Anthony Parks, owner of Prestige Ballroom of Memphis, is a native Texan. His parents encouraged the natural athleticism in their son through active participation in football, track, basketball and baseball. Dance was most definitely not a family activity. Anthony did not find the world of ballroom dancing until the age of 23. He came to ballroom with zero dance experience or dance training of any kind.
Anthony enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 2001 and is a decorated combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom 1. After his Honorable Discharge, Anthony investigated various fitness practices and discovered ballroom dance. Anthony applied the discipline and work ethic gained from his experiences as a Marine and transformed himself into a powerful dancer and an even better instructor.
Always an energetic, natural born performer, Anthony found competition to be the perfect expression of his passion for ballroom dance. Thirteen years later, Anthony is the only Triple Crown Championship Instructor in the Memphis area.
Anthony loves ballroom dancing! He believes dance transcends all barriers and allows the creation of amazing moments for the dancers and wonderful visions for the audience. In the course of 13 years of dancing, Anthony has been a conduit and witness to the wondrous positive changes ballroom dancing can work in a student’s life. Anthony yearns to share his love of ballroom dancing with everyone regardless of ability, age, race, religion, color, gender, or sexual orientation.
Anthony currently lives in Memphis, Tennessee, his hometown for the past 11 years. He loves Memphis for its diversity and the bounty of experiences it can provide. He is eager to be a part of the local Memphis businesses scene and to support other Memphis area businesses. His 13 years of ballroom experience in teaching, learning, performing and competing put students in good and capable hands when they sign up for lessons with Prestige Ballroom.
“Ballroom dancing is unlike anything out there, it can change you and how you see yourself forever”
– Anthony Parks