Jessica McMorrow Stefanov

Founder and CEO

Jessica created Briora Ballroom together with her husband and dance partner, Slava, with the vision of building a joyful community that fosters fun, togetherness and personal growth through dancing. 

Jessica is a successful competitive dancer with a career spanning 25 years in the dance industry. She is a former United States National Professional Finalist, ranking among the top 6 couples in the United States, in both the Rising Star Smooth (2015) and 9-Dance (2008 and 2009) divisions. Over the course of her competitive career, she has won numerous titles, including:

  • International Grand Ball Rising Star Professional Smooth Champion (2019)

  • Emerald Ball Rising Star Smooth Professional Vice Champion (2016)

  • Holiday Dance Classic Rising Star Professional Smooth Vice Champion (2016)

  • California Open Rising Star Professional Smooth Vice Champion (2015)

  • San Francisco Open Rising Star Professional Smooth Champion (2015)

  • Ballroom Beach Bash Rising Star Professional Smooth Champion (2015)

  • United States National Professional Rising Star Smooth Finalist (2015)

  • Heritage Classic Rising Star Professional Smooth Champion (2013)

  • Open Professional Smooth Champion, Seattle Star Ball (2013)

  • Rising Star Professional Rhythm Champion, City Lights Ball (2010)

  • Hollywood Dancesport Rising Star Professional Rhythm Champion (2009)

  • Autumn Dance Classic Rising Star Professional Rhythm Champion (2009)

  • United States National Professional 9-Dance Finalist (2008, 2009)

  • Volunteer State Dance Challenge Rising Star Professional Rhythm Champion (2008)

  • Open Professional Rhythm Champion, Seattle Star Ball (2007, 2008)

  • Rising Star Professional Smooth Champion, Seattle Star Ball (2008)

Internationally, Jessica and her husband Slava were ranked among the top 12 couples in the World in Professional American Smooth, winning placement as Semifinalists in the World Professional Open Smooth Championships at Embassy Ball (2014, 2015).

Following their retirement from competitive Dancesport, Jessica and her husband Slava have been continuing their dance journey together and currently enjoy studying, teaching and performing Argentine Tango.

Jessica is a certified dance instructor with Dance Vision and the U.S. Terpsichore Association in all styles of ballroom dance, including Smooth, Rhythm, Latin, Standard and Theater Arts.  She enjoys teaching students of all levels and seeing the joy dance brings into their lives.

Jessica has been dancing since the age of seven. Her early dance experience was in classical ballet, and she trained intensively as a ballet major at the Washington Academy of Performing Arts conservatory program.

In addition to her dance training, Jessica holds a BA in History summa cum laude from the University of Washington, where she was named the Outstanding Graduating History Major and was awarded a Dean’s Medal in the Social Sciences.

When she is not dancing, Jessica enjoys gardening, yoga and most of all, spending time with her husband and two young sons. She was born and raised in the Seattle area and loves the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and living close to her family.