I must confess. I've fallen in love with ballroom dance. After watching Dancing with the Stars a few years ago, where non-professionals learned how to dance with such beauty and elegance, I was hooked. So I took it upon myself to find out more about this type of dance. In the back of my mind I was looking for a style that both Gord and I could enjoy.

At its most basic level ballroom is partner dancing. Once exclusively enjoyed by the upper class at their social gatherings, it dates back as early as the 16th century. The Waltz was first introduced in the early nineteenth century and today many variations have evolved, including Spanish Waltz and Cross Step.

Modern ballroom dance includes various types and styles within both Standard ballroom and International Latin ballroom. Of course, thanks to Elvis in the 50's, new variations of the Swing and Rock-n-Roll were introduced. Then along came the Disco mania of the 70's. American Smooth and American Rhythm have also been added to the ballroom world.

Ballroom Dance Reborn

Ballroom Dance has enjoyed a resurgence since the 90's. The addition of DanceSport has added a strong competitive edge and ballroom dance is now regulated by The World Dance Council.

TV programs, like Dancing With The Stars and So You Think You Can Dance, have boosted ballroom's popularity into the stratosphere of dance genres. It has been embraced by a wide mix of people from all ages groups and across many cultures.

Today Ballroom Dance can no longer be confined to strict required steps and patterns, because new dances and creative variations continue to be added all the time. Yet it does maintain a formal distinctive beat and precision.

Social Interaction

More than the competitive edge, I love the social interaction between dance partners that ballroom dancing enables. It's quite genteel and respectful. It reminds me of the days when Gordie first courted me with dance dates.

The dancer partnership within ballroom is somewhat more formal than in a night club. But don't get me wrong, you can still be provocative and sexy, but you do it with class, elegance and romance.

Because the dance choices are so vast, it can boggle the mind. So, I suggest you start with a genre of dance you feel most attuned to. Study the dance by observing others and listening to the matching music.

Once you choose your genre, commit to sticking through the awkward learning phases. It's well worth it. If you do, you can then go out to dances and just enjoy yourself. Gord and I have chosen the Tango, and now we're having great fun. The romance is great too. It takes two to Tango, you know!