English born, raised in Australia and residing in USA since 1995, Karen has over thirty years international experience competing in six styles of partner dancing. Retiring as undefeated U.S. American Style 9 Dance Champion and the undefeated Canadian "American Ballroom" and "Showdance" champion, she garnered over 250 titles worldwide.
Karen has performed in the presence of HRH Princess Margaret in Covent Garden, the National tour of "Burn the Floor" at Radio City Music Hall and the feature film "Dance With Me". She taught Evander Holyfield live on “Good Morning America”, and trained Richard Gere for "Shall We Dance”. You can see her in the PBS Dancesport series and YouTube '9DanceChamps'.
Touring the U.S. with the Peter Maxwell Ballroom Company, she also shared the stage spotlight with her partner and two leading Australian actors for “Wallflowering” at the Spoleto Festival in Melbourne, Victoria. This inspired Karen to co-create, choreograph and direct a stage production “Let’s Dance the Night Away”, touring Australia before traveling globally for performances, seminars and workshops.
Independent ventures include raising funds for the Australian Autistic Children's Association, sponsoring twelve months of dance lessons for a child from a low-income family, and volunteering with the Art of Living Foundation. Her dedication and work earned her the unanimous vote for the 2005 Woman of the Year Award from the American Business Women's Association.
Karen embarked on her spiritual journey after hearing an internationally renowned holistic doctor, whose theories created an impression that life, as she knew it, could have a different perspective. After 9/11, while living in New York, she was introduced to breath-work, meditation, and yoga practices and volunteered for a non-profit concern for six years, until she met Master Yun Xiang Tseng. Impressed and intrigued with his teachings, peppered with common sense and humor, Daoist philosophy became the basis of Karen’s daily lifestyle.
Her journey has taken her from the extreme Western world of colorful, competitive dancing to the complimentary opposite in Eastern practices of Daoism’s peaceful (active and meditative) serenity. Her path requiring dedication, devotion and discipline, while exercising both the body, mind and spirit.
Karen combines her ballroom expertise with a holistic sensibility and a playful spirit to encourage confidence while building a foundation for movement skills. Her work has expanded to “concierge coaching" which encompasses Tai Chi, Qigong, Meditation, EnerQi®, I Ching/Yi Jing, Feng Shui, External Qi Healing, Numerology, Conscious Eating and the Sacred Feminine.
