Alec Mazo facts for kids

Alec Mazo (born April 5, 1978) is an American investor. He is best known for winning the first season of the TV show Dancing with the Stars with his partner Kelly Monaco. Alec appeared in five seasons of the show and took part in four Dancing with the Stars live tours. He also helped produce live stage shows for casinos and a big 70-city tour.

Early Life and Moving to the US

Alec Mazo was born in 1978 in Gomel, which was part of the Soviet Union at the time. He started dancing when he was only five years old. When he was 12, his family moved from the Soviet Union to the United States as refugees. They first settled in San Antonio, Texas, and then moved to San Francisco.

Alec's mother, Natalia, who used to be an engineer, opened a dance school in San Francisco. Alec helped run the school to support his family, as they arrived with very little.

Education and Family Life

Alec Mazo studied computer science and later cognitive science at the University of California, Berkeley. After his time on Dancing with the Stars, he went to Stanford University to earn a master's degree in management.

He used to run a company that created live stage shows and reality TV programs. Today, Alec is a partner at DGA Capital, where he invests in financial markets.

When he was a teenager, Alec was the CEO of the Genesis Dance Sport studio in San Francisco. He hoped to expand the studio to Los Angeles. Alec has a brother named Genya, who is also a ballroom dancer and has performed on the Dancing with the Stars tour.

Alec Mazo is married to Edyta Śliwińska, who is also a professional dancer and his long-time dancing partner. They have two children: a son born in 2014 and a daughter born in 2017.

Dancing with the Stars Career

Alec Mazo became a professional dancer just before the TV show Dancing with the Stars began looking for dancers. He even appeared in the 1998 movie Dance With Me.

Winning Season 1

Alec Mazo and his celebrity partner, Kelly Monaco, won the very first season of Dancing with the Stars. This made them the first champions of the popular American show.

Later Seasons

Alec returned for several more seasons of Dancing with the Stars with different celebrity partners:

• Season 4: He was partnered with former supermodel Paulina Porizkova. They were the first couple to be eliminated from the competition.
• Season 5: Alec danced with supermodel Josie Maran. They were eliminated after the first week of competition.
• Season 7: He teamed up with Grammy Award-winning singer Toni Braxton. They were the fifth couple to leave the show that season.
• Season 9: Alec's partner was Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin. They were the fifth couple to be eliminated.

Here is a quick look at Alec Mazo's journey on Dancing with the Stars:

Dancing with the Stars Performances

With celebrity partner Kelly Monaco

With celebrity partner Paulina Porizkova

With celebrity partner Josie Maran

With celebrity partner Toni Braxton

With celebrity partner Natalie Coughlin

See also

In Spanish: Alec Mazo para niños