Full Name
Oksana Kalinuka
Job Title
Studio Owner
Institution Name
OC Dancing
Speaker Bio
Oksana Kalinuka grew up in Riga, Latvia. She began taking ballroom dance lessons at the young age of 8, and fell in love with everything about it: The music, the movement, the expression… As she grew up, her dancing slowly evolved, from a fun pastime she would enjoy after school, to opening a dance school in Orange County, that shares the love and passion she feels for dance, unto all the children that step through her doors.

Oksana attended the Moscow Industrial University, graduating with a Masters in Economics and Management, in 2000. While she pursued her studies, her kindling fire for the love of dance slowly burned beneath the piles of books, paperwork, and essays of her academic years. At the age of 22, Oksana Kalinuka moved to the USA leaving her family and friends behind. Not long after her arrival, Oksana rekindled her love for Ballroom and stepped out onto the competition floor once again.

Showing great resilience, hard work, empathy, and determination, she built a life for herself and her family in California, opened her OC Dancing Ballroom studio in 2006, and expanded it in 2019.

In over a decade of spreading the knowledge and appreciation of dance, OC Dancing's ballroom programs have truly nourished ballroom as not only an Art, but as DanceSport as well. Oksana has raised, created, and developed many successful dance individuals and couples, more than a few growing to become U.S. Finalists and World Ranking dancers, as well as, winners of ballroom championships, both nationally and internationally. Not only has Oksana coached many children and young adults to become great dancers, but also to become great instructors, which in turn join the OC Dancing community as teachers and staff.

Oksana Kalinuka is not your average business woman, but rather a dance coach to many in Orange County. Oksana's knowledge, dedication, and true passion, resonated into her career as an Instructor, Coach, Businesswoman, Competitive Dancer, and Certified Judge, as well. She received her judging credentials in all 4 styles of Ballroom: International Latin, International Standard, American Rhythm, American Smooth.

She is a genuine person, with an inexplicable gift that only she carries… To not just teach dance, but to share the same passion she has for ballroom with others, transcending to any and everyone she meets.

Aside from managing the studio, Oksana currently competes in Professional Latin, coaches competitive couples, judges at competitions, and will be joining the OCSA staff this year.
Oksana Kalinuka