Many people are obsessed with watching Dancing With the Stars each season. The dancing, the celebrities, the music, and even the sarcastic remarks by the judges are all very entertaining. While some of the celebrities were not in perfect shape, you may have noticed that all of the professional dancers had so much as an ounce of fat on their bodies. Their bodies are all toned, lean and muscular. Ballroom dancing provides a real workout and is excellent as a physical fitness program.

It may look like some ballroom dancing is just a slow, easy dance around the ballroom floor, but there are quite a few ballroom dances that are quite active. With kicks, stomps, bends and twirls, ballroom dancing can be quite a workout.

A lot of people who want to work out and get fit hate gyms. It’s pretty intimidating if you’re a bit out of shape to go to a gym with all those fitness fanatics with perfect, sculpted bodies. If it’s a really busy gym, you probably have to wait for the machines that you want to use, also. Ballroom dancing not only provides a great workout, but it’s fun and something you and a partner or spouse can do together. If you’re one of those people who just can’t find a workout routine or physical activity that you enjoy, you should consider ballroom dancing.

You can burn as much fat and calories by ballroom dancing as you can doing a workout at the gym, if not more. The Foxtrot or Waltz are an easy way to burn about 200 calories with little effort. You could compare it to a brisk walk or 30 minutes on the elliptical. Dances with a faster pace, such as the Jive or Paso Doble can easily burn up 400 calories or more, bringing it up to the level of an intense step aerobics class.

A big advantage that ballroom dancing has over exercises like crunches or walking on a treadmill is that you’re getting a whole body workout as opposed to just working out certain parts of your body. Ballroom dancing uses all of the major muscles and you’ll probably see faster results with ballroom dancing than going to a gym.

If you sign up for a dance class solo, you’ll most likely be paired with a partner if you don’t already have one. It’s a great way to meet people with similar interests and socialize also. An added benefit is that dancing is fun and you’re more likely to dance longer than you would workout at a gym. Is it time for you to trade your sweaty old gym shoes for some dancing shoes?

Weddings are a special time for everyone. It’s a time of new beginnings for the happy couple and friends and families become witnesses to the exceptional event. With so many details that go into planning a wedding, often choosing a dance for the reception isn’t a priority; rather, a lot of time goes into choosing which song the bride and groom will dance to.

Selecting a song to dance to is typically the first step in the couple deciding on a ballroom dance. Most couples will opt to enroll in professional ballroom dance lessons with a certified instructor to come up with a dance for their song. With ballroom dancing growing in popularity, couples are beginning to steer away from the traditional circular dance. In fact, more and more engaged couples are choosing to learn a ballroom dance for their wedding.

Not only is performing a ballroom dance for your wedding very sentimental, but it is also likely to be remembered by everyone. However, a ballroom dance doesn’t have to be strictly between the bride and groom. It can involve the bride and her father, the groom and his mother, or anyone else the happy couple chooses to share a dance with. With so many variations of ballroom dancing, it may be difficult to select a specific dance. Below are some popular song suggestions for weddings and ballroom dances that would be appropriate with them.

Two very well-known wedding songs are “Love Me Tender” and “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You,” both performed by Elvis Presley. These songs, while traditional at weddings, set the perfect tone for a slow waltz. The waltz is a careful collaboration of steps involving walking and side to side motions – these songs provide the exact tempo and beat for this style of ballroom dancing. Another major plus of performing the waltz is that it’s easy to learn and can be done by nearly anyone of any skill level.

“From This Moment On” is a song performed by legendary country music singer Shania Twain and is a popular choice among bride and groom dances. This song remains slow and romantic, but the beat is slightly faster compared to the Elvis Presley songs. “From This Moment On” is an excellent choice for dancing the foxtrot, a slow yet very smooth dance that follows forward and backward patterns around the dance floor. Like the waltz, it is fairly easy to learn.

A few popular choices for dancing with the parents of the couple are “Through the Years” by Kenny Rogers and “Wind beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler. The waltz would also be appropriate for these songs as well as the tango, although this ballroom dance may take a little longer to learn due to its sharp and precise steps.

By choosing to perform a ballroom dance at your wedding (as opposed to just moving about in a circle or from side to side), you are sure to create lifelong memories for yourself and your guests.

The word competition doesn’t usually conjure up images of dancing. Most people tend to think of sports when they think of competition, like football, tennis, golf, etc. Sports competition has long been great fun with many fans, however competition ballroom dancing is also very entertaining to watch. Just look at how popular the show Dancing With the Stars is.

Ballroom dancing has been associated with an older, wealthy crowd until recently. During the late 1980′s it was popular and then that popularity died down around 1995. Then around 1999, it regained popularity and has been popular ever since. As you can see by Dancing With the Stars, there is increased media coverage of ballroom dancing and this is encouraging more and more people to learn it and even to compete in ballroom dancing.

