An internationally acclaimed dance instructor and choreographer, Jo Thompson Szymanski has made quite an impact on dance floors worldwide. Having taught line and couple’s dance for 30 years, Jo holds a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Dance. She was voted International Line Dance Instructor of the Year for five years in a row at the UK Crystal Boot Line Dance Awards and was honored with being of the first two people to be inducted into the Line Dance Hall of Fame. Jo, a former Miss Texas and top ten finalist at Miss America, hosted her own instructional television show, Dance Line on The Nashville Network (TNN).
In addition to line dancing, Jo’s teaching and dancing experience spans the fields of Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Country, Swing, Salsa, Ballroom, Square Dancing, Round Dancing, Clogging, and Latin. Demand for Jo’s teaching has taken her to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico, The Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and all over the United States and Europe. In 2002 she retired from traveling to start a family.
In November of 2004 Jo was diagnosed with a very rare bone marrow disease, Aplastic Anemia. The disease also affected her joints requiring total replacement surgeries on both hips and multiple surgeries on her knees and shoulders. Gladly, through wonderful doctors and lots of prayer, the disease is now in remission and Jo is able to get back to her love of dance! Jo resides in Highlands Ranch, Colorado with her husband, Tim, and their 4 1/2 year old daughter Anna.
Jo Thompson Szymanski has choreographed 323 dances, of which 175 have been co-choreographed. Their first published stepsheet on CopperKnob is King Of The Road from October 2007, with their most recent stepsheet of Un Poquito (fr) in March 2024.
Additionally, Jo Thompson Szymanski had a CopperKnob no.1 dance in December 2023 with Un Poquito, and has recently had 7 other dances in the top 10.
