CELEBRITY JUDGES

Including:

Head Judge

Tony Dovolani

National Dance Director for Fred Astaire Dance Studio &
Former Dancing with the Stars pro!

Tony Dovolani

Tony Dovolani was born in Prishtina, Kosova and began folk dancing at age three. He was 15 years old when he and his family moved to the United States. At age 17, he began ballroom lessons at a Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Connecticut and knew he had found his passion. Six months later, he began working as a FADS Dance Instructor, and he has been a strong and successful competitor in the professional ballroom dancing world ever since.

In 2006, Tony joined ABC’s Dancing with the Stars for their second season, and quickly became a fan favorite with his stellar choreography, elegance and bright smile. He spent 21 consecutive seasons on the show; Tony and his dance partner Melissa Rycroft were the Season 15 “Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars” Mirror Ball Trophy Champions. Tony’s professional body of work is impressive. He has guest hosted and choreographed for the world-famous Chippendales at the Rio/Las Vegas, (Spring 2018); choreographed the Miss Nevada pageant (2012) and was a judge for the Miss America competition (2011). He, with fellow DWTS Pro Cheryl Burke, choreographed and performed a special Paso Doble for Pixar’s Toy Story 3. He’s guest-hosted segments on EXTRA, the Golf Channel’s The Morning Drive and on the ABC syndicated show On the Red Carpet. He has guest starred on television series including TV Land’s The Exes and CBS TV’s Kevin Can Wait, and played Latin bad-boy competitor, ‘Slick Willy’ in the hit film Shall We Dance. He has toured with Dance to the Movies and Dance to the Holidays and has been a frequent guest on Good Morning America.

Of his role as Co-National Dance Director for the Fred Astaire Dance Studios network, Tony offers, “My life has now come full circle. At age 17, I began my dance career as an Instructor with FADS, and now, to carry on the legacy of the iconic dancer and choreographer Fred Astaire, is truly an honor. My goals as Co-National Dance Director are not only to bring all the knowledge and skills I’ve gained to this position, but even more importantly – to work together with you to bring FADS – home of the best dancers in our industry – to the next level. When I was a brand new teacher, one of my mentors told me, “what you learn at FADS will help you be successful not only in your career, but in every aspect of your life”, and it’s been incredible how true that was. What I learned while working at that Fred Astaire Dance Studio has helped me with my family, my dancing, in movies and TV shows… in all the accomplishments I’ve ever had. But the truth is, I always wanted to come back – to be here, because THIS is where I belong, this is where I am proudest – to know when I walk out on a stage or anywhere, that I represent Fred Astaire Dance Studios – THAT is truly an honor.”

Didi Conn

Frenchy from Grease!

Didi Conn

Conn made her debut as an actress in the 1960s. Her notable characters since the 1970s, when she first became prominent, include Laurie Robinson in You Light Up My Life (1977; Kasey Cisyk provided the character’s singing voice), Frenchy in the feature films Grease (1978) and Grease 2 (1982), Helen on The Practice (1976–77), Denise Stevens Downey on Benson (1981–84), and Stacy Jones on Shining Time Station (1989–95).

Conn provided the voice for Raggedy Ann in the animated feature Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure (1977) directed by Richard Williams. She appeared as a celebrity guest on game shows like Match Game, The $20,000, $25,000, $50,000, and $100,000 Pyramids, Whew!, Chain Reaction, and Go.

As a theatre actress, she was involved with Broadway productions of Lost in Yonkers (1991), The Green Bird (2000), and Say Goodnight, Gracie (2002). In 2014 she performed in The Underpants in Hartford, Connecticut. She also starred in Dan Clancy’s play Middletown from 2019 until 2021.

In January 2016, she had a cameo as Vi in the Grease: Live television special on Fox, thus being the only actress to appear in all three screen adaptations of the franchise. In addition, she has appeared in numerous other roles on television.

In 2019, Conn was a contestant on the eleventh series of the British television series Dancing on Ice. At 67, she was the oldest person ever to compete on the show. She, alongside her professional partner Łukasz Różycki, were eliminated in Week 4, after the judges saved Saara Aalto and Hamish Gaman in the skate-off.

Danny Massa

from Survivor!

Danny Massa

During season 44 of CBS’s “Survivor” Danny used mindset and breathwork practices to preserve energy through extreme caloric deficiencies. This worked so well for him that the other contestants were often perplexed at the firefighter’s seemingly endless energy. When it came time to compete, he charged up with the breath, manipulating his nervous system to leave everything he had on the island. When Danny began to do his daily breathing exercises, he presumed it may seem odd to the other contestants, however quite the opposite; his peers consistently joined and were grateful for the experience. Being a certified Wim Hof instructor allowed Danny to teach the method to his competitors struggling with sea sickness and provided much needed relief.

Danny Massa is a 32-year-old man who was born and raised in the Bronx. As an insecure adolescent, Danny was picked on for his weight. So, at the age of 12, he turned to boxing, martial arts, and physical fitness to build his confidence.

Shortly after, Danny began competing in boxing matches and mixed martial arts competitions and holds a record of 10 wins and 4 losses. In this pursuit, he developed an appreciation for the journey as opposed to the result; exercise and the martial arts began as a way to get in shape. His motto is: “Do not strive to be someone who wins; strive to be someone who strives. The past is history, the future is a mystery, the now is a gift, that is why it’s called the present.”

His father, Captain Daniel J. Massa, served New York City as a Firefighter for 25 years and was part of the rescue and recovery effort at the World Trade Center in 2001. His father’s words, “Always try to leave everywhere you’ve been a little nicer than the way you found it”, inspired Danny to follow in his footsteps and become a New York City Firefighter. Danny is also a member of the FDNY Boxing Bravest (with a 4-0 record) and the FDNY Grappling Team, where he trains and prepares future firefighters.

Whether he’s battling in the ring, grappling in the cage, carrying patients down countless flights of stairs during emergency medical calls or extinguishing blazing infernos, one truth remains — when you are under the gun in a high stress scenario and you can feel your heart beating through your chest, proper breathing is the first step to the light at the end of the tunnel. In short, if you can breathe, everything is okay. If you can’t, then nothing else matters.

This principle has captivated Danny so much that it inspired him to become a Certified Breath Coach under the tutelage of Dr. Belisa Vranich, a world-renowned clinical psychologist. He is also passionate about exploring the capabilities of human beings and unlocking human potential. Danny is passionate about sharing his practice and skills in the field of breathwork and cold exposure training to help others feel healthier and happier. Like his father, Danny believes in the power of service and leaving this world just a little bit nicer than how he found it.

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