About Us

Hi, I’m Cat, and I’d like to tell you about Cat’s Ballroom. In the fall of 1999 I signed up for a salsa lesson and ended up falling in love. With dancing! And as with every great passion, I wanted everyone else to feel that same joy. Fast forward past years of training and hard work (mostly fun) and now I get to do that every day. I opened Cat’s Ballroom in downtown Memphis in 2013 with a vision of providing high quality dance instruction in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. When you come to Cat’s, I want you to feel as if you’re among friends. And if you don’t laugh at least once while you’re here, I haven’t done my job!

Of course, no man (or woman) is an island, and I’ve had a lot of help. My dear friend and mentor, Jose “Jesse” Munoz helps out with lessons, choreography, and music editing. He has been dancing and performing for over 30 years and is an amazing dancer (and a lot of fun too). Marsha Bloss (another dear friend) competed professionally with Jesse for many years and is an invaluable source of dance information and advice. My son, Jared Woods can usually be coerced into helping out with lessons, parties, and pretty much anything else that needs done. And finally, my students, some of whom have been with me since before I opened the studio, bring me so much joy and pride. Their enjoyment, gratitude, and willingness to pitch in never cease to amaze me.