner of the Fred Astaire Dance Studio, invited Judit to teach ballroom dance in the USA. This opportunity inspired her to pursue dancing as a full-time career, which also marked the beginning of her professional competition journey. She partnered with Richard Hutton from Ireland for two years, and their collaboration proved to be highly successful. Together, they reached multiple finals along the East Coast.

As professionals, they achieved several outstanding results, including impressive performances at major competitions. At the Dance Sport Competition in Montreal, they took first place in the Rising Star Standard division and 4th place in the Open Standard Championship. Additionally, at the Yankee Classic in Boston, they finished 4th in the Rising Star Standard division and reached the semi-finals in the Open Standard Championship.

She went on to successfully complete the Fred Astaire teachers’ qualification tests, as well as the ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing) Licentiate exam in International Ballroom, earning a “highly commended” rating.

In addition, Judit studied international business and economics, earning a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Business Management. Building on her passion for healthy living, she also earned a Master of Science degree in Applied Nutrition from the University of New England in 2018.

Beyond her professional achievements, Judit is also a proud mother of two sons: Christopher and Patrick. Since 2019, Christopher has been an assistant teacher at Champions, continuing the family’s involvement in the dance community.

Christopher Affonso & Holly Hatleberg

Christopher and Holly have been dancing together since 2012, both starting their journey at Champions Dance Sport Club, where they remain active members. 

Over the years, they have competed successfully in local and national competitions. In their junior years, they became national champions in the gold standard syllabus and placed second in Latin.

As they progressed to the open championship level, they achieved many notable results. This included becoming US Champions in Youth Standard and U21 Standard. They were also two-time US vice-champions in youth 10-dance and bronze medalists in Adult Standard with USA Dance. They train under the guidance of Judit Gaspar and Andrea Zaramella. 

Their top achievement came in 2023 when they earned the CSIT Youth Standard World Championship bronze medal and placed 5th in U21 in Schladming, Austria.

Christopher and Holly have been teaching since 2019. Their students have also excelled at numerous national championships.

Christopher Affonso

Christopher was three years old when he started dancing. At first, he did it because his mom had a studio, but as time went on, he grew to really love dancing.

Christopher is heading to Boston University to study chemistry and linguistics. He loves languages: he speaks Hungarian, Spanish, and German. 

In addition to dancing, he plays the piano and violin. When spring arrives, he enjoys participating in 5K races or taking long bike rides. In his free time, Christopher likes to hike, play tennis, and go camping. He also runs a successful online shop specializing in flag designs.

Holly Hatleberg

Holly began dancing at the age of five. She first watched her parents’ Waltz lessons from the sidelines until one day, she boldly told her father, “Daddy, if you sign me up for lessons, I will dance better than you.” And she has certainly proven herself since then!

Holly is interested in studying Biomedical Engineering and is part of the Youth Scholar Program at Massachusetts General Hospital. In her rare spare time, Holly enjoys traveling and baking elaborate cakes and desserts! She also recently helped choreograph her school’s musical, Mamma Mia

Fiona Brymer

Fiona started dancing at just 7 years old, inspired by years of watching Dancing with the Stars with her mom. After sitting in on a dance lesson her mom was taking (and with a little bribery in the form of stickers), her interest was piqued. She eagerly begged her mom to sign her up for lessons with Judit, and the rest is history! 🙂

Over the years, Fiona has achieved many accomplishments, including being the First Place Overall Winner at the MIT Open, Eastern United States Champion, and USA Dance National Champion in International Standard and Latin syllabus events. 

Currently, she is a student at Boston University, aiming to become a lawyer. Alongside her studies, Fiona serves as team captain of the Boston University Ballroom team and has worked as a choreographer for musical productions like Chicago, Rent, and The Little Mermaid.

In recent years, Fiona has developed a passion for teaching. Sharing her love for ballroom dancing—especially the paso doble—with both new and experienced dancers has been incredibly rewarding. She looks forward to continuing to share her passion for many more years to come.

Brian Freitas

Brian Freitas began dancing in 2014 with his fiancé, working with Judit to perfect their wedding dance. They enjoyed it so much that they never stopped! Brian and his now-wife, Lina, continue to perform and compete in the American Smooth style.

When Lina took a break from dancing in 2018, Brian partnered with Fiona to compete in International Standard and Latin styles. Their partnership was so successful that it continued even after Lina returned to dance. Since then, Brian has studied and competed in three dance styles.

When Lina took a hiatus from dance in 2018, Brian partnered up with Fiona to compete in the International Standard and Latin styles. The partnership was so successful that they continued even after Lina returned to dancing, so Brian has studied and competed in three styles ever since.

His most notable competition results include multiple podium-finishes at the gold level at the USA Dance National Championships with both partners. His most notable results include multiple podium finishes at the gold level at the USA Dance National Championships with both partners. 

With a background in teaching computer software and English as a Second Language (ESL), transitioning to assistant teacher at Champions in 2021 was a natural step for Brian. As a dancer, he draws on his experience as a classical musician (violin, viola) and NCAA Division I Track & Field athlete—believing that dance is the perfect combination of art and sport.