Aleksei and Elena Minaev

Aleksei Minaev began dancing at a very young age in Russia, where ballroom quickly became a lifelong passion. In 2001, his future partnership with Elena began when she joined the dance studio owned by Aleksei’s mother. Together, they progressed through Youth and Amateur competition before moving into the professional ranks. In 2017, Aleksei and Elena relocated from Russia to the United States, beginning an important new chapter in their career. Aleksei particularly enjoys the freedom and versatility of the 10-Dance program, appreciating the connection between its Ballroom and Latin disciplines. Outside of dance, he has an adventurous side and enjoys swimming in rivers during the winter. 

 
Elena Minaeva began dancing at a young age in Russia, eventually joining the studio owned by Aleksei’s mother in 2001. That introduction became the beginning of a partnership that has lasted more than two decades and taken her from Youth and Amateur competition to the Professional 10-Dance division. Elena and Aleksei moved to the United States in 2017, where they continued building their careers while raising their daughter, who was born in 2012. Elena appreciates the freedom offered by the 10-Dance program and enjoys the similarities between Ballroom and Latin that become increasingly apparent through years of experience. Outside of dancing, Elena is passionate about art, particularly acrylic painting, which gives her another outlet for creativity and self-expression. 

Aleksei and Elena began dancing together in 2001 after Elena came to train at Aleksei’s mother’s studio. Their partnership has continued through Youth, Amateur, and Professional competition, making theirs a partnership built on exceptional longevity and shared experience. They moved from Russia to the United States in 2017 and are now based in Cleveland, Ohio, where they practice every day at their own studio, Fred Astaire Westlake. Their coaches are based in New York and New Jersey. As Professional 10-Dance competitors, they value the freedom of combining Ballroom and Latin and the way years of experience reveal the similarities between the two disciplines. Together, they continue to compete, teach, and develop their dancing while balancing their professional careers with family life.