Thursday, January 08, 2009

More and more teens are participating

By KATIE MUSSMAN
TEENS IN THE NEWSROOM

last updated: November 29, 2007 04:17:07 AM

Attention, guys: How would you like to walk into a room and within minutes be holding a girl's hand and putting your arms around her?

Better yet, how about a room full of girls, and you get to rotate among them? Sound good? Then ballroom dancing may be your ticket.

Dancing -- especially ballroom dancing -- may not sound like a typical guy activity. However, because there is a shortage of males involved in the pastime, you'll be in high demand as a partner. And you'll probably have fun, too.

"Ballroom dancing has become more popular, and it's a great way to meet girls," said Richie Selby of Salida.

Selby, who graduated last year from Davis High School, started learning ballroom dance when he was 11. At the time, most boys his age weren't interested. But when he started showing off some of his ballroom dance moves at a junior high dance, his friends suddenly wanted to learn to ballroom dance, too.

Last year, Selby tried out to perform in Fresno when the "Dancing With the Stars" tour came through California. He was selected as a performer and he got to meet professionals such as Karina Smirnoff and Julianne Hough. Hough has won the last two seasons of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars," including Tuesday night with partner Helio Castroneves, a Brazilian race-car driver.

"It was an incredible experience being able to perform with the professionals," said Selby. Now 19, he runs his own ballroom studio, Latin Fever Dance Studio, in Salida.

Other teens in the area have caught the ballroom dancing bug as well.

Joe Govea, a 17-year-old home-schooled student, started dancing a few years ago at the California Ballroom Company in Modesto. He is now a member of the studio's teen dance team and has competed in ballroom dance competitions in San Francisco. "(I spend) most of my time on ballroom," he said.

Ryan Miller from Pitman High School in Turlock was asked by a friend -- a girl -- to take ballroom dance lessons because there weren't enough boys in the class. He did, and discovered it was a great way to meet people.

What makes ballroom dancing so popular? California Ballroom Company director Gay Grant said television shows like "Dancing With the Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance" have attracted teens.

Spencer Iascone of Ripon agreed. "I like to dance, so I thought I'd try something different from hip-hop," he said. "Now I love ballroom! It's fun and teaches you how to move with someone else. It's also a great workout."

Although not everyone breaks out ballroom dance moves at high school dances, it can also be a social asset.

Ballroom dancing makes you "more well-rounded, and you become more cultured," said Kate Thompson of Hughson High School. "And when you're at a dance, there won't be the awkward pauses where you run out of things to say because you can actually dance."

Heidi Gomez, who owns You Can Dance Studio in Modesto, said ballroom dancing is a "great social skill" and "gives you an advantage because it is something you can do all your life."

Convinced? If so, then find a studio or a friend who can teach you some ballroom dance moves. No partner is necessary to take a class.

Grant thinks most teens "usually like (to start with swing dancing) because it is faster than dances like the fox trot." Most instructors agree that one of the best dances to teach a beginner is swing.

"It's the most versatile and can be danced to any music, whether rap, rock, or elevator music," said Selby, who runs the Salida studio.

There are other options for the more adventurous. After all, one of the "best things about ballroom are the costumes and the variety of dances," said Adrianna Sahlman of Modesto Christian High School.

Jennifer Ventura of Beyer High School says her "favorite dance is cha-cha because it's fast and I like the music that goes with it."

Kammi Moniz of Big Valley Christian prefers the waltz "because it is so graceful." Waltz is one of the standard dances, which also include fox trot and quickstep. These are the elegant and romantic dances one would find at balls several decades ago.

"Club dances" such as two-step, salsa, and merengue also are popular.

Ballroom dancers can also enter competitions, a la "Dancing With the Stars." Area dancers usually compete in San Francisco.

Grant, of California Ballroom Company, said there are different levels and age groups in competitions, so even beginning dancers feel comfortable competing. You can compete as a couple or as part of a dance team.

California Ballroom Company has a teen dance team that performs around the area and competes in San Francisco. The company also has an annual ballroom showcase in which the team and the company's other dancers perform each spring.

If you want to compete -- or just want a way to meet other people -- ballroom dance may be for you.

"Ballroom is great fun," said McKay Scoffield of Beyer High School. "And, yeah, chicks dig it!"

To comment, click on the link with this story at www.modbee.com. Katie Mussmann is a senior at Davis High School and a member of The Bee's Teens in the Newsroom journalism program.

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