Dance history:Deborah Székely “say kay” started dancing when she was three year sold. At the age of 10 she performed at the famous Harvest Moon Ball with her Jr. company dance troupe, and at 16, competed on “Star Search” with Tyce Diorio from “SYTYCD” She has been dancing and competing ever since.
Formally trained in ballet, tap, and jazz since the age of 3 and teaching since the age of 15 at Horizons Dance Centre. Deborah has also been trained at The Joffrey Ballet and Miss Christine Neubert atCarnegie Hall. She was a summer dance scholarship winner at Theatre Dance for two years owned by Lisa Danias, sister of famous Joffrey Ballet Dancer and the Ballerina Starr Danias in the “Turning Point”movie.
During Deborah’s first year of med school she decided to follow her one true passion: dance. She left med school and began teaching line dancing at the famous “Denim and Diamonds” in NYC, and jazz at Dance Manhattan. She also waited tables to make ends meet in the tough world of being a dancer in New York City.
In 1995 she was introduced to WCS. In 1996 She began Competing the swing circuit with Steve Neeren. After a year of much success she was approached by then 3x US Open Swing Dance Champion Robert Cordoba. In1997 Deborah and Robert became partners for 15 years. In that 15 years span they together accumulated four more US Open Titles. two in Showcase and 2 in Sophisticated and a US Open Jack and Jill win for Deborah. They won NASDE 4 years straight from 1997-2000. Deborah was also voted favorite female dancer in 1997. in 2011 Deborah Decided to pursue her West Coast Swing without a partner and is the top Female traveling on her own teaching to this day.
Deborah has 8 Grand National Titles. She is a Dallas Dance and California Swing Dance Hall of Fame, inductee (Rising Star 2012). She was White Hatted In Calgary in June 2014. In November of 2014 she was Inducted into the National Living Legends of Dance. She also competed in 2018 at the California US Open Swing Dance Championships with PJTurner in the Classic Division
Deborah Continues to travel the world spreading her love and knowledge of Dance and West Coast Swing. Deborah also still competes In Jack and Jills and Strictly Swing in the Champions division and consistently places in the top 5. She continues to work on her craft to make her abetter Dancer and Teacher. Deborah is one of the co-founders of podcast “The Naked Truth: Real Talk about West Coast Swing” with her long time friend Eric Jacobson. She has since left the podcast to concentrate on other things in her career
Descriptions of accomplishments:US Open Titles 1999 1st Place in Showcase with Robert Cordoba2000 1st Place in Showcase with Robert Cordoba2001 1st Place US Open Jack and Jill Invitational2007 1st Place Sophisticated with Robert Cordoba2008 1st Place Sophisticated with Robert Cordoba
July 2006 1st Place 4TH of July Convention Champion of Champions Phoenix, AZJanuary 2004 1st Place SwingDiego San Diego, CAAugust 2007 1st Place Summer Hummer Framingham, MAMay 2011 1st Place SwingDiego San Diego, CA May 2014 1st Place SwingDiego San Diego, CAOctober 2015 1st Place Boogie By The Bay San Francisco, CAJuly 2016 1st Place 4TH of July Convention Champion of Champions Phoenix, AZ
Deborah with partner Robert Cordoba won NASDE 4 years straight from 1997-2000Deborah was also voted favorite female dancer in 1997
Deborah continues to coach, judge, compete nationally as well as teach a weekly local Int/Adv WCS Class at Colorado Dancesport.
Couples Induction
Robert Cordoba & Deborah Szekely started dancing together in 1997 and were dance partners for 15 years. Their impact and influence earned them legendary status. In that 15 year span they together accumulated four US Open Titles, two in Showcase and 2 in Sophisticated. They won NASDE 4 years straight from 1997-2000. Other accomplishments include; US Open Swing Dance Championships Showcase Division 2006 3rd PlaceUS Open Swing Dance Championships Showcase Division 2005 4th Place US Open Swing Dance Championships Classic Division 2002 5th Place Grand National DC 
Showcase Division 2002 First Place Grand National DC Showcase Division First Place 2001 U.S. Open Swing Dance Championships Showcase 2000 First Place Capital Swing Showcase Division First Place 2000 Grand National DC Showcase Division First Place 2000 Grand National DC Classic Division First Place 1999. In addition, not only were they competitors, but they were accomplished teachers, individually and together, who traveled and taught workshops at events across the US.