One of the most beloved entertainers in the figure skating world, Dan Hollander is enjoying a lucrative professional career and performing for enthusiastics crowds all over the nation.

After enjoying an amateur career in which he became a two-time national bronze medalist and two-time member of the World Championships team, while garnering international acclaim on many fronts, Hollander took the professional skating world by storm.

In his first professional event (2000 American Open) he placed first in the men's event and took home the silver medal in the "show" portion of the competition.

Currently on the road with Champions on Ice, Hollander continues to maintain a busy schedule while touring with COI and performing at club events and professional shows in his spare time.

Head Start
Hollander first tried skating at the early age of four when he attended his sister's Brownie Troop skating party. His first main coaches were David and Rita Lowery, with whom he trained from ages seven to 16 at the Detroit Skating Club. When the Lowerys moved to Florida, he was introduced to Diana Ronayne.

Nine years later, Dan begain training again at the Detroit Skating Club, but this time with Mitch Moyer.

Breaking onto the Scene
Hollander qualified for his first U.S. Championships (at the junior level) in 1990 and finished eighth. Two years later, he triumphantly captured the silver medal and moved up to the senior (Olympic eligible) level the following year.

For the next six years, Hollander continued to compete at the senior national and international levels, amassing two senior medals and being named to the World Championships team twice. In 1999, he capped of his amateur career at the U.S. Championships, and shortly thereafter, turned professional, channeling his energies toward developing his performance skills and entertaining audiences in a new way.

Hollander also teaches skating, and has taught since he was 17-years-old. His humor and positive attitude have allowed him to have much success in his teaching career. He still teaches at the Detroit Skating Club to this day, although there is not enough time for him to be a full-time instructor (due to his demanding traveling schedule). He frequently assists other coaches with their students.

Since turning professional, Dan has been performing in various skating shows and tours all over the world. Such shows include Tom Collin's Champions on Ice Tour, Art on Ice in Zurich and Switzerland, the United Way in Boston, the Jimmy Fund "Evening with Champions" event at Harvard, and many other local shows around the world.

Dan resides in Michigan and has developed a line of "Learning to Skate" videos with his new company, Skate Like a Pro.

--FSOnline