1 of 9 Ballroom dancing has taken the UK by storm, thanks to shows like Strictly Come Dancing. Newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky and her dancing partner proudly won the first series with their fancy footwork...
2 of 9 ...while EastEnders actress Jill Halfpenny took the top prize during series two.
3 of 9 Ballroom dancing used to be seen as stuffy and old fashioned...
4 of 9 ...and while men wore simple tuxedos, women were known for wearing outrageous costumes.
5 of 9 Formal events, or 'balls' regularly took place before the days of radio and TV. The word 'ball' is Latin for 'to dance'.
6 of 9 But once television became popular, the BBC made a programme about ballroom dancing where couples competed for a trophy.
7 of 9 There are many ballroom dancing styles from all over the world, including the Foxtrot, Quickstep, Waltz and the Rumba. These street performers are doing the Tango, a dance that comes from South America.
8 of 9 The number of people taking ballroom dancing classes has now doubled in the UK, and even Hollywood is getting in on the act...
9 of 9 ...singer Jennifer Lopez recently had to brush up on her ballroom dancing for a movie about the sport.
Home
E-mail this to a friend
