Darren has had an extraordinary journey in the world of dance and beyond. Starting a successful competitive dance career at just 8 years old, he won worldwide titles until the age of 18, before joining the iconic Riverdance and touring the globe. Darren also won 'Got to Dance' with Prodijig, later co creating Footstorm, which sold out venues across the UK and Ireland. After returning to Riverdance for its anniversary tour, he transitioned into new roles, becoming a SM host, VIP host, and podcast host—where ‘Riverdance the podcast’ show hit #1.

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Darren is absolutely thrilled to join the judging panel for the first-ever Golden Dance Awards, set to take Ireland by storm this September in Dublin. After having the honour of being on the panel for the inaugural Golden Dance Awards in Northern Ireland last October, he cannot wait to celebrate all things dance throughout the entire Isle of Ireland. This is such a special moment for the dance community, and he is so excited to be part of it!

As the Director of Taaffe Training, Sean Taaffe leads one of the UK and Ireland’s most exciting dance programmes , now featuring a new college in Dublin and Associate Programmes in Dublin, Belfast, Liverpool, and Scotland.

With a career spanning years of professional experience with TV , Cruise Lines and touring shows,  Sean brings world-class expertise to his teaching. A CYD Faculty Member and esteemed tutor at Shockout Arts, he is recognised as one of the UK’s top choreographers, celebrated for his innovative and dynamic approach to dance training.

Sean’s true passion lies in inspiring and mentoring the next generation of dancers. His classes are designed to challenge, uplift, and empower students, helping them reach their full potential both technically and creatively. 

Sean is absolutely delighted to join this esteemed panel of judges for the first-ever Dance Awards to come to Ireland.

With his passion for mentoring and inspiring the next generation of dancers, Sean looks forward to witnessing the innovation and artistry these awards will showcase. 

Born and raised in South Africa, Kylee Vincent developed a passion for dance at six, training in Latin, ballroom, ballet, hip hop and contemporary.

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Kylee’s major achievements include winning the Dutch Open Latin Championships, U21 World Latin Championships, and the U21 Open British Latin Championships at Blackpool Festival.

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Transitioning from competition to entertainment, she toured globally with Burn the Floor, taking on roles as company manager, dance captain and creative team member.

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She has performed in musicals such as Rock of Ages and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and danced on the West End in multiple touring shows. Most recently, she completed her fourth season on Dancing with the Stars Ireland, partnering with celebrities like Damian McGinty and Davy Russell.

Kylee is also a certified 500YTT yoga instructor.

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It’s a true honour to be part of this inaugural event and to celebrate and recognise dance across Ireland. I cannot wait to see you all there for this special occasion!

Inna Mazurenko is a Ukrainian professional dancer and choreographer, and a finalist of TV shows “Dancing with the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance” Ukraine. 

As CEO of Udance Company, she organised dance championships such as World of Dance Ukraine, Feel The Beat, Global Talent. 

Inna has 15 years of experience as an international judge and currently works with CoisCéim Dance Theatre and Dublin Dance Festival. 

Inna is a Dance World Cup Ireland Qualifier representative. 

Inna played a pivotal role in the first ever Dance Awards in Northern Ireland in October 2024. She is delighted with the expansion of the Golden Dance Awards coming on 13th September to Dublin, Ireland