Louis Van Amstel

Twelve-time dance champion, Emmy-nominated choreographer and consummate professional, Louis Van Amstel may be best known for his five stunning turns on the hit ABC show Dancing with the Stars. After a lifetime of perfecting his craft, Louis continues to lace up his dancing shoes while sharing his passion for dance with the rest of the world.

Louis finished choreographing the FOX summertime dance hit, "So You Think You Can Dance," marking the first time that any talent from ABC ballroom hit Dancing with the Stars has crossed over to the more freestyle, open-ended competition show.

In the summer of 2007, Van Amstel signed on as creative director and choreographer for the immensely popular "Dancing with the Stars" live stage show and tour for the second time, bringing his unique teachings and edgy style to millions of dancing fans around the U.S. Louis artistic and inspired choreography brought the ballroom to the people and his creative vision helped to make the "Dancing with the Stars" tour one of the most successful live shows of the summer.

Louis first began his ballroom career training in a theatre school where he gained a background in ballet, tap and jazz while simultaneously engaging in rigorous competitions. Upon graduating, he attended the University of the Arts in Amsterdam to further strengthen his skills in the classical dances and theory. Training under lifelong dance/acting coach, friend and mentor Dr. Ruud Vermeij, Louis is a student of Laban choreology and is well-versed in human movement dynamics.

During his competitive ballroom dance career, Louis has amassed a staggering number of accolades, including: 7-time Dutch National Amateur Champion, European Amateur Latin Champion, World Amateur Latin Champion, Grand Slam Professional Latin Champion, World Professional Showdance Champion and Professional World Latin Finalist. Upon immigrating to the United States from The Netherlands, Louis became the U.S. National Latin Champion in 2000.

In addition to his seasons on Dancing with the Stars, Van Amstel has had guest-star stints on The Suite Life of Zach and Cody and All My Children. In 1999, Van Amstel founded his own corporation, VanDance, through which he directed, choreographed and performed in the Broadway production of Latin Fusion, a feature production at City Center in New York City. The success of Latin Fusion resulted in a second creative effort, Latin Revolution, which debuted in Salt Lake City in 2004. He also created and choreographed Ballroom with a Twist, a touring stage show that featured professional dancers and a celebrity MC dazzling audiences with a variety of modern ballroom pieces.