Salvatore Nunzio DiMaria

COLUMBIA - A Mass of Christian burial for Salvatore “Sal” DiMaria, 83, will be celebrated at 12:00 p.m. Thursday, January 14, 2016, at St. Joseph Catholic Church. The family will receive friends Wednesday, January 13, 2016, from 4 until 6:00 p.m. at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, with the Rosary being recited following at 6 p.m. Entombment will be private. Sal died Monday, January 11, 2016. He was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1932 to Vita Catania DiMaria and Joseph DiMaria. He worked in the family bakery and attended Newark Public Schools. He began his lifelong career in the dance business (Marino as his professional name) in Miami Beach, Fla. He performed in many of the nightclubs so popular in the 1950s, and was trained and taught at the Arthur Murray Studio chain in the education of adult ballroom students. He was presented the All-American Teacher Award by Kathryn Murray in 1954. He entered the U.S. Army at Fort Jackson, S.C. during the Korean conflict and served in the Special Services branch coordinating shows and classes for the base clubs and was honorably discharged. He elected to remain in Columbia and worked for the local Arthur Murray Studio as its Dance Director. In 1959 Sal opened the Latin and American Dance Studio. His location across the street from WIS TV gave many opportunities to perform on the live shows that were such a big part of Columbia and the Midlands at the time, such as Carolina Today with Joe Pinner and Joan Barrett (Brady). He served on the Carolina Carillon Committee and choreographed the Grand March. His community service included the Citation of Merit by the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Award for Endeavors from the Easter Seal Society. Mayor John Campbell proclaimed “Dance Day” in Sal’s honor in 1976. The Red Stocking Revues often recruited Sal’s teaching when presenting their local show. Sal was present at Governor Richard Riley’s signing the Shag as the S.C. State Dance. He was soon recruited by the founders of the National Fred Astaire Dance Studio national chain and began operating as a franchised school. In 1967, he designed and built the first customized dance studio building in the area on Devine Street. Studio operations expanded to include Camden, Newberry and Florence. Sal became a Certified Adjudicator for the National Dance Board and served as Regional Dance Director for the organization. He was a charter member and stockholder with the American Ballroom Company, which established national professional champion eligibility to enter world championship competitions. He was founder of the regional Astaire All Star Dance Competition, which included professional/amateur teams and professional/professional teams from 7 states in the southeast. He retired from the local operations in 1985 and then traveled as a consultant for the National Fred Astaire Company. His seminars and coaching sessions for dance professionals spanned 25 states. Partnering with the well-known Dr. G. Richard (Dick Goodwin), Sal was involved in the distribution of music arranged and recorded by Dick especially for ballroom dancers under the Dance Opus label. Sal will be remembered as a pioneer in the field of adult ballroom education where he helped to formulate a business and training model which came to be adopted by many schools throughout the country. His love of dance and teaching was unmatched, as was his enthusiasm and willingness to share his knowledge with others. Sal was a past member of the National Dance Council of America, the Executive Club, Saraband Club, Fort Jackson Golf Club, Columbia Country Club, American Guild of Variety Artists and was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church where he was a former lector. Surviving are his wife of 53 years, Janice Stogner DiMaria; children, Vince DiMaria (Kerrie), Elizabeth Hinnant, Laurie Slack, Emily Moses (John); and grandchildren, Andrew Slack, Emily Hinnant, Anna Slack, Dowlin Moses, Sarah Hinnant, Henry Moses, Grace Hinnant, Sallie Moses, and Vittoria and Nicholas DiMaria. Also surviving are a sister, Nancy Paffrath of Linden, N.J.; brothers, Frank DiMaria of Texas, Joseph DiMaria of N.J.; and his loving sister-in-law, Lathene McLemore. He was predeceased by his brother, Angelo. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Ursuline Sisters, 3105 Lexington Road, Louisville, KY, 40206 or a charity of one’s choice.