Considered the "Queen of Line Dance," Jo Thompson Szymanski has made quite an impact on dance floors worldwide for several decades. Jo's big break came in the mid-1990s when she hosted her own show Danceline on The Nashville Network. She also guest hosted TNN's Club Dance, the Wildhorse Saloon TV show, and dance contests for Country Music Television (CMT). Over the course of her career, Jo has won numerous awards. She was one of the first two people (with Max Perry) to be inducted into the Linedancer Hall of Fame in 1999; and in 2012 was inducted into the United Country Western Dance Council (UCWDC) Hall of Fame.
Jo's repertoire includes ballet, jazz, tap, swing, salsa, ballroom, square dancing, round dancing, clogging, and Latin. Whether solo or in collaboration with others, Jo excels at crafting fun, memorable line dance routines. Many are well-known and enjoyed everywhere, including "Come Dance With Me," "Dizzy," "Jukebox," "Rita’s Waltz," "Hideaway Cha," "MJ Moves," "TGIF," "Showstopper," "Ain't Misbehavin'," "Get Wild," and (most recently) "Country in 3."
Jo is an inspiration and role model for many in the dance community, including me. I've always been in awe of her poise, grace, and positive attitude. She invited me to tour the United Kingdom with her and gave me my first international exposure when she asked me to teach "Dangerous" at a couple of the gigs. Throughout the years, I've worked with Jo at weekend conventions, on cruise ships, at seminars for seniors, and on video shoots. We've co-choreographed several hit dances (such as "Cliche Love Song" and "Hot Tamales Jr."), and performed together in many shows.
Jo lives near Denver, Colorado with her husband Tim, daughter Anna, and their two adorable dogs.
