Quicken up your quick step

The date has been set. You have four months to put some extra fox in your trot and collect enough rhinestones to decorate an outfit before the 2009 Same-Sex Dance Spectacular on February 28.

Now in its third year, the competition is sure to be fierce as long-time ballroom devotees and new fans who have fallen for dance since the advent of dancing reality TV shows get ready to cha cha to the death.

We have same-sex dance classes every Sunday at Broadway Ballroom for anyone who wanted to try and pick it up in time, but the Dance Spectacular isn’t really the place to learn -” people can take it very seriously, said event organiser and co-owner of same-sex dance studio Hot to Foxtrot, Virginia Binning.

People train all through the year for this, through classes and private tuition. But there are also those who go in just for the fun of it and so they can dance with their partner in life, so there are various levels of skills.

Ability aside, the Dance Spectacular is an event for anyone, with non-competitive types and left-footed wallflowers alike coming to watch from the sidelines. Last year’s event managed to attract around 40 couples to the floor and over 300 to the bleachers.

Alongside the competitions in modern, Latin American and new vogue dance styles, there will be displays to entertain and possibly encourage the crowd to take up dancing.

Dancing is one of those things that draws in a really diverse group. It is the type of thing you can get involved with when you’re eight and keep doing into your 80s, Binning, who has been dancing for 50-odd years, said.

It goes in cycles, with lots of people joining up after things like Dirty Dancing and Strictly Ballroom or the dance shows that are on now, but there’s always a core group who have been there since the beginning, and they’ll be the ones dancing in the A grade, top field. It should be an exciting competition and day for both the dancers and the people on the sidelines.

info: The Same-Sex Dance Spectacular will be held on February 28 at the Botany RSL Club, 1421 Botany Rd. Cost: $50 for competitor registration, $25 to be a spectator. For more information and registration forms email dancedance@dancedance.com.au or hot.to.foxtrot@bigpond.com.au.