Ariella_Rush
Ariella Rush
American ballroom dancer
Ariella (Aria) Maree Rush (born Mary Marie Stoehr June 9, 1956 in Canton, Ohio)[1] is an American ballroom dancer noted for dazzling and complex dance routines with her various professional dance partners, the most notable being Keith Knox, from 1976 through 1981.[2] Rush and Knox were best known for their tango, cha-cha and mambo routines, as well as, high-energy swing dancing. Rush made appearances all over the United States including Disney World in Orlando, Florida, Universal Studios, Six Flags Over Georgia, Six Flags Over Texas, the Roseland Ballroom in New York City and the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia.[3][4] Rush is also credited under other aliases, including Arianna, Aria Rose, and Maree Champion.[3][4]
Rush and Knox competed in professional ballroom dancing, and were named the 1979 Southeast Rising Star Champions at the National Dance Championships held at the Peachtree Plaza Hotel in Atlanta, GA.[2][4] This win qualified them to compete in the most prestigious of all international dance competitions, Blackpool Dance Festival; however, an injury forced Rush's early retirement.[4]