An organization called Access Dance is host to many popular ballroom dance compeitions nationwide. Winners can win a range of prizes from cash to vacations. There are different categories (youth, amateur and professional) that allows people of all ages and skill levels to compete in ballroom dancing.

There’s also an annual ballroom dance competition held by the Maryland Institute of Technology (MIT). This dance competition is open to anyone who wants to compete as well as to members of the MIT ballroom dance team. This competition has far more categories, being divided by dance style and then by beginning and intermediate. There’s a small entry fee with the price ranging from $10-$40, depending on the category and your skill level.

As mentioned previously, the best known ballroom dancing competition is ABC’s Dancing With the Stars. This competition is so interesting because celebrities are the contestants. The most recent champion of ballroom dancing, Hines Ward, is a Pittsburgh Steelers receiver with no previous experience with ballroom dance competition. An actress, Jennifer Grey, was winner in the previous season. Emmitt Smith, a former NFL player for the Dallas Cowboys was winner in Season 3. Celebrities with no previous ballroom dancing experience are paired up with professional dance partners who teach ballroom dancing. It starts with ten couples and each week a couple is eliminated by viewers. The show took off after the first season and is now their own version of the show is seen in over twenty countries.

There’s lots of information on the Internet on ballroom dancing competitions if you are interested in finding out more about it. There are competitions for just about every skill level.

You probably already know that getting ready for a night of ballroom dancing is not the same as getting ready to out to night clubs. The fashion is entirely different and is constantly changing. There are even different styles of ballroom clothing for different parts of the country.

Not only does ballroom clothes differ in different parts of the country, they are different in the US than from other countries. Ballroom dresses in the US are multi-layered and tend to “flow” more. Ballroom dresses in other countries are often made from heavier fabrics and have feather embellishments. Some American styles use feathers also, but they are not essential. In addition, dresses for the ballroom in different countries often look best at only one angle, either the front or back, but not both.

American ballroom dresses often have sequin or jewel accents and come in several different lengths. Most of the ballroom dresses aren’t floor length to prevent disaster on the ballroom floor by dresses becoming tangled in the dancer’s feet. Ballroom dress styles really depend on the type of dancing being done. For instance, the paso doble dance style, which incorporates a Spanish culture and theme, would likely incorporate that into the dress. This type of dress is likely to be a knee-length, lacy dress with long sleeves and a ruffled skirt that twirls easily.

For more modern ballroom dances, the dancer often wears a very lightweight dress that flows easily with the dancer. Comfort and practicality are also important. A strapless dress is less practical on the ballroom floor due to the risk of it not fitting properly while dancing or falling off during some fast paced dance moves. A popular look for the top of the dress is either halter-style or sleeves that dangle from the shoulder.

There’s no limit to colors that can be worn on the dance floor. American women generally tend to match and complement their partner when choosing the color of their dress. Shoes should match the color of the dress exactly.

Many women will have their ballroom dresses tailor made. This is particularly true if it is going to be worn in competition. Tailor made is a pretty expensive option. There are less expensive alternatives on the Internet. While you can’t actually try it on when you shop for a dress online, online retailers normally have a great return policy and accurate sizing charts.

Ballroom dancing has had a tremendous increase in popularity. As a result, many people are learning how to dance. Typically an activity for older and wealthy people before, it has now gained far more popularity among all types of people. Ballroom dancing conjures up images of a slow trot across the ballroom floor, but it is much more than that. There are many different styles and types of ballroom dancing.

The Swing

One of the all-time favorite ball dances is the Swing, with its light-hearted and complex footwork and twirling or lifting of your partner. The Swing was created at the Savoy Ballroom in New York and gained popularity in the 1920′s. Derived from the Lindy Hop, it consists of fast twirling and steps to the beat of jazz music. Today’s Swing uses the same steps and techniques used from the start.

The Jive

In Ballroom dancing, Jive is a dance style in 4/4 time that originated in the United States from African-Americans in the early 1930′s. It was originally presented to the public as ‘Jive’ in 1934 by Cab Calloway. It is a lively and uninhibited variation of the Jitterbug, a form of Swing dance.

The Paso Doble

Another favorite dance favored by ballroom dancers is a Spanish dance called the Paso Doble. The Paso Doble has This particular dance probably contains the most meaning and sentimental value among all ballroom dances. The Paso Doble is lively and is modeled after the sound, drama, and movement of the Spanish and Portuguese bullfight. It is dramatic in nature and the steps are quick, concise, and forceful.

The Rumba

The Rumba is the slowest of the five competitive International Latin dances: the paso doble, the samba, the cha-cha-cha and the jive being the others. The word “rumba” comes from the verb “rumbear” which means going to parties, dancing, and having a good time.

A sensual Latin-based dance, the Rumba is essentially a sex pantomime danced extremely fast with exaggerated hip movements and with a sensually aggressive attitude on the part of the man and a defensive attitude on the part of the woman. The music is played with a staccato beat in keeping with the vigorous expressive movements of the dancers. Accompanying instruments include the maracas, the claves, the marimbola, and the drums.

