Rangel Spirov & Veronika Chernyavska

Rangel Spirov was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, and began ballroom dancing at the age of eight after a family friend’s daughter invited him to join a group class. He quickly discovered that ballroom was the perfect fit for him—especially after noticing that the class had roughly ten girls for every boy! What began as an unexpected introduction soon became a lifelong passion. Rangel continued developing his skills in Bulgaria before moving to the United States in 2011, where he expanded his professional career and trained with leading teachers in North America and Europe. A major turning point came when he met Veronika and formed their professional partnership. Together, they became five-time Bulgarian National Professional Latin Champions and established themselves internationally. Outside of dance, Rangel enjoys traveling with Veronika, discovering new cultures, and exploring the natural wonders of the world.

Veronika Chernyavska was born in Lviv, Ukraine, and moved to the United States with her family at the age of 11. Her love for dance began even earlier, when she joined a traditional Ukrainian folk-dance group at age nine. That experience sparked a passion for movement and performance that would eventually lead her to ballroom dancing and a professional career in International Latin. Veronika has trained with many respected teachers throughout Europe and North America, gaining experience on stages around the world and performing in more than 40 countries. Meeting Rangel became a defining moment in her career, giving her the opportunity to build an enduring partnership that combined athletic discipline with artistic expression. Outside the studio, Veronika shares Rangel’s love of travel and enjoys discovering different cultures and natural landscapes together.

Rangel and Veronika first met online in 2010 and traveled to Padova, Italy, for a dance tryout. With the encouragement of renowned teacher Carolyn Smith, they decided to partner in Professional Latin and have competed together ever since. Their partnership has grown into an international career, with performances at venues including Royal Albert Hall in London, Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, and the Kremlin Palace in Moscow, as well as appearances on Dancing With The Stars Bulgaria and So You Think You Can Dance. Now based in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, they opened Image Ballroom Dance Academy in 2018 after seven years of competing professionally together. As dancers and teachers, they emphasize self-expression, commitment, and perseverance. Their greatest accomplishment, however, is the ability to overcome challenges together and continue growing as partners, artists, athletes, and business owners.