Patrick & Carlye Stone

Born in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, Patrick discovered a love of movement and performance from an early age. His father introduced him to soccer at age two, and Patrick competed through his teenage years on travel teams, in state tournaments, and in high school. After his family relocated to Omaha, Nebraska, he found another world of creativity through singing, performing, dancing, and the arts. Patrick began ballroom dancing at age ten, joining a children’s group class after his parents first introduced him to the studio. He soon began competing in Pro-Am and continued his performance journey through high school show choir and musical theater, earning solo and lead roles and serving as a dance captain. His creative interests eventually led him to the Kansas City Art Institute, where he earned a BFA in Graphic Design. Yet despite a successful career in design, Patrick always felt that something was missing: dance. 

Born and raised in Nebraska, Carlye grew up surrounded by family, music, creativity, and the performing arts. She began dancing at just two years old, studying ballet, tap, and jazz and competing throughout the Midwest. As a teenager, she continued performing through musicals and show choir, serving as a dance captain while discovering the unique joy and connection that performance brought her. Although she initially planned to pursue a career in culinary arts, Carlye realized that her true passion was working with people and creating meaningful experiences through creativity and connection. In 2016, she began teaching dance and has since shared her knowledge across ballroom, country, musical theater, and hip-hop. For Carlye, dance is a way to express genuine emotion, tell stories, and connect with others. Today, she is grateful to share that passion with her high school sweetheart, Patrick. 

Patrick and Carlye first met through high school show choir, where Patrick was immediately drawn to Carlye, though she was initially less convinced. Their relationship blossomed during a show choir trip, beginning a partnership that would eventually span both life and dance. In 2013, they began competing together as amateurs, earning two runner-up finishes in 9-Dance at USA Dance Nationals along with numerous regional finalist placements. In 2022, they made the transition to the professional division and began their professional career in Overland Park, Kansas. Today, Patrick and Carlye primarily compete in the American Smooth style and share a passion for creating meaningful experiences through dance. Together, they also helped establish The Ballroom KC, a collective of independent instructors dedicated to building community and supporting dance education in their area. Their ambition is to continue growing as performers, educators, and partners while pursuing a USDC Rising Star Smooth final.