Nadia Eftedal

About

Nadia Eftedal

Nadia Eftedal is an internationally recognized World Champion dancer whose career spans decades of competitive excellence, education, and leadership in the world of Latin-American dance. Her exceptional portfolio of achievements includes:

• Open British Professional Latin Champion
• U.K. Professional Latin Champion
• Two-time European Professional Latin Champion
• U.S. Open Professional Latin Champion
• Winner, Super Japan Cup
• Champion, German Open Latin Championships
• Champion, French Latin Masters
• Champion, Russian Invitational Latin Championships
• Five-time Silver Medalist, World Professional Latin Championships
• Recipient of the John Monte Lifetime Achievement Award

Early Years

Nadia began ballroom dancing at the age of eight in Hollywood, California. She trained at the renowned Sloan-Sloan School of Dance and competed throughout her junior, amateur, and early professional years in both International Standard and Latin styles. Her competitive journey began at the historic California Star Ball, where she placed second in the “10 and Under Cha-Cha-Cha” division—an early milestone that marked the beginning of an extraordinary career.

Professional Career: “Stay on the Floor”

In professional ballroom competition, few moments are as meaningful as hearing the words “Stay on the Floor” at the Open British Championships. While reaching the final in a single dance is an accomplishment, making the final in all five dances represents the pinnacle of professional success.

Nadia achieved this distinction as the first American to win the Open British Professional Latin Championship—an achievement that proved to be truly life-changing.

As a professional competitor, Nadia represented Norway, the home country of her dance partner and husband, Johan Eftedal. In the early years of their partnership, they lived in Oslo, where they taught children, trained extensively, and competed throughout Europe. As their success grew and they became regular finalists at major international events, they relocated to London to continue their education under the world’s leading coaches.

Their competitive and professional success led them to travel extensively across Asia, Europe, Australia, and the United States, lecturing, demonstrating, and teaching. The Eftedal partnership left a lasting impact on the international Latin-American dance community and remains influential to this day.

Post-Competitive Career

Following her retirement from professional competition, Nadia returned to California, where she continues to lecture, adjudicate, and train top competitive couples.

From 2009 to 2013, she owned and operated The Rhythm Room dance studio in Sherman Oaks, California. Under her leadership, the studio developed a highly successful children’s program serving students ages four and up, along with group classes, private instruction, dance camps, and performance showcases.

During this period, Nadia also hosted the annual Beverly Hills Holiday Ball & Dance Camp, attracting dancers from around the world to compete, study with leading coaches, and participate in formal gala events.

Nadia has continued to work as a traveling coach and member of the International Dance Council member within the Fred Astaire organization.

In 2022, she received the prestigious John Monte Award for Lifetime Achievement.

As of 2026, she will be opening a Fred Astaire Dance Studio in the Valley Fair community of San Jose, CA. 

She is a World Class Adjudicator with the National Dance Council of America (NDCA) 

Wedding Dance Instruction Social Dancing