Erik Linder (dancer)

Erik Linder is an American performer, choreographer, ballroom and latin dancer (born May 25, 2000). He became known as a child Dancesport competitor and performer with longtime dance partner Rickie Taylor, with whom he won United States national titles, represented the United States internationally and appeared on national television programs including The Oprah Winfrey Show, America's Got Talent and Dancing with the Stars.

Early life and dance training

Linder began ballroom dancing at the age of 4, after accompanying his parents to ballroom dance lessons. In a 2018 interview with The Daily Herald, Linder said that he initially watched from the studio before deciding to try dancing himself.

Linder trained at The Dorothy Jayne Studio and First Class Ballroom in Everett, Washington. As a youth competitor, he and Rickie Taylor were described as "Ten Dancers", competing in both International Standard and Latin styles, including waltz, tango, Viennese waltz, foxtrot, quickstep, cha-cha-cha, samba, rumba, paso doble and jive.

Competitive dance career

Linder partnered with Rickie Taylor beginning in childhood. According to The Daily Herald, the partnership lasted approximately twelve years, from the time Linder was four years old until 2016.

By 2008, Linder and Rickie Taylor had attracted regional and national media attention as young ballroom dancers. USA Dance's American Dancer magazine reported that the pair, then age seven, won two first-place ribbons at the 2008 USA Dance National DanceSport Championships and were interviewed by KING 5 News and Inside Edition. Oprah.com also identified "7-year-old ballroom dancers Rickie Taylor and Erik Linder" in a 2008 feature on talented children.

Linder and Rickie Taylor later appeared on America's Got Talent and Dancing with the Stars. A 2014 Daily Herald profile stated that they were semifinalists on America's Got Talent at age nine and appeared on Dancing with the Stars at age ten.

Linder and Rickie Taylor competed nationally and internationally for the United States. In 2014, The Daily Herald described them as the reigning U.S. Amateur DanceSport Junior I Standard National Champions and reported that they were preparing for the world championships in Paris. Later that year, the newspaper reported that Linder and Rickie Taylor won the gold medal at the ballroom world championships in Paris in the under-16 division.

The World DanceSport Federation lists the couple as Erik Linder and Richelle Taylor, representing the United States, with WDSF records beginning in 2014. WDSF results include the couple competing in Junior II Standard events in Riga, Latvia and Chișinău, Moldova.

Following their 2014 international results, Linder and Taylor continued competing in WDSF Junior II Standard events. On December 13, 2014, they placed first in the WDSF Open Junior II Standard competition in Horsens, Denmark, representing the United States.

DanceSportInfo records also list Erik Linder and Rickie Taylor, in United States DanceSport competitions including the USA Dance National DanceSport Championships, Ohio Star Ball, Seattle Star Ball and other amateur events.

In 2016, the Auburn Reporter described Erik Linder and Rickie Taylor as world champion ballroom dancers and finalists at the Blackpool Dance Festival. The article reported that they served as judges for a Dancing Classrooms competition in Federal Way, Washington.

In May 2013, Linder and Rickie Taylor were among ten Junior and Youth DanceSport partnerships selected by USA Dance to participate in a World Team Dance Camp at the United States Olympic Training Facility in Lake Placid, New York. The camp, organized for top junior and youth DanceSport athletes, included Ballroom and Latin technique training, seminars, individual and group practice, and athlete-development sessions on mental strengthening, injury prevention, nutrition and physical conditioning.

After the end of his partnership with Rickie Taylor, Linder partnered with Shelly Meshkausk of Boston. In 2018, The Daily Herald reported that Linder was living part-time in Boston for training while continuing his education in Washington through a flexible school program.

Linder and Shelly Meshkausk, competed in youth, amateur, under-21 and rising-star events. DanceSportInfo lists the couple in competitions including the Embassy Ballroom Championships and other United States DanceSport events.

Television and media appearances

Linder's early media appearances include a performance on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2008. Linder was also reported by regional media to have appeared on America's Got Talent and Dancing with the Stars. USA Dance additionally reported that Erik and dance partner Rickie had been interviewed by KING 5 News and Inside Edition in connection with their early national DanceSport success.

Headline shows

Linder performed on Princess Cruises 'Star Princess' on tour in 2025 - 2026 departing Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and sailing through the Eastern and Western Caribbean. Linder partnering with Amelia Kreczman were the headline performers on the show "Viva La Música".

External links

• Erik David Linder

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