Joanna Zacharewicz
Legend of Dance
Why They Matter
Zacharewicz matters to American Rhythm because her four consecutive NDCA U.S. national titles document sustained excellence at the top of the professional field. Her later work as a coach, adjudicator, and studio owner also shows how a championship career can become a teaching and community-building
Biography
Joanna Zacharewicz is an American Rhythm champion and ballroom educator whose four consecutive U.S. National Professional Rhythm titles with partner José DeCamps place her among the most consistently honored competitors in the discipline. Born in Poland, she began dancing at age eight, building a foundation in International Latin and Standard before specializing in American Rhythm—the partnered competition category encompassing cha-cha, rumba, swing, bolero, and mambo.
Zacharewicz's best-documented competitive period spans 2007 to 2010, when she and DeCamps won the U.S. National Professional Rhythm championship each year, as recognized by the National Dance Council of America. Their partnership brought American Rhythm to broader audiences through guest performances at events including the Kremlin Cup and appearances on broadcast platforms.
Beyond competition, Zacharewicz built a career as a coach, adjudicator, and performer. She has taught at dance camps and maintained an active role in the competitive ballroom community. Currently, she works as Joanna Decamps—her married name—as a teacher and co-owner of a Fred Astaire Dance Studios location in West Melbourne, Florida, continuing the work of developing dancers at all levels.
Career Highlights
Won the U.S. National Professional Rhythm championship with José DeCamps. Source Source
Repeated as U.S. National Professional Rhythm champion with DeCamps. Source Source
Earned a third consecutive U.S. National Professional Rhythm title with DeCamps. Source Source
Completed a four-year run as U.S. National Professional Rhythm champion with DeCamps. Source Source
Secondary and couple-controlled biographies report that Zacharewicz and DeCamps won the Sábado Gigante “Así se Baila” competition; retain as a qualified claim pending a Univision or event archive. Sources, secondary Sources
Listed as an Independence Day Ball Dance Camp instructor, with guest-performance credits including Dancing with the Stars and the Kremlin Cup. Source Source
Listed by Fred Astaire Dance Studios West Melbourne as Joanna Decamps, owner. Time-sensitive; recheck before publication. Source Source
Legacy & Impact
Zacharewicz's four consecutive NDCA U.S. national titles document sustained excellence at the highest level of American Rhythm competition. Her partnership with José DeCamps established a model of collaborative achievement in a discipline that demands precise rhythmic control, partnership responsiveness, and performance projection. Her transition into coaching, adjudication, and studio ownership demonstrates how a championship career translates into community building and the mentorship of new generations of ballroom dancers.
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