Ballroom Dancing Basics

“Are you intimidated by other couples on the dance floor?” ask U.S. professional dance champions Melanie LaPatin and Tony Meredith in the PBS-aired Ballroom Dancing Basics, filmed before a studio audience. In this program, LaPatin and Meredith teach viewers how to dance the waltz, foxtrot, rumba, samba, meringue, and “night club sway,” not by methodically breaking down each dance, but rather by presenting the six basic dance moves that form the foundation of all the dances covered, including the box step, hesitation step (a kind of treading water move to use when navigating a crowded dance floor), the whisk, and the underarm turn, as well as dips. Both the men's and women's moves are demonstrated separately and then together, and the program concludes with a “putting it all together” guide to the six dances highlighting how the basic dance patterns are slightly modified in each. DVD extras include 16 minutes of bonus footage on topics such as arm styling, pivoting, and Cuban motion (just add hips and knees), and the package includes a separate music CD for practice and a print booklet describing the steps. A fine introduction to “one of the most romantic forms of exercise you will find,” this is recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Pitman)