Mickey Fortanasce & Kelly Arsenault
Mickey - as a professional Tough Guy, Super Hero and Spelling Bee Champion, finding time for dance
was not easy for Mickey Fortanasce, nor was it an accepted activity among his fellow Crime
fighters. But having defeated most evil doers in the New York City metropolitan area and having
and become bored with their monotonous monologueing coupled with their stubborn refusal to
except his superior skill and ability, he made his way down a different path.
In search of more powerful adversary Mickey Fortanasce began dancing THE lindy hop and THE
balboa in the Summer of '99. For years he competed and worked tirelessly towards a goal he
could neither see nor reach. Battling opponents whose dorkdom surpassed even his own.
Completely unprepaired and surrounded by people who probably wanted to kick his ass, Mickey
was certain he'd found his way back to high school.
It wasn't until 2004 Mickey while walking the dark and dusted streets of New York that Mickey
bore witness to an freak accident when a Mac truck collided with a two men carrying a large pain
of glass. At that moment a Vat of glowing green ooze toppled from the truck and onto a
unsuspecting super-model. Remembering the well known Vat of ooze to Super Hero ratio, Mickey
decided to ask the girl to join him on his quest only to find out later that in fact, she had been
given the super human power of Dance Ass Kicking.
Together MIckey and Kelly have competed and won numerous competitions in Lindy Hop and
Balboa, including most recently receiving the prestigious title of 'BEST DANCERS EVER' at the
'Mickey wins Everything Invitational 2008'. Mickey and Kelly have taught accross the US and in
Europe and have also been featured in dance articles in Time Out New York Magazine, The New
York Times and www.priceless.com. Performed freestyle swing demo on Good Day New York and
been interviewed and filmed for a story on balboa aired on HDTV.
Kelly -
Kelly Arsenault is a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, and she has been dancing as long as she can remember. As a child she took ballet and jazz, but she was especially drawn to modern dance. At age 11, Kelly joined the Tennessee Children's Dance Ensemble. She was with the modern dance company for 6 years, performing around the globe including Taiwan, Singapore, and Indonesia.
Kelly attended the University of Tennessee (Go Vols!) from 1997-2001, during which time she was a member of the UT Dance Company. One highlight from those days was being chosen to perform with the company at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC in 1998. Her time in college opened her eyes to a variety of modern dance styles and techniques including Graham, Horton, and Limon. Even after graduating, Kelly came back to perform with UTDC and she was commissioned to choreograph a piece for the company in 2003.
Following college Kelly joined Circle Modern Dance Company for which she was a dancer and choreographer. She also joined the Knoxville Swing Dance Association and took workshops whenever she had the chance. Finally in 2003, Kelly decided to bite the bullet and pursue her dance dreams in New York.
During her four-year residency in NY, Kelly joined two modern dance companies: Von Ussar Danceworks and MAD About Dance. She was also fortunate enough to meet her amazing dance partner Mickey Fortanasce. Mickey and Kelly have taught accross the US and in Europe and have also been featured in dance articles in Time Out New York, The New York Sun and www.priceless.com. Performed freestyle swing demo on Good Day New York and been interviewed and filmed for a story on balboa aired on HDTV.
Kelly continues to pursue her love of dance and teaching in her new home city of Washington, DC.
Check Out Their Website: www.MickeyAndKelly.com