The foxtrot is usually one of the first dances learned due to the (relatively) simple steps and the sheer beauty of it. This dance can be performed at quick-time or slowly depending on the music. The Viennese waltz originated in the 1800s and uses faster music, larger steps and expressive arms. I consider this to be one of the most graceful of the ballroom dances.

America's Ballroom Challenge is all business, an hour-long show without commercials.  During the first part of the show, the couples danced as a group. I don’t know how the judges were able to rate anything with so much to look at so quickly. The dancers had no time to stop and catch their breaths from one dance to the next. Without leaving the dance floor, and only to pause for a music change, they danced the waltz, tango, foxtrot and Viennese waltz. For those of you unfamiliar with dancing, this is an amazing feat of athleticism.

After these dances, the couples left to change into their costumes for their show dance. The audience was treated to a fabulous dance by a teenage couple, Leonid Juashkovsky,16, and Daniella Karagach, 14.

Then the individual show dances began. The first couple, Gunnar and Daryll Sverrisson, did not dance a traditional American Smooth dance. They jazzed it up with a '50s biker look. They ranked 6 out of 7.

The second couple, clearly a crowd favorite (Tomas Mielnicki and J.T. Thomas) had a “wow” dance. That is all I wrote down on my little note pad. They did a romantic combination American Smooth dance that truly wowed me — and the judges. They ended up winning Champion of American Smooth.

The third couple, Mayo Alanen and Lisa Vogeldid, did a hip hop routine that disturbed me because the title of this show is America's Ballroom Challenge. I would think you would want to display your talent in the category for which you were competing, but what do I know? They scored fifth overall.

There was a small break where a very young couple (Ted Grinvald and Natasha Shevchenko, aged 12 and 9) danced. Okay. Way too cute. I gave my lumpish children a glare as if to say, “Why don’t you ever get off the couch?”