When Susan Vandervlugt wasn’t tip-toeing through the tulips during her summers in Holland, she was twirling around the house practicing turns and dancing for fun with her Opa (Grandfather) who, along with being a tulip grower, was also an amateur ballroom instructor in their small Dutch farming town.  However, it wasn’t until her first year of college that Susan discovered the exciting world of competition ballroom dancing.  Her talent and passion for dance blossomed while studying at Purdue University where she competed and trained on Purdue’s ballroom dance team for many years under the expert instruction of US Rhythm, Latin & Standard Champions.

As a citizen of both the US and the Netherlands, she has competed in high open levels of both International and American styles with a strong emphasis in International Latin for over 18 years. During which time, she has trained extensively with professional US Rhythm Champions and top Latin, Standard, & Showdance World Champions, choreographed and performed numerous dance shows in both the US and Europe, and has won numerous awards in competitions all over the US. After making the move to the Pacific Northwest, Susan founded Bridge City Ballroom Dance in 2015 and has been sharing her talent and passion with the wonderful people of the greater Portland – Vancouver metro areas ever since. With her Dutch roots at heart, she’s committed to providing a warm, welcoming environment for all in the dance community and feels strongly that quality instruction in a fun, easy-going atmosphere will significantly enhance the learning experience. With over a decade of professional teaching and event experience, Susan is sought after as an instructor for her bright, welcoming personality, her ability to teach detailed technique and break down complex patterns, and her ability to help her students reach their goals while igniting their own confidence and inner passion for dance.

Susan teaches Social, Show Dance, Competition dancing, and choreography in both American and International styles of Ballroom & Latin, as well as nightclub dances: Hustle, West Coast Swing, Jitterbug, and Salsa. (Yes, even Polka!) She also specializes in music production and instruction for special events and wedding dance instruction/choreography.