Larinda McRaven

Larinda began her professional career in Ballroom Dancing in Missouri.  As a sophomore attending Missouri State University by total chance she met a Ballroom Dancer. He showed her the first "Rock Step Cha Cha Cha" in a nightclub.  She knew she was hooked and her life then took an unexpected turn.  

Upon completing her degree in Theatre and Stage Performance she followed her dream of a professional dance career. Larinda moved to the east coast and began training with her competitive partner, the late Stephen Hevenor. Their competitive and show touring schedule lead them to all corners of North America. Together they won over 200 professional titles, including North American Professional Champion, United States Open Professional Finalist, World Professional Finalist and Top Rising Star Couple, Classic du Quebec Champion, Classic du Quebec Showdance Champion, Manhattan Dance Champion, Yankee Classic Champion, Triple Crown Circuit Champion.  

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She also competed with her students in the Pro-Am category, helping her stable of men to achieve Pro-Am titles such as World Championship Runner-up, World Rising Star Champion, and North American Open Champion in both the American and International styles. Amateur competitive couples have reached goals such as World Masters Champions and United States Open Amateur Finalists.

All the while competing and teaching she also pursued multiple professional teaching credentials with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, North American Dance Teachers Association, and the United States Terpsichore.  As well her teaching was awarded the United States Dancesport Championships Top Teacher, the only female to receive the award alongside 5 men in 2009.  

She draws heavily on an application of classical mechanics to explain dance in a clear, straightforward, and accurate way.  Her understanding of the the structural nature of the human body is used to detail dance technique and to teach students to use easy, efficient, natural movement. 

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After more than 30 years of professional dancing and teaching, she lives in her hometown of Jefferson City. She continues to travel to coach competitive couples and to judge and invigilate ballroom & latin competitions. In 2014 she was awarded the title "National Adjudicator" by the National Dance Council of America, the highest classification available in North America. Since then she has been invited to judge prestigious events like the World Pro-Am Championships and the World Professional Smooth Championships. 

She is on the Ballroom Department Committee of the National Dance Council of America, the Vice President of the Professional Dancers Federation, a representative and delegate for the North American Dance Organizers Alliance, and the Co-Owner of the Gateway Dancesport Championships.

Her local time in Jefferson City and Columbia is used running McRaven Ballroom llc. with a busy schedule of private and group classes in ballroom, latin, swing, flashmob, and west coast swing, coaching the Mizzou Ballroom team, and producing the local dance cult classic The Haunting of Green Berry a Halloween Revue.