Biography
Patsy (Patty) Laverne Holden
Born in Muskogee, OK
February 10, 1971
*Studied organ and classical/gospel piano for 12 years, from ages 5 to 17.
Also proficient in trumpet, French Horn, melophone and alto saxaphone.
*Proud alumni member of the Pride of Broken Arrow,
a nationally recognized high school marching band.
*French Horn in the Tulsa Youth Symphony
1988.
*Keyboards and vocalist in Branson, MO
(Country Music Show Palace)
1989.
*Began ballroom dancing in senior high school, 1989.
Worked at FADS in Tulsa, New Orleans, Oklahoma City
*Moved to Orlando in 1992
1990 - 1992
*Professional Theatre Arts competitor
*Certified in the Bronze, Silver, Associate, and Associate Dance Director levels by Fred Astaire Dance Studio Inc. (FADS) between 1992 and 1993.
*Dance Director for the Winter Park
Fred Astaire Dance Studio Inc.
*Married to William Gillooly in May, 1994-99
*Daughter Victoria Gillooly born October, 1994
*Opened the Paradise Ballroom in 1998
*Professional American Rhythm dance partnership with nationally recognized Top Teacher
Herb Vasquez, 2001 - 2003.
*Inducted into Phi Theta Kappa Society
International Scholastic Order of the Two-Year College in 2003
*Transferred to UCF in 2004
*Inducted into the Burnett Honors College program in 2006.
*Reluctantly closed the Paradise Ballroom during the summer of 2006 to better focus on the demands of writing an undergraduate thesis entitled "Civilized Dancing: The Evolution of Ballroom Dancing from African Trance and Folk Dance," part of which was published.
*2007 - Bachelor in Humanities/Religious Studies Track
*2008 - Inducted into Delta Epsilon Iota
Academic Honor Society
*2009 UCF archaeology field season in the jungle of Belize for 5 weeks digging for ancient Maya ruins.
*2009 - Master in Anthropology/Maya Studies Track
*Orlando Ballroom Dancing Examiner
*National Ancient Maya Examiner
*Spring 2011 to present - Professor of Ballroom Dance at the University of Central Florida
*2011 to present - Re-opening of Paradise Ballroom in Kissimmee FL.
2011 to present - Ballroom instructor at Harmony High School
*2011 to present - Ballroom dance organizer for the
Orlando Jazz Orchestra
*Daily - Alkaline Diet enthusiast and counselor
Creator of Gourmet Alkaline recipe blog site