The Kiaser Dance Academy in Brooklyn, NY, Rising Stars Dance Academy in Saddlebrook, NJ and the BYU or Morman High School programs are the only cost effective, group classes for young ballroom dancers. Maybe some other public school funded in NY and FL, but not much else. The above are mostly for young Russians and Mormans.

The rest of the USA ballroom dancers are not even exposed to ballroom until we are empty nesters (40's and 50's) and the kids have moved out and we take up a very expensive hobby. It is very hard to get quality classes like being taught in the above schools and we resort to social dancing, privates, partner searchs--or if we want to try competing one needs 2 or 3 lessons a week or more. And it is very slow going since most haven't had any ballroom training. We are just like the folks on Dancing With the Stars without much exposure to ballroom dancing. Oh well, better late than never--just wish that I had picked up this hobby earlier in life. Now ballroom is getting lots of press and TV coverage. PBS has a great Int. Latin event tonite at 7 and 11 central time.