The Waltz

The Waltz’s origins are Germany during the 17th century. It has long been a favorite ballroom dance. With smooth, graceful and precise moves, couples dance in a circular pattern. This romantic dance is a very popular dance at special events and weddings.

The Tango

Let’s not forget the Tango. Based on the history behind Argentinean cowboys and their dance partners from centuries ago, the cowboys would go to night clubs after riding their horses all day, and would not shower. This compelled the women to embrace them in the crook of their partner’s right arm. This distinctive dance hold soon developed into a favorite in ballroom dance. The dance moves are very sharp with quick head turns.

In the Spanish language, the definition of Salsa is sauce, and implies spiciness that is characteristic of Latin and Caribbean cuisine. More recently, salsa acquired a musical meaning in both English and Spanish.

A very popular dance style in Latin America, the Salsa dance style has gained huge popularity in the US in recent years. Salsa’s origins are in Cuba and is derived from the Cuban son and mambo, as the music foundation is based on the Son Clave. Johnny Pacheco introduced Salsa to New York in the 1970′s. The most well-known styles are Cali-style (from Colombia), Cuban-style (“Casino”), LA-style, New York-style, Puerto Rican-style.

Salsa is an 8-beat dance style, with a few basic steps. Most commonly, there are three steps or weight changes in each 4-beat measure. To spice up their routine, some Salsa dancers also use a kick with the lower leg or a stomp during their pauses. There’s actually very little movement around the dance floor, with most movement being conveyed through subtle hand and leg movements.

Typical Salsa music ranges from about 150 bpm (beats per minute) to around 250 bpm, although most dancing is done to music somewhere between 160–220 bpm. Salsa music is comprised of African percussion based on the Clave Rhythm. The base of Salsa music is an instrument called the clave, played by hitting two wooden sticks together. Playing with the clave are instruments such as congas, timbales, piano, tres guitar, bongos and strings. Outside of the clave rhythm are instruments such as bass, maracas, güiro, and the cowbell.

There are many different styles of Salsa dancing, including Colombian Style Salsa (Cumbia), Cuban Style Salsa, Miami Style Salsa (Classico Cubano, Casino), Casino Rueda Style Salsa (Rueda de Casino, Salsa Rueda), L.A. Style Salsa (Dancing “On 1″), New York Style Salsa (Dancing “On 2″, Mambo Salsa, Eddie Torres Style), and Puerto Rican Style Salsa.

Many dancers use different styling techniques into any style of Salsa. Incorporating shines, leg work, arm work, body movement, spins, body isolations, shoulder shimmies and rolls, and even hand styling have become a huge trend in the salsa scene.

Considered the basis for contemporary dances, the Waltz dates back as far as the late 17th century in Europe. It is a graceful dance, consisting of gliding and turning steps. Early Waltz is a rotary dance consisting of turns (both clockwise and counterclockwise) and change steps.

The Waltz has numerous names ranging from Volta in Italy to Weller in Germany to Landler in Austria. The Landler is most thought to be the forerunner of modern Waltz. The Waltzen became very popular in early 19th century, helped by the music of Josef and Johann Strauss.

The Waltz’s popularity began to decline until around 1913. The arrival of the Hesitation Waltz changed the way the Waltz was danced, slowing it down by incorporating poses and hesitations throughout the dance, rather than the continual, dizzying circles that was characteristic of the Waltz before.

It is not difficult to master the Waltz and it is very graceful and elegant to watch. There is a fast version called the Viennese Waltz and the slower version, called the English Waltz.

Waltz music has a three-quarter tempo and has only 3 steps with a simple 1-2-3 rhythm. First step is forward (backward for the woman), then one to the side and then the third step is to bring your feet together again. It is graceful dance with long sweeping movement, poses and turns.

The Waltz is found in many venues, from classical to Country Western Waltz. Country Western Waltz consists of moves going counter clockwise around the dance floor with a relaxed, and even slouching posture, without the exaggerated hand and arm gestures of some ballroom styles.

The Waltz was banned in California by Mission fathers until after 1834 because of the very close dance position. Thereafter a Spanish Waltz was danced. This Spanish Waltz was a combination of dancing around the room in closed position, and a “formation” dance of two couples facing each other and performing a sequence of steps.

At competition level, there has to be a clear pendulum action, which is somewhat like the movement of a bell clapper. It must also have the right level of up-and-down swing in balance with the required spatial movement. As in all dances, dancing from the supporting foot is essential. The “moment when” to start rising from your supporting foot is crucial in the Waltz. There should be lots of rotation.

The American Smooth style of Waltz is used in some competitions, which allows couples to occasionally break the hold, thereby enabling more open moves and underarm turns. To this day, the Waltz remains a very popular dance world wide.