Katia started dancing at the age of 8 in Moscow following her cousin’s footsteps. At the age of 15 she began competing with Igor Mikushov for Russian the International Ballroom division where they placed in the top 12 at the Russian Open Championship. Throughout their youth and amateur career they placed in the finals of many International competitions such as the Blackpool Dance Festival, the International, and were runners up in the Italian Open and Austrian Open. Katia graduated from Russia’s most prestigious artistic university GITIS, and is a certified teacher. In 2007, she moved from Russia to Italy to compete and study and spent several years travel around the world gaining the World Amateur Championship title. In 2012 Katia was reunited with Igor Mikushov to dance professionally for the United States. They recently won the United States Rising Star International Ballroom Championship and were placed in the Final of the Open Professional International Ballroom Championship at the International in October 2013.